That would be my first inclination. Popping into neutral would cause the engine to over RPM, and potentially destroy the engine - turning the ignition off simply shuts the engine down ... something that is inherently obvious to me.
Now, did this person also stack a couple floormats on top of each other, such that the floormat entraps the pedal when it's pushed down?
Modern engines have governors that limit the RPM. The engine will make a big racket, but it won't go over the red-line.
However, given a choice between a crash at 90 mph and destroying the engine... I'll always take the latter.
Earlier, I was asking why he waited until the car slowed to 55 to turn off the ignition. The dispatcher makes it very clear: the driver was paniced.
You have to put it in neutral and slow down or better yet stop before you shut off the engine.
If you shut off the ignition, the steering wheel will lock when you turn it and it will be a LOT harder to stop without power to the brakes.
Your life is in danger at this point. Blowing the engine should be the least of your worries. If you still have your wits about you and it starts to rev too high, put it in the highest gear you’ve got. 5th or 6th in a manual or 3rd in an automatic.
All of these new computer controlled cars have rev limiters to prevent the over revving of the engine. He'd have been better off to keep power (for brakes, steering, etc.) and just slam it into neutral.
“.. turning the ignition off simply shuts the engine down ... something that is inherently obvious to me.”
Gotta be careful with that though. One notch too far and the steering wheel is locked.
If I was worried about my safety, I’d sacrifice the engine.
“Popping into neutral would cause the engine to over RPM, and potentially destroy the engine - turning the ignition off simply shuts the engine down ... something that is inherently obvious to me.”
If you’re supposedly in fear for you life because your car is out of control, why would you be concerned about hurting the engine? In any case, all modern cars have, at the very least, rev limiters which will prevent the engine from over-revving.
I can tell you from experience (at least in a 1976 Mustang) that turning the ignition switch off while the car is moving is not the best idea. The steering column will lock if you turn the wheel to steer. Scary as all get out at 60 MPH and made future actions taken on the words of "I wonder what will happen if....?" be thought out a LOT more.
Afraid that the car would flip if he shifted into neutral? I am more than skeptical of this. The media is taking this guy’s word as the Gospel and putting the burden of proof on Toyota.
I had a ‘79 Oldsmobile get stuck in cruise control and wouldn’t shut off when I hit the brake, so I slipped it into neutral and shut the engine off. While it was coasting, I turned on the flashers. Then I restarted and everything was fine. Why it happened, I never found out. Never happened again.
Sure, the wheel fought me a bit as expected at first, but I was in heavy traffic and fully understood that in the video game of life, you only get ONE MAN. I was determined to survive and not do any harm to anyone else either.
I think most people would have done the same. Have people gotten stupider over the years?
New cars have governors on them to avoid over revving. It is not an issue at all.
Why did the cop tell him to apply both the brakes and the emergency brake? Sounds like the cop must not know much about cars. Applying the brakes engages the front and rear brakes, applying the emergency brakes engages the rear brakes only, which is already engaged by applying the brakes.
“Popping into neutral would cause the engine to over RPM, and potentially destroy the engine”
There is a limiter that protects the engine. Turning off the engine turns off the power steering and power brakes.
If you really thought your life was on the line, you would care a less about the engine getting destroyed. In addition I would bet the car’s computer would prevent it from killing itself.
The only thing about turning the key off, is you have to be very careful how far you turn the key off. Too far and the steering locks... That would be bad...