Edit: Exactly how should the gas pedal (BE REMOVED?!) feel?

Here's a question for you guys: I've been super happy with the '99 C4 I recently bought, but, I suppose my biggest gripe so far is the feel of the gas pedal. Two things: it feels a little loose side to side - your foot is on it and if you move your foot left and right, there is significant play. Enough play, in fact, on my drive home I reached under there at a rest area to see if the pedal was "about to fall off". Luckily it wasn't - it just seems like there is a bit of side to side slop. My other issue with the gas pedal is that in-out movement (accelerate/decellerate) isn't super smooth. There are spots where it feels a little "sticky" - like if you're trying to modulate the gas a little bit while "cruising" around a curve, you lift your foot a wee little bit (maybe a 1/16" of an inch) but the pedal stays where it is. Then you lift a wee bit more and the pedal moves back this time, but it has now moved farther than you initially wanted. The best way to explain it, I guess, is it feels like the equivelent to pedal bushings going on an older 911/914/356. Is any of this normal? Is this the way an e-gas pedal feels? Or is mine ready for a rehab? Maybe I'm being picky here, but I want it to feel superb - the brakes feel superb, why not the gas, too... Any insight would be good. BTW, I had to change a low beam bulb - that's super trick how the whole headlamp assembly comes out! I was impressed, but now I found an extra place to clean...

I don't have that problem, but a couple of guys talked about having a "sticky" accelerator pedal. Post #9 in the thread below has some info that may be exactly what you need to resolve the problem. If this works for you, please post the results back here so others can be helped in the future. https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ht=accelerator

Alright! I'm inspired to fix it! I'll let you know the results.

OK, so I tried to remove the gas pedal, but was unsuccessful... Anyone done this before? Am I just not using enough brute force, or does it need to move in a specific direction? After undoing the screw, I couldn't get that thing to budge in any direction (up/down/left/right/out). I tried levering with a screwdriver (in all directions) was was afraid of braking the plastic housing. Thanks in advance! BTW, this is the extent of the directions in the factory service manual...

There was a post a while back related to removing the cylinder behind the pedal for a stiffer feel, many did this mod at the time! Maybe somebody can resurrect that post! I remember it beung very thorough!

My wife's 330i pedal feels sticky like that. I can't stand it. My '02 C4S feels perfect, so I don't think it is normal.

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I think what you're reference is a mod to remove the assist spring from behind the clutch pedal. I don't recall reading about any mods to the feel of the accelerator OTHER than the link to the post mentioned above that describes a way to lube and clean it for smoother feel. I'm hoping to find some time to do that this weekend. I'll take pictures if it's difficult.

Let me know how you make out Edward. I removed that one screw, but couldn't get the pedal assembly to move -- I pulled and pushed and levered and cursed... When I put the screw back in, it was aligned up perfectly, indicating that the pedal didn't budge...

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Van, I saw the info. about the stiffness, but nothing about side-to-side. I'm having the side to side issue. Did you get any results there? CP

Hi CP, I was hoping that once I had the pedal assembly out and had a chance to study it, I would be able to determin the root cause of the side to side issue and fix it. However, I have been unable to remove that damn pedal...

Van, try pulling the top of the assembly toward the back of the car about 1/2" as you gently lift from the bottom with a screw driver under the pedal. -Wayne

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Dude! Did you not read the post mentioned in post #2 of this thread? That post is mine, and I thought it was pretty clear. Maybe I should have typed it slower. The throttle pedal assembly has to be slid up and then pulled out. It has a large plastic hook thingie on the back holding it to the bulkheard. It's a firm fit, so it takes a bit of effort to get out, but you don't need to lever it out with a crowbar. You'll realize what a firm fit it is when you try to get it back in and that #^$%^@$!&$^%^@* screw lined back up. Good luck. Michael

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Dude! I did read your post! I alluded to it when I said, after all my levering and banging and cursing, the screw was still perfectly lined up -- indicating that I didn't move it at all... otherwise, like you said, it would be HARD to line up. I had a short prybar under the bottom of it trying to lift up, but was afraid that I'd break the plastic if I levered any harder. Luckily, though, I do have a nice 30" crowbar. I'll take another stab at it tomorrow, if I get the chance, and try pulling the top away from the bulkhead, as Waynesworld suggests.

I'm on this project this weekend too. I'm going to emphasis the 'slide' up a la Michael's instructions. Will come back to you guys with details.

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I was working on my GF's BMW this past weekend, and as I was trying to remove a wire from a plug (with the grumbling assistance of her 10 year old) I broke off a piece of the plastic plug. "What was that?" she exclaimed. "Nothing. You don't need it." Lesson: Don't let anyone watch you fix your car. or her car. Best of luck. It was tough to get out, but trust me, it just slides up and out. Michael

OK gang, I had great success! The key to getting the pedal out it, like Waynesworld said, it to pull the top of the pedal away from the bulkhead about 1/2 an inch. There's even a nice little "handle" on the top of the pedal for this (about the size of a cell phone antenna). There is a round "boss" that locks the pedal into the sheet metal, so by pulling the top away, this boss clears the metal and the pedal just slides right up. The pictures below outline what I did to take it apart, disconnect the cable, clean the moving parts (which I did with some Q-tips, then used a very small amount of Krytox teflon grease) and reassemble it. I also discovered the cause of the "side-to-side" play and used a little screw wedged in just the right place to eliminate it. The metal shaft where the cable cam pivots was the primary area of "contamination". A bit of grit came out of there! Now that pedal feels smooth as can be! And I spent about an hour on it. Oh, one more thing to note: As Michael said, getting the screw to line up when you put the pedal back can cause some head scratching and cursing. I tried several times, but that screw just wouldn't line up... Then I realized, that locking boss, which I mentioned earlier, wasn't sitting in its hole. I pushed the pedal down firmly then pushed it AGAINST the bulkhead, the boss popped into place, and then it was lined up perfectly and the screw went right in!

Nice write up. I'm sure others will find it helpful.

Great write-up; thank you. I will do this soon. CP

Fantastic write-up. How I love this site!

Yeah, I have owned my 996 for 2 weeks and it has this problem. I've had it repaired by the dealer for a smooth $500 and change. I had it listed on the contract when I bought it, so hopefully the used dealer I got it from is going to foot the bill. The entire gas pedal assembly has been replaced. Cost of the part is $332 according to the dealer. What a joke! BMW calls it a "notchy" pedal and they have a TSB on it. I had to have it repaired on my 2002 330i as well. It will drive you crazy to drive a car with that problem!

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Steep prices! Bring it over, I'll do it for only $250!

Just completed this job. 30 minutes and a very noticeable difference. Thanks for the excellent write-up!

Hey, I'm glad it's still useful!

Now that I've had a chance to really drive it, it is a startlingly amazing difference. I suspect some of those who have issues stalling their cars might benefit greatly from this. It's an order of magnitude easier to be smoother with the clutch when the accelerator pedal does what you tell it to do. Thanks again!

Wow; great write up and pics. Just realized the thread date.

Excellent write up with hi-res pictures too, great, thanks Man... a definite keeper for future reference as I am sure mine will exhibit this problem over time and added mileage.

FWIW, my problem dirt was in a different place. Mine was in the hinge at the base of the pedal. There was a ton of gunk in there. The bar where the cable pulley thing pivots was clean and smooth.

Great write up. Well done. But I am now confused about the cable and e-gas throttle systems on the '99 Carreras. I thought all of the '99 C2s were fitted with cable throttle while the C4s had e-gas. Yet Van's car is a C4 and has a cable throttle? What gives? ...Rickker

Based on reading up on things prior to doing this, the difference between the two is where the cable attached to the pedal goes. With egas it is a short cable that goes to a potentiometer. With a cable throttle it is a long cable that goes probably all the way to the throttle body, but to be honest I didn't pay any attention to that because mine is egas.

Yeah, the egas cars have a cable that's about 12" long and goes to a sensor (potentiometer) under the dash. I believe that the C2 has the cable coming off the bottom of the pedal assembly and it runs next to the center tunnel all the way to the engine.

The non E-Gas has the cable on the bottom running to the throttle body and, if equipped, a cable on top running to the cruise control. What a pain to remove/install if you have cables at both ends...

so, I have not gone and checked mine for operation, but a couple weeks ago I had the wierdest throttle feeling, then I got irratated and floored the gas... something "clicked" and it worked smooth as butter. From your pics, my guess is that my cable came out of the track and that might have been caused by side to side action on the pedal... Great info, I will check into it. Thanks for the write up (old but worth hanging on to)

I went through the same thing not long ago. After completely rebuilding it my advice is try lubing first without taking it all apart. You can hit all the necessary parts with lube by just squirting it in there. Just use some needle nose pliers to pry the little ball out of the socket, push the tabs on the back of the pedal and pull it off. Then you can pull the boot out and see where you need to lube. I used liquid teflon type stuff that drys up and leaves a coating of teflon, so it shouldn't hurt anything to just squirt it all over the parts. As for the side to side slop, I fixed mine a little differently, I used mounting tape. The pedal can be removed from the hinge without taking everything out. Mine was really loose. The little 'springs' at the top of the hinge part were bent. While I had it apart I worked the lube down into the cable but I don't think that was really necessary. It has it's own coating. Picture.jpg Picture 059.jpg Picture 063.jpg

Thanks Van and Couper for the excellant writeup and photos. I did this a few days ago and mine is an '03 e-gas, which has only one but major difference. I found that the majority of the friction is actually from the ball joint on the gas pedal that accepts the metal rod (see black arrow in the photo)....and I think it's by design . junk.jpg It turns out '03 and up has a 3/8" c clip that "squeezes" the ball joint and tighten it up (see photo below). IMG_6146 (Large).jpg I acceidentally knocked off the c clip during re-assembly. With the c clip gone, the pedal is as smooth as silk and I LOVE it! More googling of e-gas pedal patents reveal that artificial friction is used to mimic the feel of the traditional mecahnical gas pedal. There's also mentioning of the need to add hystersis so the car won't stumble on very bumpy pavement. I drove the car a few days and found no side effects...just smiles on my face and much easier feathering of the gas and the clutch.

Great to know, Ahsai. Thanks for sharing!

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Thanks for your inspiration!

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I am pleased to report that for me the lube-without-disassembly approach worked wonderfully. I've been driving barefoot recently around town and noticed I had some minor stickiness while part throttle cruising. Nothing major, but I could feel it. I took some "CRC Heavy Duty Silicone" spray and with the needle attachment sprayed the small ball joint connection near the middle of the pedal and the hinge at the bottom. Markedly better and very smooth now. I used an inspection mirror and I too have this C clip in my 2004 C4S. Thanks again to everyone who posted with instructions and pictures.

I'm bringing this up to the top as I just did this DIY, and the pedal on the GT3 works perfectly now! Gotta love the info sharing on Rennlist! Thanks all.

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Thank you sir. I know this thread has been around for a while, but it's clearly still useful !! I suspect many of these cars actually need this without the owners even realizing it. Improved drivability significantly !!! Cheers, Brendan

By the way, this post is still highly useful! Just performed this on my 2000 996 because of a gas pedal that just wasn't the "right feel". Pulled the pedal out as per all of the awesome pics and posts on this topic, opened it up, cleaned everything, sprayed it sparingly with some white grease and put it all back together. Although I must admit, putting the pedal back together is the biggest challenge; several parts which all have to go back together at the same time requiring a bit of patience! Worth it though. Thanks all!!!

Funny, I'm in the middle of the same project. Getting all of the parts back together is definitely a challenge. Do you have any tips for making sure the cable running to the throttle is properly placed in the pedal? I'm having a very difficult time getting the end of the throttle cable to seat properly inside the pedal assembly ( at the bottom of the pedal ) ? My throttle cable is quite short and does not come above the level of the carpet. BTW, this doc has some pictures of the inside of a non-egas pedal... http://www.rennline.com/PDF/A13_install_PG1,2,3_web.pdf

I'm apparently not as clever as most here........what technique do you use to get the ball back in the socket on the backside of the gas pedal when the pedal is still in place? Addendum....I am putting on RennLine pedals; when I tried to back the drill bit out, the pedal was pulled off the ball on my '01.

RE: the clip - any chance that clip is there to ensure retention of the ball? I have not checked out the assembly myself - are there other physical stops that ensure the parts stay connected? Losing the ability to accelerate because the ball pops out of the socket would be a bit of a drag...

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As far as I remember, the ball stays in pretty tight even w/o the clip. Once connected, it's not going anyway. I guess unless you intentionally pull up the gas pedal trying to rip it apart from the assembly. But check it by yourself and use your own judgement...

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I have a 99 with the cable at both ends. I am working on removing the carpet due to a clogged sunroof drain. How does the throttle cable remove from the bottom of the pedal? Does anyone have instructions on how to remove the ebarke to get the carpet out? I have read the instructions on Pelican and they don't really address what you should or should not remove from the ebrake to get the carpet out. Thanks, Alex

Ebrake is pretty easy to disassemble and reassemble. Just take a picture so you know how it goes back. I believe the throttle cable is part of the pedal. It unhooks underneath the car, near the side, around underneath the driver. It should just slide out through the feed tube when you remove the pedal.

Does the pedal need to be taken apart to get the cable out? or is there another trick that I am missing?

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Yes. Unhook cable underneath the car, disassemble pedal, and then it will all come out together.

I was able to dismantle the pedal and remove the cable. That allowed me to pull out the carpet which is all I was after. Didn't have to disconnect the cable from under the car. For the ebrake, I was actually able to leave it in the car and pull it through a hole in the carpet. THanks for the responses and advice.

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Ok, cool. I know they are sold as a single assembly but I've never dismantled it.

Is there a trick to getting the gas pedal back together? I am having a hell of a time getting everything to align and click into place. It seems like everything is in alignment, but there is still an 1/8 of an inch gap between the 2 halves and I can't get it to fully close.

I just found this thread as well... Brilliant. Thanks for the detailed instructions and photos.

This thread may be really old and here I am in 2021 amazed what a difference an hour's worth of work made! once I had the two halves apart, I washed them thoroughly in my kitchen sink and then dried them with compressed air. I used the Napa silicone lube generously on all contact points, the pedal hinges as was as the throttle cam. Be sure to put lube on the sides of the pivot points. Enjoy your smooth operation!!!

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A great spring time maintenance item to prepare for the driving season Thanks vetfever