I RENTED A 2014 JEEP PATRIOT FROM ONE OF THE RENTAL CAR COMPANIES ON FEB 17 2015 AND USED IT FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT HAPPENED. ON FEB 22 , I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON I-5 GOING SOUTH. I MADE AN EXIT AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS ON THE FREEWAY TO REFUEL WHICH I DID. IT WAS BRIGHT SUNNY DAY THE TIME WAS AROUND NOON. I MOVED AWAY FROM THE GAS PUMP AND WANTED TO PARK IT BEHIND THE GAS STATION. I FOUND A SPACE BETWEEN TWO CARS AND AS I WAS SLOWLY MOVING TOWARDS THE PARKING SPACE THE CAR ACCELERATED AT AN INCREDIBLE SPEED, BROKE INTO A FENCE OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, THEN HIT A PLAY HOUSE (FOR CHILDREN) AND LANDED IN THE SWIMMING POOL. BECAUSE OF MY IGNORANCE ABOUT SUCH INCIDENCES WHEREBY CARS SELF-ACCELERATE, I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE ACCIDENTALLY STEPPED ON THE GAS AND WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED, I SAID, "MAY BE I STEPPED ON THE GAS". UPON DISCUSSING THIS MATTER WITH FRIENDS AND CHECKING ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT CARS ACCELERATED ON THEIR OWN FROM TIME TO TIME. I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND NOW THAT THE JEEP PATRIOT JUST DID THAT. I HAVE OVER 40 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND I DON'T REMEMBER A SINGLE INSTANCE WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL WHILE TRYING TO BRING A CAR TO A STOP. THE RENTAL CAR COMPANY SAID THAT THEY HAD THE CAR INSPECTED AND SENT ME A LETTER THEY RECEIVED FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THEY DID NOT FIND ANY MALFUNCTION PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS IMMERSED IN THE POOL ABOUT HALF WAY AND I AM NOT EVEN SURE HOW THE INSPECTION CAN YIELD A RELIABLE RESULT FOR A CAR PULLED OUT OF A SWIMMING POOL. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10714153