sudden accelaration problems for newer models???

daegucb · 12-10-2002, 11:57 AM

i have a 2002 porsche 911. wondering if there is a known/documented case(s) on the newer models on sudden accelaration??? i seem to have the problem! please email or post what you know on this problem with newer models.... thanks. concerned driver...

J P Stein · 12:24 PM

Are we talkin' the dreaded "unintended acceleration"?

Didja' ever notice that this doesn't happen with cars with a manual transmission?.........go figure

I also read somewhere that Seattle has one of the highest percapita concentrations of lawyers in the nation.

eion · 12-10-2002, 12:31 PM

*resists saying, "it isn't really a 911"*

island911 · 12-10-2002, 12:47 PM

It's a Porsche. . .what kind of accelaration were you expecting?

island911 · 12-10-2002, 12:50 PM

Oh, and the other pedal, it gives sudden deccelaration.

john walker's workshop · 12-10-2002, 12:54 PM

fly by wire.

hmmm, there doesn't seem to be any link between the throttle and the engine.

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

It's really a conspiracy against the U.S. by German engineers who are still bitter over losing WWII even with a jet fighter in their arsenal.

Like Audi, yet another hit in Porsche resale values on the horizon. Just in time for all the lawyers fresh with cash in hand.

island911 · 12-10-2002, 01:29 PM

Sarcasm aside -- the abstract of unintended accel is; the brakes are designed to out power the motor. . . .unless you're not stepping on the brake pedal.

stormcrow · stormcrow's Garage

Yah, I've heard of that syndrone. It happens a lot in FL - but I think it's the gas pedal sticking syndrone.

Steve

"A Porsche does more then just go fast in a straight line"

Milu · 12-10-2002, 02:25 PM

Can you post some more details of what is happening and under what conditions.

BlueSkyJaunte · 12-10-2002, 02:30 PM

DAMN that turbo lag!

tryan · 12-10-2002, 02:35 PM

my sis had an audi 4000 purchased in germany. the bad air idle control motor would make the motor slowly climb to 4k every once and awhile.

i think the unintendend acceleration was a bunch of bs. your brakes are 4 times more powerfull than the motor.

Bill Douglas · 12-10-2002, 02:38 PM

Yeah, I'd like to know what causes it.

My SC does it sometimes as well - at least that's what I told the police officer. I think in my case there was a momentary break in the connection between my brain and my foot.

Isabo · 12-11-2002, 12:07 PM

Come on boys, play nice.
He's a green pea and it's his first post!
I know he's got a 996 but at least its a rear engined Porsche and he's made the first steps towards rehab by reading this forum and posting.
Surely some one can help with some practical advice, and nothing like: "buy a 911 next time" If you don't mind.

Early_S_Man · 12:43 PM

It wasn't just a case of bs in the Audi case ... it was deliberate publicity-seeking by a few 'idiot-owners' attempting to make some big $$$$ over the case ... with the full complicity of CBS News and the crew of '60 Minutes' ... There was even evidence that cars were 'rigged' by car owners prior to filming by CBS crews!

The Audi-case 'unintended acceleration' phenomenon could not be duplicated by Road & Track editors with SAE consulting engineers ... not a single incident was ever documented or duplicated in several extensive tests in over a year of testing!

This is not really an issue worth joking or kidding about!

BTW, I am not saying it never could happen ... just that it din't ever happen in the case of Audi 5000 models in the '80's ... the media sensationalized a few fraudulent claims, and the public responded!

boyo · 12:39 PM

There HAVE been cars that have done this - I recall one (Jeep? can't remember) where if you follow the correct sequence (shift into reverse, back up a few feet, pop it into drive, and VROOOOOOOOOOOOOM) it was reproducible. Lots of cars crashed into the sides of the supermarket with the driver saying "I swear I didn't hit the gas!" before someone figured it out.

Anything's possible - the 911's had a recall back in '98 for airbags automatically deploying. You know, to protect you in case anything drastic happens... Like when you're driving down the road at 60mph and the airbags spontaneously deploy...!

Any more details on the problem from the original poster?

-Boyo

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by boyo
There HAVE been cars that have done this - I recall one (Jeep? can't remember) where if you follow the correct sequence (shift into reverse, back up a few feet, pop it into drive, and VROOOOOOOOOOOOOM) it was reproducible. Lots of cars crashed into the sides of the supermarket with the driver saying "I swear I didn't hit the gas!" before someone figured it out.-Boyo

Ahhhh, its the ole gas pedal wired to the reverse gear selection trick.

You left out one of the steps in the sequence:

1. Shift into reverse
2. back up a few feet
3. Floor the throttle instead of the brake
4. Pop into Drive
5. VROOOOOOOOOOOOOM, bang, smash, (breaking glass sounds here).

jyl · jyl's Garage

In the case of the Audi 5000, I recall there was a small electrical switch component under the gas pedal (don't know what it was for). Sometimes these components were found to be smashed flat after an incident of so-called "unintended acceleration" when the driver swore they had been pushing the brakes with all their might as they steamrollered their shopping carts, dogs, spouses, etc.

In the 1980s, buyers of the Audi 5000 tended to be previously drivers of American cars (as opposed to, for instance, Mercedes buyers, who tended to be repeat German car owners). The Audi was ergonomically different from contemporary American sedans in that the brake and accelerator pedals were closer together (since there was also a manual shift version of the Audi). In the end, some experts concluded the new Audi owners were stepping on the gas instead of the brake, and then pressing down harder and harder while they wondered why the car wasn't stopping.

I had not heard about the alleged Jeep (?) incidents. However, I tend to doubt all claims of "unintended acceleration" where the driver claims either (1) the engine spontaneously went to full or near-full throttle, or (2) the brakes then wouldn't stop the car. Both claims are doubtful if you consider the engineering of cars.

As for giving some "practical advice", I guess we need to hear more details from daegucb on exactly what he is experiencing with his car.

masraum · 12-11-2002, 02:12 PM

I read an article once on this in Road & Track or something along those lines. They compared the number of cases of acceleration to the proximity of the gas to the brake pedal. It seems Audi with the highest number of instances had the brake and gas pedals the closest together.

studeb · 12-11-2002, 02:48 PM

i remember that, i also thought that it was the a change in pedal configuration. Because the Audi brkes weren't that bad i doubted the engien could outrun them. Think of how much boost assist full throttle would give.....

In the R+T test they did have one incident of "UA" in a car, the drivers foot was planted firmly on the gas. However their study wasn't that scientific, trying to confuse the drivers by going from P to R to D to R to P.......