Shifting with stuck accelerator

[Wayne]

So.....IF the accelerator gets stuck, and you step on the brakes, and you
can't get the car to slow down or stop....

Is there any reason that the shift lever couldn't be moved to neutral? The
car might go over redline, but that's better than some of the alternatives.

I thought the recent runaway 911 caller said that he couldn't shift to
neutral. Panic?

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

Post by Wayne
So.....IF the accelerator gets stuck, and you step on the brakes, and you
can't get the car to slow down or stop....
Is there any reason that the shift lever couldn't be moved to neutral? The
car might go over redline, but that's better than some of the alternatives.

Nope.

And the engine will hit its rev limiter and bounce up and down, if in
fact the engine is even going (which won't be the case for the small
hybrids).

[Ray O]

Post by Wayne
So.....IF the accelerator gets stuck, and you step on the brakes, and you
can't get the car to slow down or stop....
Is there any reason that the shift lever couldn't be moved to neutral? The
car might go over redline, but that's better than some of the
alternatives.
I thought the recent runaway 911 caller said that he couldn't shift to
neutral. Panic?

If the accelerator gets stuck, shift the transmission to neutral. The
engine control computer has an RPM limiter so it will cut fuel just above
redline and the engine RPM will drop. If the computer is still getting a
command for wide open throttle (WO), then the RPM will increase to redline
again, the fuel cut command will be issued again, and the process starts
over until the WOT command is gone. This system has been in place for a
long time, and it is designed to keep the engine from destroying itself.

In the case of the recent runaway 911 caller, the accounts I read said that
he was told to shift to neutral but he didn't want to because he thought the
car would flip. That sounds a little suspicious to me...

[Wayne]

Post by Ray O

Post by Wayne
So.....IF the accelerator gets stuck, and you step on the brakes, and you
can't get the car to slow down or stop....
Is there any reason that the shift lever couldn't be moved to neutral?
The car might go over redline, but that's better than some of the
alternatives.
I thought the recent runaway 911 caller said that he couldn't shift to
neutral. Panic?

If the accelerator gets stuck, shift the transmission to neutral. The
engine control computer has an RPM limiter so it will cut fuel just above
redline and the engine RPM will drop. If the computer is still getting a
command for wide open throttle (WO), then the RPM will increase to redline
again, the fuel cut command will be issued again, and the process starts
over until the WOT command is gone. This system has been in place for a
long time, and it is designed to keep the engine from destroying itself.
In the case of the recent runaway 911 caller, the accounts I read said
that he was told to shift to neutral but he didn't want to because he
thought the car would flip. That sounds a little suspicious to me...
Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

-
I only heard the 911 call once, but IIRC, he said that he couldn't shift
because he was holding the cellfone. Since it occurred in CA, the phonecall
was illegal :)
--Wayne