Crashed yesterday

[PizzyP]

So yesterday I was going to head out to the local car show. Decided to start the car to get warmed up and then was going to get out and take off the front license plate (have sto n sho) so i had just one foot in the car and one foot dangling outside. When i started her up I didn't realize she was in gear (sometimes i leave in gear sometimes i don't) and she took off on me. I panicked, pressed the breaks but she didn't stop, not until I hit the tree about 20 or so feet in front of me. Luckily there was no one walking in front of me. To me it looks like the engine might have tilted a little bit, but i'm not a mechanic or good with that at all. The piece that is cracked (attached to air intake) also helps me believe that. Theres also damage along the driver side from where i think the Cox Cable box dragged along side it. Adjustor is supposed to call me Monday and we go from there. Was a horrible start to my Saturday, luckily she looks like shes fixable, I was not injured, just the ego.

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[jonny10buds]

Sorry to see that, mine doesn’t start unless my foot is on the clutch pedal.

 

[Schwerin]

Maybe I'm blind but I don't see a crack in the intake tube I just see the seem in it.

 

[Schwerin]

Sorry to see that, mine doesn’t start unless my foot is on the clutch pedal.

He probably let the clutch out then panicked and didn't hit both the brake and clutch as you should.

 

[PizzyP]

Sorry to see that, mine doesn’t start unless my foot is on the clutch pedal.

i put the clutch in to start the car, i released the clutch not realizing it was in gear, thats when it took off on me.

 

[PizzyP]

Maybe I'm blind but I don't see a crack in the intake tube I just see the seem in it.

look where the sun is reflecting off of it, just to the left.

 

[3star2nr]

So yesterday I was going to head out to the local car show. Decided to start the car to get warmed up and then was going to get out and take off the front license plate (have sto n sho) so i had just one foot in the car and one foot dangling outside. When i started her up I didn't realize she was in gear (sometimes i leave in gear sometimes i don't) and she took off on me. I panicked, pressed the breaks but she didn't stop, not until I hit the tree about 20 or so feet in front of me. Luckily there was no one walking in front of me. To me it looks like the engine might have tilted a little bit, but i'm not a mechanic or good with that at all. The piece that is cracked (attached to air intake) also helps me believe that. Theres also damage along the driver side from where i think the Cox Cable box dragged along side it. Adjustor is supposed to call me Monday and we go from there. Was a horrible start to my Saturday, luckily she looks like shes fixable, I was not injured, just the ego.

Its A ford dude its gonna be fine. Its designed to hop curbs.

As long as the radiator isn't broken it'll be mostly body work the engine should be fine. They dobt say "built ford tough for nothing"

 

[3star2nr]

Sorry to see that, mine doesn’t start unless my foot is on the clutch pedal.

all cars are setup like that... These engines have torque so the car will move if you get off the clutch even if u dont press the gas

 

[2018OFPP1?2]

all cars are setup like that... These engines have torque so the car will move if you get off the clutch even if u dont press the gas

All cars built in the last four decades or so are setup like that. Also, early neutral safety switches can allow the car to lurch when they fail.

Shit happens, safeties fail. It's best to use the safety switch between your ears. Always, always, always make sure the transmission is in neutral before starting a manual transmission car. Make it part of your routine.

OP, no one got hurt, so just chalk it up to learning. Hopefully it's not a very expensive lesson.

 

[Zooks527]

all cars are setup like that... These engines have torque so the car will move if you get off the clutch even if u dont press the gas

As part of the "make it easy for newer users to drive a manual" features, the car also gives it a bit of gas when you let off the clutch even if you don't.

 

[Zooks527]

Shit happens, safeties fail. It's best to use the safety switch between your ears. Always, always, always make sure the transmission is in neutral before starting a manual transmission car. Make it part of your routine.

And the parking brake. Always use the parking brake!

 

[PizzyP]

As part of the "make it easy for newer users to drive a manual" features, the car also gives it a bit of gas when you let off the clutch even if you don't.

And the parking brake. Always use the parking brake!

I have been driving a manual for almost 10 years so I don’t consider myself new, just a lapse in judgement. Parking brake was on.

 

[Zooks527]

Parking brake was on.

That's surprising. I've stalled mine at least once trying to get rolling in reverse when I forgot to take the parking brake off. It might get you a bit of mitigation on the insurance rating hit if you can credibly argue that the parking brake didn't hold the way it should have.

 

[2018OFPP1?2]

And the parking brake. Always use the parking brake!

Yup. I always set the parking brake, AND leave it in gear when I park. But that's a whole other debate on this forum. In addition, my right foot is always firmly on the brake pedal when starting.

FWIW, I have not experienced any mishaps while parked or starting in 35 years of driving manuals. Knock on wood. Redundant safety actions are key.

 

[Skyhigh21]

I'm sure this was the first cold start of the day and the RPMs were near 1500. It looks like it was a cooler morning too so the tires might not have had the traction to grab and stall the car out.

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