RunAway SUV

[billvon 2,426]

>Ignition and steering lock only if it's in park - you can't get a key to lock otherwise. If
>the genius couldn't get it into neutral, she sure as hell won't get it past reverse to park!

Well, this vehicle had a button ignition, so there were none of the usual mechanical interlocks.

[jimmytavino 16]

thanks for the replies folks...

I wasn't totally sure MYSELF... whether turning OFF the key... would have done anything... I have heard of situations where cruise control does something crazy... and all bets are OFF>>>

more.... i meant to ask ,,, WHY didn't the 911 operator suggest trying that approach...???
Or the cops who were chasing, and in radio contact WITH 911...
Even the News reporters from different networks , who aired the clip on both sunday AND monday, never made that simple suggestion....


i dunno.... Could BE that new cars CAN'T shut down like that.....
I have only run into a situation where i couldn't "shut down" the engine,,,,
when i had bad Post Ignition Knock.....

Mostly with MY vehicles.... the trick is to get the DAMN thing STarted !!!!!
carry on....
jmy

[Zep 0]

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Is there a link to this somewhere?

Loads just google runaway Renault Vel satis France

Here's one. http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticlePrintPage.aspx?id=1491987&language=en

What is interesting is that in all the reports the police said that the driver was terrified
and believe his account.

Renault on the other hand say that after checking the car their was no evidence of a problem.

Sort of makes you wonder.

Gone fishing

[sundevil777 94]

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I have only run into a situation where i couldn't "shut down" the engine,,,,
when i had bad Post Ignition Knock.

In such a case, shutting off the engine while stopped and still in gear leaves a bunch of drag/friction on the engine that will usually result in no post run-on knocking.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 94]

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>Brakes are useless against a runaway engine that already has momentum.

I think pretty much every car out there will let you do one hard stop against a running engine. You'll smoke the brakes but it will come to a stop. I recall some testing a while back due to claims of someone who tried and claimed that the brakes wouldn't stop him. Turns out they don't if you just keep stomping on them then letting off, which is what he did - but they will stop you if you just keep your foot on them.

The reduction in engine vacuum that results from a wide open throttle can make braking very difficult for vacuum boosted power brakes. That is why the situation where people accidentally push on the gas while braking (with the same foot) often results in a runaway - with the driver swearing (incorrectly) that they did not push on the gas. It is easy to happen with wide shoes/boots, or just being careless. I did it, but realized what was happening, when I have driven with some big boots.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[billvon 2,426]

>The reduction in engine vacuum that results from a wide open throttle can make
>braking very difficult for vacuum boosted power brakes.

Vacuum boosters have a check valve that provides a "reservoir" of vacuum to help prevent that problem. But I've been in more than one car where the check valve doesn't work. You can feel it as an immediate increase in backpressure when you shut off the engine.

[cocheese 0]

I don't have enough idle time to be thinking about check valves.

KIDDING! You know I love you guys.

[billvon 2,426]

Here's a question for everyone:

If you were in a car with a stuck throttle and it had a pushbutton style ignition, would you know how to turn off the engine?

[oldwomanc6 38]

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Here's a question for everyone:

If you were in a car with a stuck throttle and it had a pushbutton style ignition, would you know how to turn off the engine?

Well, mine is a push the top part of the button to start, push the bottom to turn off, push the bottom again to activate the accessory mode. I have turned it off at slow speeds, but not at high speeds for fear of damaging something. But I would if the accelerator was stuck.

It was something that was drilled into me as a possibility during driver training. The teacher also randomly reached over and pulled the key out to see how we would react.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[normiss 622]

No clue.


Interesting you mentioned that earlier. I haven't had one new enough for that (or unique - for those past models).
Very good point.

Come on...tell us!

If I die tonight in a runaway Prius .... I'll never speak to you again if you don't tell me.

[jtval 0]

PLF.

My photos

My Videos

[sundevil777 94]

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Here's a question for everyone:

If you were in a car with a stuck throttle and it had a pushbutton style ignition, would you know how to turn off the engine?

Maybe if it was their first time driving the car it might be a mystery. If they've been turning the engine off previously, then it shouldn't be a problem.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[normiss 622]

[billvon 2,426]

>Maybe if it was their first time driving the car it might be a mystery. If they've been
>turning the engine off previously, then it shouldn't be a problem.

That's the problem. Press it once to turn it on. Press it once to turn it off. If the car is running and in gear, press it and hold it down for three seconds to turn it off. Three seconds is a long time for someone who's in a car doing 120mph on a freeway, weaving in and out of traffic.

I can see this woman pressing it and pressing it saying "That's what I do to turn it off and IT'S NOT WORKING!"

Personally I think a simple toggle switch would solve a lot of the problem. Up is on, down is off.

[oldwomanc6 38]

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>Maybe if it was their first time driving the car it might be a mystery. If they've been
>turning the engine off previously, then it shouldn't be a problem.

That's the problem. Press it once to turn it on. Press it once to turn it off. If the car is running and in gear, press it and hold it down for three seconds to turn it off. Three seconds is a long time for someone who's in a car doing 120mph on a freeway, weaving in and out of traffic.

I can see this woman pressing it and pressing it saying "That's what I do to turn it off and IT'S NOT WORKING!"

Personally I think a simple toggle switch would solve a lot of the problem. Up is on, down is off.

Quite true!

This is much smarter than this

It's good to know about the 3 seconds that it takes to turn off the non-rocker style of switch.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[cocheese 0]

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Here's a question for everyone:

If you were in a car with a stuck throttle and it had a pushbutton style ignition, would you know how to turn off the engine?

Yes. I would hold the button for 3 seconds or the same way I started it.

But going 100mph in an out of control car is like water landings. And what is the first rule in water landings? Avoid them! Ok now stop the problem before you get to 100mph.

Hell, turn on the air conditioner and toss your pilot chute out da window. Whatever it takes. But don't just sit there and let a car take your life and few others.

[billvon 2,426]

>Yes. I would hold the button for 3 seconds or the same way I started it.

Which car requires you to hold the button down for 3 seconds to start it?

[sundevil777 94]

Quote

>Maybe if it was their first time driving the car it might be a mystery. If they've been
>turning the engine off previously, then it shouldn't be a problem.

That's the problem. Press it once to turn it on. Press it once to turn it off. If the car is running and in gear, press it and hold it down for three seconds to turn it off. Three seconds is a long time for someone who's in a car doing 120mph on a freeway, weaving in and out of traffic.

I can see this woman pressing it and pressing it saying "That's what I do to turn it off and IT'S NOT WORKING!"

Personally I think a simple toggle switch would solve a lot of the problem. Up is on, down is off.

Right, we're talking about a person that supposedly can't get it into neutral.

Toggle switches are acceptable, even preferred by airplane pilots. They are not marketable in a car that is intended for a broad audience.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[cocheese 0]

I don't know, but you have to hold down everything for 3 seconds if you are using a start button to shut shit off these days.

[oldwomanc6 38]

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Personally I think a simple toggle switch would solve a lot of the problem. Up is on, down is off.

Right, we're talking about a person that supposedly can't get it into neutral.

Toggle switches are acceptable, even preferred by airplane pilots. They are not marketable in a car that is intended for a broad audience.

[sundevil777 94]

Quote

Quote

Personally I think a simple toggle switch would solve a lot of the problem. Up is on, down is off.

Right, we're talking about a person that supposedly can't get it into neutral.

Toggle switches are acceptable, even preferred by airplane pilots. They are not marketable in a car that is intended for a broad audience.

Why? It's pretty simple; people use the concept every day.

[oldwomanc6 38]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Personally I think a simple toggle switch would solve a lot of the problem. Up is on, down is off.

Right, we're talking about a person that supposedly can't get it into neutral.

Toggle switches are acceptable, even preferred by airplane pilots. They are not marketable in a car that is intended for a broad audience.

Why? It's pretty simple; people use the concept every day.

Sure, people are familiar with it. But they also don't think it is elegant or sophisticated. Not so many utilitarian types out there.

I guess I'm unusual, then. I appreciate the form in the function.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[billvon 2,426]

>But they also don't think it is elegant or sophisticated.

An elegant solution is one that solves the problem in as straightforward, intuitive and simple way as possible. Perhaps "fashionable" would be a better term here.

[JerryBaumchen 1,062]

Hi bill,

About two months ago I bought a car with a SmartKey.

I had not thought about this until this thread.

Back in the late '50's I was driving my brother's 1950 Oldsmobile and the throttle stuck wide open. I merely shifted it into Neutral and turned off the key.

I was out driving my car with the SmartKey just after reading some of this, so I gave it a try. Shifted in Neutral and hit the button = engine died.

Maybe not so easy for someone who is not comfortable when driving under normal conditions; as my ex-wife always has been.

This has been an interesting learning experience for me.

JerryBaumchen

PS) It simply dumbfounds me that she could not shift it into Neutral.

[nigel99 144]

If it is the same incident, our local news said she tried turning off the engine and disengaging the gears. It was a KIA in the incident we heard about.

We discussed it and decided it is possible that modern cars with keyless ignition (push button style) may not allow you to turn it off as it might be a software feature, same with the gears. It's a scary thought if that is the case and its certainly feasible.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.