NHTSA Complaint #10226725 — 1988 JAGUAR XJS

I WAS PARKED IN A SMALL STRIP CENTER. I HAD JUST LEFT THE BARBER SHOP AND I TOOK NOTE OF ALL THE KIDS IN THE PARKING LOT AND A SUV PARKED NEARBY. I TURNED ON THE ENGINE OF MY 1988 XJSC JAGUAR, ENGINE SOUND SEEMED NORMAL. I THEN TURNED MY HEAD TO VIEW THE REAR AND PROCEEDED TO MOVE IN REVERSE, BUT AS I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED IN A VIOLENT MANNER ON ITS OWN. THE CAR MOVED APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET IN SECONDS AND I FOUND MYSELF GOING BACKWARDS FOR NO LOGICAL REASON. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD, BUT AS I DID THE CAR LUNGED SIDEWAYS INTO A BLOCK WALL PROTECTED BY A CONCRETE STEEL POST. AS I HIT THE POST, THE REAR OF MY CAR BOUNCED INTO THE REAR OF A PARKED SUV. POLICE SUSPECT THAT I TRAMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL, BUT FOOT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE CRASH. I HAVE THE BEST DRIVER RATING WITH STATE FARM, I DO NOT USE ANY DRUGS LEGAL OR ILLEGAL AND WAS EXTRA CAUTIOUS THAT DAY BECAUSE OF ALL THE KIDS IN THE AREA. SO FAR, THE REAL CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT HAS NOT BEEN FOUND ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT THE CRUISE CONTROL TO BE THE PROBLEM. *TR