Guy's Cruise Control Stuck On 80 Km/h

[llama_au]

Handbrake eventually. Read the whole article

[GTR-32U]

i wonder if its one of these electronic boxes where computer selects the gears.. I used to drive a Merc sprinter with the tiptronic box and often they would jam...Gear stick doesnt actually connect to anything mechanical

[xALmoN]

sounds like a fiat punto i drove..

[UnCo]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/driver-ta...o-1225810668864

Audio released from the 000 call.

Earlier today, Mr Weir hit back at critics who said he didn't do enough to avert a potential disaster.

heraldsun.com.au and talkback radio has been inundated with comments from people questioning why Ford Explorer driver Chase Weir didn't turn off the engine or put his car into neutral when he realised the vehicle was out of control.

Mr Weir has one message for the knockers: "You weren't in the car.''

[adznight]

Mr Weir has one message for the knockers: "You weren't in the car.''

No shit buddy, wouldn't' have been a been a near disaster if I was! Muppet...

[ss07]

No we werent in the car...

But im sure after 30 minutes, a 5 year old could have figured out a way to stop the car.

[ss07]

Oh, and i wonder if Eastlink are going to send him a bill

[lukebaldan]

Does his situation remind anyone of the 1997 movie "runaway car"

After visiting the mechanic, the car mysteriously and intermittently goes full throttle. To cut a long story short the movie is similar to speed.

Some epic moments too including a guys bright idea to crawl out of the car and remove spark plugs! Highly entertaining (Alcohol recommended whilst viewing)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120041/

Edited December 17, 2009 by lukebaldan

[OzTME]

This sounds like a total crock to me.

I smell some attention seeking kid.

Agreed.

I used to know someone who worked in the area of investigating these types of claim for a japanese manufacturer. The crap that people try to blame on cars is amazing. Americans are famous for it..

Anyway; just for laughs, the other day, I was driving my towing mule 4x4 down the eastern (late at night, empty road). I pushed my accelerator to the floor, then tried to use the brake to decelerate from 100. Slowing the car needed some leg muscle, but was possible. My 4x4 has nearly twice the torque of a ford explorer (650nm) and significantly more power.

I could believe that this kid couldn't get the car down to stopped with just the brakes; but slowing down to less than 80 wasn't possible? Bullshit.

The only explanation I can think of is that the car was in shitty condition (ie: brake pads worn out or something like that).

Failure of a single system isn't that unusual. Failure of all these things at once (cruise disable on braking, ignition jam, trans locked into auto, brake effectiveness unable to slow the V12 down to less than 80kmh etc). Smells like a dumb kid trying to get his 15 minutes of fame..

Classic pictures of him in a neck brace on a stretcher after he stopped, yet he didn't hit ANYTHING, and apparently couldn't even stop quickly. I smell a scam/nutjob....

[08yannch]

im from wa and i herd this in the news and i thought i needed to post my opinion.

first i think this guy is full off shit or is f**king retarded.

if i was in his situation i would first apply the brakes and keep them on till i stop then put it in neutral then kill the engine putting the key to acc so i dont lock the steering then if all else fails back end a truck to really kill the engine and if it is still going down shift in to 1st (this can be done on a auto but dont ever EVER down shift 2 1st unless ur stopped or ur cruse control is f**ked )

there is going 2 be a investigation and it will be interesting 2 see the out come

[ss07]

im from wa and i herd this in the news and i thought i needed to post my opinion.

first i think this guy is full off shit or is f**king retarded.

if i was in his situation i would first apply the brakes and keep them on till i stop then put it in neutral then kill the engine putting the key to acc so i dont lock the steering then if all else fails back end a truck to really kill the engine and if it is still going down shift in to 1st (this can be done on a auto but dont ever EVER down shift 2 1st unless ur stopped or ur cruse control is f**ked )

there is going 2 be a investigation and it will be interesting 2 see the out come

On a lot of cars, shifting to a low gear while doing a higher speed in an auto will do nothing.

It will keep the car in a more appropriate gear to prevent damage to the motor.

[Damo_c]

Gone are the days when you could just remove the centre pin from your horse saddle and let the wagon roll to a stop just shy of a cliff edge.

Thats gold, what a chicken test!!!

I smell some attention seeking kid. Don't believe that his cruise got stuck...

My "theory" - He probably got busted speeding or doing something illegal and to cover it up faking his cruise control screwing up.... as a bonus he would make the evening news, and how would you get whiplash from hard braking....

Sounds way too sus....

Could be true

From what ive read and heard (they released 000 call) obviously there is a fault. The cruise control switch has caused fires in the states, possibly his ford had the same switch, and got stuck but did not cause the fire. Most of the fires that occured in the states the car was on long stretches of road, possibly not knowing that the switch had stuck and thats when the fire occured(not 100% sure though). I think it sounds a little strange but who knows, maybe he really couldnt get the car into neutral. The car was auto. I think kicking in the kick panel and busting some fuses wouldve been a good idea, not sure if the important fuses in the ford needed to stop the car would be in there, arent they mainly under the bonnet in most cars??

The cops thought of many ways to stop the car from getting a truck in front of hit to slow it down, to running the car into a paddock with long weeds whilst blowing the tyres out with spikes.

Very interesting situation to be in, one that i wouldnt want to be in.

I do believe the guys cruise control was stuck on, it has happened to many times to other people for me to believe that it really not happen.

[08yannch]

On a lot of cars, shifting to a low gear while doing a higher speed in an auto will do nothing.

It will keep the car in a more appropriate gear to prevent damage to the motor.

i can down shift my auto yes some of the newer cars will stop real aggressive shifting but the car in question is not new.

and im my experience auto boxes ar computer controlled but neutral has a mechanical link via cable that should by pass the ecu. i dont know about Chase Weirs car

[Garage_Kaizen]

Actually my old Ford '96 model, when you brake cruise control is de-activated automatically, you can accelerate but braking manually causes cruise control to back down....

Did some quick research, the newer Ford's often have issues with this deactivation mechanism.

I'm an ex ford parts interpreter, the cruise control deactivation is wired up to your brake light switch, tail lamps come on, cruise cuts off, you step on the gas (no brake lights) doesn't turn off, most car makers work this way.

Ive had a few customers come in to buy new brake light switches as there cruise wont come off unless them put a fair amount of pressure on the brake pedal.

This case just seems like the exploder was possessed!