Electrical System. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Visibility/wiper. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports3 fire reports7 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

14 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2024

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

Read full complaint

Subaru sudden acceleration – Garage Accident [XXX] [XXX] – before noon, wet, rainy day: [XXX] returning from grocery shopping - car suddenly accelerated from near stop as she was about to enter garage, the car hit the garage brick wall. When she put her foot on the brake, the car suddenly accelerated. I have security video showing this sudden acceleration (.mp4, nhtsa doesn't accept). After accident, car drives well - all lights work - hood opens and locks. Substantial car damage to bumper and adjoining parts - wood trim damaged, garage bricks cracked and pushed in, garage door would not close. [XXX] Wed – took Subaru in for unexpected sudden acceleration on braking – [XXX] – test drive with Gary – Problem unexpected with Subarus – electronic control – no manual linkage (some transmission linkage with shift lever). Sent me home – no charge. [XXX] – Subaru sudden acceleration on braking while car cold – today at Trexlertown after haircut. Happened previously within week. Called Subaru 855-399-3787; INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11591225

Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 2023

Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

As I pulled up behind a car that was stopped at a stop sign, I took my foot off the gas pedal, and put it on the brake pedal. The moment i put my foot on the brake pedal, my car surged forward. I had a moment to think, and I confirmed that my foot was on the brake pedal, I had felt the brakes trying to resist the surge. I put the car into neutral, and it jerked to a stop. No one was hurt, I stopped the car in time, but I wondered if this had happened in other settings, what danger it would have posed. This has previously occurred rarely and intermittently when, starting out on some cold mornings, i shifted from reverse to neutral to drive, when backing out of my driveway in the morning.The car surged forward and I had to be quick on pressing the brake pedal hard to get it to stop before hitting a mailbox post. No warning lights went on, in any of these incidents. I called a Subaru dealer, who said there had been no recall history re this uninitiated surge behavior.

NHTSA ODI #11561489

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2021

Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

I have experienced two separate occasions where my vehicle accelerated even though my foot was on the brake pedal. Once, I was slowing down on a main street for a stop light behind several other cars. My vehicle began to accelerate and would have rammed the car in front of me if I had not been able to swerve into an empty turn lane. Due to the acceleration, I figured I must have accidentally hit the gas pedal, so I lifted my foot and hit the other pedal--which was the accelerator, and naturally just accelerated the vehicle more. I then put my foot back on the brake and the car came to a stop. The second time, my son was backing into our driveway. He had the brakes on. The car was slowing down. Then it suddenly accelerated backward. My son said his foot was still on the brake pedal when the car accelerated, and he did the same thing I did when I had the issue: he moved his foot to the other pedal, thinking he had made some kind of error, but found that the switch only made the car accelerate more, so he switched back to the brake pedal and the car stopped. In both of these instances, the car was initially braking when the brake pedal was applied, then began to accelerate without a change in foot positioning. The accelerator was not touched in either instances because the vehicle was going slow enough not to need much pressure, and the accelerator is positioned far enough away from the brake as it is impossible to touch both pedals at the same time. The floor mats were properly secured at both times (as they always are) and could not possibly have interfered in any way. Thankfully no one has been hurt or experienced any property damage during either of these episodes, but I am worried that one of these days, something horrible will happen if this problem is not corrected! I will give the date of the most recent occurrence in the information included with this report.

NHTSA ODI #11424191

74,000 miles · Mar 16, 2021

Vehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT THE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE REPORTS OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CEASING IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

NHTSA ODI #11403389

34,630 miles · Jul 17, 2019

Air BagsEngineVehicle Speed ControlCrash

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT MADE A RIGHT TURN TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND SURGED OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A CONCRETE PARKING BLOCK, STRUCK A GUARDRAIL, THEN CRASHED INTO THE BUILDING BEHIND IT. THEN THE VEHICLE BOUNCED BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. NO POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED (THE CONTACT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS DAMAGED ON THEIR VEHICLE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD SEND AN OFFICIAL TO THE CONTACT'S HOME TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,630.

NHTSA ODI #11232738

40,000 miles · Jul 5, 2019

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A BARRIER AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING AND THE STEEL BARS NEAR THE HANDICAPPED PARKING AREA. THE CONTACT WAS SHAKEN UP, BUT NOT INJURED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V251000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *AS *AS

NHTSA ODI #11229543

76,000 miles · Nov 19, 2018

Air BagsService BrakesStructureCrash

Read full complaint

MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YESTERDAY. WHILE PULLING IN TO A PARKING SPOT AND ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE ABOUT TO PLACE THE CAR IN PARK, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE RESULT WAS A FRONT END COLLISION WITH THE SIDE OF A RESTAURANT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I'M GRATEFUL THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT I'M WORRIED THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS LIKE IT. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO START AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS NATURE SO I'M TURNING TO YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR GUIDANCE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.

NHTSA ODI #11152454

131,254 miles · Nov 7, 2018

Fuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHEN PARKING IN A PARKING SPOT AT A SCHOOL GOING TO WORK, THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN AND WENT UP AN EMBANKMENT AND STRUCK A TREE CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.

NHTSA ODI #11149897

5,000 miles · Aug 4, 2016

Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

IN JANUARY OF 2015, I PURCHASED A NEW 2015 SUBARU LEGACY WITH THE LATEST SAFETY FEATURES AND EQUIPMENT. WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF PURCHASE OF THE LEGACY BEGINNING IN APRIL OF 2015 THE RADIO/NAVIGATION/DRIVER ASSISTANCE DISPLAY CONSOLE BEGAN TO LOCK UP AND BECOME NON-OPERABLE AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF OPERATION. THE DEALER (MATT SLAPP SUBARU OF NEWARK, DELAWARE) HAD DIFFICULTY DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM AND CALLED IN THE SUBARU REGIONAL TECHNICIAN TO TRY TO RECOMMEND A FIX. HE RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE RADIO AND DISPLAY. THIS ALL TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS. WHEN THE REPLACEMENT UNIT CAME IN, WE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE REPAIRS SHORTLY AFTER THE NEW RADIO/DISPLAY CONSOLE HAD BEEN INSTALLED, THE SAME PROBLEM WE HAD BEFORE WAS EVIDENT. IN ADDITION, WE WERE UNABLE TO ACCESS THE MAP AND NAVIGATIONAL FUNCTION AT ALL WITH THE NEW UNIT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS WE WERE DISCOVERING THIS, THE DEALER CALLED TO TELL US THAT THE COMPUTERIZED INVENTORY ACCOUNTING SYSTEM HAD FLAGGED THE MISMATCH BETWEEN OUR MODEL AND THE RADIO/NAVIGATION CONSOLE THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN MY SUBARU. WE RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND FOR THE SECOND TIME A NEW AND CORRECT MODEL RADIO/NAVIGATION CONSOLE WAS INSTALLED. WE NOW HAD ACCESS TO THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM SCREEN AND MAPS AGAIN GOING INTO THE FALL OF 2015 AND FOR THE REST OF THE WINTER EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE WORKING FINE. BUT DURING A WARM SPELL IN APRIL OF 2016 THE PROBLEM CROPPED UP AGAIN AND I BEGAN TO MAINTAIN A LOG (ATTACHED) OF THE OCCURRENCES WHICH BECAME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT AS WE MOVED INTO SUMMER DURING THE MONTH OF JULY THE SYSTEM LOCKED UP ON THE RIDE HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY ON ALMOST EVERY SUNNY, WARM DAY. SINCE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL I'M ON MY WAY AND TRAVELING ON HIGH SPEED, LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAYS FOR 90% OF MY COMMUTE WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD,

NHTSA ODI #10893220

13,500 miles · Jun 30, 2016

Fuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

MY 2015 SUBARU LEGACY HAS AT DIFFERENT TIMES (AT IDLE IN GEAR, COMING UP TO A RED LIGHT WHILE MOVING, PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT OR DRIVING AT 45 MILES AN HOUR) ACCEREATED ON ITS OWN AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN UNTILL I PUT IT IN NUETRAL. I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HAND ON THE SHIFTER AT ALL TIMES TO PUT INTO NUETRAL. I BOUGHT THE CA…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10881699

Official recalls

16V251000 · Electronic Stability Control (esc)

Apr 27, 2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. The brake fluid used in these vehicles may contain excess moisture which may adversely affect the performance of the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Poor performance of the electronic stability control system when it is activated may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will perform an ABS activation, then flush and replace the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTC-64.

15V502000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Aug 10, 2015

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Consequence: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.

Power Train:automatic Transmission

Consequence: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.

15V366000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking

Jun 12, 2015

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

EA21002 · Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module