Very Narrow Miss!!

ruaneg

wow..ive just got in to work but tbh im really lucky...

I was doing around 40-50 coming up to a corner and started to gear down as normal..Maybe felt I was going a little quick (new tarmac on road - easy to not notice the speed) and suddenly the engine cut out and the steering locked!! If there was any traffic in front of me it would of being a seriously bad crash...

My first thought was a flat tire due to being unable to steer the car( ive only being driving 5 months) but while i was rolling over to the side of the road I noticed the engine was off. The wheel somehow unlocked again and thankfullt I came out unscathed...

Obviouly I need to bring it in to a garage,,but any ideas on what hapenned??

Stephen

Sounds like your power steering died when the engine stopped, doubt the steering actually locked, it'd just be a lot heavier.

Wishbone Ash

ruaneg wrote:

suddenly the engine cut out and the steering locked!!

If the key was not removed from the ignition, the steering shouldn't lock. Are you confusing the very heavy steering with steering lock?

ARGINITE

Sounds like a peugeot 206

ruaneg

yeah tbh it all happened very quickly - - it was only locked for a couple of seconds and then I was able to glide over to the side of the road..

why would the engine cut off like that...and it started up fine straight away everything seemed to be fine when driving the rest of the way into work..

ruaneg

its actually a 95 Honda Civic

milltown

Sounds more like a dodgy ignition switch/barrel to me. At 40 - 50 mph the amount of power assistance should be minimal enough to make it easy to tell the difference between "heavier" and "locked".

Is the car old or well used? Does it feel like there's a lot of free play when the key is in the ignition?

Wishbone Ash

ruaneg wrote:

im really lucky... ...felt I was going a little quick.... ....easy to not notice the speed... ....engine cut out and the steering locked... ... a seriously bad crash... .... first thought was a flat tire... ... ive only being driving 5 months... ... I noticed the engine was off.... ...wheel somehow unlocked again.... ...Obviouly I need to bring it in to a garage

Methinks it's a lack of driving experience??

ruaneg

milltown wrote:

Sounds more like a dodgy ignition switch/barrel to me. At 40 - 50 mph the amount of power assistance should be minimal enough to make it easy to tell the difference between "heavier" and "locked".

Is the car old or well used? Does it feel like there's a lot of free play when the key is in the ignition?

i thought the car was in decent nick...it hasnt had much work done too it from the service history ( one lady owner:) )...Ill check the key in the ignition, never noticed anything different before.

ruaneg

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Methinks it's a lack of driving experience??

Dont know, i consider myself a good driver although obviously not too experienced. But what could I of done wrongly to make the engine shut out.

Wishbone Ash

ruaneg wrote:

what could I of done wrongly to make the engine shut out.

Selecting a gear which is too high for the speed (eg 5th instead of 3rd). It could also be caused by dirty fuel.

ruaneg wrote:

i consider myself a good driver

Many of the young drivers killed on our roads each year considered themselves to be good drivers. At least that incident should be a valuable experience if you learn from it. I've been driving all categories of vehicles for 20 years and I don't consider myself to be a good driver. I'd say I'm average.

Big Nelly

ruaneg wrote:

Dont know, i consider myself a good driver although obviously not too experienced. But what could I of done wrongly to make the engine shut out.

The million doller question, could have been in wrong gear etc. Loads of reasons, what happened was when the car died you lost power steering. You should have restarted the car and steering would have returned. The steering didnt lock it just became very very heavy because the engine was dead. Also you dont need to remove the key for the power steering to die. I have tested this once when I was going down hill and turned off car with keys still in. Steering went dead till I restarted

There is no way you should even consider yourself a good driver when you don't even realise the engine is dead. Also you probably done something to cause the engine to die. Not knowing what you done makes it worse. Also if you are driving on a road and the car dies then why not hit the brakes???? saying if there was cars around there could have been a crash makes no sense. Hit the brakes and put on emergency light. Simple. To think there is loads of people like you on the road. No wonder there is so many deaths!!!:mad:

Edit, are you supposed to have a full license driver with you? are you on a prov license?

ruaneg

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Selecting a gear which is too high for the speed (eg 5th instead of 3rd). It could also be caused by dirty fuel.


Many of the young drivers killed on our roads each year considered themselves to be good drivers. At least that incident should be a valuable experience if you learn from it. I've been driving all categories of vehicles for 20 years and I don't consider myself to be a good driver. I'd say I'm average.

Well i was in 4th gear going to third like i normally do on that part of the road..I really dont think it was a mistake on my part.

it prob was a good thing too happen.... i agree on that..but im not a boyracer or anything (im 26) so Id like to thing im a reasonably careful driver..

fletch

Big Nelly wrote:

Also if you are driving on a road and the car dies then why not hit the brakes???? saying if there was cars around there could have been a crash makes no sense. Hit the brakes and put on emergency light. Simple.

Are you serious? Ever turn off your car and try braking, you need a lot more effort to bring the car to a stop. So even if he did hit the brakes, if there had of been more cars around a crash could have been very likely.

Wishbone Ash

Big Nelly wrote:

you dont need to remove the key for the power steering to die.

I stated that the steering would not LOCK if the key was not removed.

ruaneg

Big Nelly wrote:

The million doller question, could have been in wrong gear etc. Loads of reasons, what happened was when the car died you lost power steering. You should have restarted the car and steering would have returned. The steering didnt lock it just became very very heavy because the engine was dead. Also you dont need to remove the key for the power steering to die. I have tested this once when I was going down hill and turned off car with keys still in. Steering went dead till I restarted

There is no way you should even consider yourself a good driver when you don't even realise the engine is dead. Also you probably done something to cause the engine to die. Not knowing what you done makes it worse. Also if you are driving on a road and the car dies then why not hit the brakes???? saying if there was cars around there could have been a crash makes no sense. Hit the brakes and put on emergency light. Simple. To think there is loads of people like you on the road. No wonder there is so many deaths!!!:mad:

Edit, are you supposed to have a full license driver with you? are you on a prov license?

First I dont appreciate the tone, I often notice on boards.ie how easily some people jump at the chance to patronize and attack people.

This was a split second occurence ,,i was obvioulsy able to get the steering under control and put the handbrake on to steer the car to the side of the road. I think I did OK considering. As for me me claiming im a good driver and ive only 6 months experience,, well i mean a good driver for somebody who has 6 months experience.

Big Nelly

fletch wrote:

Are you serious? Ever turn off your car and try braking, you need a lot more effort to bring the car to a stop. So even if he did hit the brakes, if there had of been more cars around a crash could have been very likely.

Hence why I said hit the emergency lights. This would warn the drivers and there should be no problem using the brakes when the car dies. Alot more efford? all you need to do is push the peddle. Its takes alot more efford to steer than brake when the engine has died

I stated that the steering would not LOCK if the key was not removed.

I wasnt quoting you now was I so why do you think I was refering to your comments???

peasant

While you had the clutch depressed, for some reason your revs went right down and the engine died ...resulting in loss of all power assistance to brakes and steering.

My suspicion is though, that you did not feel the effects of "heavy" steering (and it certainly wasn't locked) but something more frightening happened.

While you pressed the clutch and the engine died, you had the wheels turned into the corner. Then you let the clutch snap out again, locking the wheels against the the dead engine. Had the wheels been pointing straight, your engine probably would have been restarted, but with the wheels at a turn and the slippery new road surface they could not get enough grip and locked up, skimming over the road surface.

so your steering wasn't locked ...you were simply skidding out of control:eek:

fletch

Big Nelly wrote:

Hence why I said hit the emergency lights. This would warn the drivers and there should be no problem using the brakes when the car dies. Alot more efford? all you need to do is push the peddle. Its takes alot more efford to steer than brake when the engine has died

I am not disputing the fact that it is more difficult to steer when the car is powered off but similarly it is also more difficult to brake and in that vein, ruaneg was correct in his assertion that things could have been a lot worse had there been more traffic about.

kensutz

ARGINITE wrote:

Sounds like a peugeot 206

Exactly what happened to my 206

fletch

Did you actually make the change from 4th to 3rd quickly or did you coast down the road for a bit?
On occasion, my old car used to stall if I coasted to a stop.

Big Nelly

fletch wrote:

I am not disputing the fact that it is more difficult to steer when the car is powered off but similarly it is also more difficult to brake and in that vein, ruaneg was correct in his assertion that things could have been a lot worse had there been more traffic about.

Thats why you have emergency lights! they are not just on the car for Xmas!!

ruaneg

Big Nelly wrote:

Hence why I said hit the emergency lights. This would warn the drivers and there should be no problem using the brakes when the car dies. Alot more efford? all you need to do is push the peddle. Its takes alot more efford to steer than brake when the engine has died


I wasnt quoting you now was I so why do you think I was refering to your comments???

tbh hitting the emergency lights in the 2-3 secs when the car went out of control was the last thing on my mind i was more concerned with not crashing...

ruaneg

fletch wrote:

Did you actually make the change from 4th to 3rd quickly or did you coast down the road for a bit?
On occasion, my old car used to stall if I coasted to a stop.

I changed the gear to 3rd fairly quickly if i remember correctly although it happened very quickly so i cant be too sure.

Big Nelly

ruaneg wrote:

I changed the gear to 3rd fairly quickly if i remember correctly although it happened very quickly so i cant be too sure.

This is about the 3rd or 4th post where you mentioned you cant be sure what happened. Again I will ask are you on a prov license and are you supposed to have a full license driver with you?

Lucifer

fletch wrote:

I am not disputing the fact that it is more difficult to steer when the car is powered off but similarly it is also more difficult to brake and in that vein, ruaneg was correct in his assertion that things could have been a lot worse had there been more traffic about.

yes this is correct. the brakes would require alot more effort than normal as they use a servo which uses a vacuum from the inlet manifold to assist in braking.

ruaneg

Big Nelly wrote:

This is about the 3rd or 4th post where you mentioned you cant be sure what happened. Again I will ask are you on a prov license and are you supposed to have a full license driver with you?

I dont know what your problem is but i dont appreciate the attitude. I say i cant be sure because it happened very fast. Im sure anyone whos being in a situation like this can appreciate that its natural to panic a little and it becomes a bit of a blur.

Too answer your question im on my 2nd prov and ive never had a crash. I believe if youve on your second prov you can drive on your own, no?

Fey!

Selecting the wrong gear at 40 shouldn't cause the engine to die completely.

Also, with the engine off, braking becomes very heavy and you need to put a lot more pressure on the pedal.

And dirty petrol should have caused spluttering before the engine died.

OP - can't think why the engine would have stopped without warning unless the ignition switched it off.

Vegeta

peasant wrote:

While you had the clutch depressed, for some reason your revs went right down and the engine died ...resulting in loss of all power assistance to brakes and steering.

My suspicion is though, that you did not feel the effects of "heavy" steering (and it certainly wasn't locked) but something more frightening happened.

While you pressed the clutch and the engine died, you had the wheels turned into the corner. Then you let the clutch snap out again, locking the wheels against the the dead engine. Had the wheels been pointing straight, your engine probably would have been restarted, but with the wheels at a turn and the slippery new road surface they could not get enough grip and locked up, skimming over the road surface.

so your steering wasn't locked ...you were simply skidding out of control:eek:

yeah i'd agree with the P'meister say it might have been dropping a gear too early maybe and the wheels locking up for a split second which also cut your engine

start practicing your heel toeing!

peasant

Fey! wrote:

OP - can't think why the engine would have stopped without warning unless the ignition switched it off.

A fault in the engine management can cause this.

Had the same problem on an old Saab of mine once. Every time you went off the gas, the revs went right down. Sometimes it would catch itself and get the revs up to idle again, sometimes it would just die.

For some reason, when it went down and up again it did it at a sort of leasurely pace, when it died it did so very suddenly and quickly.

Took several visits to the garage to sort that one out...

fletch

peasant wrote:

A fault in the engine management can cause this.

Had the same problem on an old Saab of mine once. Every time you went off the gas, the revs went right down. Sometimes it would catch itself and get the revs up to idle again, sometimes it would just die.

For some reason, when it went down and up again it did it at a sort of leasurely pace, when it died it did so very suddenly and quickly.

Took several visits to the garage to sort that one out...

My old Escort did this for about a week after I had the battery disconnected (ECU reset itself). It would drop to 500rpm and on two occasions the engine stalled, a good lesson on why not to coast.
@Big_Nelly -> Even if the OP did have a fully licensed driver with him/her it is very unlikely that they would have been any help in this particular instance.