Re: BMW brakes in the news

["Steve Makohin" <wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Tpcutter@xxxxxxx>


> In a message dated 7/5/05 8:47:19 PM Eastern  Standard Time,
> wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> <<Dows
> anyone remember  the media frenzy that took place about Audi's "Unintended
> Acceleration"  issue, which after numerous lawsuits and media 
> shark-feedings,
> was finally  attributed to "pedal misapplication"?>>
>
>
> That  was NOT the real cause of the "unintended accelleration" on the Audi
> 5000S. The  throttle linkage had an internally-spring-loaded, tubular,
> telescoping linkage,  for some obscure reason. if the throttle butterfly 
> stop screw was
> set too low,  the throttle plate could stick in the throttle body bore, 
> while
> the driver  continued to press the pedal down. When the spring force 
> finally
> overcame the  stuck throttle plate, the plate would snap open to whatever
> position the  driver's foot had achieved. The fix was to drill a hole in 
> the
> tubular  telescoping linkage and insert a cotter pin, so that the 
> spring-loaded
> feature  was defeated.
>
> The BMW 3.0 CS had the same linkage  design. One of the service staff at
> Butler & Smith drove one onto, then over  and off the floor lift, and into 
> a wall,
> when this happened. Luckily for him, we  were able to replicate the 
> condition
> and prove that he hadn't just "f**ked up",  so he kept his job after
> destroying the boss's car.

I think we're talking about different things. I *believe* the symptoms you 
are talking about go something like this:
 o Driver applies throttle
 o Vehicle seems to not respond
 o Driver applies more and more throttle, and still no response
 o Vehicle suddenly responds to driver's actual throttle position (i.e., 
throttle
    is "whacked open") causing vehicle to lunge forward unexpectedly, 
possibly
    with considerable (i.e., 1/2 or 3/4 throttle) acceleration.
 o Driver releases throttle, engine responds by throttling down as expected.

The scenario I was referring to was the "I was standing on the 'brake' as 
hard as I could but the car just kept going like crazy" event.

- -Steve Makohin
 '01 R1100S/ABS
 Oakville, Ontario, Canada 

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