Accelerator pedal stuck. Just turn off car?

Joined
Apr 7, 2010
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Miami
I’ve never been in a situation like this. It’s great he’s ok, but if I were to be in this situation, couldn’t you just turn the car off? I suppose that’s what you would do with a key, but what about a push button car? I want to know more about this rare situation.

 
I've had it happen on an old truck where a frayed throttle cable bound up. My first thought was throw it in neutral to be able to brake, not get my phone out. If the engine blows up still 100x better than crashing.

Car in video looks like an older gen Mustang, still would have shift lever and key.
 
Why not simply shift into neutral? Most modern engines, when mated to an automatic transmission, have a rev limiter that is activated when the transmission is in park or neutral. This would keep the engine from over-reving, and blowing.

It seems to me that turning off the ignition would be the last option. Turning off the ignition is going to also turn off the power steering. Unless you anticipate this, and are prepared to handle the car without p/s, this can be very dangerous.
 
Oops! I guess I'm just stating what the AAA dude in the video said. I should have watched the video before posting. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

When I was in my early 20's, a couple teenage girls died, when they crashed the car they were in, by deciding to coast down a canyon road, by turning the ignition off. The driver was unprepared for the loss of p/s and p/b. It was a pretty sad event for the community. But it was also a huge lesson for others.
 
Neutral and brakes. Stop spending precious time on the bloody phone.


Has anyone heard of this happening with throttle by wire? I’m thinking it’s limited to mechanical and cable systems.
 
Neutral and brakes. Stop spending precious time on the bloody phone.


Has anyone heard of this happening with throttle by wire? I’m thinking it’s limited to mechanical and cable systems.
That's my thought, most drive by wire systems will cut power if there is too long of a brake/accelerator overlap.

This was a common "complaint" probably 10 or so years ago (and still occasionally now) by the crowd that drive with a foot on the brake, that the car would lose power all the time lol.
 
Why not simply shift into neutral? Most modern engines, when mated to an automatic transmission, have a rev limiter that is activated when the transmission is in park or neutral. This would keep the engine from over-reving, and blowing.

It seems to me that turning off the ignition would be the last option. Turning off the ignition is going to also turn off the power steering. Unless you anticipate this, and are prepared to handle the car without p/s, this can be very dangerous.
I don't think lack of power steering would be an issue doing 100mph. Neutral, brake, and then shut off the engine if you can. I have a push button start. I don't no if you can shut it off while driving or not, but I don't know why it wouldn't (I will have to try it)?
 
When the Chevrolet V-8 motor mount failures first became a problem 50 years ago, because the engine had shifted and jammed everything including the power assists, the only option left when the throttle jammed wide open was to cut off the ignition. GM got lucky. Every driver in that situation (I believe it was seven) had the presence of mind to do that.

We don't know what software glitches might exist that could cause the same in a drive-by-wire throttle. And don't forget hackers. You don't think such a malfunction could happen? Four words: Boeing 737 Max 8.
 
Unless you practice. the ability to act to a plan in a bad situation is all about luck. If you have low speed and no traffic in your situation, maybe you can manage with less luck.

I guess shift to Neutral is your best plan, and this can be practiced.
 
I can't even believe he dialed his phone while this was taking place. Off the top of my head, I can't think of how to kill my Mustang while it's moving, but I read a long time ago that pushing and holding the start button in push-start cars will shut them down. I hope that I would have presence of mind to shift to neutral, use the brakes, and use the start button to get the engine shut down. I know my Canyon will only rev to 2000 RPMs with the pedal floored in park, but I don't know what the Mustang is programmed to do.
 
Parts guy I know, who drove a beaten up S10 had his throttle go WOT for some reason at a red light. I don't remember the specifics other than the Corvette that pulled up next to him thought some beat-up truck wearing a hat wanted to race him lol.
 
Oddly enough, I believe the push-to-start systems act like the power button on an ATX computer: hold it down for a certain amount of seconds and it will "toggle" to off. Since they are momentary switches, there is no tactile on-off.

Even push-to-start cars should be able to be shifted into neutral, though...at that point the only real risk is the engine revving high under no load, but Id rather be alive and have to buy a new engine than not be alive.
 
Oddly enough, I believe the push-to-start systems act like the power button on an ATX computer: hold it down for a certain amount of seconds and it will "toggle" to off. Since they are momentary switches, there is no tactile on-off.

Even push-to-start cars should be able to be shifted into neutral, though...at that point the only real risk is the engine revving high under no load, but Id rather be alive and have to buy a new engine than not be alive.
Tap it 2, maybe 3 times quick or hold it down or hold it down. Everyone here with such a car needs to see how to shut it off while driving, including me.
 
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