# Had minor accident, now accelerator stuck, but only in DRIVE

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/had-minor-accident-now-accelerator-stuck-but-only-in-drive/92388>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [January 29, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/had-minor-accident-now-accelerator-stuck-but-only-in-drive/92388 "2016-01-29T06:13:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gaydos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@gaydos](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gaydos)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/had-minor-accident-now-accelerator-stuck-but-only-in-drive/92388/1 "2016-01-29T06:13:31Z")

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My husband swerved to avoid a dog and clipped our neighbor’s parked car. Her damage is minimal but our hood is crimped and when the transmission is in Drive, the accelerator seems to be stuck full bore. Doesn’t do this in park, neutral or reverse. We have only liability insurance. Toyota RAV 4 2005

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 6:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/had-minor-accident-now-accelerator-stuck-but-only-in-drive/92388/2 "2016-01-29T06:24:19Z")

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When you place the transmission into drive, it causes the engine to twist in one direction. When you place the transmission into park/neutral or reverse, the engine doesn’t twist or the engine twists in the opposite direction.

The hood needs to be forced open to determine what’s causing the throttle to open up when the transmission is placed into drive.

Tester

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**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/had-minor-accident-now-accelerator-stuck-but-only-in-drive/92388/3 "2016-01-30T02:00:44Z")

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Would the engine twisting have that effect throttle by wire system like it would with a mechanical linkage. I understand how the engine twisting would/could pull or push on a mecanical. But I believe the 05 RAV is throttle by wire.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/had-minor-accident-now-accelerator-stuck-but-only-in-drive/92388/4 "2016-01-30T02:19:13Z")

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I never said it was caused by throttle linkage.

But something is causing the throttle to open up when the transmission is shifted into drive.

And that’s why the hood must be opened to figure out what that is.

Tester

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 6:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/had-minor-accident-now-accelerator-stuck-but-only-in-drive/92388/5 "2016-01-30T06:44:48Z")

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It could be just that some downward crinkle of the hood is pushing on something in the engine compartment that normally wouldn’t be interfered with. Tester’s guess is correct, that’s the first thing to do.