"OldHarleyRider" wrote:
>
>My 2006. Mustang GT went full throttle all by itself when it was
>only two months old. I had backed out of a driveway and when
>I put the car into drive to go forward the throttle went wide
>open all by itself (my foot was on the brake, not the accelerator).
>I had to make a left turn 100' ahead then a right turn 300' further. >
>I was too busy trying to stop the car, and steer the car to make
>any other moves. It was a wild 6-8 second ride. I did in the
>process put my other foot on the brake also, to no avail.
>Total damage was $20,000.00 across 2 lawns, hit a Cadillac and
>ran into a garage (moved the garage 6 inches off its foundation). >
>I don't know why these malfunctions (crashes) of the drive by wire
>system are a surprise. The engine controls are computer controlled.
>How many times in the past has your computer crashed, or locked
>up, or malfunctioned. I will never buy another vehicle unless it
>has a cable or linkage controlling the throttle body.
>________________________________________________________________________ >
>It can happen with cable controlled throttles too. I backed out
>out of a driveway in my 1969 Oldsmobile, straightened out and
>stepped on the gas, and the car took off like a Rocket 88. I turned
>off the ignition and the car rolled to a safe stop.
>
>The cause turned out to be a broken motor mount. When I hit
>the gas, the engine twisted enough to pull the throttle cable
>to its full open condition.
>
>When I read your story and the story of the guy whose runaway
>car went 45 minutes without stopping, I think that carmakers
>should add a new safety device; some kind of a switch or a key
>easily within the driver's reach where he could stop the car quickly
>before causing damage or injury by turning off the ignition.
>
>Rodan.
>
>
Like the "sissy switch" like on a snowmobile or water-craft. When you bail on one of those it shuts down immediately.
On a car it could be called the "panic button"