Hi, guys. Not sure if you can help me, but I'm having a major problem with my car. I have a 2000 Plymouth Neon LX. This morning while I was on my way to work, towards the end of my drive I began having trouble braking, as the car really seemed to want to keep driving instead of stopping. As I would press the brake, I was having to fight with the accelerator it seemed. Then when I would let off of the brake and not press anything, the car would continue to accelerate. Finally, when I put the car in park, the throttle went WAY up. This FREAKED me out!!! I'm guessing the throttle got stuck?? How did this happen and when I start my car tonight, am I going to hit the wall?! I should mention that a few days ago, the ABS system apparently went out and now each time I drive the car, I have trouble braking after a while and eventually the ABS and "trac off" lights will come on to indicate that they ABS has been deactivated. Not sure ifthe ABS and throttle issuesare related...I was thinking that the ABS problemwas possibly electrical, because shortly after that started, the fog light indicator started coming on, though my fog lights were not in use...the indicatorwould sort of flicker off and on. I don't know what to do...I just finished spending $1500 to fix the timing belt, which upon breaking decided to tear up everything else. I just don't feel safe in this car anymore! I'm really, really scared to drive home from work tonight. I live about 45 min to an hour from my office.
Thanks for any help you guys can offer...I'm afraid to take it to a mechanic. I'll probably get ripped off. I hadseveral problems and had some workdone while the car was under warranty (long ago now) at a Chrysler dealership, but found out later that they just rigged up some "quick fixes" instead of actually repairing the problem. (in particular, the a/c.)
-Liz

 

u cant be scared to take it to a mechanic...u should be nervous of what garage u take it to....the garages that are the most popular are usually the best to go....these tiny garages prey on people because the fact that they make appear harder than it is....a big name shop that deals in high volume doesnt have time to scam people because there contantly busy...my dads shop for example does business well over a million dollars in work a year...this is a 11 bay shop equipped with a dyno as well...shops like that will give u quality work at a fair price

 

i know - i hate feeling like i can't trust ppl. but i'm just paranoid...sometimes mechanics try to take advantage since i'm a girl. i know a few things about cars, but not enough to deal with this type of problem. so someone who wants to take advantage to get me to spend money could probably get away with it in this situation... thanks for the advice, btw!

 

who knows maybe ur intake manifold cracked somewhere causing a big vacuum leak............ thus causing u to loose power brakes because there is notenough vacuum left in ur manifold to pull on the brake booster diaphram. its a long shot but heyit could happen.. or mayber theres something holding the throttle body open......... maybe the cable is freyed upand hangingsomewhere. i would start the car, pop the hood and go and look at ur throttle body and rev it up manually from under the hood. see what happens and go from there. and listen for vacumm leaks too.

mike

 

can u rev a stock 2000es TB? i couldnt find a thing under my hood

 

its not "drive by wire" so im assuming u should be able to somehow.

 

U can rev from the tb there is a cable on the tb that u pull on it and rev it

 

+1

 

Thats with manuals only.

 

really???