Cruise control

I've tried left-foot braking with the throttle open to test for uneven brakes, or simply to warm them up - but only at low speeds ~40mph and in

4th gear. It's no trouble stalling the engine even at full throttle.

But an auto might change down to first thinking it's trying to climb a steep hill - then your brakes might have a problem.

When Toyota recalled cars in 2010 (I think) because of risk of pedals sticking on carpet etc the advice was:

1 don't panic 2 press the footbrake - or handbrake if the footbrake has failed 3 press the clutch (or shift into neutral) ["when in doubt, both feet out"?]

1. don't turn off the engine unless the clutch/gearchange has failed - and then *only* the engine (steering lock!)

5 steer for the escape route when you can but not by sharp turns at speed

The problem I foresee is getting #1 right.

And they seemed to omit:

6 deep clean/replace seat

Indeed, but on a more modern car, you're f***ed either way, as the control mechanism is the one that alters normal throttle position anyway, not just CC.

The one where there was a fatality after the guy had talked to the 999 handler for several minutes had a button. According to MrC you have to press and hold to cut the engine. But would you remember / think of that?

I'm sure the guy was panicing, but surely the first reaction would be to use the brakes, but maybe just to maintain a safe cruise speed. IMHO that could take you into fade before you realised, at least if you didn't know about that risk.

Even if it won't switch off you can put it in neutral, unless it's a dual clutch gearbox - then the ECU has control, or not.

some keyless now have a 'panic' mode as well, whereby three presses in quick succession will also kill the engine.

Neutral/brakes should be the first steps, whatever the non deliberate cause.

Even the 600bhp Mustang could be stopped in a normal distance just on the brakes from 70, much longer from 120, but the speed came down to

10mph before the brakes died of heat.

On my old VW with a DSG gearbox, you could slip it into neutral at any time (and disengage the drive).

Tim

In a spin, both feet in!

My auto - which is some 10 years old with drive by wire - kills the power if you apply the brakes and accelerator together. ZF auto with Bosch engine management.

So, no line lock available, still, saves tyres.

I had a brake booster rupture once, so footbrake is a lot weaker. Furthermore, the vacuum leak caused the idle speed to increase when you pressed brake pedal, just what you do not want when retarding the 1400 kg vehicle. Needed to drive with one hand on the parking brake. Fortunately, I had a workshop a few streets from where I live.