My Car over-accelerated today. Even the brakes didn't help.

[PatriotGame]

truedelphi (1000+ posts)          Fri Feb-19-10 08:10 PM
Original message
My Car over-accelerated today. Even the brakes didn't help.
   

Where is that brick wall when the nation needs it huh?

[PatriotGame]

89 Ford Passenger Van?   


 

...and ROARING with a deafening sound like it has the combined super strength of half a dozen 747's.

The deafening sound was SEARED, S-E-A-R-E-D I tell you, into my mind!!!111

[PatriotGame]

One more thing, she relays in PAINFUL detail how her accelerated got stuck, yet fails to mention how she got home?   

 

The happy singing birds happily gave her a lift home.

[dandi]

The car took off, and stomping on the brake didn't help. I thought maybe the pedal had gotten caught under the floor mat, but no, M. had removed floor mats earlier while tuning up the car.

Well that's your problem. Everyone knows it's Q that works on the cars. M is there to give you your assignment.

Sheesh.

[GOBUCKS]

Well that's your problem. Everyone knows it's Q that works on the cars. M is there to give you your assignment.

Now that's funny!

But whether your car is tuned up by M, Q, or bobbolink, why would they remove the floor mats to do it?
What a tangled web we weave.

[diesel driver]

I worked as a fleet mechanic (as well as a driver) for 6, 1-ton Chevy/Grumman stepvans, all with 350 V-8's and automatic transmissions, for over 20 years.

The only time there were ANY accelerator problems, it usually boiled down to:
1.  bad throttle cable (a very common problem, since the cable was about 6 feet long)...
2.  broken, stretched, or fatigued throttle return spring...
3.  worn bushings in the throttle body...

In ALL cases, the brakes were more than adequate to stop the vans, even with the throttle stuck wide open.  The only cars I can think of that wouldn't have enough brakes to overcome the engine's power would be something from the former (or maybe current) Eastern Bloc/Soviet Union countries (ie think Yugo)....

I currently have a Ford F-250 diesel.  12 years ago, it started having problems with the engine not wanting to return to idle....
A new throttle cable fixed it....

[Randy]

I worked as a fleet mechanic (as well as a driver) for 6, 1-ton Chevy/Grumman stepvans, all with 350 V-8's and automatic transmissions, for over 20 years.

The only time there were ANY accelerator problems, it usually boiled down to:
1.  bad throttle cable (a very common problem, since the cable was about 6 feet long)...
2.  broken, stretched, or fatigued throttle return spring...
3.  worn bushings in the throttle body...

In ALL cases, the brakes were more than adequate to stop the vans, even with the throttle stuck wide open.  The only cars I can think of that wouldn't have enough brakes to overcome the engine's power would be something from the former (or maybe current) Eastern Bloc/Soviet Union countries (ie think Yugo)....

I currently have a Ford F-250 diesel.  12 years ago, it started having problems with the engine not wanting to return to idle....
A new throttle cable fixed it....

You forget one thing. Toyota is also having brake problem with Prius' so this DUmmie is going for a twofer with throttle and brake.

Problem with shifting to neutral is the noise and abuse the engine gets by removing the load on it. The RPM's will go through the roof, maybe literally in a high milage ole wore out van that most likely has a huge amount of clatters and funky rattles already.

Removing the floor mats I can see happening easily because of the engine cover coming off. There's times while working in that hole those mats will flat out piss you off so removing them eliminates that.

[whiffleball]

'89 Ford passenger van and no one took him to task for his Carbon Footprint over there? 

[diesel driver]

You forget one thing. Toyota is also having brake problem with Prius' so this DUmmie is going for a twofer with throttle and brake.

Problem with shifting to neutral is the noise and abuse the engine gets by removing the load on it. The RPM's will go through the roof, maybe literally in a high milage ole wore out van that most likely has a huge amount of clatters and funky rattles already.

Removing the floor mats I can see happening easily because of the engine cover coming off. There's times while working in that hole those mats will flat out piss you off so removing them eliminates that.

Yup, you are correct, sir.  If she had mentioned hard steering as well, I'd say she was going for the trifecta....

My excuse is it was 2:40AM and the coffee hadn't started working yet....   

[MrsSmith]

You forget one thing. Toyota is also having brake problem with Prius' so this DUmmie is going for a twofer with throttle and brake.

Problem with shifting to neutral is the noise and abuse the engine gets by removing the load on it. The RPM's will go through the roof, maybe literally in a high milage ole wore out van that most likely has a huge amount of clatters and funky rattles already.

Removing the floor mats I can see happening easily because of the engine cover coming off. There's times while working in that hole those mats will flat out piss you off so removing them eliminates that.

Yeah, but better to blow the engine than any other alternative.  Especially on a 20 year old van.   

[zeitgeist]

Yeah, but better to blow the engine than any other alternative.  Especially on a 20 year old van.   

Speaking of "blown engines"  maybe M has a hobby?

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[Sharon]

My 2002 Ford Expedition Over-accelerated as well. I was getting on the expressway and my SUV suddenly started taking off. I immediately pressed hard on my brakes and it did not help very much so I put it in natural and turn off the ignition. I cannot prove it like the man on TV this morning that could not prove it either but it happened.  It's a mystery!

[jinxmchue]

I call bullshit.  There's no way what really happened would be remembered in such detail.

[Lacarnut]

Toyota has decided to cut back on their production of Prius hybrid cars. Suck on that greenies.

[crockspot]

Years ago I had a Toyota Cressida that one day took off on me, pedal to the metal. I noticed the cruise control light was on. I turned it off. Problem solved.

[jinxmchue]

Years ago I had a Toyota Cressida that one day took off on me, pedal to the metal. I noticed the cruise control light was on. I turned it off. Problem solved.

Pfft.  I've done that with my Blazer.  And the other day, my wife left the interstate and started going 70 MPH down the state highway.

[The Village Idiot]

Pfft.  I've done that with my Blazer.  And the other day, my wife left the interstate and started going 70 MPH down the state highway.

Yikes.

[jinxmchue]

Yikes.

She didn't notice until after a couple miles.  That could've been a hefty fine.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Interesting, I wonder if under certain rare conditions some kind of EM interference can fool a Toyota's computer into thinking cruise control has been engaged.  Something from an external, fugitive source could never be replicated at a testing site.  From the distribution of cases it would seem to be something as pervasive as cell tower signals and only rarely actually cause a hiccup.

[The Village Idiot]

She didn't notice until after a couple miles.  That could've been a hefty fine.

I'd be worried about hitting a slower vehicle than a fine.

[zeitgeist]

Interesting, I wonder if under certain rare conditions some kind of EM interference can fool a Toyota's computer into thinking cruise control has been engaged.  Something from an external, fugitive source could never be replicated at a testing site.  From the distribution of cases it would seem to be something as pervasive as cell tower signals and only rarely actually cause a hiccup.

ET's are un-usually interesting breed.  If there are any resident on board I suspect you will receive a great theoretical answer.  Me, I only know something in my neighborhood is now preventing my key-less locking system from working. It did work and works once out of the neighborhood. I currently have a call in to the dealer to find out the frequency the remote transmits on.

Now this is no $hit, my last occurence with sudden acceleration was when a Turbo Jag sedan pulled up to the lights, goosed his throttle a couple times somehow causing a sudden unexplained spasam in my right leg which then impact the accelerator pedel (which is connected to a wireless fuel delivery system).  The better half often says my car is "pi$$ yer pants fast", she's right. Wasn't even close. The guy wanted to go again for pinks but I don't have room for another car.


 

[GOBUCKS]

Interesting, I wonder if under certain rare conditions some kind of EM interference can fool a Toyota's computer into thinking cruise control has been engaged.  Something from an external, fugitive source could never be replicated at a testing site.  From the distribution of cases it would seem to be something as pervasive as cell tower signals and only rarely actually cause a hiccup.

Yes, it's electromagnetic interference causing a scam artist's brain to think about getting a jumbo out-of-court settlement from Toyota. Odds are overwhelming that's the cause of all these Toyota incidents. The discouraging thing is that thousands of scamsters will be successful at cashing in. It's much more expensive for Toyota to defend themselves than to just settle with these crooks.

[NHSparky]

That was the answer I was going to give, but in much greater detail.  Bottom line, any EM interference causing the cruise control to just magically engage?

Ain't happening.

[thundley4]

That was the answer I was going to give, but in much greater detail.  Bottom line, any EM interference causing the cruise control to just magically engage?

Ain't happening.

Aren't most em sources required to be tested to see if they cause interference with othe electrical devices?

[NHSparky]

Aren't most em sources required to be tested to see if they cause interference with othe electrical devices?

Ah-yup.  And considering that the cruise control, even through an onboard computer, is a "hard-wired" system and therefore only marginally susceptible to manipulation from random EM signals (that is to say, ain't ****in happening), it's roughly akin to your hitting the button for your garage door opener and miraculously changing the CD in your six-disc changer to the exact disc and song you wanted to hear.