Unintended acceleration

jmcgliss · February 04, 2010, 07:43:41 AM

Quote from: Denis on February 04, 2010, 07:39:06 AM
I avoid that problem by drinking my boiling hot coffee out of open-topped mugs while driving...

Dave W · February 04, 2010, 07:44:09 AM

Search Google News for Toyota shim, you'll find a few articles with pics. Even if it's the right fix, a little shim may not inspire confidence.

Pilgrim · February 04, 2010, 09:21:48 AM

"When I learned to drive we were always told to pump the brakes (and on old drum brake cars like my Dodges, Galaxies, Studebakers, etc) but with the invention and common application of antilock brakes constant and firm pressure is what's needed. Maybe a lot of people still don't realize that."

You are absolutely right. The level of willful ignorance that people have about automobiles is stunning.

About every other week, Car Talk gets a call from some ignorant idiot whose problem turns out to be perfectly functioning antilock brakes. They've never read the manual or even ASKED about why their brake pedal pulses when they brake on a slippery surface.

These are, in my sublime opinion, the same auto-ignorant people who used to lock up their brakes and skid directly into an accident instead of steering around it. You can BET that what they learned from their dad in 1965 about braking is still how they do it.

I also have reservations about the shim idea. If there is a friction point that is making a pedal hang up and a stainless steel square washer about the size of your thumbnail can eliminate the friction, so be it. But I'm not betting this problem is solved.

And I'm also surprised, because I think the 2007 Nissan Murano I just bought also has an electric sensor rather than a cable between throttle and gas feed. I'm bummed about that...I spent some time checking the shop manual last night and all I can find is sensors.

Stupid, stupid, stupid idea.

PhilT · February 04, 2010, 10:06:22 AM

Hesitant as I am to raise the spectre of my old TR7, the throttle on that often stuck and, despite many attempts it was never fixed. It just made approaching junctions more exciting.

Pilgrim · February 04, 2010, 01:16:42 PM

Quote from: PhilT on February 04, 2010, 10:06:22 AM
Hesitant as I am to raise the spectre of my old TR7, the throttle on that often stuck and, despite many attempts it was never fixed. It just made approaching junctions more exciting.

But when you're young and immortal, it's just excitement! Heck, it's a challenge!

jmcgliss · February 04, 2010, 01:52:21 PM

Quote from: PhilT on February 04, 2010, 10:06:22 AM
Hesitant as I am to raise the spectre of my old TR7, the throttle on that often stuck and, despite many attempts it was never fixed. It just made approaching junctions more exciting.

One of my on-track students unlatched his harness as we were flying down a straight with a 90-bend approaching, with swamp land beyond if you missed. He was trying to bend down and pull up a stuck throttle but his helmet wedged against the steering wheel. He eventually got his toe under it. By that time I had already popped him into neutral. The competitive bloke didn't want to mess up his lap time, so pulling it out of gear never crossed his mind. It was funny after he parked it.

Once the government has all drivers under full surveilance, more hair-raising stories will come to light.

Dave W · February 04, 2010, 01:53:05 PM

What do you call the owner of a TR7 with 50K miles?

Lucky.