7 Tips for If Your Accelerator Sticks

Posted on 04. Feb, 2010 by Graeme McLaughlin in Transportation, teaser

Because recalcitrant pedals are more common than you might think

by Graeme McLaughlin

Recent publicity surrounding Toyota’s recall of vehicles with faulty accelerator pedals is a good reminder of how important it is to know what to do if your accelerator pedal ever gets stuck or your vehicle accelerates for no apparent reason. If you ever find yourself in that situation, experts recommend the following:

Gas pedal stuck? Stay calm, but act quickly

Keep looking at the road ahead. Looking away from the road to see what’s wrong with the pedal greatly increases your chances of crashing.
Be sure your foot is completely off the accelerator. Some crashes caused by stuck accelerators have later been found to be the result of an honest mistake (i.e., drivers thought they were pushing on the brake).
Put the vehicle’s transmission in neutral or, if the vehicle has a standard transmission, depress the clutch. Do not turn off the engine. Doing so will cause the power assist to the steering and braking to disengage – and make it difficult or impossible to steer and harder to brake. Plus, turning the key too far could possibly lock the steering wheel.
Steer the car to a safe place and stop, then turn off the engine.
If stopped by the side of a road, turn on emergency flashers and put out reflective triangles. If you’re unable to get the vehicle off the roadway, allow it to come to a stop and turn on emergency flashers.
Do not restart the vehicle.
Call for help using a cell phone, or wave down a passing vehicle, if safe to do so.

Sticky gas pedals: Prevening the problem

Vehicle owners need to check regularly for any floor mats and/or loose wiring that may be interfering with pedal action (accelerator, brake or clutchpedals). And drivers who experience rapid or unwanted acceleration while driving should have the vehicle checked immediately by a qualified auto technician. Owners of recalled vehicles need to also adhere to any notices as soon as possible to ensure the safe operation of their vehicles.

B.C.’s BCAA and other transportation experts emphasize that drivers who choose to operate a recalled vehicle and notice problems with its accelerator pedal (i.e., hard to depress, slow to return, inconsistent operation) should pull over immediately at the nearest safe location, shut off the engine and contact their dealership. Alternatively, those motorists with roadside assistance memberships, including BCAA members, can telephone for immediate roadside or towing assistance.