# Toyota stuck gas pedal - Just take it out of gear!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734 "2010-02-04T23:04:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/101 "2010-02-05T21:43:49Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > The death was caused by panic and nothing else And the faulty throttle. Don’t forget about the faulty throttle. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/102 "2010-02-05T21:48:04Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > Say WHAT? With the engine off, nothing is powering the hydraulic systems that operate the steering assist and brake assist systems, so yes, you do indeed lose those systems even in a manua/standard shift car. The ignition is off, but the engine and all the accessories are still turning and functioning. IF you have a standard transmission, leave it in gear, and leave the clutch engaged. The car’s inertia is powering all those things via the drive wheels. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/103 "2010-02-05T21:55:22Z")
> [@Apex\_Rogers](#): > > I’m not sure from the way you’ve phrased it whether you meant that this shifting ability is unique to Toyotas or that the technique described would work on all cars. I can tell you that my 2001 Mercury Sable will not allow me to shift into neutral unless I press the button. Might want to run outside and double check. The detent button is designed to keep the car from entering reverse while in forward motion, not neutral. ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/104 "2010-02-05T23:07:56Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > With the ignition off, no modern car will run for more than a half second or so without some sort of major problems. The compression from the combustion chamber alone is enough to slow it very quickly. > > Edited: I see now you are talking about a car in motion, as opposed to one attempting acceleration from a stoplight, etc. This is a somewhat idfferent situation, **but I don’t think it generates enough vacuum this way to reliably run the accessories.** Quite the opposite Joe-Bonkers, When a engine is increasing speed it is at its lowest vacuum and when decelerating the max vacuum is achieved. My 1st pick-up was a 1948 GMC and it had vacuum operated windshield whippers that would stall while accelerating and flop like Joe when slowing down:D My windshield also cranked open a couple inches for a wonderfully soothing breeze after a day bucking hay bales;) ---
**Author:** ![Visual\_Purple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Visual\_Purple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visual_Purple)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/105 "2010-02-06T00:04:38Z")
Drivers’ ed (and maybe the rules of the road books) should teach all the worst case scenarios. People may forget them in a panic–or they may come back to them suddenly. I’ve had two of the problems I was taught, the hood opening while I was driving at speed and loss the power assist to (a very big car’s) brakes. Both were in pretty heavy traffic. I think I would have figured out what to do on my own (look through the gap under the hood; push really hard) but I distinctly remember hearing the drivers’ ed instructions in my head right as it happened. This was about 10 and 20 years after I had the class. ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/106 "2010-02-06T00:12:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Might want to run outside and double check. The detent button is designed to keep the car from entering reverse while in forward motion, not neutral. I posted the message after testing it on the drive in to work. I will give it another try on the way home, but I am very certain that it prevented me from shifting at all. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/107 "2010-02-06T01:22:49Z")
> [@Joe Frickin Friday](#): > > Agreed, loss of assist will not change the maximum possible braking effort - just the brake-effort-versus-pedal-effort relationship. I still maintain that without vacuum assist, it will be difficult or impossible for the average driver to press the pedal hard enough to achieve that maximum possible braking effort. I have some data on this, from a couple dozen cases of coasting down very long (7+ mi) hills with my car in neutral and the engine off. (I’m not saying this is an especially smart thing to do, though I’ve had no trouble with it.) The first few brake applications are normal, until the vacuum in the accumulator is depleted. Then the pedal effort necessary for a certain amount of braking gets substantially higher - at a guess, strong braking goes from requiring 20 lbs of pressure to something like 80. It’s a little unnerving at first, until you realize that you have full control and there’s nothing very challenging about generating pedal force equal to half your weight. I never tried a panic stop under these conditions, but nothing about what I experienced suggested this would be especially difficult. The loss of steering power assist is much less pronounced. This is no doubt because on any normal road at any speed above about 15 mph, the actual deflection of the front wheels from straight is a few degrees at most - and wheels that are rolling are inherently easy to steer. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/108 "2010-02-06T08:19:21Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > The death was caused by panic and nothing else, bare in mind this man was not by himself and had screaming people yelling and was worried for his life… Did you listen to the 911 call? Sounded pretty calm to me until they approached the intersection and crashed. [http://www.momlogic.com/2009/09/911\_call\_released\_in\_stuck\_accelerator\_crash.php?page=2](http://www.momlogic.com/2009/09/911_call_released_in_stuck_accelerator_crash.php?page=2) ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/109 "2010-02-06T14:59:47Z")
I agree that more driver’s education would be a good investment for all concerned. But I think a cost-benefit analysis would find driving home the point about not talking on the phone and texting or watching videos while driving about eleventy-billion times more effective than more emphasis on once-in-a-lifetime emergency situations. How many of those accidents took place on the same day as this one? I also think car companies and rental agencies should use some judgment in introducing safety-sensitive non-standard features into the rental car fleet. Introducing new features to consumers through rentals is OK for something like satellite radio. It’s not such a great idea for ignition and transmission functions. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/110 "2010-02-06T15:55:53Z")
Many years ago. a Detroit woman was driving down 8 mile road when her accelerator became stuck. She bailed out of the car and suffered abrasions. Her car smashed into a pole . When asked why she did not turn off the car, she said she thought it would instantly stop and she would fly through the windshield. Being ignorant of how cars work, is not new. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/111 "2010-02-06T16:14:27Z")
All the more reason to beef up driver ed programs. Driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do on a regular basis, and ignorance is dangerous. I suffered “uncontrolled acceleration” once, when the throttle pedal on my 81 diesel Rabbit got stuck on a bunched-up floor mat. Actually, hard to call it uncontrolled, as the thing just didn’t go very fast. After a few seconds of WTF?!? I just turned off the engine. No power steering to lose, the vacuum boost on the brakes never did work in that car, and I don’t think there was even a steering wheel lock. ---
**Author:** ![WhyWhyWhy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whywhywhy/32/7539_2.png) [@WhyWhyWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyWhyWhy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/112 "2010-02-07T06:02:22Z")
I can’t believe no one has proposed the Flinstone Method…you know…boots on the ground. Seriously, instead of dialing 911, I suggest an individual in such a position fire up Vista, Google this page, read through the dozens of often conflicting posts, analyze said posts, and apply the most appropriate remedy - while- at the same time, kissing their arse goodbye. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/113 "2010-02-08T14:23:15Z")
Conflict or not, it ought to be pretty obvious that the optimal approach is to put the car in neutral; if that doesn’t work, shut off the engine. If that doesn’t work either, find an empty bit of road you can drive along until you run out of fuel. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/114 "2010-02-08T19:10:34Z")
Devil’s adocate here. Is it possible that the victims did try to shift into neutral but it didn’t work either due to mechanical issues such as the shifter being blocked from going into N from D or software issue such as the shifter was in N but the car keeps accelerating. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/115 "2010-02-08T19:37:30Z")
What sort of mechanical issue would block the shifter from going into N from D? It can’t go anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/116 "2010-02-08T20:35:13Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What sort of mechanical issue would block the shifter from going into N from D? It can’t go anywhere else. Not mechanical, electronic. There is no mechanical connection between the control on the dashboard and the actual transmission. It’s just a joystick that tells the cars’ computer to shift. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/117 "2010-02-08T22:08:35Z")
Toyota has posted up an instructional video on stopping a car in the event of a stuck accelerator: [http://www.toyota.com/recall/videos/stoppingprocedure.html](http://www.toyota.com/recall/videos/stoppingprocedure.html) Full recall info page: > **[Lookup Safety Recalls & Service Campaigns](https://www.toyota.com/recall/?siteid=OM_SLA_AID1792905_CID4251042)** > > Look up information on Toyota, Lexus & Scion recalls and find solutions to recalls affecting your vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/118 "2010-02-09T00:24:25Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > I have some data on this, from a couple dozen cases of coasting down very long (7+ mi) hills with my car in neutral and the engine off. (I’m not saying this is an especially smart thing to do, though I’ve had no trouble with it.) > > The first few brake applications are normal, until the vacuum in the accumulator is depleted. Then the pedal effort necessary for a certain amount of braking gets substantially higher - at a guess, strong braking goes from requiring 20 lbs of pressure to something like 80. It’s a little unnerving at first, until you realize that you have full control and there’s nothing very challenging about generating pedal force equal to half your weight. > > I never tried a panic stop under these conditions, but nothing about what I experienced suggested this would be especially difficult. I tried it today. Found a long gentle downhill, put the gearbox in neutral, and killed the engine. Jiggled the brake pedal a few times to piss away residual vacuum, then stomped on the pedal. I could not come anywhere close to locking up the wheels. I believe even more firmly now that it would be impossible for brakes **without vacuum assist** to overcome a 275-horsepower V6 running WOT. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/119 "2010-02-09T02:02:32Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Not mechanical, electronic. > > There is no mechanical connection between the control on the dashboard and the actual transmission. It’s just a joystick that tells the cars’ computer to shift. So is that a yes (kind of)? A glitch could allow the driver to shift to neutral and yet the car could keep accelerating? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734/120 "2010-02-09T03:53:35Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > So is that a yes (kind of)? A glitch could allow the driver to shift to neutral and yet the car could keep accelerating? As I understand it, Neutral is just a mid-position on the joystick, and the glitch is that the computer doesn’t recognize it when it is in runaway acceleration. But it isn’t very clear; Toyota is not releasing details on this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-stuck-gas-pedal-just-take-it-out-of-gear/527734.md?page=7)