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Car Trouble - Gas Pedal still broked

PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
edited April 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
Ok, I hate to make a H/A thread for this, but I've tried google and can only find the opposite of my problem. Can anyone with car knowledge lend a hand?

I've got a 2001 VW Jetta, 4 cylinder, automatic transmission, 130k miles. The gas pedal does what I would call "sticking," but I don't mean that it takes extra force to push down. When I'm driving relatively slow, if I let my foot off the gas pedal, every once in a while it will depress on its own. If I just keep my foot on the pedal so I can feel it, but apply no pressure, every minute or so it will depress slightly, like maybe 10%, for a second or two. I tried to count between each time it does this, but it doesn't seem to be regular. It happens typically every 30-60 seconds. I thought maybe it was a busted cruise control or something, because mine is busted, but it happens independently to speed. I could be going 10mph and it will happen, or 60. It's dependent on how far I have the pedal depressed. Once I've got it down about a quarter of the way, it's fine.

Any idea what it is? I can try to find out more information if you think it would be relevant. I've got no idea if they're related, but the timing belt isn't the original, I had it replaced probably a year ago. It's got new power steering fluid and oil and everything, newish tires. The AC is busted, but it could have been all winter for all I know. Not sure what else might help.

edit: My main concern is that it not be a deathtrap. I've got enough saved up that it wouldn't be a problem to replace something so long as it isn't worth more than the car itself, probably $1500 on a good day. If that's the case I'll probably get a new car.

PolloDiablo on

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    DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Is it actually causing the car to accelerate or just the pedal depressing?

    Dhalphir on
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    travathiantravathian Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Is it a mechanical or electronic gas pedal on those?

    travathian on
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    PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Dhalphir wrote: »
    Is it actually causing the car to accelerate or just the pedal depressing?

    Yes, it actually accelerates.

    travathian wrote: »
    Is it a mechanical or electronic gas pedal on those?

    I don't have any idea. Where would I look that up?

    PolloDiablo on
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    proXimityproXimity Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    I'm pretty sure a 2001 Jetta would still be a mechanical linkage. In that case, I'd wager that it is indeed the cruise control that's at fault here, as that's pretty much the only other thing that can move the gas peddle. The fact that you say yours is busted leads me to believe that more is wrong with it than just not working.

    Under your hood, or wherever the car's main fuse box is, there should be a fuse that the cruise control runs off of. Try pulling it out and see if that gets rid of the problem (some other features of the car may not work, but it should give you an indicator if it is the cruise control).

    proXimity on
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    Mmmm... Cocks...Mmmm... Cocks... Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Does certainly sound like the cruise considering it's broken.
    My neighbor has a Z28 and the cruise did that to him in an intersection once. Since it was a 5 speed/ no traction control shit got a little wild. After that he simply disabled it like suggested above.

    Cheap easy fix. Well, if you consider losing the CC a fix, but it certainly sounds like you don't want to dump money in the car.

    Mmmm... Cocks... on
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    PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    I'll give that a try in the morning. I don't mind losing cruise control, since it's already lost.

    PolloDiablo on
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    wmelonwmelon Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    proXimity wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure a 2001 Jetta would still be a mechanical linkage. In that case, I'd wager that it is indeed the cruise control that's at fault here, as that's pretty much the only other thing that can move the gas peddle. The fact that you say yours is busted leads me to believe that more is wrong with it than just not working.

    Under your hood, or wherever the car's main fuse box is, there should be a fuse that the cruise control runs off of. Try pulling it out and see if that gets rid of the problem (some other features of the car may not work, but it should give you an indicator if it is the cruise control).

    Unfortunately the Jetta and Golf models switched to drive by wire in late 99. It could still be the cruise control module causing the problem, but there may also be other issues.

    wmelon on
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    PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    I'm about to go check it out, but looking at the fuse diagram, it seems the cruise control and the A/C are both on the same fuse. I'm going to feel very silly for making a thread if it turns out to just be a blown fuse.

    PolloDiablo on
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    PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Ok, that was definitely it. I'm off to the store to replace the fuse. Thanks, everyone, I appreciate the help.

    PolloDiablo on
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    PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    I hate to bring this back, but that didn't seem to do it. The problem stops with the fuse out, but even with a new fuse in it comes back. I guess I'll take it in to get looked at, since at this point it seems like an electrical problem beyond my ability to fix, unless anyone has an alternate theory.

    PolloDiablo on
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    Mmmm... Cocks...Mmmm... Cocks... Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    PolloDiablo wrote: »
    I hate to bring this back, but that didn't seem to do it. The problem stops with the fuse out, but even with a new fuse in it comes back. I guess I'll take it in to get looked at, since at this point it seems like an electrical problem beyond my ability to fix, unless anyone has an alternate theory.
    The idea was to disable it and leave it that way sadly.

    Mmmm... Cocks... on
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    DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    take it to a local mechanic and ask them if they'll tell you whats wrong for a carton of beer. Saves you getting them to actually look at it and then fix it. If its goin to cost $300 to fix you probably don't want it fixed maybe, you'll just leave the fuse out? I don't know, but i have a local mechanic near me who will diagnose most minor problems for me for a carton of beer. If he needs to fix anything its a standard pay-the-man-his-fortune thing, but its good for when I have something minor that I just want to know whats causing it.

    Dhalphir on
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    eternalbleternalbl Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    In case you haven't, leave the fuse out. It'd be extremely shitty for it to go completely bonkers and run you into a wall or something.

    eternalbl on
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    PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Yeah, I just took it out for good. It plowing me into a building was my main concern.

    PolloDiablo on
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    DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    You mentioned AC and Cruise are on the same fuse, does that mean taking the fuse out means your AC is broken too?

    Dhalphir on
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    eternalbleternalbl Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    If every minute or so the cruise activates, and the fuse is shared with AC, I'd bet that minute or so is how often the AC compressor kicks on because the vehicle is in defrost.

    eternalbl on
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    PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Yeah, with the fuse out presumably the AC wouldn't work. It doesn't work with it in, either, so I'm guessing the problem is more than the fuse. I bought a can of refrigerant and tried to use that yesterday to see if it was just low, but I couldn't get the compressor to kick on at all.

    PolloDiablo on
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    The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited April 2010
    You should be able to get a diagnosis and fix quote for a nominal fee from a competent autoelectrician (or mechanic, since the problem appears to be larger than a fuse). Your main concern really ought to be about thwacking some poor sucker in a carpark rather than hitting an inanimate object; seriously get that shit looked at by someone who knows. This isn't quite the car equivalent of "I've been stabbed H/A, what should I do", but its kind of getting up there...

    The Cat on
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    proXimityproXimity Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    The point of pulling the fuse was to see if the problem was indeed the cruise control subsystem- which it definitely appears to be. You're going to need to find somebody who can repair/replace/deactivate just that system.

    proXimity on
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