My father has just experienced a very frightening incident. Driving steadily down a suburban main shopping street at 30mph or less his automatic Peugeot 406 (2 litre) estate suddenly accelerated away without warning resulting in a serious crash and hospital for him and his companion. The car accelerated without warning and attempts to apply the brakes had no effect whatsoever leading him no choice in that instant but to drive into the back of a 4x4 rather than have a head on collision. He is still shaken despite this having happened 2 weeks ago. It is a sort of nightmare, which he can't explain or find reason for at the moment. The car is write-off. I should add that my father is absolutely on the ball, his mind as sharp as ever before he retired, and physically fit and active. He was a fleet air fighter pilot for the end of the war and his reactions are still quicker than mine. In trying to find out what may have caused this sudden uncontrolled acceleration, he mentioned that the car had been having problems resulting in the "lambda" probe being replaced. This was some 3 weeks before this event. Can you advise please on: Whether there any other incidents where automatic cars of this age have suddenly taken off like this? If so what make of car and year? Have such causes been diagnosed and linked to technical defects and what was the result? Whether or not a "Lambda" probe could malfunction and cause such acceleration? Can the link between a "Lambda" probe and the on board computer / electronic control panel give rise to problems such as this? If the incorrect probe is connected to the ECP could this cause problems? Your views would be much appreciated