If your accelerator (gas) pedal sticks while driving, follow these steps to safely regain control of your vehicle:
- Stay calm and avoid panicking to maintain control of the situation
- Firmly press the brake pedal with both feet and hold it down steadily. Do not pump the brakes, as this can reduce brake effectiveness
- Shift the transmission into neutral to disengage the engine from the wheels. For manual cars, depress the clutch before shifting into neutral
- Continue to hold the brake firmly and carefully steer the vehicle to a safe area, such as the shoulder of the road. Avoid sudden lane changes or swerving
- Do not turn off the engine unless shifting into neutral fails. Turning off the engine can disable power-assisted brakes and steering, making the vehicle harder to control
- Once stopped safely and out of traffic, turn off the engine. If your vehicle uses a key, keep it in the ignition when turning off to prevent the steering wheel from locking. If it has a start/stop button, press and hold it for at least three seconds to turn off
- Call for professional assistance and do not drive the vehicle until it has been inspected and repaired
Common causes of a sticking accelerator include a floor mat wedged under the pedal, dirty or gummed-up throttle body, damaged throttle cable or spring, or mechanical faults
. After the incident, have a mechanic inspect and fix the problem to prevent recurrence. In summary, the key actions are to brake firmly, shift to neutral, steer safely to the side, and then stop and turn off the engine once safe
