NHTSA Complaint #11363143 — 2015 VOLVO S80

MY CAR HAS THE START/STOP FUNCTION. IT HAS A BUTTON TO MANUALLY DEACTIVATE THE START/STOP SYSTEM BUT IT HAS TO BE PUSHED EVERY TIME THE CAR IS RESTARTED. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE CAR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND DECIDED TO STOP AT A CONVENIENCE STORE TO GET A PEPSI. HE PARKED IN A PARKING SPACE. HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE HADN'T PRESSED THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND WHEN HE PARKED THE CAR, IT SHUT OFF. HE'D BEEN DRIVING IN A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND DIDN'T REALIZE THE START/STOP HAD STOPPED THE ENGINE. HE THOUGHT HE'D TURNED THE CAR OFF. WELL, HE OPENED THE DOOR AND WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD CAUSING IT TO JUMP THE CONCRETE PARKING BUMPER. FORTUNATELY THE ONLY DAMAGE IT CAUSED WAS TO THE PLASTIC BELLY PAN UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE. BUT SOMEONE IN A 4X4 PICKUP HAD TO WINCH MY CAR BACKWARDS TO GET IT OFF THE PARKING BUMPER. THERE SHOULD BE AN OPTION IN THE CAR'S CONTROL CENTER TO PERMANENTLY DEACTIVATE THE AUTO START/STOP FUNCTION INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DO IT MANUALLY EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED. ALL CARS WITH THE AUTO START/STOP FEATURE NEED TO HAVE THE OPTION AVAILABLE. VOLVO TOLD ME IT CAN'T BE DONE. IT'S A COMPUTER, I'M SURE IT COULD BE REPROGRAMMED WITH THAT OPTION. THIS IS JUST AN ACCIDENT AND LAWSUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN! IT'S EASY TO FORGET, ESPECIALLY IF A PERSON HAS A LOT ON HIS/HER MIND (AND WHO DOESN'T THESE DAYS?)