Gas Pedal issue
New Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3
From: kulim,kedah,Malaysia
Gas Pedal/Transmission Serious Issue
Someone is going to get really hurt or worse with this problem. They are not acknowledging this problem.
The following is part of a letter I sent to VW and my dealership with no response.
I am very concerned with this problem. I want to go on record with this problem both with (the Dealership) and with Volkswagen. I was told the last time they checked this out, that the way it responds is to specifications if that is the case VW has a real problem. I believe there is an engineering/design flaw with either the gas pedal response to the drivers foot or a timing problem with the transmission being in the middle of either up or down shifting and it gets lost. I was almost in an accident on two occasions, when I accelerated and then had to let off the gas quickly to avoid hitting another car. When I did that and then had to accelerate again to get back into traffic I was in danger because the car did not respond to me hitting the gas. The car hesitated as if the car stalled out I had no power, then all of a sudden it seemed to recalibrate it self or whatever and the car took off. Someone is going to get hurt or worse then that maybe seriously injured. I have heard of this problem with other VW owners. I have owned over the years many Audi's all models and still own (4) other VW products, all Audi’s both new and old and never experienced this kind of problem. VW has a serious problem with this.
I love the vehicle, but I feel I have to get rid of it and buy another vehicle that does not put my life in danger. And hand this over to an attorney. I hope no one gets hurt before they acknowledge they have this problem.
__________________________________________________ ______________
Sexual Predators In My Area
hydroxycut
Someone is going to get really hurt or worse with this problem. They are not acknowledging this problem.
The following is part of a letter I sent to VW and my dealership with no response.
I am very concerned with this problem. I want to go on record with this problem both with (the Dealership) and with Volkswagen. I was told the last time they checked this out, that the way it responds is to specifications if that is the case VW has a real problem. I believe there is an engineering/design flaw with either the gas pedal response to the drivers foot or a timing problem with the transmission being in the middle of either up or down shifting and it gets lost. I was almost in an accident on two occasions, when I accelerated and then had to let off the gas quickly to avoid hitting another car. When I did that and then had to accelerate again to get back into traffic I was in danger because the car did not respond to me hitting the gas. The car hesitated as if the car stalled out I had no power, then all of a sudden it seemed to recalibrate it self or whatever and the car took off. Someone is going to get hurt or worse then that maybe seriously injured. I have heard of this problem with other VW owners. I have owned over the years many Audi's all models and still own (4) other VW products, all Audi’s both new and old and never experienced this kind of problem. VW has a serious problem with this.
I love the vehicle, but I feel I have to get rid of it and buy another vehicle that does not put my life in danger. And hand this over to an attorney. I hope no one gets hurt before they acknowledge they have this problem.
__________________________________________________ ______________
Sexual Predators In My Area
hydroxycut
Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,271
From: CA
To the above post: This seems like an issue fundamentally inherent to the drive-by-wire approach. Also a potential safety issue with any automatic transmission for the same unpredictability reason, in my view.
However, without a more detailed description of the incident you encountered I find it hard to imagine the car was putting you in danger instead of the other way around. So VW's also have DBW?
However, without a more detailed description of the incident you encountered I find it hard to imagine the car was putting you in danger instead of the other way around. So VW's also have DBW?
Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 578
From: Wilton, CT
Pretty sure it's a bot. Posted 3 or 4 irrelevant posts on different threads, all within just a few minutes of each other last night.
I reported it . . . but are there any active mods on this board? There are SO many threads that don't belong in the sub-forum they're posted in, I wish things would be cleaned up some. And the dozens and dozens of stickies annoy me as well . . . If there's good information, it needs to be sifted out of it's original 20 page thread, cleaned up, and put into a FAQ or DIY section of the site.
oh well. Back to our regularly scheduled conversation . . . I'm discovering custom springs aren't cheap. Or at least, the minimum required to be manufactured makes them expensive.
I reported it . . . but are there any active mods on this board? There are SO many threads that don't belong in the sub-forum they're posted in, I wish things would be cleaned up some. And the dozens and dozens of stickies annoy me as well . . . If there's good information, it needs to be sifted out of it's original 20 page thread, cleaned up, and put into a FAQ or DIY section of the site.
oh well. Back to our regularly scheduled conversation . . . I'm discovering custom springs aren't cheap. Or at least, the minimum required to be manufactured makes them expensive.
Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 548
From: USA
Spring was listed as a 4" L x 3/8" D x 0.072" wire. It connects to the main dash frame above and behind the OBDII port where there's nickel-sized holes punched in it.
Spring tension is a little higher than I wanted but with some spacing (hook and washer) it's usable. Initial stretch is about 3/4". Motion is smooth and it doesn't bind. I would estimate about 1.5x normal force from resting position and about 2x normal force fully depressed. I may replace the spring with something with a lesser rate but I'll see if I can adapt to this. Not like it's a big loss, the spring cost $2.69 at the hardware store and they had about a dozen this size range.
At first I just had the one hook, the pedal pressure was so great I stalled the car immediately, it took at least 30# to push it down. That was way too much!
Next task, take the hook on the pedal and coat in shrink tubing to protect the pedal's paint.
May I present the gas pedal for MEN. lol
(I suppose I should put in the disclaimer that this is a gas pedal, a device which proper operation thereof is necessary for safe operation of the vehicle, and any modification you do to its assembly is your own decision and at your own risk.)
Spring tension is a little higher than I wanted but with some spacing (hook and washer) it's usable. Initial stretch is about 3/4". Motion is smooth and it doesn't bind. I would estimate about 1.5x normal force from resting position and about 2x normal force fully depressed. I may replace the spring with something with a lesser rate but I'll see if I can adapt to this. Not like it's a big loss, the spring cost $2.69 at the hardware store and they had about a dozen this size range.
At first I just had the one hook, the pedal pressure was so great I stalled the car immediately, it took at least 30# to push it down. That was way too much!
Next task, take the hook on the pedal and coat in shrink tubing to protect the pedal's paint.
May I present the gas pedal for MEN. lol
(I suppose I should put in the disclaimer that this is a gas pedal, a device which proper operation thereof is necessary for safe operation of the vehicle, and any modification you do to its assembly is your own decision and at your own risk.)
Last edited by polaski; May 22, 2009 at 12:54 AM.
neat idea polaski (& daemione!)
My driving position is all sorts of F'd up. I'm barely 5'6" with long legs / short upper body. I drive with my seat almost all the way back. My arms are totally stretched out but I can still make it to 5th. If I were an inch or two closer I would have better control over the clutch but I feel too cramped. I prefer to sit even further back in automatics.
The pedals are definitely more upright / softer than other cars I've driven. I drive ~100 miles a day, and keep CC off for fuel efficiency. I have a super light foot and it's work to hold it up off the pedal! I often roll it sideways as well, to ~45 degrees (halfway between straight up in the air and laying sideways towards the center console), the inside ball of my sneakers are black from resting against the brake. My heel is almost underneath the brake even though the ball of my foot is on the gas, so the side of my foot rubs on the corner of the brake.
This is a legitimate thread, and I never knew it affected so many other people. Thought it was just my awkward body and I've learned to deal with it.
As for that weird bot / DBW post, I know what he's talking about. When returning to 5th after coasting in neutral I have to blip the throttle twice to get back up to rpms at 55mph.
My driving position is all sorts of F'd up. I'm barely 5'6" with long legs / short upper body. I drive with my seat almost all the way back. My arms are totally stretched out but I can still make it to 5th. If I were an inch or two closer I would have better control over the clutch but I feel too cramped. I prefer to sit even further back in automatics.
The pedals are definitely more upright / softer than other cars I've driven. I drive ~100 miles a day, and keep CC off for fuel efficiency. I have a super light foot and it's work to hold it up off the pedal! I often roll it sideways as well, to ~45 degrees (halfway between straight up in the air and laying sideways towards the center console), the inside ball of my sneakers are black from resting against the brake. My heel is almost underneath the brake even though the ball of my foot is on the gas, so the side of my foot rubs on the corner of the brake.
This is a legitimate thread, and I never knew it affected so many other people. Thought it was just my awkward body and I've learned to deal with it.
As for that weird bot / DBW post, I know what he's talking about. When returning to 5th after coasting in neutral I have to blip the throttle twice to get back up to rpms at 55mph.
Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 548
From: USA
Update-
Changed out that honker of a spring for a 5" L x 3/8" D x 0.047" wire spring. Much more linear in travel. The initial feel is still a touch heavy, but it really can't be any lighter because of how little the pedal is held down to cruise. This setup, hook-to-hook, totally balances out the weight of my right foot when cruising, and it's still fairly easy to modulate. As a plus that narrow spring doesn't rub on the OBD2 harness like the other one was trying to. Also I put some shrink tubing on the pedal hook in an attempt to preserve the paint on the pedal, and it seems to be working. Instead of sliding down the backside slightly as it gets leveraged off that plastic bracket the pedal post goes into, it has traction and the whole hook angles along with the pedal without moving.
pics
Changed out that honker of a spring for a 5" L x 3/8" D x 0.047" wire spring. Much more linear in travel. The initial feel is still a touch heavy, but it really can't be any lighter because of how little the pedal is held down to cruise. This setup, hook-to-hook, totally balances out the weight of my right foot when cruising, and it's still fairly easy to modulate. As a plus that narrow spring doesn't rub on the OBD2 harness like the other one was trying to. Also I put some shrink tubing on the pedal hook in an attempt to preserve the paint on the pedal, and it seems to be working. Instead of sliding down the backside slightly as it gets leveraged off that plastic bracket the pedal post goes into, it has traction and the whole hook angles along with the pedal without moving.
pics
Last edited by polaski; May 22, 2009 at 10:53 PM.
Thread Starter
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New Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 12
From: Albany, ny
Awesome idea. I was wondering if you noticed any weirdness with the cruise control. If not, I'm going to try this. It certainly seems easier than ordering funky wrenches and cracking open the box. Any particular hardware store? I'm glad I stopped by here with my stupid question! 
Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 578
From: Wilton, CT
No impact on cruise control - it's drive-by-wire, so with no mechanical linkage between the pedal and throttle body it doesn't need to move the pedal to hold speed. Cruise just utilizes the actuator for the butterfly.
polaski - have you noticed any noise from the external spring? It's probably fine, but I can't help but envision the sound of a screen door opening every time you flex the throttle . . . :laugh: Regardless, a great inexpensive and simple solution.
Out of pure stubbornness (and the fact that I bought these stupid 5-point hex bits and feel like I should use them more than once), I'm going to keep working on an internal spring upgrade. I'll keep everyone updated.
Oh, and one other thing I noticed while playing around with the pedal assembly: When fully depressed, the gas pedal in my car makes contact with the carpet behind it. In fact, it's possible that I'm not able to get it fully to WOT . . . has anyone else noticed this? I remember reading a few posts in regards to throttle controllers, where their proponents were claiming that the stock DBW system never brought the car to full WOT, and I wonder if this simple problem could be the reason why . . . I've got a Kiwi MPG arriving in about a week, so I'll be able to get a real reading for throttle position through that. If it turns out that I'm not at 100% with the stock pedal, I'm going to experiment with a couple washers under the bottom post for the pedal mount. If the carpet is, indeed, interefering with full WOT, another half inch of clearance would probably do the trick.
polaski - have you noticed any noise from the external spring? It's probably fine, but I can't help but envision the sound of a screen door opening every time you flex the throttle . . . :laugh: Regardless, a great inexpensive and simple solution.
Out of pure stubbornness (and the fact that I bought these stupid 5-point hex bits and feel like I should use them more than once), I'm going to keep working on an internal spring upgrade. I'll keep everyone updated.
Oh, and one other thing I noticed while playing around with the pedal assembly: When fully depressed, the gas pedal in my car makes contact with the carpet behind it. In fact, it's possible that I'm not able to get it fully to WOT . . . has anyone else noticed this? I remember reading a few posts in regards to throttle controllers, where their proponents were claiming that the stock DBW system never brought the car to full WOT, and I wonder if this simple problem could be the reason why . . . I've got a Kiwi MPG arriving in about a week, so I'll be able to get a real reading for throttle position through that. If it turns out that I'm not at 100% with the stock pedal, I'm going to experiment with a couple washers under the bottom post for the pedal mount. If the carpet is, indeed, interefering with full WOT, another half inch of clearance would probably do the trick.
Last edited by Daemione; May 26, 2009 at 07:43 PM.
That pedal carpet thing is very interesting, I think that you might be on to something,as I have wondered the same thing. Let us Know if the outcome of your research in regards to this prove to be of benefit.
Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 548
From: USA
No noise at all. It did a little bit until I did the shrink wrap trick, now there's no sliding motion at all. If you weren't crawling under the dash looking for it you wouldn't even know it was there. It's even high enough on the pedal post that you pretty much have to have your heel on the pedal to reach it with your toes, so there's no kicking it by accident. Best of all the original spring return is retained so I don't feel unsafe at all driving it. My only concern is corrosion with the zinc-plated steel parts, but at $7 a set I can afford to replace it every couple years, but then again the entire dash frame is just P&O, no plating.
I added a thread to the DIY forum explaining everything I did here.
As for this possible WOT condition... hmm interesting. Might have to check that. I need a scangauge darn it, those show TPS.
I added a thread to the DIY forum explaining everything I did here.
As for this possible WOT condition... hmm interesting. Might have to check that. I need a scangauge darn it, those show TPS.
Last edited by polaski; May 26, 2009 at 07:45 PM.
New Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3
From: California
Hi everyone. Found this thread by doing a search for "Honda Fit adjusting gas pedal tension."
I've had my Fit for over a week, and love everything about it except that the gas pedal has the lightest tension of any car I've ever driven (I'm 52 years old, so that says a lot). Like other posters, my right leg cramps up very quickly because I have to constantly hold my right foot very lightly on the gas pedal. I'm 6'2", so if I slide the seat all the way back, then my hands are too far from the steering wheel.
Thanks for the photos describing how to install the "helper" spring to increase the tension--I'm gonna seriously consider it!
I've had my Fit for over a week, and love everything about it except that the gas pedal has the lightest tension of any car I've ever driven (I'm 52 years old, so that says a lot). Like other posters, my right leg cramps up very quickly because I have to constantly hold my right foot very lightly on the gas pedal. I'm 6'2", so if I slide the seat all the way back, then my hands are too far from the steering wheel.
Thanks for the photos describing how to install the "helper" spring to increase the tension--I'm gonna seriously consider it!
Hi everyone. Found this thread by doing a search for "Honda Fit adjusting gas pedal tension."
I've had my Fit for over a week, and love everything about it except that the gas pedal has the lightest tension of any car I've ever driven (I'm 52 years old, so that says a lot). Like other posters, my right leg cramps up very quickly because I have to constantly hold my right foot very lightly on the gas pedal. I'm 6'2", so if I slide the seat all the way back, then my hands are too far from the steering wheel.
Thanks for the photos describing how to install the "helper" spring to increase the tension--I'm gonna seriously consider it!
I've had my Fit for over a week, and love everything about it except that the gas pedal has the lightest tension of any car I've ever driven (I'm 52 years old, so that says a lot). Like other posters, my right leg cramps up very quickly because I have to constantly hold my right foot very lightly on the gas pedal. I'm 6'2", so if I slide the seat all the way back, then my hands are too far from the steering wheel.
Thanks for the photos describing how to install the "helper" spring to increase the tension--I'm gonna seriously consider it!