1990 Volvo 740

RAPID ACCELERATION INCIDENT IN A 1990 VOLVO 740 TURBO SEDAN. GIVEN THE RECENT PRESS RE TOYOTA, I WOULD JUST LIKE IT KNOWN THAT THE ISSUE MAY EXTEND TO OTHER MANUFACTURERS AS WELL. MY VEHICLE BECAME "POSSESSED" IN A PARKING GARAGE IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS IN 1996. I WAS ABOUT TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, AND IT WENT INTO A SUPER HIGH SPEED REVERSE (ON ITS OWN FROM ZERO TO PERHAPS 40 MPH?) WHILE MY FOOT WAS JAMMED IN TERROR ON THE BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO THROW THE TRANSMISSION INTO FIRST GEAR, WHICH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, BEFORE I SMASHED INTO A CAR BEHIND ME. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, BUT TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND FOUND NO RECALLS. I SOLD THE CAR LONG AGO, BUT THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW. I LOVE VOLVO AND STILL BELIEVE THEY ARE SAFE CARS, SO I REGRET TO BRING THIS UP.

VEHICLE FIRE AS A RESULT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.*MR VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AT WORK FOUR HOURS AFTER IT WAS PARKED. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED UPON DISCOVERING IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME THAT NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY. CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF THE BATTERY CABLES. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND LEARNED OF A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE 740 MODELS. CONSUMER BELIEVED THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BATTER CABLE CAME TOGETHER AND RAN DOWN A RUBBER TUB THAT SECURED THE INTER FRAME. AT THE END OF THE RUBBER TUBE THE POSITIVE CABLE RAN ACROSS THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER TO THE STARTER. THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE AFTER LEAVING THE RUBBER TUBE CROSS OVER THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE GOING TO GROUND ITSELF TO THE ENGINE. OVER THE YEARS THE TWO CABLES RUB TOGETHER TILL THE SHEATING WORN DOWN AND MAKING CONTACT CAUSING THE SHORT CIRCUIT AND FIRE. THE DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE ( POSITIVE/NEGATIVE CABLE BURNED ALL THE WAY THROUGH, BOTH POWER STEERING HOSE BURNED, OIL SENDING UNIT AND CONNECTING WIRE, SPLASH PAN MELTED FROM FIRE DROPPING ON IT, THE A/C COMPRESSOR HOSE BURNED TO THE POINT WHERE YOU COULD SEE TREAD COMING FROM THE HOSE. THE ITEMS WERE REPLACED BUT THE A/C WASN'T WORKING. *PH