Big Jay E

I read a while back about two couples that were in some Lexus SUV and the throttle stuck. They couldn't shut it down for some reason and all were killed in the crash.

Made me wonder about my GS. My C5 has a key, but the my C6 had the thing you push.

So my question is, if then drive by wire malfunctioned and wide open throttle and you are hauling down the road, if you push that button, would it shut down the engine. If not, would it allow you to push the auto tranny into neutral.

Obviously these are things I don't want to try to see. Wondered if anyone knew for sure.

Apparently the folks in the Lexus could't do either.

EVRose

Of course you could put it in neutral and hopefully the Rev limiter would save your engine. Don't know about the off button but it can't hurt to try.
Having said that, I've never heard of a throttle getting stuck open.

jrose7004

Slip it up in neutral.

GMGearJammer

You definitely don't want to turn the car off. Then you lose power steering and everything else. Agree with others, put it in neutral, coast to a stop, THEN you can shut the car off.

ProfessorDeath

The vast majority of these cases are very confused elderly folks. Don't even give it a second thought.

If you insist on torturing yourself obsessing over it, there's the neutral option, as well as the emergency brake. I don't know of a single engine on the planet that has enough torque in highway gears to overpower normal brakes either, so keep that in mind.

torquetube

It's possible that the A6 is a little different but my '06 M6 will turn off RIGHT NOW if you hit the button while going down the road. As it ought to.

I believe GM added a time delay around '07 or '08 after some larger drivers complained they were shutting off the engine accidentally by brushing the ignition switch with their knees.

Don't worry too much about the power brakes and steering. The brake booster has several full stops worth of vacuum in it and the unassisted steering isn't that heavy at highway speed.

BillytheKidder

No need to shut it off, the brakes will stop you.

ben dover

Why don't you just try it? Going at normal speed, hit the "Off" button.

weathermaker

Or see if you can slip it into neutral.(auto trans)

dryadsdad

I call b.s. on the very tired story of the stuck throttle.

I had a problem with unintended acceleration in my Toy Taco truck. I asked the dealer about it. He said it was caused by the floor mat. I replace the floor mat and wonder of wonders, the unintended went away!

FortMorganAl

I have to agree that the "stuck throttle" is almost always operator error. Yes, pushing the button will stop the engine. Power steering goes away almost instantly. Then you are back to what cars were all like not that many years ago. You can still turn. It just takes more effort but as long as you're moving it isn't that hard. Power brakes will continue to work for a while and, again, if you ride them and don't stop immediately, the only result is you are back to what all cars used to be like. The brakes still work. You just have to push harder.

LoganExplosion

Did you hear the one about the hook-hand guy? It's scary too! Former bowler I think..

ByRiver

People believe you need power steering to turn the steering wheel because they try it while the vehicle isn't moving. Anyone can easily steer a vehicle while it is moving. Instead of steering the car with one finger, you may have to use 2-3 fingers. It does require more strength while trying to park at two miles an hour, but that isn't really your concern while out on the road and your engine shuts off.

My Toyota has electric assist power steering. There is a starting technique to shutoff the electric assist so you can drive with manual steering. It takes you back in time when you hit the back twisty roads, without power steering taking away the feel of the road.

lwise4

I had this happen to me in a 240Z. The previous owner had put on a after market cruise control. It used a chain to pull the accelerator and it somehow got a kink in it. I was doing 75 MPH at the time and when I pushed the brake to kick the cruise off, it just kept on truckin! I turned off the engine and cruised to a stop. Next day cruise gone! I do not want to think about what would happen if you just put the car in neutral, maybe a blown engine? My first reaction would be to stand on the brakes and push the off button!

RagTop69

Call BS all you want, but I was the victim of a stuck throttle situation many years ago. I had a brand new '70 Fiat 124 and the throttle got stuck physically by a piece of bent metal that was next to the linkage. I was on Highway 50 coming into Placerville, CA where they have a couple of traffic lights on the highway. Running at 75 mph (yeah, that little 1100 cc Fiat could do 75), I pulled my foot off the throttle to slow for the light and it just kept humming along at 75 mph. Because we were heading downhill into the intersection, it took a second or two to realize that the problem even existed. No panic. I just reached down and turned the engine off while disengaging the clutch and braking. Made a right turn at the light, coasted into Placerville into a convenience store parking lot and found myself about a block away from an Italian sports car specialist. I decided not to gamble in South Lake Tahoe after that piece of luck.

dryadsdad

That was 45+ years ago and hardly relevant to anything in this thread.

Why not tell how grandpappy fought off the Indians too?

Dub Mc

A few years back when it seemed like a stuck throttle accident was on the news daily I saw a couple women dial 911 while ripping down the road at 100 mph and screaming.. Surprised one hasn't been shown thumbing a phone on social media looking for a solution and screaming the whole time. I said put down the friken phone and put the car in neutral already.

billyboy47

Excuse me, 70 here and shifting into neutral was MY first thought, *****.

KB9GKC

geno01

[QUOTE=ProfessorDeath;1595167633]The vast majority of these cases are very confused elderly folks. Don't even give it a second thought.

Who are you calling confused and elderly.