Uncontrolled acceleration

[turkeybird56]

Whatever it shows, better to have a complete, unedited, un-erased version of the information. It should show brake force and throttle at minimum. It should also be able to show throttle position. That, along with this thread of others having the exact same issues and Stellantis saying nothing, is a very good start of a defence for the driver and a case for damages.

Doesn't the ECU record all this stuff as far as condition of all parameters? If so, cannot this data be pulled from the truck's "Black" box?
Or am I just confused???

 

[turkeybird56]

If he was at a full stop with his foot on the break, a floor mat probably wouldn't have caused it to accelerate from a stop.

Another factor, tho this factor goes more towards PPL in certain professions? Does the OP (2) foot drive?

CAVEAT: I do, but this is more due to my lifetime profession than any trend.

 

[Curmudgeon]

How big are your feet? What size are your shoes/boots?

Seriously. My feet/shoes are 13 EEEE. A little hard to find.
What is NOT hard is my ability to place my foot on both the brake
pedal and the accelerator at the same time. I've done it at least
a couple dozen times, often right at the end of my driveway.
Really gets the heart rate going for a minute.

And not just the Ram but every vehicle I've driven for over 40 years.
Small cars are worse - much worse. Especially wearing steel-toe boots
or the Timberlands I'm wearing right now. I actually measured right before posting this. At the widest part of the shoe, which would be the ball of my foot, the tread is 5 1/2 inches across. More than enough to reach both pedals at once.

And the harder I step down on the brake the more the engine surges
and the truck pushes past the brake. Decades of experience with this
and muscle memory kicks in, my leg lifts off the pedals almost before
I can think about it, then move my foot more solidly to the brake.

This is not very likely, but no one else has mentioned it so I thought I
would. My Ram probably has more room among the pedals than just
about any vehicle I've owned since the 60s-70s or so, but it still happens.

 

[RamDiver]

I think if you are trying to do this intentionally you probably have your foot hard on the brake. I'd wager a guess that most people sitting at a stop light have the brake pressed just enough to keep it from moving, which the engine could easily overcome at instant full throttle.

Wouldn't most people's natural response to their vehicle creeping forward at a stoplight be to stomp on the brake harder?

.

 

[ronheater70]

How big are your feet? What size are your shoes/boots?

Seriously. My feet/shoes are 13 EEEE. A little hard to find.
What is NOT hard is my ability to place my foot on both the brake
pedal and the accelerator at the same time. I've done it at least
a couple dozen times, often right at the end of my driveway.
Really gets the heart rate going for a minute.

And not just the Ram but every vehicle I've driven for over 40 years.
Small cars are worse - much worse. Especially wearing steel-toe boots
or the Timberlands I'm wearing right now. I actually measured right before posting this. At the widest part of the shoe, which would be the ball of my foot, the tread is 5 1/2 inches across. More than enough to reach both pedals at once.

And the harder I step down on the brake the more the engine surges
and the truck pushes past the brake. Decades of experience with this
and muscle memory kicks in, my leg lifts off the pedals almost before
I can think about it, then move my foot more solidly to the brake.

This is not very likely, but no one else has mentioned it so I thought I
would. My Ram probably has more room among the pedals than just
about any vehicle I've owned since the 60s-70s or so, but it still happens.

This seems plausible, however, I just checked and My brake pedal doesn't travel near far enough to allow the throttle to be floored if I was going across both pedals. Maybe 1/2 throttle to which if the brakes are fully locked, it shouldn't over run them, at least not in a surging motion great enough to cause major damage.

 

[turkeybird56]

How big are your feet? What size are your shoes/boots?

Seriously. My feet/shoes are 13 EEEE. A little hard to find.
What is NOT hard is my ability to place my foot on both the brake
pedal and the accelerator at the same time. I've done it at least
a couple dozen times, often right at the end of my driveway.
Really gets the heart rate going for a minute.

And not just the Ram but every vehicle I've driven for over 40 years.
Small cars are worse - much worse. Especially wearing steel-toe boots
or the Timberlands I'm wearing right now. I actually measured right before posting this. At the widest part of the shoe, which would be the ball of my foot, the tread is 5 1/2 inches across. More than enough to reach both pedals at once.

And the harder I step down on the brake the more the engine surges
and the truck pushes past the brake. Decades of experience with this
and muscle memory kicks in, my leg lifts off the pedals almost before
I can think about it, then move my foot more solidly to the brake.

This is not very likely, but no one else has mentioned it so I thought I
would. My Ram probably has more room among the pedals than just
about any vehicle I've owned since the 60s-70s or so, but it still happens.

You go to the Marine shop for your artificial pontoon floats? fer yer feet????? (lol)

The only time I used my left foot on (2) pedals would be old M151A1 jeeps, where U had to pump the gas, push in the clutch and hit the starter button same time.

 

[tap4154]

My 2018 just has a Uconnect 3 with a 5 inch screen. I don't think it ever does updates. In fact for any software updates I've had to do for recalls, I've taken it into the dealer. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but having a vehicle doing software updates while you're out driving might not be a great idea.

 

[Curmudgeon]

This seems plausible, however, I just checked and My brake pedal doesn't travel near far enough to allow the throttle to be floored if I was going across both pedals. Maybe 1/2 throttle to which if the brakes are fully locked, it shouldn't over run them, at least not in a surging motion great enough to cause major damage.

1. I can't floor the pedal either, but I absolutely catch it enough to rev the engine. The brake pedal at rest rises higher than the throttle pedal, so the brake has to be well depressed AND my foot has to angle down to the right.
This flex in my right foot is normal for me owing to an injury when I was 17.

2. This next point is largely subjective based on how much brake pressure is enough under normal circumstances AND at the end of my driveway, how much throttle pressure is enough to at least begin to overcome the normal effective brake pressure, and how much brake pressure is enough to slow/stop the truck but also allow the engine to noticeably effect a stop.

I agree with you but only under the extremes you posted. I am slowing, not stopped, and my brakes are no where near "locked" when this happens.
What I am attempting is to offer the OP(s) with this issue is something else to consider, although I do have to extrapolate some of what the original concern is and the manner in which it is written.

All this takes a lot longer to write and describe than the fractions of a second it takes when you realize that your vehicle is not slowing as normal, and greater brake pressure does not help and also corresponds perfectly with the engine responding to throttle pressure that normally does not occur while braking.
Hope this helps.

 

[Daw14]

How big are your feet? What size are your shoes/boots?

Seriously. My feet/shoes are 13 EEEE. A little hard to find.
What is NOT hard is my ability to place my foot on both the brake
pedal and the accelerator at the same time. I've done it at least
a couple dozen times, often right at the end of my driveway.
Really gets the heart rate going for a minute.

And not just the Ram but every vehicle I've driven for over 40 years.
Small cars are worse - much worse. Especially wearing steel-toe boots
or the Timberlands I'm wearing right now. I actually measured right before posting this. At the widest part of the shoe, which would be the ball of my foot, the tread is 5 1/2 inches across. More than enough to reach both pedals at once.

And the harder I step down on the brake the more the engine surges
and the truck pushes past the brake. Decades of experience with this
and muscle memory kicks in, my leg lifts off the pedals almost before
I can think about it, then move my foot more solidly to the brake.

This is not very likely, but no one else has mentioned it so I thought I
would. My Ram probably has more room among the pedals than just
about any vehicle I've owned since the 60s-70s or so, but it still happens.

You shall be referred to as Big Feet from here onwards.

 

[Wild one]

Yes, I have same feelings. AFAIK the brakes are typically able to overcome WOT. I would try a WOT brake stand test on my truck, but I don't want to break anything.

@Intrepid Corsair - please keep us informed. Thanks, and good luck.................

Late model Chryco products are pretty easy to do brake stands with,even my 300 does a wicked brake stand

 

[PA Ram]

How big are your feet? What size are your shoes/boots?

Seriously. My feet/shoes are 13 EEEE. A little hard to find.
What is NOT hard is my ability to place my foot on both the brake
pedal and the accelerator at the same time. I've done it at least
a couple dozen times, often right at the end of my driveway.
Really gets the heart rate going for a minute.

And not just the Ram but every vehicle I've driven for over 40 years.
Small cars are worse - much worse. Especially wearing steel-toe boots
or the Timberlands I'm wearing right now. I actually measured right before posting this. At the widest part of the shoe, which would be the ball of my foot, the tread is 5 1/2 inches across. More than enough to reach both pedals at once.

And the harder I step down on the brake the more the engine surges
and the truck pushes past the brake. Decades of experience with this
and muscle memory kicks in, my leg lifts off the pedals almost before
I can think about it, then move my foot more solidly to the brake.

This is not very likely, but no one else has mentioned it so I thought I
would. My Ram probably has more room among the pedals than just
about any vehicle I've owned since the 60s-70s or so, but it still happens.

I wear a size 11, but have occasionally caught the gas pedal when braking. The time driving to work though when the accelerator got stuck wide-open scared the bejesus out of me! I thought my truck was possessed.

 

[Wild one]

You shall be referred to as Big Feet from here onwards.

We've found "BigFoot" and he's right here on RF posting
Just razzing ya @Curmudgeon ,but i'd of hated being your parents trying to buy you shoes in High School

 

[Daw14]

I’ve had them both apply like that , and it certainly helps get my attention, and heart racing . Boots seem like the culprit.

 

[PA Ram]

We've found "BigFoot" and he's right here on RF posting
Just razzing ya @Curmudgeon ,but i'd of hated being your parents trying to buy you shoes in High School

A good friend of mine in high school wore like a size 15, maybe even 17. He is 6ft 8. Guy I worked with had same problem whenever we had a shoe mobile show up for new work boots. They didn't carry his size which were definitely 13 or bigger so they always had to special order his boots. I always wanted to be a little taller (I'm 5'10"), but I don't envy the people that can't find clothes and shoes and have trouble getting into vehicles.

 

[Hagar1]

Yes, I have same feelings. AFAIK the brakes are typically able to overcome WOT. I would try a WOT brake stand test on my truck, but I don't want to break anything.

@Intrepid Corsair - please keep us informed. Thanks, and good luck.................

You can do a "convertor stall test" but don't hold it at WOT for more than 5 to 10 seconds. That transmission oil being beaten up in the convertor can over heat in a surprisingly short time.

 

[Hagar1]

Wouldn't most people's natural response to their vehicle creeping forward at a stoplight be to stomp on the brake harder?

.

And if their shoe is on both brake and gas pedal, applying more brake may just result in applying more gas.

 

[Docwagon1776]

How big are your feet? What size are your shoes/boots?

Seriously. My feet/shoes are 13 EEEE. A little hard to find.
What is NOT hard is my ability to place my foot on both the brake
pedal and the accelerator at the same time. I've done it at least
a couple dozen times, often right at the end of my driveway.
Really gets the heart rate going for a minute.

That wouldn't explain a vehicle already at a stop that then suddenly accelerates. It would occur when you first transition from gas to brake.

 

[RamDiver]

And if their shoe is on both brake and gas pedal, applying more brake may just result in applying more gas.

I'm sure many of us have had the experience of tapping the accelerator while braking, with new work boots or large winter boots. Retract and reapply, no big deal.

.

 

[joesstripclub]

Wouldn't most people's natural response to their vehicle creeping forward at a stoplight be to stomp on the brake harder?

.

I'm sure many of us have had the experience of tapping the accelerator while braking, with new work boots or large winter boots. Retract and reapply, no big deal.

.

I think this all varies by reaction time per person among other factors. Changing the radio station? You probably aren't expecting your vehicle to accelerate full throttle. At a stop sign by yourself? Probably not a big deal. In a line of traffic? Maybe not enough time to keep you from bumping into that person in front of you.

I feel like most of the time, yeah someone should be able to hit the brakes in time, but I could see how it could get away from someone in some instances.

I was actually test driving a manual mustang one time, early 2000s model. First time I had driven a mustang with a clutch. Got on it a bit to get onto the freeway and somehow manage to stomp on both the clutch and the brake pedal. I felt bad, guy must have thought I was some kinda moron.

 

[Hagar1]

I think this all varies by reaction time per person among other factors. Changing the radio station? You probably aren't expecting your vehicle to accelerate full throttle. At a stop sign by yourself? Probably not a big deal. In a line of traffic? Maybe not enough time to keep you from bumping into that person in front of you.

I feel like most of the time, yeah someone should be able to hit the brakes in time, but I could see how it could get away from someone in some instances.

I was actually test driving a manual mustang one time, early 2000s model. First time I had driven a mustang with a clutch. Got on it a bit to get onto the freeway and somehow manage to stomp on both the clutch and the brake pedal. I felt bad, guy must have thought I was some kinda moron.

Yes, getting "caught by surprise" can be a problem alright. Some folk take more time than others to assess, process and to react to an abnormal situation. It is not good, it is not bad it just is.......