Dear Tom and Ray:
Recently, there was a large recall of Toyotas because the gas pedal could get stuck on the floor mat and cause the car to keep accelerating wildly. Yesterday the pedal got stuck in my 2008 Honda Accord. What should you do if such a thing happens?
--Dan
Ray: Well, whether the gas pedal sticks because of the floor mat or because of any other reason, the first thing you do is hope that you're wearing your brown pants.
Tom: We've talked about this before, Dan, but it's worth repeating -- not only because of the Toyota recall, but because this can happen on any car.
Ray: Right. Floor mats can get bunched up near the pedals. People can install thicker, aftermarket floor mats, or those thick, rubber winter mats. Or the pedal can get obstructed by something that you drag into your car, like a chunk of ice or snow, or a kid's toy or juice box that rolled onto the floor.
Tom: So what do you do? No matter why the gas pedal is sticking, first, put the car in neutral.
Ray: Why? Shifting into neutral disconnects the engine from the wheels. So no matter how fast the engine is revving, the car will simply slow down.
Tom: By putting the transmission in neutral rather than turning the engine off with the key, you also keep your power steering, power brakes, ABS and lots of other stuff working.
Ray: And, most importantly, you keep the steering wheel lock from engaging. If that happens, you'll need two pairs of brown pants.
Tom: Some people worry that the engine will rev so high that it'll blow. But that won't happen. Modern cars all have rev limiters that cut off the fuel supply if the engine tries to rev beyond the limit set by the manufacturer. So the engine may sound like it's screaming, but just ignore that.
Ray: Once you're in neutral, calmly coast to a safe stop by the side of the road, and THEN turn off the ignition. Then, if you see that the pedal is clearly stuck on the floor mat, you can throw those floor mats out the window and keep driving. If not, call a tow truck, have the car towed to the dealer and tell them to call you when they're absolutely certain they've figured it out.
(Car Talk is a nationally syndicated column by automotive experts (and brothers) Tom and Ray Magliozzi. Write to them at the Car Talk Web site.)
9 Comments
By Michael Lord on February 19, 2010 9:30 AM
Something else that is often overlooked. Brakes are the most powerful system on the car. If you put your foot to the floor on the gas and simultaneously do the same for the brakes the brakes, in spite of claims to the contrary, will always win every time. Not only that but many modern cars a designed so that the gas and the brakes cannot both be on with the default going to the brakes.
By STEVE on February 23, 2010 6:36 AM
Mike Lord is correct. With all the recent hype about Toyota's people, and the Press, forget that the brake-system is the most powerfull sytem on the car. I think stuff like this first got it's start because someone tail-ended a vehicle or drove through the front windon of their local local donut shop and were afraid to admit that they screwed up. It was easier, and less embarrassing to say the "car did it" than to admit fault.
By gnwwolf on February 23, 2010 5:45 PM
You are both so incorrect, it shows how little you know about modern cars. First off, automatic transmissions are now electronic, so when you "shift" into drive, you are actually telling the computer or a solenoid to put the car in drive. So, you could shift into neutral and the computer will leave the car in drive.
Second, brakes are used in traction control, again, by the computer in the car. If a wheel is spinning or starting to, the computer will apply the brake to the spinning tire, and this happens even when you are pressing on the gas, so the brakes don't override the accelerator.
Let's not forget electric steering, braking, drive-by-wire, etc. The days of actually controlling a car by mechanical means are gone, it's now by computer, so pressing on the brakes and/or shifting into neutral may not really work, as was the case in San Diego. I doubt the driver, a California State Patrol officer, was unskilled in how to control a car, and he did not crash through a donut shop window and blame it on something else.
Yes, today's cars can practically drive themselves without your assistance. The only thing missing is an accurate tracking system to do the steering.
By STEVEN on February 24, 2010 4:36 PM
gnwwolf. If you listen to the 911 tapes of the San Diego incident, he never tried to put the car in neutral. You either work for the govt. or have had a few sips of the cool-aid.
The Toyota recall is now over riding the accelerator for brake input. Several other manufacturers have this function, and no it does not have to do with the traction control. Although many systems use the same components there are multiple computer commands to offer each priority depending on situations.
Most unintended acceleration is due to driver error, either floormat, mistaking one pedal for the other or such things. If you are as informed as you come across, you know this, you just dont want to admit it.
By Joe on February 25, 2010 9:01 AM
Why does everyone assume that the affected Toyota vehicles can be shifted into neutral at high way speeds. Where is it published that the recalled vehicles will shift into neutral or even down shift when you are going 60+ and have the accelerator depressed? I want to know about the vehicles being recalled specifically. Don’t tell me about a 2003 ford F150 or 2007 Toyota Yaris or your 1965 Pontiac.
By Steven T. on March 9, 2010 3:14 AM
I believe putting gear in neutral would be your best bet. Why? Because i do it all the time to 'glide' the car i'm driving downhill to save gas. And yes, the car can go at freeway speed as i engage the gear in neutral. This works for me in stick shift or automatic gear in both old and new cars (when i rent a new car on vacation). I just works for me all the time.
Think of it, if you can't engage in neutral gear while driving the car, then what's it there for and why it's even called 'neutral'? Try it yourself before you make a comment otherwise.
By Lee on March 10, 2010 10:30 AM
Joe
we make the assumption that Toyota cars can be shifted into neutral at "high way" speeds because ANY vehicle can be shifted into neutral at any speed! the use of the accelecator or the speed of the vehicle has obsolutely no bearing on the ability to shift into neutral.
over 50 fatalities have taken place because they panic and do not have the ability to think under pressure. they have the ability to think to call 911 but not to shift into neutral??? as bad as this may sound, do we really need these people breeding and passing on their genes to the next generation of stupid people?
By Bologna Vest on March 11, 2010 10:22 AM
I read the comments here questioning whether a Toyota under the recall could shift into neutral at highway speeds and then went out and tested it myself (2008 Tundra -- covered under both recalls).
With my foot to the floor (to duplicate racing accelerator) at above 60, shifting into neutral was instantaneous.
By Steve Bruce on March 11, 2010 12:44 PM
With all of media coverage on this issue, why has the correct remedial action almost never been discussed ? It seems nobody knows if the Toyotas prevent the driver from shifting into neutral or turning off the engine ? Nobody on TV ever discusses these details (it drive me nuts)
In my life time, I have had two cars 'runaway' at maximum throttle. One instance was a faulty Cruize Control, the other instance was a mechanical issue in the throttle linkage. In both cases I put the car in neutral within 2 seconds because it was the obvous thing to do. I also turned off the engine. Its not that hard to stop the car even without power controls.
How can a police officer and other victims speed for several minutes down the road without doing the obvious ? Do Toyotas have a lockout to prevent taking remedial actions ? or are drivers unable to do the obvious unless they have had specific training in a stuck throttle scenario ?