Man killed because his cruise control wouldn't switch off!

[TTwiggy]

TheInternet said:

TTwiggy said:

I must have owned at least 8 cars with CC (including my current one) and the throttle pedal has never moved on any of them. Why would it need to?

If physically attached to the throttle.

I can imagine that slackening the throttle cable might make the pedal drop under gravity, but not actually go down like it would under manual control.

I just find this bizarre. Cars I've had (off the top of my head) with CC have included a 2001 model Audi TT, 1999 model Jag XJ, 2004 model Audi S4, 2001 model Porsche Boxster, 1997 model Range Rover and a 2014 model Kia Sportage - so a range of ages and 'tech' there, but none in which the pedal has actually moved when CC was engaged.

[TheInternet]

The cars I've had that do it were all 70s/80s modelss with a stepper motor arrangement attached to the throttle.

[snuffy]

The accelerator sticking has actually happened to me on the motorway in one of my previous Lotuses.

The cable had snagged and it was holding the throttle open. I noticed when I took my foot off the accelerator and the car kept going at the same speed. So I gently pressed the break and came to a stop on the hard shoulder.

It was concerning at the time but I had loads of time to stop being on the motorway.

[Sheepshanks]

AndrewEH1 said:

Doesn't explain how pressing the engine on/off button didn't slow the car down unless you can't turn the engine off whilst moving as part of some safety feature?

Normally you press and hold the button for a few seconds and it'll stop - although I've seen it reported that engines have stopped if the button is touched. Bit of an issue if done accidentally as it won't restart until the car is fully stopped.

[anonymous-user]

On the VAG/Skoda cruise controls, you can set the speed which you want it to go at and it is possible to push cruise control and it end up accelerating up to whatever speed you have set the number at.

Easy to get used to in errr.... 5 seconds, and also easy to override by just stopping it.

I have owned maybe 8 cars now with CC, and none of them have depressed the accelerator pedal down. He must have been confused, or it was what I described before.

[condor]

I've had a Ford Sierra's throttle stick open whilst doing 70 on the motorway - it was frightening but I managed to stick the brakes on hard, and pull over to the hard shoulder, then neutral and switch off. Took quite a long time to stop but I was fortunate that it was daytime and the hard shoulder was free.

Perhaps his throttle stuck open.

[essayer]

TheInternet said:

The cars I've had that do it were all 70s/80s modelss with a stepper motor arrangement attached to the throttle.

IIRC early E46's have this arrangement, I could feel the pedal move very slightly when cruise control was engaged

[chris watton]

snuffy said:

The accelerator sticking has actually happened to me on the motorway in one of my previous Lotuses.

The cable had snagged and it was holding the throttle open. I noticed when I took my foot off the accelerator and the car kept going at the same speed. So I gently pressed the break and came to a stop on the hard shoulder.

It was concerning at the time but I had loads of time to stop being on the motorway.

Happened to me, too. Driving on the M5 is snowy, less than zero conditions, the accelerator cable was stuck at full throttle (This was an MGZT-T 2.5 many years' ago). Quite disconcerting, but still managed to control it until I reached a junction. The people in front and behind must have though I was a boy-racer! lol

[IanH755]

TTwiggy said:

TheInternet said:

TTwiggy said:

I must have owned at least 8 cars with CC (including my current one) and the throttle pedal has never moved on any of them. Why would it need to?

If physically attached to the throttle.

I just find this bizarre. Cars I've had (off the top of my head) with CC have included a 2001 model Audi TT, 1999 model Jag XJ, 2004 model Audi S4, 2001 model Porsche Boxster, 1997 model Range Rover and a 2014 model Kia Sportage - so a range of ages and 'tech' there, but none in which the pedal has actually moved when CC was engaged.

Mondeo Mk3 and Mk4, Audi RS6 '03 and BMW E38 all moved the pedal. I don't tend to use the CC to accelerate on the '08 Audi RS6 so just leave it at set to 65mph and use my foot to accelerate if I need to (the CC accelerates too quickly which causes more issues if I'm not expecting it ).

[davepoth]

The car has a protection for turning off the engine while moving, since the normal operation will lock the steering when the engine is switched off. Quite sensible really.

http://ws.skoda-auto.com/OwnersManualService/Data/...


Emergency shutdown of the engine in vehicles with starter button
The system is equipped with a protective device against accidental switching
off, the engine can only be shut off while driving in the event of an emergency.
› Keep the knob pressed or press it twice within 1 second.
After the emergency stop of the engine, the steering lock will remain un-
locked.

[shakotan]

AJL308 said:

Shaw Tarse said:

AJL308 said:

It says the accelerator pedal was depressed. The cruise control could have been responsible for that.

Does cruise move the pedal?

All of the cars I've had with CC have done it.

Unless you car was from the 70s or earlier, I don't believe you are correct.

[TTwiggy]

IanH755 said:

TTwiggy said:

TheInternet said:

TTwiggy said:

I must have owned at least 8 cars with CC (including my current one) and the throttle pedal has never moved on any of them. Why would it need to?

If physically attached to the throttle.

I just find this bizarre. Cars I've had (off the top of my head) with CC have included a 2001 model Audi TT, 1999 model Jag XJ, 2004 model Audi S4, 2001 model Porsche Boxster, 1997 model Range Rover and a 2014 model Kia Sportage - so a range of ages and 'tech' there, but none in which the pedal has actually moved when CC was engaged.

Mondeo Mk3 and Mk4, Audi RS6 '03 and BMW E38 all moved the pedal. I don't tend to use the CC to accelerate on the '08 Audi RS6 so just leave it at set to 65mph and use my foot to accelerate if I need to (the CC accelerates too quickly which causes more issues if I'm not expecting it ).

Interesting - I'd have thought there wasn't much difference between your '03 RS6 and my '04 S4 (apart from two turbos!). And yet I'm certain the pedal didn't move.

[AJL308]

shakotan said:

AJL308 said:

Shaw Tarse said:

AJL308 said:

It says the accelerator pedal was depressed. The cruise control could have been responsible for that.

Does cruise move the pedal?

All of the cars I've had with CC have done it.

Unless you car was from the 70s or earlier, I don't believe you are correct.

My '89 500 SEC definitely did it. I currently have a Vectra and a Phaeton, both 2007, which I'm sure both do it.

Edit: Perhaps it just keeps the pedal in the position it was at when you pressed the button but I'm sure it moves the pedal if you use the button on the CC to increase to set speed. I'll check.

Edited by AJL308 on Thursday 24th November 15:54

[Cotty]

Suicide but trying to disguise it as a vehicle fault?

[AJL308]

Cotty said:

Suicide but trying to disguise it as a vehicle fault?

That's the obvious assumption but the court seems to have found no evidence to support it.

[anonymous-user]

i would say hysteria, panic took over, most likely doing it himself.

[AJL308]

The Spruce goose said:

i would say hysteria, panic took over, most likely doing it himself.

For over eight minutes?

[TwistingMyMelon]

Whatever the reason poor bloke

I've had a mat stick under the pedal in an old merc automatic, scared the st out of me , as had to apply brakes whilst accelerating hard!! Didn't realise until after when I could bend down and pull it out what happened, when it occurred it was just like a horror film, 220bhp foot to the floor and rubbish brakes trying to override it!

[MrNoisy]

Very few cars move the pedal since the advent of decent electronic control. Older cars did it and some newer stuff - Landrover products with a V8 are one example that still had vacuum operated cruise into the 2000's. Still has many many overides should the mechanical link fail.

2 possibilities.....

1. The mat is stuck, easily done but unlikely over 8 minutes
2. A staged suicide for misguided insurance reasons - that's what my money is on.

The idea that the electronic gubbins has failed or taken the signal from the throttle etc is pure fantasy land stuff. Throttles don't get stuck open since we got rid of the stty cables ffs.

[thebraketester]

thomasjonny69 said:

Unless it was a DSG, why not just dip the clutch. That's still a mechanical connection.

You can still knock an auto into neutral.

These stories never add up. Usually avoidable