Gas Pedal feels Oddddd
 

Noticed a few times lately, that when I"tromp" on the gas , that the last 3rd of the pedal... From 2/3 down to the floor), feels different, kinda like it's sticking?? It works and all, just feels different in the last 1/3 throw of the pedal...

Ideas?

Pup

Does the pedal travel have the same "feeling" when the engine is off? Yes? Look at the pedal assembly itself for binding and failure. Vacuum the pedal area first to ensure all is clean and there is no floor mat parts, old McDonald's food wrappers, etc stuck in there from PO rug rats.

Thanks Stephen,

I have already vacuumed and checked all around the pedal.... Yes, it does feel odd whebn the car is not running as well... It's almost like the last 1" or so of thro in the pedal . pushes like it has an odd resistance to it.... Hard to describe.... But I do know it is not hung up on anything, and there is nothing under it that shouldn't be...

MacDonald's wrappers in my car? Um, no!

hehe

Pup

These SAV are "Drive by Wire" technology which means there is no throttle cable, just a sending unit (Pedal assembly) and a few wires to the actuator on the throttle plate.
I would check a few things before replacing the assembly. First unclip and un bolt the assembly, disconnect the wires and pull the assembly from the vehicle. Check it for interference and wear especially at the pivot points and where the rod goes into the body . If it appears clean then it needs a new one. Also check the throttle body for smooth operations and no carbon buildup on the back of the plate. Use throttle/carb cleaner that is safe for O2 sensors. Spray, scrub with an old hard tooth brush while holding the plate open, and enjoy the better throttle response and off idle low speed feel.

The pedal part is a normal wear part on BMWs. I have no idea what the cycle life was designed to be other than "lifetime part"..... Translated: When it dies/breaks/etc, that was its lifetime.

helpful?

Good to know... I'll start there!

Thanks!!

Do you have some lubricant like 100% silicon spray or Tri-Flow that is designed to help with things like levers and gears and moving parts etc that can bind?

If so, I'd attach the straw and insert it where you can lubricate the upper & lower moving parts of the pedal. You can do this without the engine running...pressing on the pedal to feel if there's a change in resistance.

These are my lubricants of choice...I really like Tri Flow for lubricating things that can bind against each other like gears, hinges, door lock cylinders, etc because it also contains TEFLON...which remains after the "wet" part of the lubricant dries. The TEFLON continues to help with binding and also helps with the dissipation of moisture...as making the surfaces "slick" which helps prevent dirt/dust/grime from building up & turning into a gummy paste:

FWIW, I replaced my pedal 2X.
The original one lasted around 70-80K.
It was causing errorss....and would dump me into failsafe mode.
Replaced pedal.

New OE only lasted about 2 years shy and same deal.
Replaced again

Great ! I'll try that too!

bc

Out of curiosity...this morning before starting the X...I pressed on the accelerator pedal (all the way to the floor)...and as you wrote...approximately 2/3rds of the way down, there's a detent.

But I wasn't perplexed by this because I know that there's a "kickdown" switch which is a built-in design. Hopefully this is not what you're "feeling" and thinking that the pedal is sticking. (??)

The kickdown switch activates special ATC (adaptive transmission control) Kick Fast features:

If I had to guess. I would say that is exactly what I am feeling! Thruth be known, I wish I didn't feel it... It just doesn't feel right.

Thanks!!!!