Civic Acceleration stuck

[laura_n_sd]

Yesterday while rapidly accelerating to merge into traffic on the freeway, my '99 Civic LX (automatic) got stuck in gear at approximately 65+mph. I took my foot off the gas, applied the brakes and felt the brakes work, but it was as if cruise control were on and the car was accelerating against the pressure of the brakes. I put it in neutral and same thing, it continued to speed ahead, revving against the gear. I put in park while still moving and got over to the side of the road putting the emergency brake on and slowly the car struggled against itself and stopped. I turned off the ignition and when I restarted the car a few minutes later the idle was back to normal and the brakes worked.

I think the problem was in the transmission or the acceleration. It literally was stuck in 4th/5th gear (but its an automatic).

Anyone experience this, or hear of it happening to anyone else? I took my car to the dealership afterwards and the mechanic said he hadn't heard of anything like this in the 3 years he's been there. They weren't able to look at it yet. Please help!

[turboEKhatch]

If you could shift it it likely wasn't a problem with the transmission. Not uncommon for the actual throttle blade itself or the pedal to get stuck down.

But holy shit, you didn't do your transmission any favours by throwing it into PARK on the highway! You should have turned the key to off, then turned it back into the on position so the steering doesn't lock up on you, so you can slow down and get off the highway.

[Greenblurr93]

i doubt she put it in park while she was moving, because if she did, the lock pin that engages would have either Sheared off, or she would have locked the front wheels causing her to spin...

[turboEKhatch]

Originally Posted by Greenblurr93

i doubt she put it in park while she was moving, because if she did, the lock pin that engages would have either Sheared off, or she would have locked the front wheels causing her to spin...

Originally Posted by laura_n_sd

I put in park while still moving

I'm just going by what she said, I've never even owned an automatic car before.

[Greenblurr93]

ahh... i see, ya if youve ever driven an auto and put it in park, u may have noticed it rolls an inch or two then clicks and stops... that the pin engaging one of the holes in the flywheel, so if she put it in park while moving that pin would try to engage and would either shear off from the force it incured or locked the tranny, there for locking the front wheels...

[Smoghog]

Originally Posted by Greenblurr93

ahh... i see, ya if youve ever driven an auto and put it in park, u may have noticed it rolls an inch or two then clicks and stops... that the pin engaging one of the holes in the flywheel, so if she put it in park while moving that pin would try to engage and would either shear off from the force it incured or locked the tranny, there for locking the front wheels...

Oh Boy, first, The pin doesn't engage the flywheel/flexplate. That would stop the motor too.

Second there is usually a safety measure for people that do accidently put it in park. The catch will usually only engage at slow speeds. But it will make alot of noise and might shear it off or grind it off.

Either way Laura is very lucky and so is her car. Next time turn off the engine and put it in neutral. But don't turn the key all the way off.

Hey alot of people do not think it's going to happen to them so they aren't prepared. It is nice to get a warning!

SH

[Greenblurr93]

oops my mistake, and for most cars the safty IS the brake, and she was supposedly applying it at the time

[laura_n_sd]

Originally Posted by Greenblurr93

oops my mistake, and for most cars the safty IS the brake, and she was supposedly applying it at the time

Thanks all - I took my car into Honda today and they showed me the part that can catch when accelerating. I had the transmission flushed and there was no metal shavings in the fluid so I lucked out with a $100 fix. I was told (like you all have said) to turn the key back one notch and put it in neutral should it happen again - but yes, I did put it in Park while still moving and then was able to maneuver to the side of the freeway, put the emergency brake on and shut the car off. It did make the horrible dying sound. It was something I was not prepared for but now I am. Thx again.
-Laura