[baguasquirrel]

You can, but then it's stuck in drive/neutral. Seeing that the brakes and neutral are still operable, it should not be an issue. I don't even know why people are being advised to turn off the ignition. Shifting to neutral while braking reduces the load on the engine.

[paulbaumgart]

Wouldn't shifting to neutral make the engine rev up really high? Does the computer limit the RPMs to prevent damage?

[anamax]

> Wouldn't shifting to neutral make the engine rev up really high? Does the computer limit the RPMs to prevent damage?

Yes, the computers do.

However, if you're going to have an accident, engine damage is pretty low on the list of concerns, even if you ignore the fact that accidents cause engine damage.

[wisty]

Switching the engine off (if you can do it fast enough) should slow you down faster though. If you stay in gear with no ignition, the engine drag will brake you a bit.

[anamax]

> Switching the engine off (if you can do it fast enough) should slow you down faster though.

Switching off the ignition can lock the steering....

You also lose the power-assist on the brakes.

Given the above, you might not notice that you've also lost the power-assist on the steering.

[baguasquirrel]

Switching the engine off in drive or neutral does not appear to lock the steering. You're right about the power-assist though.

[anamax]

> Switching the engine off in drive or neutral does not appear to lock the steering.

Turning the engine off with the key need not lock the steering, but it will lock the steering if you turn the key past off to lock.

In a run-away engine scenario, are you likely to stop turning the key in a position that you don't use very often? Or, are you likely to turn it as hard as possible?

There may be an interlock that is supposed to keep the key from locking the steering while in drive or neutral, but do you trust it? (What about manual transmission cars? I know that I can lock my steering while in gear. I forget whether it requires clutch-in though.)