What to Do if the Accelerator Pedal Gets Stuck?
Do you remember this problem in various Toyota vehicles where the accelerator pedal was getting stuck in the late 2000s? A massive recall had been issued after several incidents.
Unfortunately, this kind of thing can happen in almost any vehicle. As a matter of fact, the problem is rarely caused by a manufacturing defect or a component failure; the culprit is rather a poorly fitted floor mat that ends up sliding forward or accumulating dirt, thus preventing the pedal from moving freely. The jamming can also be caused by water getting into the mechanism and turning into ice. As stupid as that.
That being said, if you encounter a similar situation someday, you should know how to deal with it so you avoid making an accident.
First, try to remain calm and keep your eyes on the road. Quickly, set the vehicle’s transmission to neutral, which will cut off the transfer of power to the wheels. With an automatic transmission, all you have to do is to move the gear lever to the “N” position. With a manual gearbox, pushing the clutch down will stop any undesired acceleration. Then you can move the lever to the neutral middle position.
While you disengage the power to the wheels, apply the brakes to immobilise your vehicle as soon as you can, but be careful! On an icy or snowy road, braking too hard could make you lose control and have dire consequences.
Once the vehicle has slowed down enough, pull off to the side of the road in a safe place. Only then should you turn off the engine. If you do it sooner, the power steering and the power brakes will not operate properly, and the vehicle will become difficult to drive. The steering wheel will could even lock itself.
Once the engine is off, it might run normally again if you restart it. You might also be able to free a jammed accelerator pedal. However, even if the problem seems to be gone, you shouldn’t try to drive the vehicle. Instead, have it towed to a repair shop where technicians will make sure everything is fine and this misadventure will not happen again.
