Brake over-ride the accelerator
About the Toyota Fiasco and the accelerator sticking, Does anybody know if the Smart have anything to eliminate this problem? Mercedes has had a brake over-ride system for several years.
Tags: Brake, accelerator, disengage, the
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by jwight on -
Not sure if this feature is on the smart or not - it's not mentioned in any advertising. However, the smart has a manual transmission; if the accelerator should stick (unlikely), simply placing the transmission in neutral will disconnect the drive wheels from the engine.
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Permalink Reply by Ryan on -
Yeah.... but doing that isn't the greatest thing either, jwight. it IS a manual... but shifting it into neutral would pretty much automatically make the rpm's peg at the top... unless they have a safety shut-off if such a situation came up.
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Permalink Reply by Todd Blackley on -
My guess (and it's only a guess) is because the break (break switch) tells the computer that the driver is slowing and the manual shifts into neutral.
P.S. Just got back from a trip to Zion Nat.Park in putt putt. Great Trip with the wife (500 miles).
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Permalink Reply by Ryan on
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Todd: I believe he is talking about if it so happens that the accelerator sticks on the Smart, if there is any way to counter it. Which is why i said that popping it into neutral probably wouldn't be the greatest thing for the engine. Maybe if you were to pop it into neutral and turn the key off as fast as possible.... but i dunno.
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Permalink Reply by jwight on
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Boils down to do you want to crash or save the engine. Personally, I'd pick avoiding the crash.
Ryan said:Todd: I believe he is talking about if it so happens that the accelerator sticks on the Smart, if there is any way to counter it. Which is why i said that popping it into neutral probably wouldn't be the greatest thing for the engine. Maybe if you were to pop it into neutral and turn the key off as fast as possible.... but i dunno.
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Permalink Reply by Reed Lewis on -
Keep in mind that pretty much every computer controlled car limits the RPMs of the engine so that it will not damage the engine anyways if you were to put it into neutral and floor the pedal.
So no damage will be done to the engine anyways. It is not like the old days where the pedal was directly connected to the engine.
Furthermore, the brakes on the Smart are so good that there is no way that I know that the engine could overcome the stopping power of the brakes.
Reedl
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Permalink Reply by Alexander Palasz on -
Thank you Mr. Lewis, putting the transmission into neutral seems like the only thing I can do, and I think you're right about the brakes on a smart, they work real well, should be able to stop the car at any speed.
It seems to me that I read somewhere that when you're standing in a light, and you press the brakes real hard, the transmission goes into neutral. I don't remember where I read that. But I will try it next time I'm standing. Thank you. Alex
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Permalink Reply by JonTheDull on -
Well before rumors get started, we've not heard any complaints that smart cars have had this issue. That said, Car and Driver magazine tested a few cars brakes to see if they can stop the vehicle at full throttle. Even a 540HP Roush Ford Mustang at wide open throttle was able to be brought to a halt from 70mph in 246 feet.
Even if someone were to glue the gas pedal to the floor of our cars, I find it hard to believe that the brakes on our vehicle would fail to bring our 70HP car to a stop.
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Permalink Reply by Jim Yedor on
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Turn off the engine. Use the key and shut it off. End of story. Besides- "Sudden acceleration" in a smart might be a refreshing change!
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Permalink Reply by Ryan on
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Alexander: Well, i know i've said that before. and you don't even necessarily have to press them hard. Just that the car has to be slowing down enough that staying in gear wouldn't be of any benefit. Kinda like if you're going down a real steep winding hill (like near my brother's house... which is a dirt hill). Even if you put it in manual, and keep the car in first gear, if you press the brakes to slow down, you can feel the.... well.... lack of something trying to move you forward.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Bauer on
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Alexander Palasz said:
Remember, it's a manual transmission. Any time you are stopped, the clutch will be disengaged... at that point, it doesn't matter if the transmission is in gear or neutral, there will be no power to the wheels.It seems to me that I read somewhere that when you're standing in a light, and you press the brakes real hard, the transmission goes into neutral.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Bauer on
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As an interesting side note, the Maryland Drivers Test has the question "What should you do if the accelerator sticks?" The correct answer is "Shift to Neutral."
This was on the test long before Toyota's problems became news.
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