Runaway Rover

dormobiledisco

dormobiledisco

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2004
468
1
34
New Jersey
www.GregFitzgerald.net
So this morning, I'm heading down to the Best Buy to pick up the brand-new Traveling Wilburys CD collection. I go to the bank to get some money, and then head down to the mall (yich).

As I'm pulling into the carpark, I notice that my brakes aren't doing anything. And the Rangie keeps accelerating itself. Like, a lot. I'm barelling around the Best Buy while slamming the brakes as hard as I can, trying to get the truck to stop. Frantically, I called my dad to get help.

Finally, I find a long stretch of empty spots in the loading zone, and slam the brakes. The truck stopped (but fighting the pressure), I shut it off and pop the bonnet.

I'm not sure what exactly went on. I played around with the throttle area, turned the truck back on, revved it a few times, and watched it return to idle. Seeing as I had a mission, I went in to get my CDs, came out, did the revving again, and, issue seemingly solved, went home.

BUT...I'm a bit worried about this. I was able to solve it this time, but I was definitely being looked down upon favourably - I hit all green lights when I had my issue, and nobody was walking in my path in my ring-around-the-rosie adventure. This could happen again, and I could be in a stickier situ.

So...for those who know...is this a one time occurrence, or am I waiting for it if I don't fix it NOW? Throttle cable? Throttle linkage?

One facet that might help - last weekend, I replaced the vacuum lines (which were quite cracked) that lead to the Cruise Control rubber diaphragm thing. That didn't fix my cruise control, but could I have some other issue? Both the c/c diaphragm and the throttle cable seem to link to the same controller, so maybe the c/c is activating itself in some way?

All I can say, is that it was definitely a situation where I was "beat up and battered around.";)
 
landrovered

landrovered

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2006
4,289
0
Don't assume this is one one time thing. Treat this seriously!

First check your motor mounts. A busted motor mount will cause the throttle cable to stretch which can cause the symptoms you described. They are cheap and are good insurance.

Second, disconnect your linkage from them cruise control. If it is not attached it can't rev the engine.

Third, check your stepper motor on the EFI. It is responsible setting the idle higher when you run your AC, if it was way out of whack it could cause the motor to rev as described.

Fourth, check you throttle linkage and the spring that pulls it to return. If the spring is not attached then your idle could be slow to return to normal.

I would advise you not to drive the vehicle until this is sorted. Think about sitting on the witness stand...'Is it true that you knew something was wrong with your vehicle before driving it again and striking and killing my client?'

To drive it now would be provable negligence. Don't take the chance you will find the problem soon I am sure.
 
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Velocewest

Velocewest

Well-known member
May 13, 2007
377
0
PDX Orygun
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, turn the car OFF. It won't continue accelerating without the engine running... :victory:

Also, remember your parking brake.
 
R

RBBailey

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2004
6,758
3
Oregon
www.flickr.com
azarmadillo said:
Anyone other than a Land Rover owner would have had it towed the the mechanic.
Click to expand...

I've been known to push my Rovers home before calling the tow. My first trip home with my first Rover, a '69 IIa, and random people stopped to help because they thought it was such a cool truck... one guy even says, "Hey, ain't this one of those funny trucks from The Gods Must Be Crazy?" I was so happy. Then I kept pushing.

Put it in "N" next time -- at least!
 
dormobiledisco

dormobiledisco

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2004
468
1
34
New Jersey
www.GregFitzgerald.net
Neutral/parking brake/off would have been the logical thing. Of course, I'm not the most logical thinker in these types of situations, so instead I drive in circles until I make that mental connection.:rolleyes:

I checked things under the bonnet...mounts, springs, etc. all look okay. There's normal play in the throttle linkages now, though I also gave it a WD-40 bath.

I replaced the vacuum lines last weekend, and drove it problem-free all week.

I'm seriously thinking it's that damned C/C wire loop. Maybe it just kind of wedged in the end of the loop - the little nub that's attached to the throttle seems to have "grown" over 14 years. As I think I mentioned, I'd floored it to make a light (notoriously short yellows), so perhaps that to-the-extreme movement of the throttle, thus jamming it into the inner part of the loop, made it get stuck. I definitely am going to disconnect it, seeing as I can't get the damned C/C to work anyway...

So are bets probably on that being the issue? Beyond disconnecting it, any other things I have to look at (other than those I already have that are mentioned)?
 
LRflip

LRflip

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2006
5,741
25
none of your fucking business
My girlfriends dad told me a story about this happening to him in his D1. He ended up having to run a red light. He stomped the breaks and put it in neutral, pulled over and turned the truck off. Got the rig in park and popped the hood. Waited for a minute, turned the key and it revved back up to about 4K or so full throttle. Throttle was stuck wide open. Went under the hood, fiddled with the cable a bit....

Shut the hood and went on about his way. He traded it in for his 01 D2. He sold it, and I guess never really knew what the problem was.

Anyways, good luck and post about the fix and what the solution is...I would be really interested to know so I can fill him in.
 
skydiver

skydiver

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
801
0
50
Central VA
Velocewest said:
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, turn the car OFF. It won't continue accelerating without the engine running... :victory:

Also, remember your parking brake.
Click to expand...

And make sure you turn the key just enough to just kill the ignition, and not lock the steering wheel too... :)
 
agbuckle98

agbuckle98

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2006
1,831
1
check to make sure your actual gas pedal isn't binding on a floor mat or something, you mentioned this happened right after you floored it. This happened to me while driving my Defender once, I hade just gotten new floor mats and didn't trim them quite enough and the gas pedal got hooked under the edge. It's amazing how fast and powerful these things are when you DON'T want them to go!
 
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