NHTSA Complaint #750365 — 1990 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

STOPPED FOR ICE CREAM AFTER ABOUT 60 MILE DRIVE. DID NOT LEAVE VEHICLE. STARTED CAR AND WHEN I WENT FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE RPM'S SOARED (I HAD NOT TAKEN MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE) CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE IN REVERSE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE TO ATTEMPT TO STOP IT & THE BRAKES DID NOTHING. SO I PUT CAR INTO PARK & STILL CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN REVERSE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. WITH DIVINE DRIVING, THE CAR BACKED THROUGH AN EMPTY HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE WHEN IT GOT CAUGHT UP ON THE CEMENT PARKING SPACE BARRICADE. WITH THE RPM'S STILL RACING, THE CAR HIT A SIGN, PROCEEDED ACROSS THE FRONT LAWN OF THE ESTABLISHMENT, HIT AN OCTAGONAL PICNIC TABLE, AND FINALLY HIT ANOTHER CAR PARKED AT AN BUSINESS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING. I WAS BRAKING WITH BOTH FEET THE ENTIRE TIME WITH THE CAR IN THE PARK POSITION THROUGH MOST OF THE ORDEAL. A WITNESS VERIFIED HE COULD HEAR THE RPM'S SOARING..*AK