The floor-mounted pedal on the right side of the driver's footwell that controls the engine's throttle. In older vehicles, it uses a mechanical cable to pull the throttle body open. In drive-by-wire systems, it uses electronic position sensors to signal the engine control unit, which then adjusts fuel and air delivery to increase speed.
The gas pedal feels sticky, so check the throttle cable routing near the firewall.
Also heard as
- accelerator
- throttle pedal
Related terms
Accelerator
The foot pedal that controls the engine speed and vehicle acceleration.
Drive-by-wire
The replacement of traditional mechanical control linkages with electronic sensors and actuators.
Throttle body
A housing containing a pivoting valve that controls the amount of air entering a fuel-injected engine.
Step on it
A command or action to rapidly accelerate a vehicle by pressing the gas pedal to the floor.