Scary incident

[SmoothSteve3]

Ever had that thought run through your head of "what if I couldn't take my cruise control off"?

 

Well, it happened to me today.....

 

I was heading down K-177 at about 80 mph, and i needed to slow down to hit the on-ramp for I-70. So i flipped the switch to the off position...but nothing happened. Strange I thought. So then I put my foot on the brake for awhile....but I started speeding up as soon as I released the brake pedal!

 

Well, to make a long story short, I eventually stopped the car, and unplugged the cruise control servo completely. After doing this, i started the car again, but the RPM's shot through the roof....it was still stuck. So after turning the car off and slamming into the accelerator a few times, I started the car again, and it worked just fine.

 

I started driving again, but once I hit 60 mph, the damn thing got stuck again! This time i simple jammed my foot into the accelerator to solve the problem.....but I dunno guys, this is definitly a serious problem.

 

I'm thinking that the cruise control got the throttle stuck open, and then it just didn't want to release again.....but i'm not sure. Do keep in mind that after all the incidents above, I drove 100 miles on the highway (without cruise control) going about 80 mph.

 

Any thoughts or suggesstions are DEFINITLY welcome.....

[Guest TurboSedan]

inspect your cruise control and throttle cables going to the throttle body....maybe a clip fell off? i doubt it's the brake pedal switch if the switch on your turn signal stalk didn't turn it off either.

[Brian P]

basically it sounds like the internals are sticking. The cruise cable will move whether the cruise is hooked up or not, obviously it's binding, and I ASSUME you have a '88-93 with the vacuum cruise. Easiest bet is to get another servo cruise unit. For now though, remove the cable clip and disconnect it at the cruise unit.

 

I'd never be worried about a sticking throttle anyway, worst case just slam it into neutral.

[SmoothSteve3]

Yeah......thanks for the info thus far everyone........only problem with slamming it into neutral is that the rpm's shoot out the roof......which while that is better than slamming into the person in front of me, its still pretty hard on the engine to keep hitting that 4000 rpm limiter.....

[Brian P]

Yeah......thanks for the info thus far everyone........only problem with slamming it into neutral is that the rpm's shoot out the roof......which while that is better than slamming into the person in front of me, its still pretty hard on the engine to keep hitting that 4000 rpm limiter.....

 

desperate times call for desperate measures, you could always turn the ignition off 1 click, but our engines can handle the 4k for a few seconds I'd think

[White93z34]

for a temporary fix you could always just disconnect the secondary throtle cable from the throtle body.

[Brian P]

for a temporary fix you could always just disconnect the secondary throtle cable from the throtle body.

 

 

The cruise cable will move whether the cruise is hooked up or not, obviously it's binding, and I ASSUME you have a '88-93 with the vacuum cruise. Easiest bet is to get another servo cruise unit. For now though, remove the cable clip and disconnect it at the cruise unit.

[midnight rider]

That is always no fun. I had it happen to me in my 79 lincoln i had. it had a 400 v8. It was cruising along at 70 and bam! it shot wide open and rocketed to 100. thats always fun in a boat like that. I shut the switch off, put it neutral, coasted off the road and unhooked the cable that ran to the accelerator, which would be a good idea for you to do as well because it sounds like yours is binding up.

[sonyman87]

sounds like the TB spring is stuck or weak. Inspect your TB and make sure its clean and working properly

[BurneroftheRice]

couldnt you also put it into reverse as well in a situation like that? i did that once in my Z-34 by accident and the car promptly stalled on me, which was kinda scary.

[TGPilot]

couldnt you also put it into reverse as well in a situation like that? i did that once in my Z-34 by accident and the car promptly stalled on me, which was kinda scary.

 

Man you are looking for some serious repairs doing that. We used to do a 70MPH dump to reverse at full throttle in rental cars to see if you could get it to do a 70 MPH smoke show...only worked on 2 cars...both RWD. FWD cars had serious damage!! 8)

[jeremy]

 

Man you are looking for some serious repairs doing that. We used to do a 70MPH dump to reverse at full throttle in rental cars to see if you could get it to do a 70 MPH smoke show...only worked on 2 cars...both RWD. FWD cars had serious damage!! 8)

I tried to do that in my mom's old saturn once and it made the car stall out instantly....

[digitaloutsider]

4T60's will grind then stall. 120-c's will actually go into reverse.

[Tru2Chevy]

As long as the converter isn't locked up when you shift into reverse, any auto tranny should (in theory) drop right into reverse and then stall the car. If the converter is locked up, then be on the lookout for some ugly noises.

 

- Justin

[Baddflash]

Any reason you wouldn't just shut the engine off??? :?

[pitzel]

Any reason you wouldn't just shut the engine off??? :?

 

Maybe he enjoys access to usable brakes and steering, perhaps? Very useful features on the highway.

[Baddflash]

Any reason you wouldn't just shut the engine off??? :?

 

Maybe he enjoys access to usable brakes and steering, perhaps? Very useful features on the highway.

 

Oh come on haven't you ever driven an old big ass car with manual steering and brakes, they'll work just fine it just requires effort.

 

Turn it off or trash something hmm.......I know what I would choose.

[Brian P]

with the engine off you still have vacuum assist for 1-2 more brake applications, and it's not hard to steer manually when the car is moving. Parking lots are another story.

[biff85ta]

I would like to point out that on my 91 GP if it is moving and I click it into neutral the rev limiter does not kick in at 4k and that I can tell it does not kick in at all.

[Baddflash]

I would like to point out that on my 91 GP if it is moving and I click it into neutral the rev limiter does not kick in at 4k and that I can tell it does not kick in at all.

 

Contrary to what everyone believes the rev limiter is not modified by what position the gear selector is in. It uses the VSS and if the vehicle is moving the limiter is raised to 6K, if vehicle is parked the rev limiter is 4k.

[pitzel]

Oh come on haven't you ever driven an old big ass car with manual steering and brakes, they'll work just fine it just requires effort.

 

Turn it off or trash something hmm.......I know what I would choose.

 

Had a similar problem, involving a stuck accelerator, on my father's G-body Cutlass Supreme (1982 if I recall). Going 100km/hr through a residential area trying to get the pedal unstuck isn't cool at all. Killed the ignition, stood on the brakes -- ended up stopping it, but not before I ran out of road and into a farmer's field. Braking power was severely reduced, steering wasn't that bad.

[Baddflash]

Well I guess you need to develop those leg muscles than cause the only thing the booster does is reduce the effort required to operate the brakes, not how well the brakes work.

 

My '65 Belair with manual brakes will stop shorter than any car I've owned regardless of the fact that it weighs up to two times as much as the other cars and there is no power assist. Plus the drums and shoes are original from the factory, the wheel cylinders/master clyinder were replaced for safety reasons.