Are There Any Mechanics In The House?

[MalahatTwo7]

Have a good read of this. I am wondering if any mechs out there have any thoughts on this one.

Colorado woman survives 120-kilometre ride at 160 kmh in runaway car

Canadian Press Monday, February 02, 2004

DENVER (AP) - A woman was shaken but unhurt after a wild, 75-mile ride at speeds over 160 kmh that began when her brakes failed and her car accelerated out of control.

Police finally stopped the car on Interstate 70 in west Denver by getting a cruiser in front of it, slowing gently till their bumpers touched, then bringing both vehicles to a stop. "It had a mind of its own," 20-year-old Angel Eck said Sunday. The car "kept accelerating, and my foot wasn't even down on the gas."

Eck was westbound on I-70 in Limon Friday night when her 1997 Pontiac Sunfire began racing out of control. Nothing she tried would slow the car down.

She flipped on her hazard lights and dodged traffic while trying her cell phone, but she was out of her service area.

She nearly slammed into the back of a semitrailer and swerved off the highway three times to avoid hitting other vehicles, including one packed with kids, she said.

After about 45 frantic minutes, she was able to reach a friend on her cell phone. He called 911.

Police cleared the highway as Eck made her way across Denver. When it appeared they had no other options, officers Gary Ayers and Troy Bisgard decided to slow Eck's car with their cruiser.

"It's a dangerous manoeuvre. Had they misjudged, one or both cars would have sped out of control. It worked like clockwork," said officer Kim Lovato, who worked with six other officers to stop the runaway car.

© Copyright 2004 The Canadian Press

[hwoods]

I'd like to hear from a certified mechanic who inspected the car after such an episode. Stay Safe....

[Armyfirerescue]

Well, I've heard of brake systems going out before. I've heard of accelerators getting stuck, but both at the same time!? This is one unlucky lady. I wonder if she thought of downshifting (if it's a manual) or putting it in the lowest gear (if it's an automatic). Mashing on the gas pedal sometimes gets it unstuck. If all that didn't work, I dunno, I would have put it in neutral, let it just coast down after I slowed it as much as I could with the gears. That's just me. I'm sure they'll find the cause of it during the investigation.

[Trkco1]

The sad thing is, that she would be getting fliped off if she was going that slow on the Garden State Parkway during the morning rush.

[Bones42]

How about just turning the key off? When the PO stopped her car using his, were her tires still spinning at 160kmh?

[Dalmatian90]

BING!!!!!

Here's your cigar, Bones.

Gee, car is accelerating out of control...hmmmm, maybe I turn it off? One click back on the key, engine goes off but steering wheel isn't locked so we still have control...

Hmmm, maybe instead of dialing a friend, YOU CALL 911 YOUR FREAKING SELF?

[firenresq77]

I would have thrown it in neutral and killed the engine immediately. We had to do that in our old ambulance once. Accelerator cable was getting hooked on something and couldn't get it to stop accelerating.

[mcaldwell]

Originally posted by Dalmatian90
BING!!!!!

Here's your cigar, Bones.

Gee, car is accelerating out of control...hmmmm, maybe I turn it off? One click back on the key, engine goes off but steering wheel isn't locked so we still have control...

Hmmm, maybe instead of dialing a friend, YOU CALL 911 YOUR FREAKING SELF?

I know several models don't allow this while the car in is gear, but as 77 pointed out, you should still be able to drop it into neutral and then kill it. You could probably try the parking brake too, but with a front wheel drive that might have made for some interesting fishtails.

[33motor]

Good grief... I can't believe this chick din't turn off the ignition! Just goes to show... there are more than a few "lemmings" out there... just don't get between them and the cliff.

[ThNozzleman]

Take it from a ASE Certified Master Auto Technician...this is a load of crap. Sounds like somebody got busted for mega-speeding, then made a convenient cell phone call. I know I would sure like to inspect the suspect vehicle.

[EFD840]

Smells fishy to me too. There's always the panic factor, but at some time you think she would have thought 'gee, if I take it out of gear, it will eventually roll to a stop'.

[MalahatTwo7]

I keep coming back to the 75 mile drive..... what's with that?

[Dalmatian90]

I know several models don't allow this while the car in is gear, but as 77 pointed out,

I know you couldn't go to the "lock" position...but not turn off while in gear??? That doesn't sound right to me, you should be able to turn the key counter-clockwise and get it to turn off. Guess I could be wrong, just I'd think that would be a bad thing not to turn off while in gear.

[MalahatTwo7]

Thanks 'Hook :D. As noted by pretty much everyone here, it seemed very odd that the vehicle would experience a mechanical fault to such a degree. Be interesting to hear what she has to say for herself when these things are determined in the post event inspection report.

Oh wait.. maybe it was one of those automated units that got possessed by some "other being"? eheheehehehee.

[pfd3501]

She was blonde, and got her foot stuck in the steering wheel trying to hit the dimmer switch :D

[pfd3501]

What's A Seven Ten Cap???

The other day I was in the local auto part store. A lady came in and asked for a seven ten cap. We all looked at each other and said, "What's a seven ten cap?"

She said "You know, it's right on the engine. Mine got lost some how and I need a new one."

"What kind of a car is it on," they asked? Now I'm thinking maybe an old Datsun Seven Ten but no, she said its a Buick.

"OK lady, how big is it?"

She makes a circle with her hands about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

"What does it do?," we asked.

She said, "I don't know, but its always been there."

One of us gave her a note pad and asked her if she could draw a picture of it. So she makes a circle about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and in the center she writes 710.

The guys behind the counter are looking at it upside down as she writes it...and they just fall down behind the counter laughing so hard in hysterics.

One guy said, "I think you want an oil cap."

She said, "Seven Ten cap, oil cap, I don't care what you call it, I just need one, and I don't see what is so funny about it."

Yes, she was a blonde.

Note: If you read "710" upside down.... it is spells OIL!!

[ThNozzleman]

I think the only technical problem in this situation was a nut loose between the seat and the steering wheel. ;)

[explr985]

Originally posted by pfd3501
What's A Seven Ten Cap???

The other day I was in the local auto part store. A lady came in and asked for a seven ten cap. We all looked at each other and said, "What's a seven ten cap?"

She said "You know, it's right on the engine. Mine got lost some how and I need a new one."

"What kind of a car is it on," they asked? Now I'm thinking maybe an old Datsun Seven Ten but no, she said its a Buick.

"OK lady, how big is it?"

She makes a circle with her hands about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

"What does it do?," we asked.

She said, "I don't know, but its always been there."

One of us gave her a note pad and asked her if she could draw a picture of it. So she makes a circle about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and in the center she writes 710.

The guys behind the counter are looking at it upside down as she writes it...and they just fall down behind the counter laughing so hard in hysterics.

One guy said, "I think you want an oil cap."

She said, "Seven Ten cap, oil cap, I don't care what you call it, I just need one, and I don't see what is so funny about it."

Yes, she was a blonde.

Note: If you read "710" upside down.... it is spells OIL!!


Here's ya sign!

[expvol]

how many miles an hour is 160kmh.

[hwoods]

The 710 cap just struck a funny bone. I got a "Car Parts" story, but I'll start another thread with it.

[Jay911]

Originally posted by expvol
how many miles an hour is 160kmh.

Close enough to 100 mph to call it exactly that.

I too have to raise the BS flag on this incident. I can't believe that turning off the key wouldn't work, shifting to neutral (and letting the engine blow, if it really was stuck) wouldn't work, etc...

The part about the cellphone being out of the service area doesn't cut it either. I realize the story says she didn't call 911 herself, but I'd just like to point out for those who aren't familiar, even if you have no service in your home cell zone, if you dial 911, cell providers are required by law to connect you to the nearest tower to make the call, regardless if it's your provider or not. The only way a 911 call would be able to fail is if you were out of range of all the cell towers in an area..

These nuts should be prosecuted as far as the law will allow.... :P

--j.