2001 Lincoln LS Speed Control & Cruise Problems

I OWN A 2001 LINCOLN MERCURY LS V-8 WITH 72,678 MILES ON THE ODOMETER .. FREQUENTLY (WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS) I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND TOWN IN THE 25-45 MPH SPEED RANGE. HITTING THE BRAKES FAILS TO OVERRIDE THE ACCELERATION. THE ONLY SOLUTION TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT OR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE IS TO THROW THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL AND CLEAR THE ACCELERATION WITH A HARD PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR WHILE THE CAR IS NEUTRAL. THE OTHER REMEDY IS TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION WHILE IN TRAFFIC. NEITHER ONE OF THESE SOLUTIONS IS ACCEPTABLE AND FORD/LM DENIES THAT THIS ISSUE EXISTS ON ANY OF THEIR VEHICLES DATING BACK 10-15 YEARS. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE WAS A 2000 CROWN VICTORIA AND I EXPERIENCED THE VERY SAME ISSUE AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD EXCEEDED 60,000 MILES. FORD/LM IS WELL ARE OF THESE ISSUES AND HAS FAILED TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THEM FOR FEAR OF LIABILITY AND THE COST TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT AN OWNER SHOULD DO IN THIS SITUATION. I BELIEVE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS RECENTLY BEEN FILED AGAINST FORD/LM ON BEHALF OF OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. IN THE MEAN TIME THE COMPANY FAILS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER A GOVERNMENT ORDERED RECALL OR WARRANTY. *TR

AFTER BACKING UP, STOPPING AND PLACING VEHICLE INTO THE "D" POSITION. VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE. BRAKE APPLICATION DID NOTHING TO SLOW VEHICLE UNTIL WITHIN SECOND AND FEW HUNDRED FEET, VEHICLE CAME TO REST INTO A TREE. VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED, INJURIES INCURRED. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A '01 LINCOLN, FORD CAME OUT WITH RECALL ON '01 ESCAPE WITH IDENTICAL ISSUE TWO DAYS AFTER THIS CRASH, BLAMING THE CRUISE CONTROL UNIT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL; YET, WHEN HE WANTED TO TURN IT OFF HE HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE HE COULD TURN IT OFF BY PRESSING THE BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE REGARDING THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE WHEN THE DRIVER REMOVES FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO APPLY BRAKES FOR STOPPING. ENGINE SURGES/RPMS INCREASE. OWNER DROVE PASSED STOP SIGN THROUGH CROSS WALK. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, BUT THE CAUSE WAS STILL UNDETERMINED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN CONSUMER REMOVES FOOT FROM GAS PEDAL AT ANY SPEED TO BRAKE THERE IS VIBRATION IN THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AGAIN.*AK

I AM A 57 YEAR OLD REGISTERD NURSE. I WENT TO WORK AT SAINT ELIZABETHS HOSPITAL IN BRIGHTON. I STOPPED AT THE PARKING GARAGE ENTRANCE TO GET A PARKING TICKET. WHEN THE ARM WENT AND I BE GAN TO PULL IN TO THE GARAGE THE GAS PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE UNCONTROLABLY . I HAD BOTH FEET PRESSED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. IT RACED FORWARD WITH THE WHEELS SCREECHING ON THE GARAGE FLOOR, I WAS TERRIFIED. THE CAR HIT A PARKED CAR WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT SPUN THE CAR 180 DEGREES AROUND. ALL DURING THIS TIME 5 TO 10 SECONDS AND ABOUT 100 FEET THE ENGINE WAS RACING AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS FLOORED. BOTH MY FEET WERE FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. I HOPE SOMEONE TAKES THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY AND MAKES THE DEALER FIX THIS CAR BEFORE I OR SOMEONE ELSE GETS KILLED. I AM TERRIFIED THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN, AND I AM THOUROUGHLY UPSET THAT THIS IS NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I SEE FROM YOUR BOARD THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. TS

VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE TO SPEEDS OF 60 MPH AND IDLES OF 3000 RPM BEFORE CONSUMER FINALLY SHUT VEHICLE OFF. THIS HAPPENED WHEN CONSUMER WAS IN TRAFFIC AND STARTED TO MOVE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *TT

WHEN AT A STOP AND BRAKE APPLIED, ENGINE WILL REV, AND REAR WHEELS SPINNED FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, BUT NO CAUSE WAS FOUND. *AK

WHILE IN TRAFFIC WITH FOOT ON BRAKE RPMS WENT TO 2000, CONSUMER COULD FEEL CAR PULLING FORWARD. CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT CAR IN PARK. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANYFURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

UPON SLOWING VEHICLE DOWN TO AROUND 10-15 MPH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. ALSO, THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES. DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE BODY WHICH DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK