Uncontrollable acceleration, overriding brake: Unexplained accident occurred as I had pulled into angle parking slot, foot on brake ready to shift to "park". suddenly the car unexpectedly accelerated forward about 5 feet and lurched into the wooden parking barrier that delineates the edge of the parking lot, cracking it. Engine was revving. I shifted into reverse to get back into parking spot (foot on brake necessary to shift into reverse) and car accelerated backward totally out of my control, only stopped after backing into car parked on opposite side. Passerby said he heard the engine revving from the other side of the lot! at this point I shifted into "drive" and, with car now under my control, returned to original spot. I refused to drive car again when police asked me to show what had happened- had it towed, Volvo usa technician reportedly found nothing wrong with the car, ( the report is an internal Volvo document not available to me). This was a frightening, horrifying incident, with rapid acceleration occurring both forward and in reverse, despite foot on brake. Car is equipped with multiple safety features. People could have been hurt- luckily no one was. Over next couple of weeks, I went over every possibility, but must conclude it was a malfunction of the car.

- Marblehead, MA, USA