Well if my accelerator pedal got stuck (like my '81 Malibu occasionally did in the cold of winter before I had that whole linkage replaced), I'd sure want to be able to shut down the engine while in Drive (or Neutral), since moving that shifter in Park while going 40 mph would certainly create some fantastic damage.
Bug? Can turn off engine while still in Drive.
- Thread starter Armchair Bronco
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- 2022 CX-5 Turbo
Have you heard of this recent tragic case?
http://www.sandiego6.com/mostpopula...Lexus-accelerator/AzYjOhtvFE2mIuxTtxrK4Q.cspx
I always wonder why he did not turn the engine off.
I doubt that it was the floormat. I am guessing it was the stuck pedal position sensor that kept the vehicle going at full speed (said to be 120mph).
Sure, with engine off, you will lose power steering/brake (I had the timing belt broke on mine car. I know how it felt) However, you still get to slow down the vehicle eventually. Furthermore, why didn't he shift the gear down from D->4->3->2->1 and apply e-brake? Many questions.
Sure, it all happened in a few seconds.
The vehicle hit another vehicle and went off the road.
What would you have done differently?
http://www.sandiego6.com/mostpopula...Lexus-accelerator/AzYjOhtvFE2mIuxTtxrK4Q.cspx
I always wonder why he did not turn the engine off.
I doubt that it was the floormat. I am guessing it was the stuck pedal position sensor that kept the vehicle going at full speed (said to be 120mph).
Sure, with engine off, you will lose power steering/brake (I had the timing belt broke on mine car. I know how it felt) However, you still get to slow down the vehicle eventually. Furthermore, why didn't he shift the gear down from D->4->3->2->1 and apply e-brake? Many questions.
Sure, it all happened in a few seconds.
The vehicle hit another vehicle and went off the road.
What would you have done differently?
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- 2022 CX-5 Turbo
In the 911 recording, the CHP officer said that he has lost braking. Don't know why.
I am sure he tried that.
Make one wonder why floormat stuck on top of the pedal would make the vehicle lose the braking also. Weird. I don't believe the floormat theory from Toyota.
Here is what I would have done be sequence (if one does not work, go down the list)
- stomp on the brake (didn't work in his case)
- shift gear from D->4->3->2->1 (engine braking) and gradually apply e-brake
- shut down engine. Put body weight on the brake and hold on tight to the steering (both w/o power-assist now)
I am sure he tried that.
Make one wonder why floormat stuck on top of the pedal would make the vehicle lose the braking also. Weird. I don't believe the floormat theory from Toyota.
Here is what I would have done be sequence (if one does not work, go down the list)
- stomp on the brake (didn't work in his case)
- shift gear from D->4->3->2->1 (engine braking) and gradually apply e-brake
- shut down engine. Put body weight on the brake and hold on tight to the steering (both w/o power-assist now)
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Does not go for alot of vehicles.
My SRT10 will melt the brakes before it decides to stop (wow)
CX9 SportOwner
Member
In this type of case you:
Stab the gas
Shift to N and turn the engine off.
Steer and brake to safety
Stab the gas
Shift to N and turn the engine off.
Steer and brake to safety
My first reaction to something like that would probably be to wonder what the hell was going on. So after losing those precious seconds, I'd probably hit the brakes hard, and then turn off the engine in whatever gear it would be in (not sure if I'd have the presence of mind to shift into neutral).
E-brake doesn't stop all that well when you're at speed, it takes a while to slow down the car, and in any case with AWD power is going to all wheels (I assume that the e-brake is rear only).
E-brake doesn't stop all that well when you're at speed, it takes a while to slow down the car, and in any case with AWD power is going to all wheels (I assume that the e-brake is rear only).
I had a '70 Olds Cutlass, 455 V8, before I became a Corvette guy.
About 8 years a go I installed a new Edelbrock 750 4-BBL carb. Took it to a speed shop for fine tuning. On the way home I decided to get on it. Floored it, secondaries opened, and the pedal stuck to the floor, throttle wide open. (doh)
I laid on the brakes and tried to get the pedal unstuck, no luck. I ended up shutting the car off, and there was a huge boom as it backfired. I was worried that I blew the mufflers off, but no damage.
I pulled it to the curb, popped the hood, and found a kink in the throttle cable. A little kid on a bike saw the whole thing. As I was working under the hood he came over and said "that was the craziest thing I ever saw!" (lol2)
Scared the crap out of me!!!
About 8 years a go I installed a new Edelbrock 750 4-BBL carb. Took it to a speed shop for fine tuning. On the way home I decided to get on it. Floored it, secondaries opened, and the pedal stuck to the floor, throttle wide open. (doh)
I laid on the brakes and tried to get the pedal unstuck, no luck. I ended up shutting the car off, and there was a huge boom as it backfired. I was worried that I blew the mufflers off, but no damage.
I pulled it to the curb, popped the hood, and found a kink in the throttle cable. A little kid on a bike saw the whole thing. As I was working under the hood he came over and said "that was the craziest thing I ever saw!" (lol2)
Scared the crap out of me!!!
CX9 SportOwner
Member
That's why you shift to Neutral, and then turn the engine off. No backfire, no damage to the brakes, or trans.
Yeah, I though about that after the fact. Easy to say, but not easy to do when you're in panic mode. I was coming up on a busy intersection with traffic light.
I did try to throw it in neutral. Not easy since A/T trans forced me to do everything with the right hand only, and I was worried about exceeding the rev limit. Probably much easier in a manual--simply push in clutch pedal.
Plus, I had the Hurst dual gate shifter, and was in manual shift mode.
shift to neutral??? What are you crazy?
If he did that in his Olds or I did in my Challenger.. KABLAM! Shift to neutral with your right hand which is the same hand you have to shut the key off with. again.. KABLAM. By the time you get to the key and depending what rpm you are at.. KABLAM
some of the suggestions made on this board are a bit or alot off !
If he did that in his Olds or I did in my Challenger.. KABLAM! Shift to neutral with your right hand which is the same hand you have to shut the key off with. again.. KABLAM. By the time you get to the key and depending what rpm you are at.. KABLAM
some of the suggestions made on this board are a bit or alot off !
I also want to state there is no difference shutting off in neutral at speed or shutting off in drive when talking vehicles with carburetors and automatics
air pressure (or lack there of) is what pulls the fuel into your engine and when spinning at high rpms no matter what you do you may experience a backfire from an overload of raw fuel into hot exhaust
on vehicles with ANY type of fuel injection there is ZERO difference, manual or automatic, in neutral or a gear if you shut down. No backfire because the fuel shuts off.
air pressure (or lack there of) is what pulls the fuel into your engine and when spinning at high rpms no matter what you do you may experience a backfire from an overload of raw fuel into hot exhaust
on vehicles with ANY type of fuel injection there is ZERO difference, manual or automatic, in neutral or a gear if you shut down. No backfire because the fuel shuts off.
CX9 SportOwner
Member
The point is to minimize damage to any other part of the car, manual, auto, carb, or injected.
For any driver the best solution is shift to N, then reach up and turn the engine off. It's a lot easier than trying to shift to neutral while wrestling the now unpowered brakes and steering.
Don't forget to stab the throttle first. Sometimes pushing it farther will unstick it.
For any driver the best solution is shift to N, then reach up and turn the engine off. It's a lot easier than trying to shift to neutral while wrestling the now unpowered brakes and steering.
Don't forget to stab the throttle first. Sometimes pushing it farther will unstick it.
steering is not underpowered over 5mph if power steering. Power steering on MOST vehicles comes into play at very low speeds and parking maneuver situations. Driving along above 5mph power steering really does nothing for you.
no need to shift to anything once the ignition is turned off. brakes may feel hard to work when you lose power but they are designed to be effective to stop your vehicle in any situation without power.
no need to shift to anything once the ignition is turned off. brakes may feel hard to work when you lose power but they are designed to be effective to stop your vehicle in any situation without power.
CX9 SportOwner
Member
My instructions still stand, and are correct. They are the most effective for different car configurations. You just don't like someone else knowing something you didn't.
Maybe the power steering loss is only applicable under 5mph, but you will still have to steer under those conditions as you slow down. The better you steer towards your target when it's less of a factor, the better your final stopping point will be.
Maybe the power steering loss is only applicable under 5mph, but you will still have to steer under those conditions as you slow down. The better you steer towards your target when it's less of a factor, the better your final stopping point will be.
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- 2022 CX-5 Turbo
I once shifted into N on highway speed by accident (in my BMW 5AT), the engine surged into red line immediately (power output cutoff automatically to protect engine). Once I put it into D again, the rev went back to normal.
W/o power, even at speed, you have to fight against the power steering which was there to assist you and now it is there to resist. At least on my 1985 Honda Accord with power steering, when the timing belt went on me, it was hard to steering but manageable.
I guess turning engine off sound like a consensus to everyone (whether in N or D gear).
However, note that the CHP officer indicated to 911 that he got no braking. It complicated the emergency a lot. Now we don't know if he had brake in the begining and lost it later or lost the brake from the very moment he found the vehciel out of his control. Mystery there.
W/o power, even at speed, you have to fight against the power steering which was there to assist you and now it is there to resist. At least on my 1985 Honda Accord with power steering, when the timing belt went on me, it was hard to steering but manageable.
I guess turning engine off sound like a consensus to everyone (whether in N or D gear).
However, note that the CHP officer indicated to 911 that he got no braking. It complicated the emergency a lot. Now we don't know if he had brake in the begining and lost it later or lost the brake from the very moment he found the vehciel out of his control. Mystery there.
CX9 SportOwner
Member
It sounds like he tried stopping the car with the brakes while it was still driving the wheels. Without specific mechanical forensics data, though, there is no way to know for sure.
As a general rule, to avoid confusion and inaction, you always want to disengage the driveline first. Then any other problems that arise are easier to handle without having to wrestle a speeding car.
A lot of crashes, and deaths, could be avoided if we just taught drivers to think ahead when behind the wheel, instead of the terrible 'defensive driving' they teach in Driver's Ed. Defensive driving becomes reactive driving, so no one has any idea what to do when they have to act. For example, in heavy traffic, I am always braking before the car in front of me, because I look down the road. I can still see him, but already know what he's going to do based on the cars in front. Even people who think they are good drivers don't anticipate and plan ahead.
Everyone should take their car out somewhere safe like a giant parking lot and practice stopping under no power. It will build the instinct to act if it ever does happen.
As a general rule, to avoid confusion and inaction, you always want to disengage the driveline first. Then any other problems that arise are easier to handle without having to wrestle a speeding car.
A lot of crashes, and deaths, could be avoided if we just taught drivers to think ahead when behind the wheel, instead of the terrible 'defensive driving' they teach in Driver's Ed. Defensive driving becomes reactive driving, so no one has any idea what to do when they have to act. For example, in heavy traffic, I am always braking before the car in front of me, because I look down the road. I can still see him, but already know what he's going to do based on the cars in front. Even people who think they are good drivers don't anticipate and plan ahead.
Everyone should take their car out somewhere safe like a giant parking lot and practice stopping under no power. It will build the instinct to act if it ever does happen.
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