Odd throttle action - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

quadancer · 12-31-2009, 11:02

This is minor, but when I let off the throttle, I like the gas to drop and the car to slow down, engine braking and saving gas. Our 2000 Tauruth likes to coast a half mile before letting off the gas. In surging traffic, that means you're using your brakes a lot more and wasting gas. It's not still accellerating, it's just like you'd only let off the throttle a tiny bit below cruise level.
If you put it in neutral, it will rev up to about 3000+ rpm, so I know this is wrong as it gets. I've cleaned the plenum, throttle plate, the linkage and cables are completely free. Even if you pull up on the throttle pedal it still runs on. (not that you can push a cable, but still)
Is this something wrong with the vacuum system or tranny controls?

**chipset** · 12-31-2009, 15:16

Normal

quadancer · 01-09-2010, 06:24

Hmm. Dang wasteful, if you ask me. My 2000 Chevy doesn't do it, and I've not felt that in any other car - if I wanted mid-throttle, I have a foot for that. We try to hypermile the vehicles, and that just wastes gas - no surprise, considering the Big Four - Gov't, Big Oil, Insurance companies and Banks.

**360ci** · 01-18-2010, 19:58

All Fords sustain RPM. My '99 Taurus is no different. I actually don't mind it as the RPM is consistent with road speed so there is no upshifting. I like it mostly because I'll coast up to a light say, and then once the light changes and I go back on the throttle, it's a lot smoother than having the transmission downshift from overdrive back into third all the time.

Besides, coasting in neutral or any other vehicle is against the law. It might not state that word for word, but if you ever get into an accident that's NOT your fault and you were found to have been 'out' of gear (in neutral), that shows that you were not in control of your vehicle and you can be charged. A lot of people think it's OK to hypermile, drive straight, throw the trans in neutral and shut off the engine. It's also bad with an automatic as no fluid is flowing through the valve body with the gears still turning to sustain momentum, and 'neutral' in an automatic isn't the same as a manual where at least you can completely depress the clutch to disconnect the transmission entirely.

Fords naturally get a tad worse fuel economy than most vehicles in their respective class mainly because of this REV HOLDING feature. It was a common complain on manual transmission cars as well, as it holds rpm which in that case would frustrate me.