What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Outback Wilderness

PLATE GFN9291, SUBARU RE:(#:1-11519581273)

NHTSA ODI 10781306

SLOWING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A CITY STREET, MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, CLUTCH IN. SPEED ROUGHLY 2 KM/HR. WENT TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKE ACTIVATION. TRIED BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN, SAME RESULT. ACTIVATED PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE WHICH ALSO DID NOT STOP THE CAR. CAR HIT THE BACK OF A GRAVEL TRUCK AHEAD, AND SEEMED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH INTO THE TRUCK 7-10 CM, WHICH IS FURTHER THAN I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED GIVEN THE LOW SPEED OF THE COLLISION. COLLISION DAMAGED THE HOOD OF MY CAR AND BROKE THE HEADLIGHT LENS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, NO DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK, NO INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS OF EITHER VEHICLE. TRUCK TURNED THROUGH TURNING LIGHT, I CAREFULLY MOVED THE CAR UP AND TRIED STOPPING AT THE LIGHT. BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY, SO I TRIED THE PARKING BRAKE AND IT ALSO SEEMED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND NOTICED MUCH MORE TRAVEL THAN USUAL AND A SPONGY FEEL, BUT THERE WAS RESISTANCE WHERE THERE WAS NONE PREVIOUSLY. I DECIDED THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND DROVE SLOWLY TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I LEFT IT TO BE INSPECTED.

NHTSA ODI 10780107

THE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I LIMITED W EYESIGHT SYSTEM HAD BEEN PARKED ON A SURFACE PARKING LOT NEAR MARSHALL BWI AIRPORT FOR ABOUT 12 DAYS. THE PARKING BRAKE HAD BEEN APPLIED AT THE TIME OF ORIGINAL PARKING. THIS ELECTRONIC BRAKE COULD NOT BE DISENGAGED AFTER REPEATED STARTS OF THE CAR. BRAKES WERE APPARENTLY LOCKED. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED. THE CAR HAD TO BE MOVED WITH THE BRAKES ON TO GET IT OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE AND ON TO A FLATBED TOW TRUCK. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BRAKE WAS LOCKED IN POSITION. APPARENTLY THE OTHER THREE WHEELS WERE FREE TO MOVE. THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT WAS ON THE DRIVERS SCREEN. THE SERVICE ADVISOR RECOMMENDED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE NOT BE APPLIED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR A NUMBER DAYS, PARTICULARLY ON A FLAT SURFACE.

NHTSA ODI 10724572