HElP need ideas on disabling van A.S.A.P
10-07-2004, 09:28 AM
#31
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Originally posted by Palmetto_kid
Its sad, but sometimes we need to think of the other people out on the roadway in these situations. My wife had 3 friends get hit by an elderly lady that swerved into thier lane. THe lady was going agianst her childrens orders of no driving. 2 of the boys were burned alive in that car. They were trapped, and could not get out. The third was thrown out, and knocked unconsious. He did not know his buds were burning.
Its sad, but sometimes we need to think of the other people out on the roadway in these situations. My wife had 3 friends get hit by an elderly lady that swerved into thier lane. THe lady was going agianst her childrens orders of no driving. 2 of the boys were burned alive in that car. They were trapped, and could not get out. The third was thrown out, and knocked unconsious. He did not know his buds were burning.
10-07-2004, 09:57 AM
#32
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Best thing to do is talk about the situation with them. My parents had a similar situation with their parents (my grandparents). My grandpa wanted to travel halfway across the states right after my grandma fell out of the 5'er. My uncle threatened to fly in & steal their keys. Grandparents saw it our way.
10-07-2004, 03:38 PM
#33
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What year model is the van? Use the inertia switch. It is a switch that when a strong sudden force is sensed (like in a wreck), the switch trips off and kills power to the fuel pumps. It is usually behind the passenger side kick panel. Trip the switch and the engine will crank but never start. There is no indication that the switch is tripped without looking at the switch itself.
Click here for more info on the switch.
Click here for more info on the switch.
10-07-2004, 06:42 PM
#35
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I like the idea of a kill switch I think I m gona do that. You guys know if there is any way to have dmv take away his license?
Thanks guys for all the support, its hard but you gotta do what you gotta do
Thanks guys for all the support, its hard but you gotta do what you gotta do
10-07-2004, 07:00 PM
#36
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I would think the doctor in this case could be of great help. I know my grandmothers doctor took the lead on that when it was time for her to give it up. Made it a bunch easiear on dad and the family.
10-07-2004, 07:55 PM
#37
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Originally posted by 4doogie
I like the idea of a kill switch I think I m gona do that. You guys know if there is any way to have dmv take away his license?
Thanks guys for all the support, its hard but you gotta do what you gotta do
I like the idea of a kill switch I think I m gona do that. You guys know if there is any way to have dmv take away his license?
Thanks guys for all the support, its hard but you gotta do what you gotta do
I know that in some states you can contact your local DMV and request them to check the competency of a driver. I don't know if Calif. has that or not.
I'm sure it is very hard, but I would skip the plan to disable the van (especially if he is just going to spend a bunch of time or money trying to get it going again) and sit him down and talk about it man to man.
Make it clear that it either can be his decision to give up his license or yours (or the state's). With all the stories in the news of elderly people stepping on the wrong pedal and running into a crowd, you should be able to get him thinking. My grandmother is 92 and we convinced her to give up her license. She now tells people that she decided to quit driving. Most of the time they know deep down that it is time, but just need a way to give it up with some dignity.
10-07-2004, 08:02 PM
#38
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One more thing.
We just recently had a local elderly man, who was known by his friends and family to be borderline capable of driving a car, step on the wrong pedal and shoot through a crossing arm and into the path of a train. He was killed instantly. The driver of the train now has to live with that the rest of his life.
The other sad part of the story is that his son knew his father really couldn't drive anymore, and his father was going to be reviewed by the DMV in the next couple of months (which he would most likely fail) so he took his friend's advice to "let the state be the bad guy and take his license away". Now his dad is gone. Part of getting older is making the right decision regardless of how unpopular it may be. JMO
We just recently had a local elderly man, who was known by his friends and family to be borderline capable of driving a car, step on the wrong pedal and shoot through a crossing arm and into the path of a train. He was killed instantly. The driver of the train now has to live with that the rest of his life.
The other sad part of the story is that his son knew his father really couldn't drive anymore, and his father was going to be reviewed by the DMV in the next couple of months (which he would most likely fail) so he took his friend's advice to "let the state be the bad guy and take his license away". Now his dad is gone. Part of getting older is making the right decision regardless of how unpopular it may be. JMO
10-07-2004, 09:53 PM
#39
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another easy ''quick fix'' may be this... pull the ecm (computer) -or electric fuel pump fuse out of the fuse box and see if the van starts without it. if this works, and the van doesnt start, blow the fuses and put them back in place (keeping good fuses in a hidden location for you to move the van). i have found that alot of people do not check these in a ''no start'' condition. geez, some people will dismantle their car just to end up finding a bad fuse! either way , if it does work on your model, it saves from wiring switches.
10-08-2004, 04:55 AM
#42
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4doogie - If this van has fuel injection just trip the inertia switch. See my post above. Not a lot of people know about this switch. It is out out sight, hidden behind the kick panel on the passenger side. Some of the switches need a screwdriver to trip the switch. You just have to pry up on it. It is like a push button. I doubt grandpa would ever figure out that a switch is off that kills the fuel pump. If you do this as well you will not have to wire in anything. And if you need to move it then all you have to do is push the switch back in.
10-09-2004, 12:32 PM
#45
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You might also just clamp the fule line closed, with a pair of vise grips. It will run for a minute or two, but cut off quickly. You'd put this on the rubber line between fuel tank and the hardline attached to the frame. Easy to remove when yo uneed to move the vehicle, hard as heck to troubleshoot without crawling around under the van. 
Chris
Chris