Posted on 03/07/2010 11:12:34 AM PST by Oklahoma
How to Handle Sudden Unintended Acceleration: Video
In this video, PM senior automotive editor Mike Allen accelerates his car to 55 and then stops it—while the throttle is still open.
DO • Brake. Brake once, don't pump or ride the brakes. This will only heat up the brake pads, potentially overheating them and making them fail. It will take more force than you're used to to make the vehicle stop. Use both feet if you need to. • Shift. Move the gearshift into neutral. If the throttle is truly stuck, the engine will redline and make a lot of noise, but it won't be damaged. The injection computer will keep it from over-revving. Leaving it running will keep the power brakes an power steering working normally. Obviously, if your car has a manual transmission, simply stepping on the clutch pedal will slow the car. • Steer. Steer your car to a safe place off the road and away from traffic.
DON'T • Pump the brakes. • Shift into park. (Which won't engage at speed anyway.) • Drag the brakes. • Shut off the engine. (Well, shut off the engine as a last resort, but it may affect the brakes and steering, which will become heavier, although they'll remain operational.)
Nope. The SUA incidents for Ford have gone on *long* before they got any parts from Toyota.
For model year 2000 cars, Ford is #1 in most SUA incidents reported, followed by GM and Chrysler in that order. Ford has the lead by a huge margin (369 to 251 and 145 respectively.)
For model year 2001 cars, Ford is #1 in most SUA incidents reported, followed by GM. Chrysler comes in fifth. Ford has the lead by a huge margin (313 to 191 and 90 respectively.) Toyota comes in fourth with 119 that year.
For model year 2002 cars, Ford is #1 in most SUA incidents reported, followed by Toyota and GM in that order. Ford has the lead by a moderate margin (326 to 276 and 181 respectively.) Chrysler is 5th with 94.
For model year 2003 cars, Toyota is #1 in most SUA incidents reported, followed by Ford and GM in that order. Toyota only has a moderate lead (279 to 224 and 209 respectively.) Chrysler is 5th with 102.
For model year 2004 cars, Ford is back on form as #1 in most SUA incidents reported, followed by Toyota and GM in that order. Ford has the lead by a slim margin (328 to 298 and 135 respectively.) Chrysler is 4th with 125.
For model year 2005 cars, Toyota is #1 in most SUA incidents reported, followed by Ford and Chrysler in that order. Toyota only has a moderate lead (279 to 229 and 115 respectively.) GM is 5th with 114.
So, statistically speaking, guess what? You’re more likely to experience SUA in a Ford as it gets older.
“Are you and Cringing Negative Network both UAW members?”
NO! I have no use for unions. Allogations and assumptions are insulting to those you make them on and reflective of you.
“Toyota Owners File 60 Complaints After Recall Fixes” - Business Week 3/5/10
“Drivers complain that Toyota’s fixes did not work” - AP
Also, most of Ford’s problems are known to be the result of their wretched cruise control system which really hasn’t been changed since the 80s and is known to have had problems with shorts and other glitches. Ford has pretty much been king of SUA since the 1990.
The cruise control was also at fault for all those Ford truck fires.
Er, since the 1990 model year.
My first move is to shut off the engine...no damage to the vehicle (i.e., riding the brakes can do bad things to the brakes, if the conditions are right - redlining in neutral is also something that’s better avoided). One does have to be careful as you can lock the steering on some manual transmission cars, if you shut the key COMPLETELY off.
The best thing to do: Practice. If you’re on a quiet road with a shoulder, then simply shut off the key and see how the car behaves. For most cars, you’ll quickly see your steering get tougher as you lose the power assist...but you CAN STEER (at least for now, with today’s cars...no promises for the future, once the geeks get their shot at it). If you pump your brakes a couple of times - they’re normal, then if you keep pumping you’ll quickly find that you your power assist...but you WILL STOP. That’s the problem many people have...they’ve got no clue as to how a car works, yet they keep driving them...and are dumbfounded when they get into an unexpected situation.
Now, if you’re skilled, you can put it neutral and restart while still coasting. When you get reasonably good at that, then do the entire simulation...where you gun the throttle and hold it down while killing the engine. I have to admit that that’s even a bit tough for me, as us motor-mounts are taught not to shut off the engine at full throttle.
But once you get good at it, and if the throttle really does stick (as had happened to me once, long ago, with an aftermarket cruise control), you’ll simply say: “oh, the throttle’s sticking again” and safely secure the car - rather than looking like someone auditioning for an Oscar.
“I really doubt that the problem is as bad as people claim.”
There have been 37 fatalities. That sounds pretty bad to me.
Probably not a good time for a break (lol), but if you’re referring to the emergency brake, then that probably won’t be enough, as you get maybe 25% of the stopping force (which is good enough for 99% of driving, but not in these types of situations). So go with the key, or neutral, or the main brake.
The one that’s going to be nasty is when/if the Mercedes brake-by-wire cars (Sensotronic-equipped E-class) ever have an SUA incident. You *can’t* manually brake one.
There’s also a Toyota with this tech, but it’s not sold here.
And just about 100% of all fatalities in toyota-involved crashes will be due to a stuck throttle for a while, because that will be an easy lawsuit to win.
Once you get the government, lawyers, and the media involved, you just can’t sort the truth from the BS anymore.
I had a much milder experience, in a job I had before college. No death threats, just a clear message. Several union members — including the unionized foreman — told me to stop working so fast. They said that it would be bad for everyone if a timekeeper was watching me — because then the quotas would go way up. Mind you, I couldn’t keep up with anyone half my age today (if I were still doing manual work) & I can understand why the older workers wanted to set a sustainable pace. Still ....
My take on this is thus:
Yes, this is a witch hunt, with the government looking to screw over a competitor to Government Motors.
Unfortunately for Toyota, they really *did* produce ‘witches’ and they really did do what the government said. The only thing being exaggerated is the scale of the problem.
Meanwhile, GM quietly recalled all the Chevy Cobalts and Pontiac G5s for defective steering that could cause you to crash and die in a turn. All of them. From the first day they were made.
I don’t expect to hear about Senate hearings being held over this, do you? :P
“Your average UAW factory worker is a red-blooded, patriotic sob. Probably hunts, fishes and believes in most of the things FReepers hold dear. They’re not commies. Except those at the top.”
But they do elect them to those positions...and from their they wreak their havoc on this country, leaving it in RUINS (Detroit, anyone). No union...you just have a bunch of red-blooded, patriotic, hunters, fishers, who believe in most of the things FReepers hold dear...and LOVE THEIR COMPANY.
“Your average UAW worker helped contribute $400 million to Obama and the Dems to get them elected, then got millions more in welfare from their buddies. Screw them.”
Which is EXACTLY why I haven’t bought a union-built car in decades and NEVER WILL. They can have their unions, WRECK THE INDUSTRIAL BELT, and they can SHOVE IT, for all I’m concerned. I’m happy to buy an American car, provided it is NOT union built.
More importantly, once the elected union officials show what they’re going to do and how leftist they are, guess what?
The rank and file keeps voting for them and putting them back into office. Usually by overwhelming supermajority.
That’s tacit consent to the leadership’s policies, right there.
“The one that’s going to be nasty is when/if the Mercedes brake-by-wire cars (Sensotronic-equipped E-class) ever have an SUA incident. You *can’t* manually brake one.
There’s also a Toyota with this tech, but it’s not sold here.”
Do the brakes go off if the engine is off? That would be VERY DUMB if they did - and they should be sued for that alone. Heck, on my cars, the brake lights work just fine without the engine on. In any case that is EXACTLY WHY everyone should practice...when it is safe to do so.
On those cars, the braking is pretty much wholly computer controlled.... and if the computer is screwing up, guess what?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake-by-wire
“That’s tacit consent to the leadership’s policies, right there.”
Of course, but I’m trying to be a bit diplomatic. But the rank and file guys do tend to be red-blooded Americans...it’s just sad that they allow these people to lead them off a cliff, time and time again.
“What about the emergency break?”
Wouldn’t you rather receive a lucky brake?
Screw being diplomatic. That time ended when their Chosen One got into the White House and started wrecking things.
All done with catering to people’s feelings. It didn’t work before, time to hit them with the proverbial 2x4 between the eyes about what they’ve been doing.
Just curious - I understand most cars now have electronic throttles. Do any of them have the same setup with transmission?
I.e., can you have a situation where it isn’t possible to put it into neutral?
I’m not trying to be sarcastic, I just find the whole electronic throttle thing pretty amazing by itself. Guess I’m getting old...
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