Unique problem with my Ranger

[Saddle Tramp]

It was temporary but very strange. When I went to stop on wet asphalt, the front tires slid a bit on the road paint, so I stomped on the brakes harder. in response, the brake pedal pushed back hard against my foot and the engine started revving high. Like 3,000 to 4,000 rpms.

When I let off the brake to turn after the stop sign, everything relaxed and went back to normal. Regular braking and no weird revving.

I'm stuck trying to figure out why this happened. Did the quick but short slide cause the computer to think it needed to kick on the electronic anti spin feature? (The feature that uses the antilock brakes to mimic a limited slip diff.) And will it happen again? I did not like the feeling that it was trying to lurch towards a Superduty that had the right of way.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'll take a swing at why...

You have 4 wheel ABS. When a wheel locks up the ABS system takes over. The engine revving up was actually the ABS motor building pressure in the system to control fluid pulses to the locked up wheel. The brake pedal lifting is normal... the lurching was really just the system allowing to truck to continue moving even though you had the pedal mashed.

Seriously... I'm gonna guess it was all normal. Was the the first time you experienced ABS working in this truck? If feels weird in the right circumstance.

It will also happen again if you lock a wheel up.

 

[rubydist]

Or the vacuum booster has a crack in it and when you mashed on the pedal harder it let more air into the engine for a bit.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

Thanks guys. It felt completely normal on my drive this morning so I am guessing it was the ABS but I will check the vacuum boost just in case.

 

[JoshT]

Simple answer... Your foot accidentally caught on the edge of the gas pedal while getting harder on the brake. It happens to me from time to time.

Harder answer... It had something to do with the traction control? The 10 and 11 did get traction control as part of federal mandates.

I like simple answers.

 

[pjtoledo]

vacuum booster anomaly. pumping the brakes rapidly while in park/ neutral will cause the engine to rev.
under the right (wrong?) conditions the booster allows air into the intake.

due to inflation my $0.02 is no longer worth what it used to be.

 

[SenorNoob]

Simple answer... Your foot accidentally caught on the edge of the gas pedal while getting harder on the brake. It happens to me from time to time.
......
I like simple answers.

I've done it in multiple vehicles. I've also hung the brake pedal while pushing the clutch to shift. That's an experience.

Me too.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

I'm going to lean more towards the vacuum boost theory because the engine sounded very different when it revved up. Almost like a wheezing/running lean. It did not sound like it usually does.

That being said, I won't absolutely dismiss accidentally pushing the gas along with the brake. It is slim, but I've seen other people do it many times. I will give it a less than 5% chance though.

 

[19Walt93]

I had a customer years ago who complained his Ranger would race and refuse to stop when he braked. At his request I drove it for a couple weeks with no problems but I did notice the right side of his brake pedal pad was heavily worn from him stepping on the edge of the pedal. Then I found out he'd had surgery on his right ankle and walked with a limp. I offered to keep driving it but asked if he thought his weakened ankle was letting his foot tilt and push the gas pedal, trying not to offend him. He sat in the truck and stepped on the brake- on the right edge of the pedal- and his foot tilted and pushed the gas.
I'm not a fan of ABS, unless the road is clean and try ABS increases stopping distance. On snow, ABS prevents stopping, one of my service advisors called them anti stop brakes.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm going to lean more towards the vacuum boost theory because the engine sounded very different when it revved up. Almost like a wheezing/running lean. It did not sound like it usually does.

That being said, I won't absolutely dismiss accidentally pushing the gas along with the brake. It is slim, but I've seen other people do it many times. I will give it a less than 5% chance though.

Did you see this rev up of the engine on your tachometer?

When the ABS system fires... there is definitely an audible "whirling" noise as it primes. Typically followed by some clicking and clacking.

If you never experienced ABS functioning in your Ranger before... you're now educated to what happens.

But that's just my humble opinion.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

No, I did not see the tach go up when this happened. To be Honest, I thought the sound was coming from the Super Duty that was crossing in front of me when all this happened.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

I had a customer years ago who complained his Ranger would race and refuse to stop when he braked. At his request I drove it for a couple weeks with no problems but I did notice the right side of his brake pedal pad was heavily worn from him stepping on the edge of the pedal. Then I found out he'd had surgery on his right ankle and walked with a limp. I offered to keep driving it but asked if he thought his weakened ankle was letting his foot tilt and push the gas pedal, trying not to offend him. He sat in the truck and stepped on the brake- on the right edge of the pedal- and his foot tilted and pushed the gas.
I'm not a fan of ABS, unless the road is clean and try ABS increases stopping distance. On snow, ABS prevents stopping, one of my service advisors called them anti stop brakes.

I had a guy from work accidentally do this with his car, so I do my best to keep my foot on the left side of the pedal.

 

[JoshT]

No, I did not see the tach go up when this happened. To be Honest, I thought the sound was coming from the Super Duty that was crossing in front of me when all this happened.

I wouldn't rule that out as a possibility.

If that was my first suspicion, I'd probably run with it until I say a repeat incident or something caused me to be suspect of it. Just it in mind, but try to not worry about it unless something else happens. I knowthat is easier said than done.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

So far it's been three days and everything is acting normally.