What to do if you're trapped in an accelerating vehicle?

[raccoon]

(Assuming you don't WANT to accelerate, but the vehicle is doing it anyway)

Let's be prepared, yall. What to do in a case like this?

[panader0]

1. Uh, turn the car off?

[dkf]

2. NONONO. Shift into neutral.

[mrcheerful]

7. Which will then cause the engine to over rev which causes engine damage or could broke a connecting

costing you another engine or car depending on the age of said car.

[Gold Metal Flake]

19. Most modern cars have RPM limiters. Fuck the engine, save your ass.

If you don't know about the prevalence of RPM limiters in modern cars (like the one in my 2009 Corolla, for example) you should not be commenting in these threads.

[Poker Player]

37. Maybe you will get lucky

..and the engine will survive the crash.

[DrDan]

6. you will make steering very difficult and lost power breaks

shift to neutral

[mrcheerful]

3. Shut the engine off while in gear and let the dead engine slow the vehicle down

simple, been there done that after a accelerator cable broke while I was accelerating on a 1969 GT 500 mustang. Just make sure with the locking steering that you don't turn the key all the way off or when engine dies you take the steering lock off.

[randr]

9. Many new cars do not have the simple locking mechanism

on the steering wheel. Once the key is off the steering and brakes no longer work. Braking does have some function as only the power unit is deactivated as well as anti lock functions.

[mrcheerful]

24. Which is why I don't own new cars lol. I keep forgetting that alot of you folks aren't old enough

to remember the good old days when power steering and power brakes were an option and not mandatory, so you have no ideal what those cars were like. The current vehicle I drive has the ignition key on the dash board and the steering doesn't lock, also if you break a brake line your screwed, the brakes don't work at all. So with the new cars don't follow my advise lol.

[tech9413]

36. I'm old enough and still go for manual everything

Having worked in electronics all of my life, I don't trust the whole "fly by wire" technology. As far as power assist on steering and brakes, remember two things, turn the wheel only after you're moving. Stand on the brakes until you hear the tires squeal then back off.
The toughest drive I ever had was a 70's vintage 240Z The steering was real stiff and low ratio. Once you got above 90mph, it felt like a second skin.

[proudohioan]

11. Broken accelerator cable???

God, I had forgotten all about that one. I used to own a (ironically enough) 1982 Toyota Tercel, and the accelerator cable would snap once or twice a year! I always wondered if it were a manufacturing defect, but never heard anything about recalls......

I owned that car for about 4 years, and needless to say, I never drove it on the freeways.

[mrcheerful]

29. If the cable binds it will snap too, or if you don't keep the cable lubed it will get rust

then bind and snap.

[havocmom]

14. works great with older muscle cars. Not wise with newer cars

Steering won't work on most after key is turned.

[mrcheerful]

25. Yeah thats my problem I drive a 1978 Ford Van and forget that the new cars are different.

[havocmom]

31. LOL Gotta tell ya, the first car I drove that you couldn't just shut down and steer...

Well, THAT was an exciting few seconds! Damn, wish the salesman had told me about THAT change!

[Tesha]

32. Not true -- even cars with power steering can still be easily steered if they're still rolling.

It's only when they're fully stopped that it becomes
almost impossible to turn the steering wheel.

Tesha

[havocmom]

35. Was true in at least one case. I was there

Steering wheel locked as soon as key turned just as far as ignition off

[Tesha]

38. What make? What year? What model?

It's not that I don't believe you, but ever since there
have been steering locks, there have been safety
regulations that make this *IMPOSSIBLE* in a properly-
functioning car. Perhaps the person was simply too
well trained to turn the key off and pull the key out
in one motion? Or, similarly, on old Fords, they had
trained themselves to always push the steering lock
interlock button automatically as they turned the key
off?

Tesha

[randr]

4. I heard the tesimony from one witness

She said she pushed the cruise control off button and the car slowed down.

[951-Riverside]

5. ...Hope Akio Toyoda is ahead of you.

:evilgrin:

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. Or fasten Toyota's replacement floor mats to your front bumper

to lessen the impact.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Here is the answer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoIIT0WJS4s

[hayu_lol]

12. Pull the handles on your ejection seat...

and hope that whoever packed the chute did it properly.

[LiberalFighter]

16. With no sun roof?

[wtmusic]

17. Checking first, of course

to make sure you're not in an underpass. :scared:

[wtmusic]

15. Thanks for info. nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

13. Try to keep your wits about you, although it's not as easy as it sounds.

A lot can happen in just a few seconds and if you're in panic mode it will only get worse.

[Captain Hilts]

18. In a Prius, there is no key to disengage. nt

[Speck Tater]

20. Jam the clutch down to the floorboards. Step on the brake. nt.

[Warren Stupidity]

21. Put your foot on the brake and keep it there.

Meanwhile the toyota accelerator problem (not the cruise control one the pedal one) is a stuck pedal. Use your other foot to unstick the pedal. Keep pressing the brakes while doing this.

[snagglepuss]

22. .

[asdjrocky]

23. Aim for bankers.

I kid.

[L0oniX]

39. +1

[guitar man]

26. that's easy

Just toss this in the CD player and crank it up! :evilgrin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRt3PIDER94

[TheCowsCameHome]

27. I was going to suggest head for a Teabagger rally....

but I'm not going to suggest head for a Teabagger rally.

That wouldn't be very nice.

[Liberal In Texas]

28. Shift to NEUTRAL. Pull over and then shut down the engine.

Always think of NEUTRAL first!

If you have a standard transmission, push the clutch in and shift out of gear.

[kentuck]

30. Gear it down..

one gear at a time. Then put in neutral and coast to a stop. Or blow up the engine.

[Bonhomme Richard]

33. This is why I always drive with a bigass anchor. n/t

[kestrel91316]

34. Throw it into neutral and get on those brakes. BEFORE you burn them out.

[ellenfl]

40. shift into neutral. do not turn off the car because the steering

will probably lock up. of course, i have an older car.

ellen fl

[davsand]

41. Swear like a sailor and then wring my underpants out after it was over.

Oh--and I'd pull the shifter into neutral while hitting the brake. I really can multi task sometimes.



Laura