NHTSA Complaint #10429979 — 1990 VOLVO 760

ON MONDAY NIGHT (AROUND MIDNIGHT) OCTOBER 10, 2011 I WAS TAKING MY HUSBAND FOR A ROUTINE VISIT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR STROKE RELATED PROBLEMS AND IN NORMAL FASHION, I STARTED MY CAR, PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE (NOT THE ACCELERATOR) AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. IMMEDIATELY, THE CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND DIDN'T STOP UNTIL WE WERE INSIDE MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE, STOPPED ONLY BY THE INTERIOR WALL OF HIS HOME. WE WENT BACKWARDS THROUGH HIS FRONT GATE, HIS EXTERIOR WALL AND ENDED UP COMPLETELY INSIDE HIS DEN/GAME ROOM. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP IT WITH THE BRAKES AND THERE WAS NO EXPLAINABLE REASON FOR THE MALFUNCTION, BUT IT WAS BIZARRE TO SAY THE LEAST. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO HIS HOME AND MY CAR, BUT LUCKILY NO ONE WAS KILLED. MY HUSBAND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR NECK INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE ACCIDENT AND THE CAR IS NOW IN A WRECKING YARD. WE BOUGHT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE BECAUSE OF IT'S SAFETY RATING AND WELL DOCUMENTED MAINTENANCE RECORDS, BUT AFTER THIS PROBLEM, I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER VOLVO. UPON RESEARCH (AFTER THE ACCIDENT) , I DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS EXACT SCENARIO...ENGAGING IN REVERSE AND UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION OCCURRING. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, REGARDLESS OF THE AGE OF A VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. *KB