Very Strange issue the other day

[Chad Merry]

I went out to start up the ST in the afternoon to head out to mother’s house for Turkey day. I Start up the ST and it is running horrible, sounded like it was missing, running on about 3 cylinders, would not idle, had to keep pumping the gas pedal, etc. Then I see this HUGE cloud of smoke coming out of the exhaust, and it just keeps pumping out smoke, then oil starts coming out!!!!



So I back it out of the garage as I have filled my garage with dense smoke, my wife is freaking out, thinking I am going to blow up the house, and myself, my 4 year old son thinks it is the coolest thing ever. So I turn it off and try it again, same thing happens, now I am starting to get a little ticked off. Oil is dripping out of the exhaust pipe, so I back out my wife's car and proceed to take everything out of the ST and load up her car. Before we leave I decide I want to move the ST back into the garage, IT STARTS UP JUST FINE... LIKE NOTHING EVEN HAPPENED... What the heck is going on with this thing??? I have been driving it everyday since turkey day with no problems, other than getting a nail in my tire fixed and the tire shop telling me my front hub is bad, and causing the vibration I had been feeling. Taking it to the dealer tomorrow for the hub issue but how do I explain what happened with the motor?



Sorry for the long rant, but I cannot believe how the ST ran then all the sudden it is fine.



I love my ST and want to keep it for a long time, but geez these problems are just crazy.

 

[EddieS'04]

It is one of thse ECU glitches. It will happen to everyone at least once in the life of their Trac. When it happens, just turn it off, wait a mintute or two, then restart. If it continues, then you do have a problem...

 

[2]

Many people have had this happen. We call it the ST gremlin. It will likely never happen again.

 

[Chad Merry]

Wow I have been a member here for years and never heard of this issue before.



Thanks for the info. As usual the ST website comes through again

 

[Mike Dziubina]

the trac didnt want to go to your mother's house!:lol:

 

[Gavin Allan]

I've had it happen a couple of times with my '03 Adrenalin.



Ford dealer couldn't find any codes and everything was OK.



It scares and angers you when it happens, though!

 

[Christopher L]

My 02 had done this twice in the 2 years I've owned it. First time the problem simply "disappeared", the second time it did it, I disconnected the battery to reset the computer, and it has run fine ever since then.....knocking on wood right now:blink:

 

[Dre L]

I've heard of it, never had it happen to me thank God. If it ever does happen to me, regardless of my knowing about it, I will $h!t egg rolls.