March 30, 2010

USRider Offers Strategy for Sticking Accelerator

Lexington, Ky. (March 30, 2010) – The news is awash with stories of drivers encountering sticking accelerators. While sticking accelerators have been recently been pegged to Toyota vehicles, this can happen to any vehicle for a variety of reasons ranging from a broken motor mount, improper floor mat, system glitch, or other reasons, so it is best to be prepared.

First, don’t panic. Beware – your first instinct will be immediately to turn off the engine. If you do that, in many vehicles you will lose your power steering, power braking, and turn signal functions. Instead, immediately shift the vehicle into neutral.

When you shift into neutral, the engine will continue to rev (revolutions per minute, or rpm) and may rev even higher since the vehicle is now out of gear. However, unlike vehicles made prior to the 1980s, modern vehicles have rev-limiting devices built in to protect the engine from over-revving, which would cause permanent engine damage.

Next, find the nearest, safest place to move off of the road out of the way of traffic, then turn the engine off, and turn on emergency flashers.

Once you have turned off the engine, do not attempt to restart the vehicle. Have the vehicle towed to the nearest dealer for that brand of vehicle. OEM (original equipment manufacturer) brand dealers have the latest information and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for their brand of vehicle, plus diagnostic equipment designed specifically for that vehicle. Additionally, they will be most likely to be aware of issues affecting that particular vehicle.

Through its Equestrian Motor Plan, USRider provides emergency road service to its Members in the lower 48 states as well as Alaska and Canada. Designed for those who travel with horses, USRider provides emergency roadside assistance and towing services, along with other travel-related benefits geared especially toward horse owners, such as towing up to 100 miles plus roadside repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with horses, emergency stabling and veterinary referrals.

For more information about USRider and more equine trailer safety tips, visit the USRider website at http://www.usrider.org or call (800) 844-1409.