Cruise control failure?!?

DengKao · 19-12-2002

Hi every one,(AO Family, Bonkers brokers wink and others )
Yesterday (18-12-2002) my girlfriend had a car accident. (and this on her birthday, poor thing).
She was driving a Fiat Stilo, and she had the cruise control on. Suddenly all (engine)power was gone. No response on the gas, neither did the cruise control shut down, but she had still electrical power and the engine was running. So she was able to use emergency lights and brake lights. Never the less, she got hit from behind, due to her sudden loss of speed on the highway (A6, Almere -> Amersfoort op de splitsing naar de A1).

Now as the alfa's have Cruise Control as well, and I was wondering. Did any one heard a story like this before? I mean, this sounds like, a failure of the Cruise Control system, disable ling the manual gas control, so that the cars looses power, and comes to a slow stop (and you don't want that on a highway where they drive 120 km/hr). And Fiat is quit close to Alfa, so you probably understand my concerns.

My girl is fine, she just has some pain in her muscles in her neck from the impact, but no serious injuries. The car is pretty fine. It was a brand new stilo (70 km on the counter, interior lights weren't even connected yet......)that she got from the dealer as her own car was being checked. So one conclusion is that the stilo is a safe car. Except for the Cruise Control then.....

Deng

selespeed · 19-12-2002

DengKao,

Glad to hear your girlfriend is OK. It must be weird to have such a experience. Although I never heard a story like this one, it seems to me the problem is not cruise control related but throttle related.

You mentioned the cruise control did not shut down and the engine was still running. But there was no throttle response. The throttle is a drive by wire system which means it doesn't operate by a cable but it is computer controlled.

I wouldn't worry though if I were you. I think your change of winning the lotery is bigger then that this will happen to you as well.

Selespeed

DengKao · 19-12-2002

Selespeed,
Thanx.
What she told me is this; as the CC has a [ ] for more speed and [-] (duh). When she was pushing the [-]button to slow down a bit, the car stopped responding completely. The car was not responding on the gas (which normally should pick up speed if you are on CC) nor when stepped on the brakes (which normally stops the CC). Shifting gears didn't help either to get the car responding again.
This could, of course, very well be a one time incident. Just trying to keep my fellow alfisti's from strange accidents.

{edit}But I think I understand what you are saying. The car could have been off CC and the gas was not working. Result, car comes to a stop, result of the result, accident.
Conclusion, keep foot on the gas wink , drive save, and keep distance. http://www.alfaowner.com/forum/ubb/icons/icon01.gif {end of edit}
Greetz, Deng

19-12-2002

I also think it's a throttle problem !

The only case I know cruise control disengage alone is when driving with cruise control and city mode together....when city change gear, cruis disengage but you have of course response at the gas pedal !

DengKao · 19-12-2002

Well a good thing then that my JTD doen't have a city mode.

By the way...
Just heard rumours that the first 1.9 jtd 16V is on her way to The Netherlands. It is a pre-orderd one (dealership). It will be a photo finish which one will be first....mine (fingers crossed) or this pre-ordered one. There was one customer that might wanted the pre-ordered one because he wanted a car asap. He would let the dealer know yesterday afternoon, because the car comes as she is. So January the first jtd 16V's will be in Holland then.

Deng

Ivo · 19-12-2002

DK,

Luckely I have never heard of this, but it must me quite a frightening experience for your gf.

Good luck with the repair

Wimster · 20-12-2002

Deng,
I never heard of a similar experience either.. Glad to hear you're girlfriend's allright though..
and seeing as it wasn't her car (if I'm correct) no harm done then..
You Dutch guys really should learn to keep your distances.. wink

Mel Bonkers · 20-12-2002

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Wimster:

You Dutch guys really should learn to keep your distances.. wink <hr /></blockquote>Well said Wimpie

DengKao, good thing your gf escaped with no injury. The car is just car you know.

T07 · 20-12-2002

Sounds like she ran out of fuel - faulty guage?

Ivo · 20-12-2002

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by T07:
Sounds like she ran out of fuel - faulty guage?<hr /></blockquote>It couldn't be, could it ?

T07 · 20-12-2002

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Ivo:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by T07:
Sounds like she ran out of fuel - faulty guage?<hr /></blockquote>It couldn't be, could it ?

<hr /></blockquote>Car + Girl = ......no, I dare not say it.

wink wink wink

Ivo · 20-12-2002

http://www.alfaowner.com/forum/ubb/icons/icon17.gif

T07 · 21-12-2002

Come on Deng - what was it?

Has your girlfriend felt any compensation setting in yet? Could be a big claim if Fiat are at fault.

Banflu · 21-12-2002

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by T07:
Come on Deng - what was it?

Has your girlfriend felt any compensation setting in yet? Could be a big claim if Fiat are at fault.<hr /></blockquote>just what Fiat needs

Amsterdavid · 24-12-2002

One more reason not to buy a Stilo (should you have forgotten that it's so fuqen ugly!)

BTW: i see no reply from Deng about the fuel gauge... suspicious!! wink

T07 · 24-12-2002

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Amsterdavid:


BTW: i see no reply from Deng about the fuel gauge... suspicious!! wink <hr /></blockquote>Actually I was being polite about a faulty fuel gauge, my money say it just ran out of juice.....

wink