2001 Subaru Outback

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE PARKING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

I WAS TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65-70 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET WHEN TRAFFIC SLOWED DOWN SUDDENLY. MY FIRST REACTION IN THIS CASE IS TO PULL THE SPEED CONTROL LEVER TOWARDS ME TO DISENGAGE IT AND TAKE MANUAL CONTROL OF THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN BY BRAKING OR DOWNSHIFTING, AS PER USUAL PROCEDURE. IN THIS CASE THROTTLE FAILED TO DECELERATE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, UPON WHICH I THEN REPEATEDLY STAMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH WAS ALSO UNRESPONSIVE (DID NOT CANCEL ACCELERATION OR SLOW THE VEHICLE). OUT OF OPTIONS, I SWERVED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE TRACTOR-TRAILER DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND REAR ENDED A MOVING VEHICLE IN THE LEFT LANE. WITH BRAKES STILL UNRESPONSIVE, I MANAGED TO CUT ACROSS TO THE SHOULDER WHERE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY DOWNSHIFTING IN ADDITION TO USING THE HANDBRAKE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES TO RELEASE THE CRUISE CONTROL; HOWEVER, IT WOULD NOT RELEASE. SHE THEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED EIGHT TIMES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE STEERING FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED FROM THE SCENE UNCONSCIOUS. SHE SUSTAINED CRACKED RIBS, BRUISES, AND SPRAINS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. SHE HAS NOT YET NOTIFIED THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 64,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. HE ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND NO OTHER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED SINCE. A VALID VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

"THIS IS GRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE LIKE SUBARU 'FORGETS' TO FIT A $1 SPRING CLIP. THE THROTTLE PROBABLY STUCK AT AROUND 3/4 OPEN AS SHE HAD JUST BEEN TRAVELING UP A STEEP HILL LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM OUR HOUSE. THE ROAD THEN DIPS DOWN AND GOES INTO A SERIES OF S BENDS, SHE LEFT THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 80MPH AND HIT A TREE 5 FOOT UP IN AIR FROM THE ROAD'S SURFACE. IT WAS A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY, NO PRECIPITATION, SHE WAS TRAPPED IN THERE FOR 45 MINS AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DOOR PILLARS THEY TRIED TO CUT WITH THEIR HURST CUTTERS THE CAR SURVIVED REMARKABLY. BUT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN THIS WRECK SAID IT WAS NOT A SURVIVABLE ACCIDENT. I WONDER IF THE PEOPLE IN THEIR BIG CORPORATIONS EVER CONSIDER THESE TYPE OF THINGS, OR WHETHER THEY SLEEP AT NIGHT???"

DT: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND BRAKING, WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL IT TAKES RIGHT OFF, CAN TAKE FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND IT STILL SURGES FORWARD. IT IS HARD TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE WHEN HITTING BRAKES. THIS PROBLEM GOT SO BAD THAT IT WOULDN'T LET CONSUMER MAKE A TURN. HAD TO KEEP GOING FORWARD INSIDE. RAILROADS TRACKS WERE THERE AND HIT THE MOUND. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. IT WAS 1000.00 MILES WHEN IT WAS DONE LAST JUNE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE AND FOOT WAS PLACED ON THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. NO INJURIES TO REPORT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK