Well I believe calling the 4.6 (modular) must have something to do with this. My wife and I took my 99 e-150 for emission testing the other day and the guy backed the van out of the bay and put it in park. It passed and all was well. We got in, she puts it reverse and there was no power steering or brakes! WTH. She but all her weight on the brake pedal to stop it. We shut the engine off and waited a minute to start it. Everything was working again. Anyone have a clue what happened here. I don't get it, motor running and no ps or brakes. I hope this never happens driving down a hill.

 

I would believe that the engine wasn't actually running when she put it in reverse.

 

I'm posiitive the motor was running. Not only that but you can't put a vehicle in gear until the key is turned. It came out of the bay running. I've never encountered anything this strange.

 

Makes no sense...the PS would be working via its own hydraulic pump whenever the engine is running, and the power brakes work off engine vacuum, which is a totally independent power source.

The only way both of these independent mechanical power systems could have been cut out is if the engine was not running. Sorry, but I don't see any other way they could have failed...it's not like they share an electrical connection that could go intermittent or something.

I'm guessing that the engine stalled while the key was in the on position...maybe after the van started rolling backwards.

George

 

It died and you didn't realize it. It needs a louder muffler

 

louder muffler. i agree.