Sudden Acceleration

[mitche8359]

I searched the forum for our problem and didn't find any messages posted. However, after the incident happened I did some research and saw several complaints on the NHTSA site.

My wife was involved in an accident with our 96 Rodeo. She was slowing down at about 3 miles per hour and applied the brakes to come to a complete stop when the vehicle suddenly accelerated. She had exactly enough time to look down to see her foot on the brake pedal before hitting the FedEx truck. Luckily no one was injured.

We gave the vehicle to her step father as we have a three year old and wont take chances with that happening again. He had the rodeo fixed and looked over for the acceleration problem with nothing being found. However, he's had the same experience twice, in less than a month. The vehicle has a little over 50,000 miles

Has anyone experienced the sudden acceleration issue and is there a fix?

Thanks
Thomas

[amigo-2k]

I would check the rubber boot that covers the trottle cable in the engine compartment. Over time it will breakdown and gum up the cable and cause it to stick.

[rodeo02]

Thomas, I hope everybody is alright & the issue with fedex gets resolved smoothly for you!! I know what a PITA that can be Is your rodeo a 3.2L, auto trans? The only things that I know of that can cause a 'throttle' change on this make/model is the idle air control (IAC) valve, the idle speed up switch on the power steering pump, and the idle speed up on the AC system. Other than that, the throttle is cable actuated, connected directly to the accelerator pedal. Is she sure the floor mat or anything else didnt get caught up in there? Has the rodeo been running ok? any check engine light?
G/luck
Joel

[BIAR]

Thomas,The only time I had something like that happen on a rodeo.I was test driving one after a service.I hit the brake and the engine revs went up and started speeding up.I looked down and it had some those goofy aluminum pedal covers ,they were so close together if you didn,t move your foot all the way over you could press both at once.
That is the only time I have ever heard of this.Carl

[msikdm]

Not sure if this would be relavent on your model...
I have 98 2nd gen and had that very problem.
It was under warranty with only 20,000 or so miles.
The service dept. relaced the Throttle Position Sensor
and never had trouble again. My Rodeo would surge just
like that... scare you to death in heavy traffic



msikdm

[rodeo02]

BIAR that is a good point. Even in stock form, I have to be careful on our 2002. The pedals are close together. I have to be careful with winter boots on.
G/luck
Joel

[mitche8359]

Thanks for all the responses. I am hearing what you are saying about user error. Believe me, people at work have joked that she hit the gas instead of the brake. However, we had the car for over 9 years without seeing the same issue. The number of reports on NHTSA reinforces her claims, and the step father having the same problem with the vehicle only supports my conviction that there's something wrong with the vehicle.

I should have stated that the Rodeo is auto 3.2L. The car had been running very well before the accident. In fact I had just finished changing the oil, filters, etc a month or so before. I had been driving it as my mode of transportation and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

I like the idea of the rubber boot that covers the throttle cable in the engine compartment though I'm wondering how it would get stuck on full acceleration when the brake was being pressed. I'll check that out since it's easy enough.

The idle air control (IAC) valve makes sense as well due to the nature of the incident. Can I buy this valve from a parts store and install or is it something the dealer needs to do? For reference, I've replaced head cover gaskets before so I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.

Not sure of the idle speed up switch on the power steering pump. Anyone know if this would be pertinent to our issue. Seems like another valid possibility.

Would the AC system have to be on for the idle speed up on the AC system to be an issue. I doubt that the AC system was on at the time.

I'm glad that this issue is common on the vehicle as it's pretty popular in our area. The reports that I've read on NHTSA are scarey though. And yes everyone is safe except for the wallet due to the increase in insurance premium. You'd think it wouldn't be as bad for the first and ONLY accident my wife has had.

Thanks
Thomas

[eggman00]

the first time this happened to me, it was the floormat. particular brakes on my rodeo are strong enough to flip it end over end i think sometimes, still it took my full body weight on the brakes and a LOT of room to save my ass (his ass, really), and luckily i had time. the second time, yeah that was the floormat too, and this is after i started sliding it back every time i got in. be careful, this truck has everything going against you for it no matter how much you love it, and the riceburners hate it.

[surferfletch]

I had the sticking cable. Caused the throttle to stay open, but it didn't cause sudden acceleration.

[2eyefishclaw]

willing to be that its the power steering pressure switch
just disconnect it
I have seen several of these
If you have never flushed your P/S system as reccomended in the owners manual then this could be the cause (sticking switch) highly reccomend disconnecting it if your problem goes away then call it fixed

[Source7769]

i was on a major highway when mine stuck i put the brakes on and it wouldnt slow down i shut the engine off and coasted kept playing with the throttle cuz when i tryed to restart the 97 rodeo the rpms surged in park eventually it fixed itself i then sprayed the crap outta the cable with silicone been ok ever since