Q: Will not accelerate beyond 65 mph

asked by on October 04, 2016

The car will not accelerate beyond 65/70 mph even with the accelerator all the way down. We've asked around thinking it might be the fuel filter but are being told these cars don't have a serviceable fuel filter...that you can't replace it? Do you know what could be causing this issue?

My car has 100000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

All vehicles have serviceable fuel filters, in fact your vehicle has 4 or more such filters. That is, EACH fuel injector has its own miniature filter basket so there are 4 potentially pluggable filters right there. There are some obvious potential causes of the symptom you are describing and a professional mechanic should be able to home in on the issue fast. The possibilities include: the catalytic converter could be obstructed due to the honeycomb inside failing; mass air flow sensor could be faulty, a faulty fuel pump, blocked strainer, malfunctioning injectors, incorrect basic ignition timing and/or advance, timing belt slipped, and so forth. Each of these possibilities have to be looked at in turn, but typically a decision tree applicable to your model is used to prioritize what to look at, as some failures are known to be more frequent than others. If you need to have this taken care of a qualified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to diagnose the acceleration problem and guide you through repairs.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Lights work, but car won't start.
I would need more information to determine the problem. If you hear a clicking noise but the engine wont turn over, then your battery may not have enough charge or may have a bad connection. Test the battery, if the...
Vehicle has dtc c100a
You likely have a broken wire, shorted wire, or bad pin connection. Start with a visual inspection of the wiring and connectors from the sensor to the ABS control module located by the master cylinder. Chances are you will find...
Vibration coming from wheel and brake pedal when I'm idle
Hey there, thanks for writing in about your 2005 Scion xA. You need to check the brake booster to see if it has a vacuum leak (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/is-it-safe-to-drive-with-a-vacuum-leak) in the check valve or booster when you are pressing on the brakes....
Squeaking noise when braking. Pads still very good.
The majority of modern cars on the road have certain wear marks in the brake pads that will make a squeaking noise when they reach a specific material thickness. When the pads wear down to a specific mark, they will...
My 4.3 vortex motor leaks like a faucet I think from the freeze plugs. Mechanic says there is water in the motor. What could I do
Hi there. If the engine is leaking coolant from the freeze plugs then they simply need to be replaced. As long as the engine did not overheat then there should not be any issues within the engine. If the mechanic...
Sputtering and slow acceleration. At high speed it hesitates and seems as it's not receiving fuel.
Hi There, This may be a sign of a faulty fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/fuel-pressure-regulator-replacement). As you know, when you turn the key to on, the fuel pump (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/fuel-pump-replacement) is activated and the fuel system is primed with...
My steering feels heavy after driving my Suzuki for a while.
Hi there. Heavy steering can be caused by a number of things. I would need to know the model and year of the vehicle to be able to help you with this further. In general, if the steering is fine...
Water leaking from above thermostat i believe help. 1995 Toyota 4Runner V6
Hi - finding coolant leaks (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/leak-in-my-cooling-system-by-kalah-w) like this requires a careful eye. Tight engine packaging, and the fact that slow leaks can evaporate quickly, make it more difficult to determine the source of the leak. A leaking hose connection at...
P0420 bad under body catalytic converter 2003 Nissan Altima
Hi there - you are correct that there are 2 catalytic converters (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/catalytic-converter-replacement) on your vehicle; one (sometimes called a pre-catalyst) that is part of the exhaust manifold, and a 2nd converter further "downstream" in the exhuast system. It is...

Related articles

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Oil Temperature Sensor
If the temperature gauge gives false readings or does not move, you may need to replace the oil temperature sensor.
P2078 OBD-II Trouble Code: Intake Manifold Tuning (IMT) Valve Position Sensor/Switch Circuit High
P2078 P2078 code definition Intake Manifold Tuning (IMT) Valve Position Sensor/Switch Circuit High What the P2078 code means This code will set if the Engine Control Module (ECM) (https://www.yourmechanic.com/parts/engine-control-module), or Powertrain Control Module (PCM), detects a problem with the position...
What Does the Fuel Filter Warning Light Mean?
The fuel filter check engine light warns you when your diesel fuel filter is full, and needs to be emptied to avoid engine damage.