Banks PedalMonster

Your Miata has drive-by-wire (DBW), and DBW is bad, right? Maybe. Some cars (we're looking at you, Toyota) are very aggressive in acting like they know better, and what you request at the gas pedal isn't necessarily what happens at the engine. Fortunately, the Miata isn't like that - in our experience, it's (almost always) nearly a 1:1 relationship between the gas pedal and the throttle on the engine, especially if you turn traction control off. 

But still... Wouldn't it be better if your car had a bigger engine? The Banks PedalMonster won't do that, but it will make it feel like you have a bigger engine. It smoothly and evenly increases how much the throttle opens relative to the gas pedal position - the chart above describes it best. Will it make your car faster? Definitely not, wide open throttle won't change at all. Will it make your car feel faster at part throttle? Sure will. We were fully prepared to dismiss this as unnecessary, but it makes the car feel surprisingly good and much stronger than you would expect. This isn't the kind of thing we'd typically recommend for a track car that spends most of its time at full throttle - although it would still work well - but it's great for a street car where you'd like it to feel like you have a little more oomph. Note that - once you choose your setting - it always does the same thing, so it's not a variable thing that you always have to re-calibrate to. Smart. 

Naturally, being a Banks product, this is very smartly engineered. It's an easy plug-in to OBD-II and your stock pedal assembly. Zero wiring, two easy plugs. Why does it need to plug into OBD-II, when there's power going to the pedal assembly? Two reasons. First, the stock pedal assembly only gets 5 Volts, and adding more electrical load to that circuit can make bad things happen - OBD-II gives it 12V via a safe source. Second, if anything were to happen to the PedalMonster (which is extremely unlikely), your pedal would revert to normal - no getting stranded, no check engine lights, no funny business. It also allows it know things and conduct itself accordingly. 

This is easily controlled and adjusted by an iDash or the Banks Power app (for Apple and Android) for your phone. There are lots of levels of boost, so you can dial in exactly what feels right to you. 

This works with both manual and auto NDs. There are actually different calibrations for both, just choose which you have in the app (or iDash if you're using that as well).

So which version do you need?

• If you already have an iDash, you'll want the version for use with an iDash.
• If you don't have an iDash - whether you plan to add one later or not - you'll want the standalone version.
• If you're purchasing an iDash and a Pedal Monster at the same time, be sure one is a standalone and the other works with its partner. E.g., buy a standalone iDash and a PedalMonster for use with an iDash. 

If you already have an OBD-II accessory (and you're purchasing the standalone PedalMonster), pick up an OBD-II splitter so they can both be plugged in at the same time.