DIYbanter - View Single Post

(PeteCresswell)

Per :
From what I can see, there were 30
accidents and 6 deaths because the ignition switch turned the car
off and apparently people can no longer deal with that. How many
cars have all kinds of failures everyday that results
in the engine quitting? Like running out of gas? But 30 ignition
switches shutoff and the result is death and destruction?

I wonder what it does to the power steering and power brakes.

Just to be prepared, I tried cutting the engine on my '72 Chrysler going
down a gravel road.

I'm probably stronger than most and I was barely able to apply the
brakes hard enough to have much effect. And the steering was really a
bear.... I can't imagine the average woman being able to steer that
thing with the engine dead.

What's even worse to me is the way my '98 Suburban handled a failed
alternator. It let the engine suck the battery dry... then the engine
just suddenly died leaving not even enough juice to power the hazard
lights. Almost no brakes, almost impossible to steer, and no way to
put the flashers on..... i.e. if it happened on a freeway for most
drivers the vehicle would probably wind up drifting to a dead stop in a
traffic lane. Very bad Ju-Ju.
--
Pete Cresswell