NHTSA Complaint #10259163 — 2002 VOLVO V70

THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN MY WIFE AND I WERE PICKING UP MY GRANDDAUGHTER AT HER HOME LOCATED ON A STEEP HILLSIDE WITH A STEEP DRIVE PROBABLY 8 PLUS DEGREES. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND STARTED TO BACK DOWN THE DRIVE. I HAD TO BACK OVER THE CONCRETE DRIVE EDGE AS I HAD PULLED OFF INTO THE YARD TO MAKE ROOM FOR HER PARENTS VEHICLE. TO GET OVER THE EDGE I HAD TO PRESS LIGHTLY ON THE ACCELERATOR. I HAVE FREQUENTLY BACKED DOWN THE DRIVE USUALLY IN IDLE. THE MOMENT I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO FULL THROTTLE. I JAMMED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK , PULLED THE EMERGENCY AND PRESSED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE ON THE BRAKE. NOTHING SLOWED OR EVEN SEEM TO EFFECT THE BACKWARD ACCELERATION. I HIT A RAILROAD TIE THAT WAS ONE OF MANY THAT DEFINED THE DRIVE. THE FRONT TIRE LITERALLY EXPLODED. I WAS ABLE TO STEER DOWN THE DRIVE ONTO THE ROAD AROUND A GREATER THAN 90 DEGREE TURN BACKWARDS AND UP HILL. THE RIM DUG INTO THE ASPHALT , THE CAR STOPPED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. WE PUT ON THE SPARE AND DROVE HOME. TWO DAYS LATER, IN THE SAME PLACE, I STARTED TO BACK ONTO THE DRIVE AS BEFORE. I WAS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND THEREFORE WAS VERY CAREFUL TO SEE THAT THERE WAS NO OVERLAP OF FOOT ON BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR. I ALSO THOUGHT THAT IF THAT TERRIBLE INCIDENT WERE TO REPEAT ITSELF I WOULD TURN OFF THE KEY. WHEN THE BACK TIRE CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE DRIVEWAY LIP I ONCE AGAIN I HAD TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO GET ON THE DRIVEWAY. SAME TERRIBLE RESPONSE. THIS TIME IN ADDITION TO JAMMING INTO PARK, PULLING THE EMERGENCY, JAMMING ON THE BRAKE, I ALSO TURNED OFF THE KEY. NONE OF THAT EVOKED ANY RESPONSE. THIS TIME I WAS UNABLE TO STAY ON THE DRIVE AND WENT OVER A STEEP BANK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH TWO TREES AT LEAST 3" IN DIAMETER, A WHITE PICKET FENCE AND FENCE POSTS.. IT HIT THE BANK AT THE SIDE OF THE STREET AND STOPPED WITHOUT THE RELEASE OF AIRBAGS. MY GLASSES AND KEYS WERE FOUND IN THE BACK SEAT. *TR