Update on the problem...

[LotusDriver]

Well... my car is now at a different dealer, and it has been since Tuesday. Apparently, Ford is sending out a Field Engineer to take a look. It sounds as if they are thinking it might be the throttle position system malfunctioning. They are unable to duplicate the problem. It is so intermittent that I am not surprised one bit by that. I hope to get it back tomorrow. Stay tuned.

 

[DemonNeno]

Well at least they're not throwing parts at the damn thing. Perhaps the vehicle is momentarily losing signal to the TPS? Loose ground? Signs of a bad PCM? It sounds like a wiring problem rather than a sensor issue. Here are a couple things I'm questioning.

1) If it's a bad TPS, why would it recognize throttle input once you lift off and reaccel?
2) How does OBD3 respond to invalid inputs? No codes? History? Freeze Frames?

Your PCM manages two sets of data. Real world input (which is what the actual conditions are.. Air flow, etc) and the data that has been processed (ie, what the sensors think is going on, which should be pretty DAMN accurate if everything is working ok) to look at. If you have your gas pedal down 12% and suddenly your throttle is producing #s no throttle gain, then the PCM should theoretically freeze frame such a problem and throw a code.

Another issue is whether your PCM is processing throttle correctly. It can be handling your throttle input properly and handling the TPS properly, but cutting out the fuel curve/timing curve altogether. Even if there was a bad sensor, how could letting off the gas cure the problem? Sensors very rarely work intermettently. They're generally good or dead.

Finally, the elucid loose ground problem. This would be intermittent, making the most sense to me, since there obviously isn't a rusty ground to look for. Simply a loose wire that moves a funky way and does something odd with the TPS. Looking into what else the TPS ground shares, if anything, may be a good indication of what else to look for when the glitch happens.

Oh well, i'm just rambling. Keep us updated!

 

[LotusDriver]

I have noticed that lifting off the throttle does not cure it. Lately, what I have been doing is, when it does go into that condition and cut out, I have been pressing the pedal to the floor, just so I can notice what the tachometer reads. When the engine cuts out, I press down the pedal... nothing happens at all briefly, then bam... car takes off. Its like there is a brief disconnect between the pedal position and the enigne. And, they have found no codes.

 

[LotusDriver]

I'm not having much luck. I got the car back today, nothing was done. They wanted to plug in a scan tool that would record as you drive. I thought, perfect, it will find the problem. Well the tool at this dealership is broke. They don't want to invest in a new one. So now, I have my car back... and waiting for the next time I am trying to cross an intersection and have the car just crap out all of a sudden. Great. Can't wait.

 

[luigisho]

Tried to contact Ford directly? That condition sounds dangerous.

 

[thebigjimsho]

It's not like every SHO is doing this. I think it's buy back time. If Ford is serious about satisfaction, I'd be giving you a brand new SHO pronto, no strings attached. Then, they can take it back and find out what's going on.

But hey, that's just my ignorant opinion...

 

[Art5]

I'm not having much luck. I got the car back today, nothing was done. They wanted to plug in a scan tool that would record as you drive. I thought, perfect, it will find the problem. Well the tool at this dealership is broke. They don't want to invest in a new one. So now, I have my car back... and waiting for the next time I am trying to cross an intersection and have the car just crap out all of a sudden. Great. Can't wait.

ARE YOU serious? YOu should've stuck something into their butts that would brake there and we'd see how that would work for them, when doctor wouldn't want to invest in his tools to save these ass----- lives.
I swear, if I didn't get locked up for every time i had to beat the crap out of people like that to get things done for my money, then everything would work great all the time.

 

[lowc]

i agree you should now be on the phone with ford directly and tell them every detail even if the service guy scratched his ass more than likely they will want the car to have the enginiers go through it with a comb a friend of mine had a intermiten problem with the trans in his honda that no one could figure out and they ended up replacing his car for him.
here is the number for ford in michigan 800-392-3673
hope you get this issue resolved be for something worse happens

 

[DemonNeno]

... Their SCAN TOOL is broken? Seriously? It sounds like they don't want to deal with you. They either think your imagining things or they really don't know what to look for.

I'd move on and press for a new vehicle, PRONTO. That's insanity. Youd don't spend 40k+ on something that is brand new and doesn't work right.

I'm still trying to get over their scan tool being broken! Jesus. Even my fat, greedy ****** of a boss isn't that cheap! Well, he is, but he knows he needs a ****** SCAN TOOL!

 

[LotusDriver]

UPDATE! FINALLY... it seems we are getting somewhere. It seems that a faulty tranny temperature sensor is briefly causing the car to go into what is known as "Limp Home Mode" or "Limp Mode". Here is an article that I found that explains it perfectly. Taken from www.blurtit.com...

It is designed to allow you to get home or to a garage rather than breaking down. The idea being the garage then plugs in a computer diagnostics and tells you exactly what's wrong, then repairs it and on you go. Only our experience is that our car has gone into limp home mode 40 times in six months (limp home mode is a power loss, as though someone has put a wedge of wood under the accelerator pedal
so you can't get sufficient revs – if going even a gentle uphill it means speed can drop rapidly, yes this includes if on the outside lane of a busy motorway while overtaking a lorry. Very scary.)

This is exactly what it feels like is happening. The part is on order, although I will not see it until April 30. Apparently there is now a TSB on this issue.

 

[luigisho]

Keep the updates coming after install.

 

[SHO U UP]

UPDATE! FINALLY... it seems we are getting somewhere. It seems that a faulty tranny temperature sensor is briefly causing the car to go into what is known as "Limp Home Mode" or "Limp Mode". Here is an article that I found that explains it perfectly. Taken from www.blurtit.com...

It is designed to allow you to get home or to a garage rather than breaking down. The idea being the garage then plugs in a computer diagnostics and tells you exactly what's wrong, then repairs it and on you go. Only our experience is that our car has gone into limp home mode 40 times in six months (limp home mode is a power loss, as though someone has put a wedge of wood under the accelerator pedal
so you can't get sufficient revs – if going even a gentle uphill it means speed can drop rapidly, yes this includes if on the outside lane of a busy motorway while overtaking a lorry. Very scary.)

This is exactly what it feels like is happening. The part is on order, although I will not see it until April 30. Apparently there is now a TSB on this issue.

The Triton truck motors have that same fail safe mode, but doesn't involve the tranny sensor in anyway. It basically does exactly what you wrote, but only happens if the truck loses coolant. Four of the 8 cylinders shut down while you limp to where you need to get off the road. I didn't know the SHO had a similar feature.

 

[2010sho]

Lotus;

You have mail..

By chance do you have the TSB # for this issue. My dealer can't find anything on it. Anything that could help him find this would be appreciated.

 

[hawkeye18]

Most cars (including, yes, our gen 1 and 2 SHOs) have a Limp Home mode. Its invocation throughout models is based on different parameters, but the failure of one or two critical sensors usually causes it.

 

[soilwork]

Lotus;

You have mail..

By chance do you have the TSB # for this issue. My dealer can't find anything on it. Anything that could help him find this would be appreciated.

I am looking for the TSB# too, I am experiencing the same problem Lotus has.

Thanks!

 

[LotusDriver]

Update. The "transmission range sensor" was replaced today. I am hopeful that this will solve the problem but at the same time skeptical. Just the other day, my wife was behind me and called me. I get, "Why do your reverse lights keep going on, and off". Now I'm like... WTF!??? Then we figured out, that as the car would cut out, or go into Limp mode, the lights would flicker on and off. My guess is this is related to the bad range sensor, which was puting it into Limp mode in the first place. Who knows. I just know I'm done. If it is not fixed this fifth time now.... its bye bye.

 

[hawkeye18]

I can believe that. If the ECU sees via the turbine sensor that it should be in 4th gear going 50, and the TRS is telling the car that it's in reverse, the ECU would go "whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa... Lois, this is not my batman glass."

When the TRS crapped out on my gen 2, it did the same thing, it'd freak out and go into limp home mode for a few seconds, and it would never spit out codes. At all. Ever. Two weeks later I finally figured out that one of the requirements for a KOER test on a gen 2 ATX SHO is that the car be in park. TRS wasn't reporting it was in park so it won't enter test mode. Frustrating!

I hope that fixes it for you.

 

[soilwork]

Update. The "transmission range sensor" was replaced today. I am hopeful that this will solve the problem but at the same time skeptical. Just the other day, my wife was behind me and called me. I get, "Why do your reverse lights keep going on, and off". Now I'm like... WTF!??? Then we figured out, that as the car would cut out, or go into Limp mode, the lights would flicker on and off. My guess is this is related to the bad range sensor, which was puting it into Limp mode in the first place. Who knows. I just know I'm done. If it is not fixed this fifth time now.... its bye bye.

Haven't seen an update in a bit, LotusDriver... did the TRS replacement solve your issue?

 

[LotusDriver]

It's back. Accelerating from a traffic light today, under normal conditions, and POW! Car abruptly stops accelerating... guy behind me almost rear ends me, all ****** off... and my car isn't moving. This is unsafe. I plan to make yet another call to Ford in the morning. I'm done with this car.

 

[jmpSHO]

It's back. Accelerating from a traffic light today, under normal conditions, and POW! Car abruptly stops accelerating... guy behind me almost rear ends me, all ****** off... and my car isn't moving. This is unsafe. I plan to make yet another call to Ford in the morning. I'm done with this car.

I don't blame you, I would have been done with it a long time ago.