What 405 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester Wilderness

I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN A CVS PARKING LOT ON SUNRISE BLVD FT. LAUDERDALE. I MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO THE LOT AND ANOTHER RIGHT TURN INTO THE SPACE ON THE RIGHT. IT WAS A LARGE SPACE AND THE ROW OF PARKING SLOTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY SO I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO ONE OF THOSE. I MADE THE TURN INTO THE SPACE, DRIVING VERY SLOWLY, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD NOISE AND SHOT FORWARD. I HAD DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS. THE CAR RAN OVER THE CURB AND INTO A CLUSTER OF SHRUBBERY - ABOUT 7 FEET WIDE. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP INSIDE THE SHRUBBERY BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL GOING. IT WAS THE SHRUBBERY THAT STOPPED THE CAR. 08/ I WAS NOT INJURED AT ALL. I TRIED TO BACK UP THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT BACK UP. ANOTHER DRIVER WHO SAW THE INCIDENT CAME OVER TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY AND HELPED ME OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SINCE THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS JAMMED UP AGAINST THE SHRUBBERY. HE COULD NOT BACK UP THE CAR EITHER AND INSTEAD DRIVE THE CAR FORWARD THROUGH THE SHRUBS AND CAME AROUND BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT. WE CALLED AAA AND I WAITED FOR THEM.

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THERE WERE 5 MAJOR ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE THAT I WANT INVESTIGATED. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT NB ON US-101 IN THE #1 LANE OF TRAFFIC, GOING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, WHEN FOR NO EXPLAINABLE REASON, THE REAR TIRES OF MY 2016 SUBARU FORESTER BEGAN TO SKID ME ACROSS THE #2 LANE OF TRAFFIC. I WILL NOTE THAT IT HAD JUST STOPPED SPRINKLING AND THE ROAD WAS DAMP. ISSUE 1: DURING MY SKID, THE SKID CONTROL FEATURE NEVER ENGAGED (WHICH IS A MARKETED FEATURE AND A REASON I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE). I HAD TO FIGHT THE SKID ON MY OWN. ISSUE 2: THE ROLL OVER FEATURE NEVER ENGAGED (WHICH IS A MARKETED FEATURE AND ANOTHER REASON I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE). AFTER FIGHTING TO PREVENT MY VEHICLE FROM ROLLING OVER AND SKIDDING OUT OF CONTROL, I ULTIMATELY CRASH ON THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY, HITTING A LIGHT POST. ISSUE 3: UPON HITTING THE LIGHT POST, MY SEAT BELT FLEW OFF. (BOTH MY HANDS WERE ON THE WHEEL AT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO LOOSE OBJECTS IN THE AREA. UNLESS THIS IS SOME "FEATURE" IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR THE SEAT BELT TO DISENGAGE AUTOMATICALLY.) ISSUE 4: THE CRASH NOTIFICATION FEATURE, THAT I PAID EXTRA FOR, DID NOT DO IT'S JOB. EVEN WITH MY CELL PHONE LINKED TO THE VEHICLE, THE CRASH NOTIFICATION NEVER CALLED 9-1-1 ON MY BEHALF. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 9-1-1 TO NOTIFY CHP OF MY ACCIDENT BECAUSE I WAS FEARFUL OF ANOTHER VEHICLE ALSO SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL AND HITTING ME. CHP TOOK A REPORT. ** ISSUE 5 **: THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. MY CAR WAS DEEMED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND AUTO BODY SHOP. THE AUTO BODY SHOP STATED VEHICLE HIT THE POLE SO HARD ALL BOLTS WERE BENT INTO A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. HOW DOES A CRASH THAT SEVERE NOT ENGAGE THE AIR BAGS? I HAD A SCAR ON MY COLLAR BONE FOR A MONTH AFTER THE CRASH. NONE OF THE MARKETED OR REQUIRED SAFETY FEATURES WORKED TO PREVENT THE CRASH NOR ASSIST AFTER THE CRASH.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE NEIGHBOR NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. MOMENTS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE NEARBY MOTOR HOME AND HOUSE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WERE DESTROYED ALONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, STRUCK A WALL, AND WAS STRUCK BY THREE OTHER VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BRUISED FACE AND MINOR CONTUSIONS, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FENCE AND A POLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP AND THEN TO SUBARU OF ENGLEWOOD (135 SOUTH DEAN STREET, ENGLEWOOD, NJ 07631, (201) 816-6000). THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED AND LEARNED OF MANY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES, WHICH WERE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EVENT DATA RECORDER THAT THE DEALERS DID NOT HAVE AND THEY WERE INVESTIGATING THE MATTER. THE MANUFACTURER FURTHER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CALL THE CONTACT IF THEY DECIDE TO SEND THE EQUIPMENT TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS HAD TO INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO OTHER VEHICLES CAUSING DAMAGE.*JS

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE ON OCTOBER 24, 2017. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ON JULY 18, 2018, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGAIN AND CRASHED INTO A SECURITY POLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

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UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, CAUSING 2 ACCIDENTS. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK & I WAS ROLLING TO A STOP WHEN THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED.

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WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT SPOT AT IDLE SPEED, I LIGHTLY DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD COLLIDING WITH THE VEH PARKED TO MY LEFT. MY VEH JUMPED THE CURB WITH THE FRONT END COMING TO REST ON THE SIDEWALK. I HAVE HAD CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH THIS SUDDEN SURGING ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE TO ENTER MY GARAGE OR STARTING FROM A STOP. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTON OF SUBARU & TOOK IT TO THEM FOR DIAGNOSIS ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM & FOUND NOTHING ABNORMAL IN IT'S OPERATION. APPARENTLY I AM NOT ALONE IN MY COMPLAINT AS I HAVE READ IN THE DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE OF MOTOR TREND MAGAZINE THAT THEY TOO MENTION THE "JUMPY THROTTLE RESPONSE". I HAVE ALSO READ OF SIMILAR RAPID ACCELERATION COMPLAINTS IN YOUR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS SECTION WHICH PARALLEL MINE. I HAVE TOLD SUBARU THAT THIS COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS COLLISION & THAT I FEAR THAT COULD HAPPEN. EVEN THOUGH THIS COLLISION & RESULTIG DAMAGE WAS MINOR, I AM THANKFUL THERE WAS NO ONE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK THAT COULD HAVE BEEN STUCK. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEH NOW & DON'T KNOW WHAT MY NEXT STEP WILL BE. W.A LOVOLD MANHATTAN BEACH, CA

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MY ACCIDENT INVOLVED HITTING A TREE HEAD-ON TRAVELING AT LEAST 10-15 MPH. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AT LEAST 3 AIRBAGS WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED (SIDE CURTAIN, STEERING, AND DASH FOR KNEES) PREVENTING ME FROM HITTING MY HEAD.

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FRONT END TOTAL COLLISION TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ON A RESIDENTIAL SECTION OF A MAIN STREET. HIT, AND BROKE, A TELEPHONE POLE. CAR DEEMED TOTALED. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

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I WAS PARKING MY CAR. I HAD THE BRAKE APPLIED AND PUT IT IN PARK. THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN OVER A PARKING BARRIER, OVER A 1.5' STONE BARRIER, UP A SMALL GRADE AND INTO AND PARTIALLY THRU A CONCRETE PATIO WALL. THE CAR'S GEARSHIFT WAS IN PARK. I HAD TO MOVE IT BACK TO REVERSE TO GET IT BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE. AND EVEN THOUGH THE IMPACT WAS SUBSTANTIAL THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

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VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHEN I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. IT WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED NOSE FIRST INTO THE PARKING LOT BELOW.

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DRIVER WAS PARKING FRONT FIRST INTO A PARKING SPOT, TRAVELING STRAIGHT FORWARD AT LESS THAN 5 MPH. WHEN THE 2016 SUBARU FORESTER REACHED THE PROPER PARKING LOCATION, THE DRIVER, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER FROM D TO P. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE REV'D AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD, OVER THE PARKING CONCRETE BLOCK, OVER A SMALL BUSH AND INTO THE WINDOW WALL OF THE ADJACENT CONDO. DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE WALL, AND RIGHT HAND SIDE FRONT OF VEHICLE. DRIVER STATED THAT HE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE HIS FOOT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED.

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"TAKATA RECALL" VEHICLE ACCELLERATED, BRAKES DID NOT STOP VEHICLE, ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE INJURING MY WIFE, PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY & PSYCHOLOGICALLY. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WIFE WAS TRYING TO PARK, WHEN VEHICLE SPED UP AND HER BRAKING HAD NO EFFECT AND SHE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, IT ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FAILURE RECURRED, BUT ONLY WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAD NEVER BEFORE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,800.

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AFTER ABOUT 2 INCHES OF WET SNOW MY WIFE WAS DRIVING UP A SLOPED STREET. SHE CAME TO AN AREA WHERE SHE COULD SEE 2 CARS WAITING AFTER A COLLISION. SHE STOPPED. ANOTHER CAR STOPPER BEHIND HER. A POLICE CAR PASSED THE CAR PARKED BEHIND MY WIFE. THE POLICE CAR BUMPED THE CAR PARKED BEHIND MY WIFE AND PARKED. MY WIFE TRIED TO TURN AROUND. AS SHE DID HER CAR LOST TRACTION AND SLID INTO THE PARKED POLICE CAR. THERE WAS NO VISUAL DAMAGE TO MY WIFE'S CAR. I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE TO THE POLICE CAR. A REPORT STILL HAD TO BE FILED EVIDENTLY BECAUSE IT WAS A POLICE CAR. LATER I CHECKED THE RATING ON THE TIRES. PER THE RATINGS GIVEN IN TIRE RACK THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO BE UNSUITABLE FOR USE ON ICE.

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IN A CLOSED PARKING LOT, I WAS GETTING READY TO PARK IN A SPACE. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I CUT THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND THEN EASED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO MANEUVER INTO THE PARKING SPOT. I PUSHED THE BRAKE AGAIN IN PREPARATION TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS AND FINISH PARKING, NO SPEED REGISTERING ON THE GAUGE. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND JUMPED. I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, AND SLAMMED IT BACK DOWN ON THE BRAKE ATTEMPTING TO HALT THE VEHICLE. INSTEAD, WITH MY FOOT STILL FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGAIN, AND FASTER, RIGHT INTO A WALL. I HAD BEEN UNABLE TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS, SO THE IMPACT WAS NOT HEAD-ON, BUT RATHER CONTINUING THE RIGHT-TURN'S ANGLE, AND IMPACT OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, FRONT-END. 2 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITH A SLIGHT DELAY, CAUSING SEVERE BRUISING TO MY LEGS WHICH AFFECT MY WALKING, AND MUSCLE TEARS CAUSING SEVERE NECK AND SPINE PAIN. THOUGH I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT DURING THE COLLISION, IT RETRACTED WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR, AND WE WERE UNABLE TO DISLODGE IT WHEN WE HAD TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FOR TOWING. TO REITERATE, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE AT MINIMAL SPEED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, WITH MY FOOT FIRMLY PRESSING THE BRAKE.

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THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE DRIVER STOPPED TO MAKE A U-TURN THEN SLOWLY STARTED TO TAKE HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE WHILE MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO THE RIGHT (OPPOSITE DIRECTION). THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ONLY AFTER COLLIDING INTO A STREET POLE.

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