2017 Subaru Crosstrek

On January 19, 2024 I was slowly pulling in to a parking spot at my doctors office. I did not pull up far enough, as there was a concrete retaining wall at the head of the spot and no tire block for safety. I was maybe 5 feet from the wall when I lightly tapped the gas pedal to inch up (as the back end of the car was sticking out into the passing lane). When I did so, the car slipped into rapid acceleration causing a full head on crash with the retaining wall. I had pressed the break pedal but the brakes did not have enough time to engage before the wall stopped my car. As a result, I had bumper damage, a crooked hood (due to bent hinge on the right side) and a cracked bracket above the light assembly. Thankfully I was not injured, but the repair was costly. I leased this car new in 2017, and am paying off end of lease buyout. I have been the only driver, and I bring my car for regular servicing. At this point I am afraid to drive it because I don't know when or where the next rapid acceleration will occur.

MY BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE AFTER WORK, THE BATTERY WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DISCHARGED. I WAS ABLE TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THROUGH SUBARU AND RECEIVED A JUMP START. (THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE I WAS BACKPACKING THE WEEKEND OF 9/21-9/22, BUT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DISCHARGED. ANOTHER ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR SCOUT TROOP WAS ABLE TO GIVE ME A JUMP START. PREVIOUSLY, I HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATING, BUT HAD BEEN ABLE TO CATCH IT IN TIME BEFORE THE BATTERY DIED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, WHICH COULD BE REMEDIED BY ME TAKING MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER THE JUMP ON 10/3, THIS LOSS OF ACCELERATION HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT CONTINUE MOVING. ON A FINAL NOTE, I REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THE EVENING OF 10/3 AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED EITHER PROBLEM SINCE.)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTRAK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE DRIVER PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF A SECOND VEHICLE. DURING THE INCIDENT THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE FEATURE( 'EYESIGHT') MALFUNCTIONED AND DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AWAY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT YET NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

VEHICLE IS ONLY 2YRS OLD AND HAS ROUGHLY 6200 MILES ON IT. THE BRAKES WERE MAKING AN AWFUL RUBBING/ GRINDING NOISE AND SMELLING LIKE THEY WERE BURNING. SUBARU DEALER IS OVER AN HOUR AWAY FROM HOME AND DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE VEHICLE THERE. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR ROTARS AND SETS OF BRAKE PADS REPLACED. BURLINGTON SUBARU SAID TOO BAD CAN'T HELP YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD CAR TOWED TO US AND WE COULD HAVE MAYBE COVERED SOME OF IT UNDER WARRANTY. CAN'T HELP YOU NOW. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS WRONG AND BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE LIKE THE CAR, BUT IF THAT IS THE TYPE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WE GET WHEN SUBARU BOASTS "PEACE OF MIND AND QUALITY PARTS" THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO STAY WITH SUBARU. HAVING OUR CAR TOWED WOULD HAVE BEEN $300 PLUS THE PARTS AND SERVICE AND A MAYBE WARRANTY COVERAGE WASN'T AN OPTION FOR MANY SAFETY AND MONETARY REASONS. WE FEEL IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO AT LEAST COVER THE COST OF PARTS THAT WE PAID. ATTACHED THE INVOICE. LABOR IS $75/HOUR AT OUR LOCAL GARAGE X 3 HOURS. I UNDERSTAND THAT BRAKE PADS ARE A WEAR OUT ITEM BUT ROTARS SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN 6200 MILES!!! MECHANIC TOLD ME THE BRAKE PADS WERE ALMOST CORRODED ONTO ROTARS. LUCKILY CALIPERS ARE OKAY. NOT ONLY THAT, I RECENTLY FOUND ON LINE THAT OUR CROSSTREK HAS A RECALL THAT WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED ON. IT CAME OUT IN FEB 2019!