sticky accelerator, how to fix a sticky accelerator, sticky accelerator safety, how to control sticky accelerator
Keynotes•Safety News
Sticky Accelerator: 3 Steps to Control
The news is awash with stories of drivers encountering
sticking accelerators. While sticking accelerators have been
recently pegged to Toyota vehicles, this can happen to any
vehicle for a variety of reasons — a broken motor mount or
an improper floor mat to a system glitch — so it is best to be
prepared.
First, do not panic. Your initial instinct will be to turn off
the engine immediately. But beware; if you do this in many
vehicles, you will lose your power steering, power braking,
and turn-signal functions.
Instead, follow these steps.
Step 1: Shift into neutral.
Immediately shift your vehicle into neutral. The engine will
continue to rev (that is, the crankshaft will continue to revolve)
and may rev even higher since the vehicle is now out
of gear. However, unlike vehicles made prior to the 1980s,
modern vehicles have rev-limiting devices built in to protect
the engine from over-revving, which would cause permanent
engine damage.
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Step 2: Pull over, turn off engine
Find the nearest, safest place to move off the road out of the
way of traffic, then turn off the engine, and turn on emergency
flashers.
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Step 3: Get a tow.
Do not attempt to restart your vehicle. Have the vehicle
towed to the nearest dealer for your vehicle brand. Original
equipment manufacturer (OEM) dealers have the latest
information and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for their
vehicle brand, plus diagnostic equipment designed specifically
for that vehicle. Additionally, they will be most likely to
be aware of issues affecting that particular vehicle. USR
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