Help! Gas pedal stuck to the floor

[CharlesE]

Hi everyone I need help I have a 99 2.5l boxster. Today I noticed the gas pedal was very stiff and the pedal was sticking but the throttle still worked. I drove it up to Temps thinking I just needed to warm the cabin up and then I decided to try to floor it and now its stuck in wide open throttle.
Any idea why it's not springing back or how to fix it?

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by CharlesE

Hi everyone I need help I have a 99 2.5l boxster that has the drive by wire throttle system. Today I noticed the gas pedal was very stiff and the pedal was sticking but the throttle still worked. I drove it up to Temps thinking I just needed to warm the cabin up and then I decided to try to floor it and now its stuck in wide open throttle.
Any idea why it's not springing back or how to fix it?

If already you haven't removed the top engine cover and inspected the throttle body and "cable"... that's where I'd start. Me thinks you've a broken cable. Good luck.

[78F350]

What has me confused is the "drive by wire". I understand how the term can be misunderstood since a cable is a wire, but there are mechanical linked throttles and electronic throttles. A stock 986 from 1997 - 1999 should be mechanical with a cable. 2000 and later have an electronic throttle which is "drive by wire" or "eGas" - it sends an electronic signal from the pedal to the engine control computer (DME) which adjusts the fuel electronically at the throttle body.

The return spring for a cable throttle gas pedal is on the throttle body (engine).
The return spring for a electronic gas pedal is connected to the pedal (under the dash).

Is the car modified? Which one does it have?

[CharlesE]

Originally Posted by 78F350

What has me confused is the "drive by wire". I understand how the term can be misunderstood since a cable is a wire, but there are mechanical linked throttles and electronic throttles. A stock 986 from 1997 - 1999 should be mechanical with a cable. 2000 and later have an electronic throttle which is "drive by wire" or "eGas" - it sends an electronic signal from the pedal to the engine control computer (DME) which adjusts the fuel electronically at the throttle body.

The return spring for a cable throttle gas pedal is on the throttle body (engine).
The return spring for a electronic gas pedal is connected to the pedal (under the dash).

Is the car modified? Which one does it have?

Oh sorry I have a stock 99 so it's cable throttle. I got it confused. So the return spring is on the throttle body is that easily fixed?

[78F350]

Here's the throttle area on a (dirty) 2.5L engine. Look at the marked areas for a problem.



Another possible failure point is at the 90 degree joint of the cable in front of the engine at the bottom left of the firewall. I don't have a picture handy of that.

[old911doc]

Another possibility: ice.
The early Boxsters use a bourdon cable ( ‘bicycle cable’) that runs through a plastic tube under the carpet, then through the firewall, to the bellcrank on the other side/ exterior side of the firewall.
IF your Boxster leaks some water into the left floorboard it can find its way into the plastic guide tube and then into the throttle cable , AND the car sits outside on a freezing night, then ice may form in the throttle cable. The force you can apply with your foot to open the throttle is much stronger than the force the return spring can apply to close it, so you may wind up with the throttle stuck open.
For this reason it is vitally important, for your driving safety, that you should have a large insulated and climate controlled garage for your Boxster.

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by old911doc

Another possibility: ice.
The early Boxsters use a bourdon cable ( ‘bicycle cable’) that runs through a plastic tube under the carpet, then through the firewall, to the bellcrank on the other side/ exterior side of the firewall.
IF your Boxster leaks some water into the left floorboard it can find its way into the plastic guide tube and then into the throttle cable , AND the car sits outside on a freezing night, then ice may form in the throttle cable. The force you can apply with your foot to open the throttle is much stronger than the force the return spring can apply to close it, so you may wind up with the throttle stuck open.
For this reason it is vitally important, for your driving safety, that you should have a large insulated and climate controlled garage for your Boxster.

I do. It's called SoCal.

[CharlesE]

Originally Posted by old911doc

Another possibility: ice.
For this reason it is vitally important, for your driving safety, that you should have a large insulated and climate controlled garage for your Boxster.

That would be nice but my dad's 911 is the only car that can fit in my garage lol

[CharlesE]

Originally Posted by old911doc

Another possibility: ice. ice may form in the throttle cable..

Update: Todays the first warm day and the gas pedal is back to normal I didn't actually do anything so this is probably what happened.