# 2002 FORD Acceration pedal stiff/sticking **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137 "2009-05-06T20:29:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FORDSKYWAY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FORDSKYWAY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FORDSKYWAY)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/1 "2009-05-06T20:29:53Z")
Hello: I have a 2002 Ford Taurus with 174k miles on it. A a week ago it got a $500 “deluxe” tune up. It’s running great, however recently the gas/accelerator pedal sticks a bit going from a start position. I have to tap down on it or push causing the car to jump or lurch forward from a stop position. Any ideas or a quick home fix I can try?? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/2 "2009-05-06T20:43:45Z")
The problem might be caused from deposits built up in the throttle body. Try cleaning the throttle body with an air intake/throttle body cleaner to see if deposits are causing the throttle plate to stick. Tester ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/3 "2009-05-06T22:02:27Z")
I agree that this is likely to be a gummed-up throttle body. Shouldn’t a “$500. deluxe tune-up” have included cleaning of the throttle body on a car with this many miles? ---
**Author:** ![FORDSKYWAY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FORDSKYWAY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FORDSKYWAY)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/4 "2009-05-06T22:12:26Z")
Thank you! I’ll give this a try. I’m just hoping this will be the extent of this problem. ---
**Author:** ![FORDSKYWAY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FORDSKYWAY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FORDSKYWAY)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/5 "2009-05-06T22:14:07Z")
I would like to think it would have been included. Ironically, it seems to have gotten worse since the “Deluxe Tuneup” the Ford dealer did…However on the paper work, I don’t see anything like that having been done. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/6 "2009-05-07T04:40:44Z")
If the throttle sticks but pops loose when pushed, then it is probably the throttle plate sticking, BUT IF IT IS STILL STIFF AND DOESN’T RETURN FREELY, I probably is a frayed cable. ---
**Author:** ![FORDSKYWAY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FORDSKYWAY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FORDSKYWAY)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/7 "2009-05-07T16:54:07Z")
Yes, once I press the peddle down and and it “pops” it is fine–especially with regular driving – even in stop and go driving it’s ok —but from a cold start its more stiff. The past couple of days I actually press down on the pedal and POP it before I start the car. At a stop lite when I move from a stop postion, it has a light POP ----but it’s not a smooth slow acceleration. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/8 "2009-05-07T21:59:17Z")
Please get this fixed before you wind up rear-ending another vehicle in stop-and-do traffic. Once this situation crops up with the throttle body, accelerator pedal response is very unpredictable, and thus, this is a potential safety hazard. ---
**Author:** ![FORDSKYWAY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FORDSKYWAY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FORDSKYWAY)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/9 "2009-05-07T22:59:14Z")
yes, I will. However when I use the word “jump” and “lurch” the movement is so slight, it’s not a massive jump etc. From the outside, a bystander would probably not even notice anything. Inside, I feel it. Also it really is the worst at a cold start in the moring – ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/10 "2009-05-07T23:49:36Z")
Just bear in mind that the current “slight” lurch could suddenly become something more pronounced, and could be a problem in heavy traffic. ---
**Author:** ![FORDSKYWAY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FORDSKYWAY](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FORDSKYWAY)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-ford-acceration-pedal-stiff-sticking/30137/11 "2009-05-18T17:12:11Z")
Ok! we cleaned the throttle chamber with some spray cleaner and a rag and the acceleration is now very smooth!!! Finally something that’s an easy fix on that Taurus! Thanks guys!! -Mike