Accelerator Problem

kc66

1997 Mazda 323F- the accelerator cannot be pressed for at least 10 seconds after cold starting the engine. Then it is fine. Is it supposed to do this or is there something wrong?

seamus

Cannot be pressed (as in the pedal is jammed), or does nothing when you depress it?

Neil_Sedaka

If you mean that it cuts out when you rev it, then it's probably the automatic choke.
Try only small smooth revs for the first minute or so, otherwise by revving hard you will turn off the automatic choke.

kc66

No- the pedal cannot be pressed at all. Its as if there is a block underneath it.

AMurphy

So it must also be impossible to press before you start the car, right?.
Is it cold or freezing where you are?.

If Yes,
Is this a cable operated one or fly-by-wire?.
If cable, Few possibilities, it has frozen moisture somewhere in the cable.

The throttle plate (assuming EFI) is returning too far towards closed and being jammed by shrinkage of the throttle boty onto the throttle plate.
Or the throttle shaft is work badly and the same is happening for a different reason, slop in the bearings.
lots of gunk in the throttle body and plate freezing stuck into position.

First test, see if you can moove the throttle plate by hand at the engine end, just grab the shaft/cable sector and rotate it, if it does not rotate, problem found. if it does and the cable is still stuck, problem found.
Try heating it with a hairdryer, see if there is any change.