What 77 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Forester Wilderness

The contact owned a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while idled in reverse with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated in reverse on its own, colliding with a deck, after which the vehicle shifted into drive and continued to accelerate on its own, colliding with a brick wall, only then coming to a complete stop after colliding with a tree. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was not filed, and injuries were reported. The contact reported an injury to her left eye but did not seek treatment. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and a technician was sent to inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 11591102

ON 4/3/21 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30 PM, THE 2013 SUBARU FORRESTER WAS SLOWLY BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, GEAR WAS IN REVERSE, FOOT ON ACCELERATOR WITH SPEED OF <1 MPH; JUST ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET CAR OUT OF GARAGE, DOWN DRIVEWAY AND ONTO THE STREET. WHILE STILL IN REVERSE, THE CAR WAS POSITIONED ONTO THE STREET TO DRIVE FORWARD IN AN EASTWARD DIRECTION. BEFORE THE GEARSHIFT COULD BE MOVED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE (FOOT WAS NOT ON ACCELERATOR AT THE TIME), THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY SURGED BACKWARDS ACROSS THE STREET WENT UP AN EMBANKMENT CUTTING INTO NEIGHBOR'S YARD AND HIT A PARKED CAR IN THE NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY AND STOPPED. THE FLOORMAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE LAY FLUSH/FLAT AGAINST THE FLOOR, THERE WAS NO OBSTRUCTION BY THE FLOORMAT OR ANY OBJECT TO THE GAS OR BRAKE PEDAL. DRIVER HAD SEATBELT ON AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES (BUMP ON HEAD AND ELBOW, ABRASION FROM SEATBELT, AND BACK PAIN) DUE TO HITTING PARKED CAR. SUBARU HAD TO BE TOWED ON A FLATBED TRUCK. IT LOOKED LIKE THE AXEL WAS BROKEN, RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND LEFT REAR TIRE WERE MISALIGNED, AND DAMAGE TO REAR BUMPER. SEE PHOTOS

NHTSA ODI 11407528

AS I BEGAN TO BACK MY BOSSES CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, I LOOKED OUT OF MY LEFT MIRROR TO FOLLOW THE CURVE OF THE DRIVEWAY IN ORDER TO DIRECT ME. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING BEHIND ME, SO I PROCEEDED TO CONTINUE DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, AND THEN I FELT A BUMP. THEN I SAW IN THE CAMERA THAT I MUST HAVE HIT A VAN IN THAT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE BACK DOORS OF THE VAN WERE OPEN. THEN I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND PARK MY CAR SO I COULD GET OUT AND MAKE SURE I DIDN'T HURT ANYONE. AS I PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, IT MADE A LOUD WINDING NOISE AND LURCHED FORWARD. IT THEN PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE AND PICK UP SPEED IN THE DRIVEWAY. AS I BECAME PARALLEL WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE OWNERS DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE I WAS DRIVING WAS STILL PICKING UP SPEED SO I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND PUT ON THE BRAKES SO I COULD STOP THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH WITHIN SECONDS I WAS CRASHING THROUGH THE BACK YARD FENCE. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO PICK UP SPEED. I WAS PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES BUT IT WAS NOT MAKING ANY DIFFERENCE. I THOUGHT OF SWERVING THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT, BUT I WAS AFRAID OF THERE BEING CHILDREN IN THE OTHER YARD SO I QUICKLY MADE THE DECISION TO HIT THE TREE SO I COULD SPARE ANY POSSIBLE LIVES AND STOP THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. AS SOON AS I REALIZED I CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO THE TREE, I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT SO I COULD SEE WHAT HAPPENED. I KEPT REPEATING TO MYSELF 'WHY DIDN'T IT STOP?' I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND AFTER DOING EVERYTHING IN MY MIND TO STOP THE CAR, THAT NOTHING WAS SUCCESSFUL. I DID WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE BEST DECISION AS MUCH AS I COULD WITHIN THOSE CHAOTIC MOMENTS. I JUST WANTED TO STOP THE CAR AND NOT HARM IN PEOPLE IN THE PROCESS. I HIT THE TREE AT WITH ENOUGH VELOCITY THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND I BROKE MY LEG IN 3 PLACES. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ODI 11244776

WHILE BACKING INTO A GARAGE THERE WAS A UNCONTROLABLE ACCELERATION CAUSING DAMAGE THE THE REAR END OF THE CAR AND ITEMS STORED IN THE GARAGE. 8JS

NHTSA ODI 10538279