So theres no way to stop a car if the gas pedal gets stuck?

**KennyJC** · 10-12-09, 07:38 PM

After seeing that news story were 4 people died because the gas pedal got stuck under the carpet, I was wondering why the hell the guy called 911 instead of... um... trying to stop the car? I saw it being reported many times and not once did I hear anyone say what could've been done to stop the car.

Wouldn't you just be able to turn the key and shut the engine off? Why not just press down on the brakes slowly at first, then all the way? Even the handbrake would be a better alternative to ploughing through an intersection at over 100mph. Asking the passenger to go yank on the gas pedal?

**~~draqon~~** · 10-12-09, 07:41 PM

Did this happen in USA? if yes, than it explains it all, Americans are dumb. They would rather call 9-11 than figure things out themselves. I bet in the time it took to press 9-11, they could have raised the carpet and released the gas pedal. And what about putting gear to "parking" mode?

**jpappl** · 10-12-09, 07:46 PM

slam it in neutral and press the brake pedal. It's not rocket science.

**~~draqon~~** · 10-12-09, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by jpappl

slam it in neutral and press the brake pedal. It's not rocket science.

what about just putting it in "parking"?

**Challenger78** · 10-12-09, 07:50 PM

Things happen in the heat of the moment. But. An experience driver should now better.

**KennyJC** · 10-12-09, 08:01 PM

Would putting it on park be the same as slamming on the brakes?

**one_raven** · 10-12-09, 08:05 PM

No. Putting it in park will likely simply pop the parking pin and not stop you if you transmission will even allow it to be put into park. If it does stop you, you would lose control of your car, because the wheels would be locked up.
draqon is often his most stupid when he is trying to show how stupid others are.
Pop it in neutral, stop the car and turn it off. Very simple, but people are very simple-minded and tend to panic.

**fedr808** · 10-12-09, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by draqon

Did this happen in USA? if yes, than it explains it all, Americans are dumb. They would rather call 9-11 than figure things out themselves. I bet in the time it took to press 9-11, they could have raised the carpet and released the gas pedal. And what about putting gear to "parking" mode?

Hey draqon, if you want to be prejudiced than I am going to report you every time.

Your just upset because Russia crumbled while the US is still the world superpower and you are trying to rebuild out of ashes.

**fedr808** · 10-12-09, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by draqon

what about just putting it in "parking"?

Because, in case none of you have ever driven a car before, two things can happen, one, the brakes would get worn out and than youd be totally screwed, or two, they actually do stop the wheels, but as you can imagine this may just end up destroying the engine and causing some massive problems.

**quadraphonics** · 10-12-09, 08:19 PM

This is yet another reason why everyone should drive a manual transmission. If my gas pedal ever gets stuck, I'll simply step on the clutch pedal. Problem solved. Your average automatic driver, on the other hand, has probably never even used the "N" setting on their car, and so will not immediately think to engage it in an emergency.

**stereologist** · 10-12-09, 08:24 PM

Good question Kenny. It turns out that the parking pall is chopped off if te car allows a moving vehicle to be put into park. Some vehicles will not allow park as an option to protect the 'hardware'. A good option is off. Turn off the engine. This also disables power steering so beware.

I was driving a 16 passenger van with a 360V8. Very powerful engine. My guess is that the carbuerator stuck or that the accelerator cable stuck. Whatever the cause I was in a large vehicle that took off hard enough to throw me back into my seat. I had both feet on the brake, my body off the seat and was not only standing on the brake, but pulling as hard as I could on the steering wheel to come to a stop. I instantly realized that I needed to turnoff the engine which I did. I was one click from stop so the steering column did not lock up. I came to stop on the side of the road.

I am perplexed as others that turning off the car did not occur to the occupants who took the time to make a phone call.

**one_raven** · 10-12-09, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by stereologist

A good option is off. Turn off the engine. This also disables power steering so beware.

...and power brakes. And this important point must be kept in mind...

Originally Posted by stereologist

I was one click from stop so the steering column did not lock up.

**stereologist** · 10-12-09, 09:57 PM

Yes. Once you turn off power brakes on a sedan it is harder to stop. In a 16 passenger van it was quite a bit harder to stop. But I did stop the van. Before I turned off the engine it was impossible to stop the van.

**Randwolf** · 10-12-09, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by draqon

what about just putting it in "parking"?

Oh, cool, Draq! You got a driver's license? How many miles do you estimate you have driven now?

Ever encountered any "black ice"? How about a light rain in semi-tropical climates? (Brings the oil right up out of the asphalt..)

You WILL see these things, and they are not fun, let alone (semi) mechanical issues... Let your hood / bonnet pop up while you're doing 80 sometime - loads of fun, I promise...

**clusteringflux** · 10-12-09, 10:11 PM

Every peice of machinery that made every piece of the car has a giant red emergency stop button.The government makes you put them on so people can't get hurt.

But.....The cars don't have a big red stop button.

Shit, I see a biz-op, son.

**~~John99~~** · 10-12-09, 10:24 PM

this happened to me.

**Repo Man** · 10-12-09, 10:51 PM

The owner of the local Volkswagen dealership told me that when he was still a technician at an Audi dealer, the Sixty Minutes story about Audis accelerating uncontrollably aired. He said their Audi rep came by, and took a him and a couple of salesmen for a ride in a new Quattro. After getting up to about 100 MPH, he applied the brakes and brought them to a stop - without ever lifting his foot from the throttle.

In any newer passenger car that is reasonably well maintained, the brakes can overpower the engine.

**weed_eater_guy** · 10-12-09, 11:47 PM

I once had a car that, about two minutes after driving it out of the dealer service garage for an engine problem, it stalled while I was doing 40 mph. Now, this car is pretty typical to modern cars in that it has power steering and brakes (both hydraulically powered I think), and when the engine stalls, the power components will make the brakes and steering feel stuck when in fact they're just hard as shit to move because you're using your physical strength to control the car AND fight the now dead power steering hydraulics. I was doing 40 towards a red light with cars stopped maybe 150 ft. in front of me. While literally standing on the brake pedal and damned near ripping the steering wheel out of the firewall, I managed to careen the car into a parking lot just off the intersection and stop the car, to which I then proceeded to call the dealership with perhaps the angriest phone call I've ever made. Turned out the engine WOULD restart, but it had a sticking solenoid, which stuck after they just replaced a hose... yes, still suspicious... Ford can go to hell for that and other f--- ups... we'll just say this was close to being the second Ford-faulted car wreck I've been in.

So... moral of the story, if you kill the engine to remedy a stuck throttle, keep in mind control is about to get many times more difficult. I got kinda lucky, I had a parking lot to fly into, it might've been a bush or a wall and, hence, a nasty claim for free paint and body service from Ford that probably wouldn't have been honored.

If at all possible, I'd say throw the thing in neutral but keep the engine revving. It'll might rev above redline depending on where the throttle is stuck at, but you'll have your power steering and brakes to safely control yourself with since the engine is still driving those systems.

I'm curious though, if the engine stalled in a car with electric power steering and brakes, would those systems still function if one killed the engine and turned the key back to the "ON" position?

**~~draqon~~** · 10-13-09, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by one_raven

draqon is often his most stupid when he is trying to show how stupid others are.

dude that was not necessary, I asked a question, I did not make a statement that this is the right way to do it. If you choose to be so arrogant towards me, dont answer my question at all than.