1998 Volvo S70

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLVO S70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, WHICH ALSO FAILED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

UPON ACCELERATING UP THE HILL OF MY STREET, TODAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2011, MY CAR, A 1998 VOLVO S70 , SPED UP, UNNATURALLY, CLOSE TO THE TOP . I HAD JUST DRIVEN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, AS I BACK INTO IT ALWAYS, AND PROCEEDED UP THE HILL. AS USUAL, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWN AS THE CAR APPROACHED A STEEPER PORTION OF THE HILL. WHEN BRAKING FOR THE STOP SIGN AT THE TOP, I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP FULLY AT THE STOP SIGN, AND AFTER GOING AROUND THE CORNER TO THE RIGHT, I PULLED THE FLOOR MAT AWAY FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MY LEFT FOOT WAS NOW FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AS WELL AS MY RIGHT FOOT QUICKLY PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL , ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE GAS PEDAL UNSTUCK, WHICH IT DIDN'T. IT JUST MADE THE CAR ENGINE CONTINUOUSLY RACE EVEN MORE. THE RPM'S INCREASED ALSO THE MORE THAT THE ENGINE RACED. UNABLE TO FULLY STOP AT THE NEXT SUBSEQUENT 2 STOP SIGNS, ON A STRAIGHT AWAY, AND MY LEFT FOOT TO THE FLOOR WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL, I FINALLY DECIDED TO PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE RACING AT WHAT SEEMED A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED BY EVIDENCE OF THOSE RPM'S. I CONTINUED TO PUMP THE GAS PEDAL,WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN SUDDENLY THE RACING CEASED, AND THE RPM'S CAME DOWN TO AN IDLE, JUST BELOW 1000, I BELIEVE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND STOPPED. AFTER A BIT, I PLACED THE CAR FROM NEUTRAL INTO PARK, AND THEN AGAIN SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE. I BEGAN MOVING DOWN A HILL BY MERE IDLING SPEED. I WAS CAREFUL, JUST COASTING NOW, NOT TO INITIALLY PLACE ANY PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AS I PROCEEDED IN DRIVE. I CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, FOR A RED SIGNAL LIGHT, AND WHEN IT WAS GREEN, I DROVE BACK AROUND A LARGE CITY BLOCK TO MY DRIVEWAY. I BACKED INTO MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO FURTHER ISSUES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION DURING THE FINAL DISTANCE DRIVEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 OTHER TIMES RECENTLY WHEN SETTING CRUISE CONTROL GOING UP A HILL.*KB

OVER MAXIMUM "30" SECOND PERIOD, VEHICLE BUCKED, THEN INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND BEGAN BLINKING, THEN THROTTLE STUCK IN "FULL" POSITION, THEN BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE BLACK SMOKE EMERGED FROM UNDER HOOD AND WHEEL WELLS, THEN FLAMES VISIBLE FROM FROM GRILL OVER HOOD OF CAR, THEN VEHICLE FINALLY BROUGHT TO STOP USING EMERGENCY BRAKES AT WHICH TIME FLAMES WERE TWO-THREE FEET HIGH FROM GRILL AND WHEEL WELL(S) AREA OF CAR - EXITED IMMEDIATELY - CAR TOTAL LOSS ..... HAVE SINCE BEEN MADE AWARE OF "ANOTHER" '98 S70 FIRE WITH VERY SIMILAR SEQUENCE OF FAILURE EVENTS AND RESULT - VOLVO CONTACTED AND CLAIMS EVIDENCE OF ANIMAL NEST UNDER HOOD (ASSISTANCE DENIED) - CINNCINATI INSURANCE (MY CARRIER) HIRED & CONDUCTED PROFESSIONAL/INDEPENDENT FIRE INVESTIGATION WITH RESULTS PENDING ...... HAVE FULL SET OF PHOTOS - GENERAL COMMENT: IF THERE WERE AN ELDERLY PERSON, DIABLED PERSON OR CHILD STRAPPED IN CHILDSEAT RIDING IN VEHICLE, UNABLE TO REACT/MOVE SO QUICKLY, RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC!!!!!