Yes i know, this sounds inconceivable. My car, however, was accelerating on its own, while out of gear, even with my foot on the brake.

I first noticed this driving in a small town about 5 level blocks away from a stop sign. Being a manual, I pumped the clutch and took the car out of gear. Surprisingly, the engine still sounded as if i was pressing down the accelerator and the RPMs were @ rising higher but never surpassed 500, however i was maintaining the same speed.

I sat in my car and searched to see if the pedal was stuck, if i was still in gear, and so on, all while i was continuing down the road @ a steady speed for 4 blocks. Then i pushed on the brake just enough o slow for a california stop and the car revved itself again and sped up and continued on down the road @ which it was going.

Once arrived @ my destination i turned the car off, waited for a few minutes and try the ignition, and the car wouldn't turn over. It took 20 minutes for the car to start again.

This happened a dozen times @ random. As the problem progressed, the car took longer to start. Once took two hours to recover. 5 different car servicers looked @ it and the volkswagon dealer offered diagnostic electrical work @ $275 an hour after checking ever other possiblility

This car had many other mechanical problems as well as cosmetic.