Lexus cars and trucks

Shifting with stuck accelerator

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?

Comments (2)




2 Responses to “Shifting with stuck accelerator”

  1. admin says:

    "Wayne" <mygarbage…@verizon.net> wrote in message

    news:hnba1o$lsf$1@news.eternal-september.org…

    > 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)

  2. admin says:

    "Ray O" <rokig…@NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote in message

    news:hnc3cp$tj8$1@news.eternal-september.org…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > "Wayne" <mygarbage…@verizon.net> wrote in message
    > news:hnba1o$lsf$1@news.eternal-september.org…
    >> 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

Place your comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.