My family has a 2001 Ford Ranger, 4-Cylinder, Automatic, with the smallest cab option.
The bizarre problem: Approximately every 500 miles (according to my dad), the truck will randomly have a spell of uncontrollable acceleration. These last two incidents will help to illustrate just what I mean...
My dad was pulling into a gas station, stopped behind someone to wait for an available pump, and suddenly the rear tires start spinning out of control to the point where they are squealing on the ground and propelling the truck, despite having the brake pedal all the way to the floor. The truck would NOT change out of the drive gear (the gear shifter could be moved to reverse, neutral, etc. but it wouldn't actually change gears or react in any way...if that makes sense). The freak acceleration spell lasted for 20-30 seconds, and then suddenly everything was back to normal as if nothing had happened.
Also, my dad has mentioned that once it happened while he was sitting at a busy intersection...the back wheels started spinning, brakes couldn't hold the truck back, would not change gears...and it propelled him through the intersection against cross traffic...very dangerous. And once again, less than a minute later, everything snapped back to normal.
Apparently there have been 6 of these incidents in total in the past two years.
3 mechanics and one Ford dealership later, still no answers or clues whatsoever to what may be amiss, despite inspections at each location.
Has anyone even ever heard of a problem like this, at the very least??
x1000
We have owned the truck since mid-2008.
Looking for any clues to a possible cause or explanation to what is happening, and what we need to do to alleviate the problem. My parents have decided that we have to get rid of it otherwise...it's just too dangerous to risk.
Help is greatly appreciated!!!
(I should mention that it is NOT a 4WD...seen a lot of problems other people are having with 4WD Rangers, so I just wanted to note that.)