Lesson learned here: Sophisitcated computerized Drive-by-wire = Bad news. Whatever happened to the basic cable pulling the butterfly valve throttle? It was basic, less complicated, very easy to maintain, and the throttle response was instant with no slight delay like the solenoid controlled drive-by-wire. When its less complex, it has less problems. Take it from an engineer. If it aint broke, DON”T FIX IT!!!

carstuff – I had a 96 Hyundai accent and a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder both with fuel injection and both had mechanically linked throttles. The difference between the two is that with the traditional mechanically linked the mechanical cable linkage goes from the pedal to the butterfly. Thats it. You can manually turn the butterfly by hand if needed during mainenance to rev the engine. In drive-by-wire, the pedal input is transmitted through electircal signals to the ECU which then sends a signal to a solenoid (electro-magnetically controlled mechanism) which adjusts the butterfly throttle depending on the input of the driver (i.e. how far the pedal is depressed). The advantage to drive-by-wire is that the engine output is fully controlled by the ECU so that it burns fuel precisely and more efficiently while giving you the power and torque you need at the same time. So it doesnt only control the throttle but also the fuel delivery, air delivery, power output, idles the engine at a higher speed during cold start to warm it up quicker, etc. Much more sophisticated system

saabaru1 – I dont have a teenage son or any kids for that matter. Im only 25 with a BE in mechanical engineering (not to be conceited or anything). I also have 6 months training with Caterpillar diesel generators which work with the same principle. As for the delay, yes. Drive by wire has a slight delay because the input goes to the ECU then to the throttle body. All the steps invlolved to accomplish a simple task adds a delay.

carstuff – The runaway acceleration issue is most likely caused by a glitch in the computer. We all know computers arent perfect and can screw up at anytime. It can be a programming issue. But these throttle valves should be able to fail shut when the power supply to the solenoid fails. Therefore cutting off the engine instead of opening the throttle all the way. Yes these systems are more fuel efficient because the ECU has full control of engine management but it also results in more problems arising and safety concerns like this. If you read an article on wikipedia about drive-by-wire systems, which are also in planes, they state that there are concerns with cars just randomly accelerating out of nowhere. And this isn’t just drive-by-wire systems. Its alot of computer controlled devices nowadays.