Today I was driving around highway speeds for about an hour. I got onto a main road, and while cruising I tried to push the accelerator, no response. I then pulled over to a parking lot and in the meantime discovered my power steering went out along with the power assist for the brakes. As I was parking the check engine light came on, the oil pressure light came on. I parked turned off the car and turned it right back on, problem solved. Does anyone have any idea what the hell happened?
Loss of throttle and power systems
- Thread starter dreigen
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Lincoln Jealous
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joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
Yes, your engine stalled. Why it stalled remains a question.
PetesSweets86
Dedicated LVC Member
have you checked your battery lately? have you been crankin the music and accelerating more than needed? and the heat for this cold weather?
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
It used to be that when an engine stalled on an automatic transmission car, you would lose everything at that moment. Now, with the lock-up converters that is no longer true. The engine stalls, and you can no longer accelerate. However, you will still have power steering, brakes, and oil pressure because the transmission is still turning the engine crankshaft. Once you slow down to nearly a stop, it no longer can turn the engine, so you lose power steering and oil pressure. After that, you have one good press on the brakes and then the brake power assist is lost too.
This does not sound like an electrical system issue, because the OP doesn't mention any electrical loses, and does say that warning lights are on. I think that he is talking about a 2000 V8, but I do wish everyone would include such details in their posts.
It is interesting that the engine didn't restart while it was coasting, but did once the key was cycled off and then back on. This makes it sound like an engine electronics issue.
This does not sound like an electrical system issue, because the OP doesn't mention any electrical loses, and does say that warning lights are on. I think that he is talking about a 2000 V8, but I do wish everyone would include such details in their posts.
It is interesting that the engine didn't restart while it was coasting, but did once the key was cycled off and then back on. This makes it sound like an engine electronics issue.
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
The 2000-2002 V8s and V6s have IAC or as Ford sometimes calls them Idle Air Bypass Valves. The 2003-2006 LSes do not. (The ETC replaces that function.)
I would go along with the IAC suggestion, but the OP says that he had no engine power when he pressed on the gas pedal. Even if the IAC failed closed, when he opened the throttle, the engine would have restarted. (The transmission was still turning the engine at that point, it's just like push starting a car.)