Uncontrolled/Unintended Acceleration on 2023 MME while using single pedal drive **SAFETY ISSUE**

[Rasonic1]

Hoping someone can help. ..
I have a 2023 Mach e premium on lease.
I drive using single pedal mode.
Three days ago I pulled into a parking spot in front of a restaurant in a plaza. When I took my foot off the accelerator the car came to a complete stop (as it should have ) … about a half a second later, before I could put the transmission into park, the vehicle went full throttle and jolted forward up over the curb onto the plaza sidewalk and crashed into a full brick column. I slammed on the breaks as fast as I could, but if the brick column was not there, we would have crashed into the restaurant.
There is damage to the front drivers side of the vehicle. The airbags did not deploy. The beeping sensors never went off. Honestly, the experience scared the crap out of me. We’re lucky no one was injured.

Ford has the car at the dealership now.
they told me that something seems to have malfunctioned. They told me that the car should have deployed the airbags, the sensors should have went off, a deceleration stamp should be logged in the vehicle data and it should be telling ford that the car experienced a collision. None of that happened.
needless to say, they are now telling me that because they can’t mimic the problem, Ford is instructing them to return the vehicle to me.
they have nothing to repair, and are not taking ownership for the damage.
I honestly don’t want to take the car back.
my wife isn’t comfortable driving it anymore as she feels it’s a safety risk.
Not sure what to do. .. thanks

Sponsored

 

[areacode413]

Sorry this happened to you. My question is, can the MME overcome the breaking system while the driver is firmly pressing the break pedal while they put the transmission into park? At least that’s how I was taught to park my vehicle.

 

[RickMachE]

braking, brake

Sounds like you have have hit the Resume button.

 

[Rasonic1]

braking, brake

Sounds like you have have hit the Resume button.

Didn’t hit the resume button. My wife also doesn’t have the CC setup.
Ford also stated even if we did hit the resume button the vehicle wouldn’t have jumped forward at that speed with a brick column in front of us. Collision protection would have apparently protected the car/drivers. Or at least should have.

 

[RickMachE]

Didn’t hit the resume button. My wife also doesn’t have the CC setup.
Ford also stated even if we did hit the resume button the vehicle wouldn’t have jumped forward at that speed with a brick column in front of us. Collision protection would have apparently protected the car/drivers. Or at least should have.

You use the word "Ford" when I think you mean the word "dealership".

If you believe the vehicle malfunctioned, you should report it to the NHTSA here - https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index

If you read the manual, you'd see that your understanding (or the dealerships, or both) of how the vehicle's systems work is incorrect. Not saying anything is your fault, but clearly your belief of how the systems should work isn't the same as what the manual tells you.

Pre-Collision Assist has 3 levels, the last of which is AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking). It MAY activate if the system determines a collision is imminent. Note the word "MAY". There is also language about your responsibility to control the vehicle at all times (which by removing your foot from the accelerator, not applying the brake pedal, and not yet shifting to Park) you weren't doing. Lots of Warnings listed.

The systems are designed to detect other vehicles, and pedestrians and cyclists (under specific conditions). AEB can be turned off in the settings, you may want to check yours.

Read through, if you want, the manual beginning on page 259 to better understand how the system functions.

Some years back, some yahoo decided to make videos showing how the system worked. He stacked cardboard boxes up and said the car should stop. It didn't, he hit the boxes (and I think did damage).

Airbags deploy when the sensors detect they need to deploy.

I don't use 1-pedal, but if you read the information in the manual, you'd see a few things (pg 243).

- ONE PEDAL DRIVE PRECAUTIONS WARNING: This system is an extra driving aid. It does not replace your attention and judgment, or the need to apply the brakes. This system does NOT automatically brake your vehicle. If you fail to press the brake pedal when necessary, you may collide with another vehicle.

 

[Rasonic1]

You use the word "Ford" when I think you mean the word "dealership".

If you believe the vehicle malfunctioned, you should report it to the NHTSA here - https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index

If you read the manual, you'd see that your understanding (or the dealerships, or both) of how the vehicle's systems work is incorrect. Not saying anything is your fault, but clearly your belief of how the systems should work isn't the same as what the manual tells you.

Pre-Collision Assist has 3 levels, the last of which is AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking). It MAY activate if the system determines a collision is imminent. Note the word "MAY". There is also language about your responsibility to control the vehicle at all times (which by removing your foot from the accelerator, not applying the brake pedal, and not yet shifting to Park) you weren't doing. Lots of Warnings listed.

The systems are designed to detect other vehicles, and pedestrians and cyclists (under specific conditions). AEB can be turned off in the settings, you may want to check yours.

Read through, if you want, the manual beginning on page 259 to better understand how the system functions.

Some years back, some yahoo decided to make videos showing how the system worked. He stacked cardboard boxes up and said the car should stop. It didn't, he hit the boxes (and I think did damage).

Airbags deploy when the sensors detect they need to deploy.

I don't use 1-pedal, but if you read the information in the manual, you'd see a few things (pg 243).

- ONE PEDAL DRIVE PRECAUTIONS WARNING: This system is an extra driving aid. It does not replace your attention and judgment, or the need to apply the brakes. This system does NOT automatically brake your vehicle. If you fail to press the brake pedal when necessary, you may collide with another vehicle.

appreciate your time and help to assist me. Clearly you are more knowledgeable on all this stuff than we are. I also appreciate you sharing the link.
yes, when I say “Ford”, I am referring to our local Ford dealership. That’s where the vehicle currently is now. The service manager at the dealership is the one who told me he sees a malfunction, mainly because anytime there is a vehicle collision it stamps it in the database when he plugs the car in. It also is deigned to show a deceleration time stamp, marking exactly when I slammed on the brakes.. another thing it’s not showing.

regarding the 1 pedal drive.
I was told by the dealership when I bought the car that we really needed to use that mode to drive. It’s how we would get the best experience and preserve the most power.
im feeling that may be incorrect now? I don’t know.

 

[RickMachE]

regarding the 1 pedal drive.
I was told by the dealership when I bought the car that we really needed to use that mode to drive. It’s how we would get the best experience and preserve the most power.
im feeling that may be incorrect now? I don’t know.

Totally incorrect. All modes are the same efficiency.

Never rely on the dealership. Read the manual (although it won't tell you that they are the same efficiency). It will explain how each mode works and what it changes.

 

[hybrid2bev]

.
regarding the 1 pedal drive.
I was told by the dealership when I bought the car that we really needed to use that mode to drive. It’s how we would get the best experience and preserve the most power.
im feeling that may be incorrect now? I don’t know.

While all drive modes are equally efficient, in my opinion the dealer was correct.

1 pedal drive does give the best driving experience overall.

Also, using 1 pedal drive encourages you to modulate the pedal slowly when ‘braking’ which increases your odds of using regen vs. friction brakes. Slowing down more gradually will decrease the need for the vehicle to blend in using friction brakes thus increasing your chances of recovering some energy. Could you simulate this using 2 pedals, sure but it’s easier with 1 pedal drive.

 

[tpsfoto]

While all drive modes are equally efficient, in my opinion the dealer was correct.

1 pedal drive does give the best driving experience overall.

Also, using 1 pedal drive encourages you to modulate the pedal slowly when ‘braking’ which increases your odds of using regen vs. friction brakes. Slowing down more gradually will decrease the need for the vehicle to blend in using friction brakes thus increasing your chances of recovering some energy. Could you simulate this using 2 pedals, sure but it’s easier with 1 pedal drive.

in my area there are a lot of hills, when using 1 pedal i am always using pedal or it comes to a stop, 2 pedals my car glides down the hills ….am I using less power when gliding down vs 1 pedal?

 

[CameraCarl]

1. Pull into parking place.
2. Put foot on brake.
3. Leave foot on brake
4. Put in park
5. Turn car off
6. Remove foot from brake
QED

 

[hybrid2bev]

in my area there are a lot of hills, when using 1 pedal i am always using pedal or it comes to a stop, 2 pedals my car glides down the hills ….am I using less power when gliding down vs 1 pedal?

Using…no, recapturing less….maybe (if blending in more friction brakes by pressing on the brake pedal).

 

[AliRafiee]

I was doing some mods using ForScan the other day, and went out to test them one by one. I use 1P and one of the times I pulled back in the garage and stopped, I forgot to put it in park, since I rarely do that manually.
Anyway, I went to hit the brake and accidentally hit the accelerator. Almost ran into my motorcycles parked in front of the car. I don’t recall any alarms going off.

 

[DesignMatters]

Sorry this happened to you. My question is, can the MME overcome the breaking system while the driver is firmly pressing the break pedal while they put the transmission into park? At least that’s how I was taught to park my vehicle.

Nope, no vehicle can. Totally driver error.

 

[Lonesparrow67]

Are you absolutely sure you had your foot off the accelerator?

I"m only asking because a couple of weeks ago there were a couple of instances where I had "taken my foot off the accelerator" in 1-pedal mode to come to a stop, and just after stopping the vehicle lurched forward a bit suddenly...

At first I was cursing the car, but then realized that even though I had lifted my foot up, the bottom of my shoe was still resting on the pedal ever so slightly, and that slight amount of pressure was enough to activate the accelerator...

As soon as I made a conscious effort to completely remove my foot from the pedal it never happened again....

I honestly think I just got too complacent with using 1-pedal mode, gently lifting off the pedal, and over-relying on the vehicle to do something that isn't designed to necesarily do (absolutely, completely stop...)

 

[Mach1E]

Nope, no vehicle can. Totally driver error.

Yeah, unfortunately for the OP these things are pretty common and so far every single one was one of two things-

1. they accidentally hit the accelerator
2. They accidentally hit the resume button on cruise control

It’s not a coincidence that these same exact scenarios always happen when pulling into or out of a parking space.

It’s called an “accident” for a reason. Zero chance the OP is going to find some proof otherwise. Even if they had a dash cam and videos of their feet, all you would see is them accidentally hitting the gas when they thought they were on the brake.

It sucks, but these parking lot gas vs brake things are very common with all cars. I’m kinda surprised with 1PD it doesn’t happen more often since you train yourself not to move your right foot.

Sponsored