Re: How to deal with unintended acceleration
I was a victim of unintended acceleration.
We had a BMW 5 series and had picked it up from service just that day. In the evening, my wife and I went out to dinner for our anniversary. While the car was my wifes daily driver, I decided to drive this time (hey, I'm the man). We went thru our little town, even stopped at a couple traffic lights without a problem.
Once out of town, the road was twisty and went up a long hill. I accelerated normally and reached a straight area (still going uphill). At this point I had the car in high gear (5 speed manual).
Well, as SOON as I eased off the gas pedal to maintain the proper speed, the car didn't respond- it continued to run faster! Instinctively, I hit the brakes, but the engine was more powerful than the brakes. Remember, I'm still going uphill!
I had no choice but to either push in the clutch or turn off the key. I knew if I pushed in the clutch, the engine would over-rev and blow within 10 seconds. I decided to try the key. The engine started to shut down but the problem was that another turn was coming up and I realized that with the key off, the steering would lock as soon as I turned. I braked hard to scrub some speed and flipped the key on briefly to enable me to turn. Every time I turned the key the engine would race again, so I had no choice but to work the key, steering wheel and brakes intermittently for about a half mile until I could pull safely off the road. We were both sweating profusely! The car was smoking a little from the brakes.
I popped the hood to find the fuel injector shroud displaced. It had wedged itself directly into the throttle linkage, causing the engine to race. I easily re-set and secured the shroud in about 30 seconds. Started the car and it was A-OK. We considered going back home for the other car but we decided to just keep driving, albeit very carefully.
My wife told me at dinner that if she had been driving, we would have definitely crashed because she wouldn't have known what to do.
And when I called the repair shop- well, all they said was 'sorry.' Gotta wonder if they would've paid for collision damage if we had taken a header into a tree. Needless to say, I don't go there anymore
Find several points in your story ... umm .. hard to believe.
"Instinctively, I hit the brakes, but the engine was more powerful than the brakes."
Multiple tests on many brands of autos have proved that the brakes will stop you.
Doubt that BMW would offer less effective brake systems than everyone else.
" I knew if I pushed in the clutch, the engine would over-rev and blow within 10 seconds."
It will only rev till it hits the rev limiter.
""and I realized that with the key off, the steering would lock as soon as I turned. "
Not if you turned off the ignition, only if you turned it to the lock position.
Cars are designed to steer and brake with the ignition off. Read your owners manuals.
As a matter of fact, this was part of my drivers ed course some 31 years ago.
Turning off the ignition is what is recommended.
Steering will be stiffer, and braking will require more pressure, but they will work.
I wonder what people would think if they reintroduced vehicles without power steering or brakes again.
Had to prove this to two friends last night.
Made a left turn, and then a right turn into a parking lot, drove through the parking lot and parked, all with the ignition off.
