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

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by KennyJC, Oct 13, 2009.

  1. draqon Banned Banned

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    beats dying.

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    Whats better a wrecked engine or 4 deaths?

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  3. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    That's the important bit if you used that technique otherwise you'd lose control over the vehicle (The main answer online is stick in Neutral). I'm pretty sure the standard idea is to maintain some form of control in the event an accelerator gets stuck or the brakes don't work.

    Obviously there are ones you probably shouldn't do, but have their uses at the right time. For instance dropping down in gears will limit what top speed you can do, slapping it in reverse at speed will likely totally wreck any capability of drive (and of course your engine)

    What ever method you choose though, don't anchor on the breaks until you've got your speed down and that's when to turn the engine off.
     
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  5. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Wouldn't you blow your engine? Full throttle in neutral..

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    I think i would just do what Kenny said and turn the key to shut the engine off.

    Edit: Then again.. why didn't they just remove the carpet? And how did it get stuck under the carpet in the first place? I don't think the pedal even goes that far down even when flooring it..

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    Last edited: Oct 13, 2009
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  7. milkweed Valued Senior Member

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    Not short term full throttle (neutral doesnt matter). Not good if your car isnt warmed up. Not good if its excessive.

    I would go with neutral. You still have your brakes and steering then. Been a long time since I had an automatic, but I know I used to put them in neutral at highway speeds to coast down one hill in particular. Problem is when your freaked out by your engine having a mind of its own (and trying to kill you) you might slam it into park or reverse by accident.

    My current vehicles floormat hangs up the throttle, if I put it where its supposed to be. So I moved it up higher and it works just fine. The gas pedal linkage part (on the back side of the pedal) would get caught on the edge of the floormat and the weight/pressure to be flat, would accelerate the engine.
     
  8. jpappl Valued Senior Member

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    If the car is moving and you do that you could damage the transmission or other driveline components.
     
  9. jpappl Valued Senior Member

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    No, it would rev to hell and when you try to shut it off, if the gas is full on then it might struggle to shut off and diesel a little bit at least.

    The quickest thing to do is neutral and brakes, that stops the car. Then you can shut it off. If you shut the car off while it's rolling, it will typically be harder to stop because most cars are power or power assist braking.

    With a stick it's even easier, just use the clutch.
     
  10. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Ok, but it won't be in neutral for a short time, it will be in neutral for too long. You will blow the engine..
     
  11. MacGyver1968 Fixin' Shit that Ain't Broke Valued Senior Member

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    which again..is much better than killing 4 people. Fuck your engine and transmission if your headed toward people. You can always get a new engine.
     
  12. jpappl Valued Senior Member

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    Why. You slam it in neutral or with a stick use the clutch, stop the car and shut it off.

    Very unlikely the engine will blow. It's not good for it, but most engines can handle a high rev now and then.

    For stick shift users it's like missing a gear during shifting.

    It's the best way out of a bad situation.
     
  13. stereologist Escapee from Dr Moreau Registered Senior Member

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    685
    Mythbusters did some of these tests. Guess what? Most of these suggestions do not work. Going into park is prevented in many automatics. That parking pall (is that the correct term?) was broken in many cases. Going to neutral and braking works. In many cars the brakes cannot stop a car with the engine going. Maybe the Audi is different.
     
  14. jpappl Valued Senior Member

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    Only if it's in gear, which is what you mean't i'm sure, just wanted to clarify.
     
  15. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Good point.. lol
     
  16. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Dude the gas pedal is stuck under the carpet. That guy was flooring it and probably on the freeway. I'm pretty sure he was going in excess of 80 miles an hour.
    You ain't gonna stop within a few seconds.
     
  17. jpappl Valued Senior Member

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    Doesn't matter too much. The cars engine can rev very high for the time it would take to slow the car down and pull over. It will sound funny as hell for sure and it will damage the engine to some degree even if it doesn't fail.

    Regardless of the damage to the engine, it is better than hitting a wall or worse going 80.
     
  18. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    43,184
    Maybe..

    This is true of course.

    What kind of bothers me is why didn't he just free the pedal from under the carpet?? How hard can it be?
     
  19. jpappl Valued Senior Member

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    Panic. If you have ever had this happen, which I have. It's weird. Because you let off the gas and the engine rpm's stay high.

    He might have tried with his foot, but the alternative is to reach down which means taking your eyes off the road.

    In my case I was out in the woods, so no other cars around.
     
  20. stereologist Escapee from Dr Moreau Registered Senior Member

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    Thanks jpappl. I did mean having the car in gear.

    The driver safety courses in my state specifically cover the case where the accelerator is stuck. In those courses they tell you never to reach under the dash and to attempt to pull on the accelerator pedal. They warn you time and time again to keep your eyes on the road, shift into neutral, and apply the brakes.
     
  21. jpappl Valued Senior Member

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    Enmos,

    Whatever happened with your car ?
     
  22. Repo Man Valued Senior Member

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    Just about anything with EFI these days has a rev limiter, so engine damage isn't a sure thing.
     
  23. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I have a week off work and the weather is nice for a change, so I'm doing other stuff (photographing, walking, etc.). The car will have to wait a few days.
    I going by the shop at the end of the week though.
     

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