My daughter drove my white 98 Subaru Legacy Sedan and the accelerator pedal stuck down and she went through a fence and hit a tree and totalled the car.

Any other cases of this please and what possible reasons?

Gil

I used to have a lot of problems with that on my 86 carberated Brat. What caused it was a bad seal on the end of the throttle cable, in the engine bay. In the winter, moisture would get in the cable and freeze causing the pedal to get stuck down. I replaced the entire cable assembly and it all went away. I've never heard o this issue on any Legacy or Impreza, but have heard of it frequently on Loyales and Brats.

 

Keith

My first guess is a problem with the plantar fascia.

 

Medial ligaments on the inside and lateral ligaments on outside

enable the foot to move up and down.

 

Sorry just a WAG. Audi 5000s comes to mind.

I've never seen any other cases of this on any Legacy.

Haven't had this issue on Subaru but did on old '88 lincoln many times. Could be ice, rust, greasy gunky buildup, poor return spring on throttle body, etc.

More likely a floor mat jammed under the pedal than anything involving the cable or linkage.

"More likely a floor mat jammed under the pedal"

 

Strange very strange indeed??

 

Sorry for the jest, I still like my idea.

My daughter drove my white 98 Subaru Legacy Sedan and the accelerator pedal stuck down and she went through a fence and hit a tree and totalled the car.

Any other cases of this please and what possible reasons?

Gil

The lesson she learned here:If Accelerator sticks, turn ignition key part way off while holding down on the break pedal or throw the car in neutral(though it might not like it).

Sorry about your luck, haven't heard this on a late model Subarus.

Things happen. Most likely cause is a snapped throttle return spring or failed cable.

 

I am glad she is ok, thats most important.

 

People need to be grilled on emergency procedures, and this is one of them. The ignition key should be turned to the off postion (one click) when this happens, and the bought to a controled stop. If a manual same thing and the car put in neutral.

 

I am curious, do they even teach emergency procedures in drivers ed anymore (referencing back to when i got my license in 1979).

 

nipper

Nippy, you show your age, young fellow. Age does have its benefits in experience as possibly in this case. Hopefully the driver is OK?

(referencing back to when i got my license in 1979).

 

nipper

They dont teach any of that stuff here, emergency procedures have been dropped from the theory tests and practical stuff like emergency stops and parallel parking have been dropped too.

 

IMHO every motorist should know how to check fluids, change a tyre and deal with possible emergencies such as hood flying open or throttle jamming.

Even though we have AAA and have had it for years, mom stopped driving after dad died because she said she couldnt change a flat anymore. She didnt feel she was qualified to drive since she couldnt handle a simple emergency.

 

I belevie that everyone should also take a basic automotive mechanic course to understand how things work.

 

Its amazing how quickly one can get a license to operate up to an 8000 lb machine that can plow through a house, or kill many people, in comparison to pilots license, which is lighter, slower, and can cause the same amount of damage.

 

They need to be on even footing.

 

nipper

My first guess is a problem with the plantar fascia.

Or perhaps an involuntary and long-lasting concentric contraction of the gastrocnemius/soleus complex (mostly soleus, since the leg is usually bent while in the driver's seat), resulting in a rapid rise in engine revolutions and vehicle velocity due to the extreme plantar flexion at the ankle joint...

 

Then again, it could be plantar fasciitis...does she have a burning/stabbing pain across the bottom of her right foot?

Some of us even need our emerg proceedures updated.

 

All the Soobs I drive

have to have the key

REMOVED

before the steering lock is enabled.

 

In a panic situ trying to turn the key one click

is not ness.

"Turn key off" is all that is needed to be mentioned.

 

Please go try this in your car and prove me wrong.

Some of us even need our emerg proceedures updated.

 

All the Soobs I drive

have to have the key

REMOVED

before the steering lock is enabled.

 

In a panic situ trying to turn the key one click

is not ness.

"Turn key off" is all that is needed to be mentioned.

 

 

Please go try this in your car and prove me wrong.

 

Subaru is not the only car that people drive. This is not a safe thing. When you describing emergency procedures they should be as one-siaze-fits-all as possible. Any car can have a stuck pedal.

 

turning the key farther then off in a subaru may lock a wheel in 1984 ford escort.

 

So no some of us dont need our engineering skills updated.

 

 

 

nipper

agreed,

but show me a car that does lock in the position described.

 

in a panic situation having some one worry they may

lock the steering sounds like a poorly engineered

system.

 

What car does this?

agreed,

but show me a car that does lock in the position described.

 

in a panic situation having some one worry they may

lock the steering sounds like a poorly engineered

system.

 

What car does this?

 

if you think i am going to research the 1000's of differnt cars on the road your nuts.

 

Automatics i am fairly sure you cant do it unless the car is in park.

Manuals on the other hand, i can see you doing it.

 

Also dont forget, if the key is worn in a panic its possible for the key to fall out when switched to the "key release" or "locked" position (ever see how many keys are on some peoples key rings? then you get a locked wheel.

 

Also does anyone want to be responsible for a malfunctioning interlock and having the steering wheel lock if wrong?

 

i know i dont.

 

There is also another option, which is hard on the engine. Pop the car into neutral, stop it quickly and safely, then shut it off. The operator just has to be warned the engine is going to scream, but better a bent rod then a bent human.

 

nipper

I think you just upgraded your

emergency proceedure.

thank you.

They don't teach how to deal with that in classes in the US either. At least, not in either of the ones I took.

I'm going to have to second a floor mat or carpet issue. I spent an afternoon cruising around, trying to figure out why my idle wouldn't drop below 1500RPM. Turns out the heavy floor mat had caught the tip of the pedal. If there's nothing mechanically wrong with the throttle linkage and cables, then is almost certainly to blame. It's got to happen far more often than a medical mishap.

[...]It's got to happen far more often than a medical mishap.

Just because a " " wasn't used doesn't mean the anatomic comments weren't tongue-in-cheek.

On the note of turning the key more than one click, most of the cars ive owned or driven require a button to be pressed or you have to push the key further into the lock to turn it the final click. Perhaps some auto engineers have already thought of this.....?

On the note of turning the key more than one click, most of the cars ive owned or driven require a button to be pressed or you have to push the key further into the lock to turn it the final click. Perhaps some auto engineers have already thought of this.....?

 

hrmmm so now we know your dirty little secret, your a ford man :-p

 

 

Fords were infamous for that a while, and it was well hated.

 

nipper

hrmmm so now we know your dirty little secret, your a ford man :-p

nipper

 

Actually the button thing was on a Toyota Levin and on my old Honda you had to push they key in. Wouldnt be seen dead near a ford nipper

 

Unless its one of them Falcon XR8 utes

/hijack

Actually the button thing was on a Toyota Levin and on my old Honda you had to push they key in. Wouldnt be seen dead near a ford nipper

 

Unless its one of them Falcon XR8 utes

/hijack

 

whats a toyota levin equivilant in the US ?

 

Ford had this dumb button to push for the longets time, silly to use two hands to remove your keys. But then again they did put the horn on the turn signal stalk.

 

nipper