NHTSA Complaint #10320035 — 1997 VOLVO 850

IN A PARKING GARAGE I TURNED MY WHEELS TOWARDS THE LEFT TO DRIVE INTO A PARKING SPOT; I GAVE THE CAR A LITTLE GAS WHILE DRIVING OVER A SPEEDBUMP AND SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED AND SHOT FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THANKFULLY THE CAR WENT INTO THAT PARKING SPOT AND HIT THE CEMENT WALL AND STOPPED. I THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE-TIME OCCURRENCE BUT WITH ALL THE REPORTS OF TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEMS, NOW I WONDER IF THIS CAN OCCUR IN ANY CAR AT ANY TIME. I HAVE A 1997 VOLVO STATION WAGON. WITH SPEED BUMPS ON MANY STREETS NEAR SCHOOLS, IF THIS CAN HAPPEN ON ALMOST ANY CAR, THEN THE POTENTIAL FOR MAJOR ACCIDENTS IS UNLIMITED. I WILL ALWAYS KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE GOING OVER ANY SPEED BUMP FROM NOW ON, AND AM JUST THANKFUL THAT I WAS JUST A COUPLE OF FEET FROM A CEMENT WALL AND HAD ALREADY TURNED MY WHEELS. FOR THOSE REASONS, NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO EITHER THE WALL, MY CAR OR THE OCCUPANTS. (IN THE MILEAGE AND SPEED INFO. ON THIS FORM I CAN ONLY GUESS AT THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT AND THE SPEED AT WHICH THE CAR ACCELERATED.) *TR