94 Camry accelerator sticking

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Driving into work this morning the speed limit increased and after letting off the gas the car kept accelerating. I waited a few seconds to see if it would correct, but with a vehicle in front of me I decided to turn off the car and coast to a stop. I popped the hood, and returned the accelerator to the idle position, jumped back in the car, tested it, still sticking. Needing to get to work I decided to slowly accelerate and after a while the RPMs would slowly return but never to idle.

I think I should also mention two things:

First, I also could not accelerate the RPMs from under the hood, the cable would just go slack.

Second, the temperatures here have been well below zero, and at times the wind chill temperature has been reaching -80 to -100.

2

It could be a freezing cable, but, given the age of the car, it is maybe better that you replace it. It is 15 years old, and this may be a warning. Call you local Toyota parts store for a replacement cable.

3

I am trying to put the statement “I could not accelerate the RPM’s from under the hood” into perspective,how does it go for you?

As we have been posting, wind chill factors do not affect your car.

4

I am trying to put the statement “I could not accelerate the RPM’s from under the hood” into perspective,how does it go for you?

I started the car and tried “revving” the engine from the engine compartment and was unable to…

I guess I did not realize wind chill factors didn’t affect my car, but real tempatures were between 25 and 35 below zero

5

You must have been pulling on something besides the throttle or throttle cable.

6

It was the same part I used to set the throttle back to idle, and the same piece I have used in the past if for some reason i needed to bring the RPMs up while not inside the car.

7

So I posted this a few days ago and now the weather has warmed up above zero and it is not sticking anymore. I am guessing moisture was getting frozen somewhere, agree or disagree?

8

Agreed. Could be moisture in the in the accelerate cable. You could disconnect the cable and dribble some lubricant down the cable wire into the cable sheath.