car accelerates by itself!!!!!! - Maintenance and Repair Forum

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car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Monday, September 03, 2007 8:41 AM
This problem is getting old. It dont happen too much, maybe a couple times a month, but its dangerous.

1996 Cavi, 2.2 auto 4speed

It goes like this: you are driving. Typically hitting an on ramp, or passing on the interstate. When you let up on the gas pedel it stays down. The car accelerates at full throttle by itself! My wife drives this car, and the first time it happend she almost wrecked.

It happened to me only once. I pumped the pedel for a few seconds and it came back up. It honestly felt like the cruise control was holding the throttle open. I replaced the turn signal/ headlight/ cruise switch assy a while back. I used an aftermarked switch assy from Napa. Could this be the problem?

If you move the pedel any other time its nice and smooth. No catches anywhere. The throttle body aslo operates nice and smooth. I also replaced the throttle cable a while back, so thats not it. It only acts up once in a while, another reason I think it might be the cruise control. If it was mechanical it would happen more often.

Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Monday, September 03, 2007 11:50 AM
why dont you unhook the cruise control cable from the throttle and see if it does it again. if it doesnt then i say bring the switch back.





Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Monday, September 03, 2007 12:06 PM
your floor mat could be jamming against the pedal and sticking. i have had that happen.



maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow....... but some day
Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Monday, September 03, 2007 12:14 PM
I had this happen in my 89 Astro van, it was the cruise module itself going nuts, I nearly killed someone because of it.

Hopefully you get it fixed fast, Check the floor mat, and just disconnect the cruise module. Then see what happens, Im guessing faulty switch or something
Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Monday, September 03, 2007 1:58 PM
Yea, the floor mat has been the culprit on my throttle too, and once in a while it'll even catch my clutch pedal.



Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Monday, September 03, 2007 9:52 PM
Greg Z. wrote:Yea, the floor mat has been the culprit on my throttle too, and once in a while it'll even catch my clutch pedal.


Which is why the floor mat is now on my back seat!


------------------------------------
We all drive in a yellow Cavalier...
Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Monday, September 03, 2007 10:41 PM
Greg Z. wrote:Yea, the floor mat has been the culprit on my throttle too, and once in a while it'll even catch my clutch pedal.

Yup, mine ALWAYS catches on my clutch. Then I get mad, slam the floor mat back into it's place, and then like an idiot, do the same thing the next time it happens.

Sooooo, tell me more about this back seat idea... LOL




Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007 6:54 AM
Its definatly not a floor mat. Im thinking either the cruise control module or the cruise switch. I was hoping this happend a few times to someone else and the fix was known.

Ill probably just unhook the cruise control. Its not used very often. This problem only happens once a month or so, so it will be a while before I know if this is really the problem.
Re: car accelerates by itself!!!!!!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007 4:50 PM
it may be a good idea to get some t.b. cleaner and give it a good clean out, it will lube the parts too.



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