'Who Needs A Pedal?:' Car’s Gas Pedal Comes Off. Then The Driver Takes It For A Spin

"You can tell from the wear that’s been there a while."

Photo by: CarHax AI & Savannah Rohleder

By: JT Wilson

Aug 21, 2025 at 1:00pm ET

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They say necessity is the mother of invention, but some inventions are equal parts brilliant and questionable. A viral Facebook video perfectly captures this spirit, showing a heavy equipment operator who found a creative workaround when his gas pedal decided to call it quits.

The video, posted by CarHax AI (@CarHax AI) on Facebook, has racked up an impressive 1.5 million views and over 600 comments since hitting the platform on Aug. 11. It shows the dusty, well-worn interior of what appears to be a heavy-duty work truck, complete with an improvised solution that would make any mechanic do a double-take.

Throughout the clip, an intertitle caption reads: “Love being a heavy equipment mechanic, nothing like finishing a repair and finding the throttle replaced with a pair of locking pliers.”

The video shows a pair of locking pliers or vise grips clamped onto the throttle shaft where a traditional gas pedal would normally be. The handles are positioned at the same angle as a regular accelerator pedal, allowing the driver to press down and control the throttle. It’s a good example of field engineering—the kind of quick fix that gets the job done when you’re miles from the nearest parts store.

Despite the first-person caption suggesting a mechanic’s handiwork, CarHax AI seems to be a content aggregation channel that shares “Mechanic, customer states, and automotive-related content from all around the world!” The page, established in January 2024, has published 76 reels, with many attracting millions of views.

When Permanent Meets Temporary

What’s particularly telling about this setup is that the makeshift pedal and the floor are equally coated in thick dust, suggesting this “temporary” fix has been in service for quite some time. In the world of heavy gear, solutions like this aren’t uncommon when downtime costs more than aesthetics.

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Clearly, the jury-rigged setup does provide throttle control. The locking pliers are secured to the throttle shaft and positioned to function similarly to a traditional pedal. However, there are obvious concerns about the pliers potentially loosening or slipping during operation, especially under heavy load conditions.

Heavy equipment often operates in harsh conditions where traditional parts may fail more frequently. Quick field repairs using available tools can be the difference between completing a job and costly delays. That said, this type of modification should ideally be temporary until proper replacement parts can be obtained.

Mix of Admiration and Humor

The Facebook community had plenty to say about this creative solution, with reactions ranging from genuine admiration to comedic gold.

“Let off the clutch and give it some vise grip,” joked Colin Golightly, earning recognition as one of the top comments on the post.

Many commenters appreciated the practicality of the fix. “You can tell from the wear that’s been there a while and ain’t going anywhere anytime soon,” observed Ray Edwards, noting the obvious signs of long-term use.

Others saw it as a perfect example of the “temporary permanent fix” phenomenon. “The classic ‘I’ll fix it later’ and that’s how it stays forever,” wrote Carlos Saucedo. Anthony Castillo chimed in with the age-old wisdom, “There’s no more permanent fix than a temporary fix that works half decent.”

The versatility of vise grips in automotive applications sparked its own discussion thread. “Vise grips are highly valuable in the automotive world. They make excellent window cranks. My brother even used them as a steering wheel once,” shared Mike Mann, prompting others to share their own creative uses for the ubiquitous tool.

Some commenters brought a military perspective to the conversation. “In the Army, we call that ‘field expediency,’” noted Joe Smoe, highlighting how this type of improvisation is standard practice in certain fields.

The Bottom Line

While this vise-grip throttle might not pass a DMV inspection, it is an example of the kind of resourceful problem-solving that keeps heavy equipment running when failure isn’t an option. The wear visible in the video suggests the operator has been successfully using this setup for an extended period, proving that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective.

For anyone considering a similar modification, it’s worth remembering that proper replacement parts exist for a reason. But when you’re in the middle of a job site with a deadline looming and the nearest parts store is hours away, sometimes you’ve got to floor the pliers and keep moving forward.

CarHax AI didn't respond to Motor1's direct message sent via Facebook Messenger. We'll be sure to update this if the account responds.