Driving home from a party in Milwaukee last night when my Explorer 'shuddered' on the highway. Immediately, the ABS and stability control lights came on and stayed on but, otherwise, the car drove fine.

Thinking it wasn't smart to drive a car with the stability control light on, I decided to pull over at a gas station, cut the car off and let the computer reset. I had gone through a weird dip on the highway when the car shuddered so I thought the computer that controls the ABS and/or 4-wheel drive had just got out of whack.

Yep, genius move.

When I cut the car back on, the ABS light stayed on but not the stability control. However, I couldn't get the car to accelerate even though it had been driving fine before I pulled off. It almost sounds like I'm driving against the brake when I try although people standing outside said it sounded more like the car was shutting off when I tried to pull away.

So I had it towed about 60 miles to my Ford dealership at 4AM (lots of fun). Cops were nice although this is probably the ONLY time I've ever driven home from any party in Milwaukee in sober. Yep, could've been much worse.

Any ideas? Bad wheel speed sensor? Bad ABS module? Could it be mechanical even though the car was driving fine before I cut it off.

Tomorrow, I'll talk to my mechanic but I'd like to have some information before I walk in and I couldn't find much on Google today.

Its possible you have a caliper locking up. Or like you said it could be a bad ABD module or bad wheel speed sensor. I'd have them check the calipers first though, hooking it up to the computer machine to read the codes costs some money.

If it has OBDII, then you can scan the codes the computer kicks out and search for them on the internet. The scanners you can get for @$40 at a auto parts store.

They usually read something like P****

I had a Blazer do something similar but no lights, it was a Throttle sensor or something related.

I think your frimmitz is on the jim-jam.

Some auto shops will pull the codes for free.

c0rvette's caliper suggestion is a good place to start. Another possibility might be the abs control module which you mentioned. Probably have them troubleshoot from there, and then bleed the brakes to replace the fluid.

Go on craiglist and find a local mechanic thats out of work. Theres a ton out there right now. If you show up and his shop looks low budget or you talk to him and he seems dim, dip out.

I do all my own work, but you cant really diagnose something long distance like that. Find some dirtdick broke ass out of work mechanic, tip him well when he fixes it. BAM instant mechanic for life.

Or take it to the dealership and get raked over the proverbial coals.

Good advice, last year I did the same and found a good mechanic who can fix almost anything and does it right, for dirt cheap, after he's done I tip him and now he does all the work for my friends and me.

But I would start with pulling the codes and go from there.

Start with pulling codes? You have got to be kidding me.. why start with something that could have nothing to do with the problem.

Mechanics always start with pulling codes, when the computer kicks on a light, it stores the code that caused the light to go on in memory.

Your chances are better to at least start here rather than start pulling and checking parts on a whim.
If you google the codes and vehicle type, people have already had the same problem and you can get some ideas on where to begin.

Otherwise, checking mechanical parts is trial and error, the sensors and computer's job is to help take the guesswork out of it. Not 100% but it's saved me lots of time in the past, some people will even post detailed troubleshooting steps with pictures and shortcuts to remove and reinstall needed parts.

I had the problem just like that. Where I was driving and it felt like I was driving 'against the brake' as you put it. Turns out it was the master cylinder.

That was on my 1985 Toyota Corolla.

So that piece of information is likely to be useless to you.

I'm not a mechanic either and I don't even know if Ford Explorers have master cylinders. Or what master cylinders do. Come to think of it, I don't know if I'm spelling cylinders right. It looks wrong for some reason.

I know they do, but your better off checking the calipers first which could be the problem, I've worked in mechanic shops.

Turns out a wheel hub failed and the car threw itself into rear wheel drive to keep moving. When I cut it off, the computer apparently "Shit on that..." and wouldn't let me drive it when I started it back up.

Total out of pocket = $105. Ford considered it a drive train issue so it's under my warranty.

I think I want a Toyota now...

Yeah I think Pep Boys does them for free or they used too.