What 403 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Forester Wilderness

I was driving my 2014 Subaru Forester (about 148,000 miles) behind a minivan at a safe distance and speed. Without warning, my vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. Despite applying the brakes, shifting into low gear, and using the emergency brake, I was unable to slow it down. After impact, the car then hit a telephone pole, spun me around and rolled the car over. There is major damage to the car and we looked at it at the tow yard but the salvage adjuster is moving it shortly.

NHTSA ODI 11700275

AT/ABOUT 1230 CENTRAL TIME ON 31 OCT 2019, MY WIFE [XXX] EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION EVENT IN OUR 2014 SUBARU FORESTER AND NARROWLY ESCAPED BEING KILLED. CONTEXT: MY WIFE WAS TAKING THE CAR THROUGH AN AUTOMATED CARWASH AT THE CASEYS GAS STATION AT 9911 S. 71ST ST IN PAPILLION NE. WHEN SHE REACHED THE END OF THE CONVEYOR BELT AND WHEN SIGNALLED BY THE ATTENDANT TO MOVE FORWARD, SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM N (NEUTRAL) TO D (DRIVE). SHE ENCOUNTERED RESISTANCE MOVING THE GEAR LEVER BUT WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT TO D. UPON DOING SO, THE CAR ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD DESPITE HER FOOT REMAINING ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AND TORE THROUGH THE CLOSED GARAGE DOOR AT THE END OF THE CARWASH AND CONTINUED OUTSIDE, ACROSS AN ACCESS ROAD AND UP A SMALL HILL, BEFORE LOSING POWER AND ROLLING BACKWARDS DOWN THE HILL TO STOP IN THE ACCESS ROAD. NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PERSONS WERE INVOLVED OR INJURED. MY WIFE WAS UNINJURED OTHER THAN BEING SPRAYED BY GLASS FRAGMENTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD AS IT WAS PUNCTURED BY THE GARAGE DOOR AS THE CAR TORE THROUGH IT. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY (USAA) DECLARED THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS. NEITHER MY WIFE NOR I HAD EVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS INCIDENT BEFORE; WE BOTH HAVE EXCELLENT DRIVING RECORDS. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT WAS CLEAR, DRY AND SUNNY. THE CAR TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE WAS IN EXCELLENT MECHANICAL CONDITION. THE PAPILLION NE POLICE DEPT RESPONDED AND FILED A REPORT, AND WE FILED A DRIVERS MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT REPORT. BOTH ARE ON FILE WITH THE PAPILLION NE POLICE DEPT. THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL WITNESSES TO THIS INCIDENT PER THE POLICE REPORT. *LN*JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11280696

SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD BEEN FLOORED. THIS OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER I SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE TO LEAVE MY DRIVEWAY WITHOUT MY THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T RESPOND TO BRAKING. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TURN THE WHEEL TO AVOID GOING INTO THE CULVERT DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM MY DRIVEWAY. THE ROAD THEN IS AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT-HAND TURN BUT THE CAR WAS ALREADY GOING TOO FAST FOR ME TO SUCCESSFULLY STAY ON THE ROAD. THE CAR WENT INTO THE CULVERT ACROSS THAT ROAD, DEPLOYING ALL THE AIRBAGS, AND ESSENTIALLY DEMOLISHING THE CAR (>$20K TO REPAIR). MY WIFE AND I WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE FOR VARIOUS TESTS AND CT SCANS; FORTUNATELY, NOT TOO MUCH DAMAGE BEYOND WHAT THE SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAGS DID TO US....UPDATED 09/22/15 *BF *CN

NHTSA ODI 10746870

I WAS TURNING RIGHT TO PARK AT A STATE PARK. THE PARKING AREA IS SANDY AND FULL OF POT HOLES. I WAS ALMOST STOPPED WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY. MY CAR MOUNTED A FLAT BOULDER, ONE OF MANY IN THE PARKING AREA. I STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE I COULD HAVE STEPPED OR STOMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL VS THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT IT IS A POSSIBILITY. I AM A VERY CAUTIOUS DRIVER. COULD THIS BE A DEFECT IN THIS CAR? I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE REPORTED AND NOTED IN CASE OTHERS HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10573467