Bizarre Behavior (Wife Spooked)

[MaximaGuy]

My wife was in her Highlander and a school bus right behind her on Friday on the way home back from work.
She was on a flat road at a red light in D and legs firmly on the brake and all off a sudden her Highlander went back as if it was coasting.
It was almost about to hit the school bus when the light changed to Green and she gunned her accerlator and it went forward.

She thinks it is the Fri 13th behavior and completely uncomfortable in driving the vehicle, I cannot possibly think of anything that can make the vehicle go back in D and brakes fully engaged.

Bizarre....

 

[spasm3]

Did the brake pedal go to the floor? perhaps there was a slight grade and the master cylinder is going out.

 

[MaximaGuy]

BTW, I was driving after watching Moana movie with my kids and before entering the garage, there was a strong push back as if there is something pushing the vehicle back, I was startled and told my wife who was sitting right next to me about the bizarre behavior.

She started crying telling me what happened to her on Friday, I am quite unsettled by the push back.

 

[BrocLuno]

Tranny problem ...

 

[Run]

Time for a closer inspection, something is not right with the vehicle.

 

[gathermewool]

Possible illusion? The bus may have been inching forward and she was looking in her mirror?

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Possible illusion? The bus may have been inching forward and she was looking in her mirror?


I concur with the limited amount of information given

 

[oilpsi2high]

Have the brake system pressure checked for any leaks.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
Have the brake system pressure checked for any leaks.


+1 and if it checks out OK, I'd also say it might have been an optical illusion.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Possible illusion? The bus may have been inching forward and she was looking in her mirror?

Good call.

 

[wrcsixeight]

OP reports same behavior when he drove same vehicle.


Is there any way an automatic transmission in drive could divert torque into the reverse gears?

The perception of being pushed backwards, could it be caused by CO poisoning?

Perhaps there is some exhaust gasses geting inside.

In the Absence of Logic, well, paranormal Demons, and/or Aliens.

 

[901Memphis]

I see it now two different occasions...

Some of those have a cvt, could that be it?

 

[mcrn]

Regardless of what gear its in if her foot was on the brake pedal it should not go anywhere. Plus if it was in reverse then when his wife hit the gas it would not have gone forward.

 

[ammolab]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Possible illusion? The bus may have been inching forward and she was looking in her mirror?


Or a car alongside moving forward can give a driver the illusion of reverse movement.

 

[Lolvoguy]

OR your wife has started experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs without your knowledge.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Tranny problem ...


This is very possible,after all,it is Austin

 

[901Memphis]

Haha I see I'm not the only one that didn't read the whole thread before posting. The OP experienced the issue a second time after his wife did.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

The simple Physics of a working, fully engaged brake and with the vehicle stationary, with the engine at idle, means that your wife's description is impossible.

That is not to say she does not believe the event happened as she describes. It's just that it cannot happen in a working vehicle with a working brake system, so there must be some other explanation. It's even impossible in many brake failure situations, as there are redundancies and safety features that mitigate some failure conditions.

Have you had the brakes inspected? If not, why not?

Newer vehicles with management computers that record system conditions show that "unintended acceleration" situations involve driver error of some kind ... stepping on the accelerator when the drive swore they were stepping on the brake is a common result of examining the data stored in the vehicle's "black box", for example.

In many cases, and this is a particular issue with women ... just ask any Driver's Education instructor or Motor Vehicle Licensing Examiner ... the footwear is completely inappropriate for control of a vehicle, which leads to that kind of operator error. Another possible issue is carpet or weather mats, or some loose object in the drivers' footwell, that interferes with proper engagement of the brake pedal. It is quite possible in that case that the operator may feel a firm brake pedal.

 

[MaximaGuy]

There were many funny responses but we are very experienced drivers and we know our vehicles very well.
The bus driver was honking all the while and she was helpless, this is no illusion because it happened with me a few hours ago.

 

[djb]

With most automatic transmissions there are various places where a leaking solenoid or check valve can cause partial clutch application. You can end up with a "parasitic" reverse gear while in neutral. (Or Park, but the parking pawl should be strong enough that you don't know it's happening.)

But this is an uncommon failure and not the first place to look. Not matter what, the brakes should be far stronger than the engine output.