What 405 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester

I had my foot on the brake, opened the garage door with my garage door opener, and before I took my foot off the brake the car surged, jumped, and smashed into the brick wall next to the garage. I did not put my foot on the gas.

NHTSA ODI 11726168

When parked on a slope, driver attempted to back SUV out of parking space. Before starting car, with key inserted, ignition on and foot on brake, driver attempted to remove gearshift from park. Car drifted backward rapidly and uncontrollably. The brakes completely failed even with foot on brake. The car was a hazard to anyone in its path and could not be stopped. The emergency brake was attempted but failed to stop the car. Power steering failed. Gearshift could not be put back into park. SUV crashed heavily into a sign protecting the gas pump, but auto suffered major damage: REAR WRAP AROUND BUMPER, ENTIRE POWER LIFT DOOR, AND FRAME, were included in the damage. Driver was the wife of a couple. Very importantly, the husband had experienced the exact same uncontrollable roll-back in the same vehicle at the same place a few weeks earlier, but somehow missed the gas pump and sign. At that time, the car was uncontrollable and caused panic for both drivers in separate incidents. THAT'S NOT ALL--of key importance was a conversation we--as a couple--had with the salesman and the dealership's lead mechanic when the auto was purchased in 2017. We pointed out that when backing out of a space on a slight downslope and changing gears, the car drifted backwards uncontrollably a number of feet--at least three to six feet. At that time in 2027, we told them we did not like this feature, and it could be a danger to children playing in the driveway. They said that the manufacturers' engineering department knew about this. And were making improvements. Subsequently we investigated this engineering/design fault online, discussed it again with the dealership, then dropped the issue. THE BOTTOM LINE: THIS SEEMS TO US TO BE A GENUINE MANUFACTURING FAULT. WE BOTH EXPERIENCED THIS UNCONTROLLABLE DRIFT BACK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE THE CAR. IT IS FRIGHTENENING AND DANGEROUS TO BE IN A VEHICLE WEIGHING TONS WITHOUT ANY ABILITY TO CONTROL IT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ODI 11618333

I arrived at work. I was placing my car in park with foot on the brake. The car took off and the brakes took time to stop the car. I tried to stop the car as we hit a fence and was headed through it it and into a pond. Pumping the brakes throwing car in reverse stopped us from ending up in the pond. Major car damage incurred. Thank goodness noone was seriously hurt. The car just accelerated with my foot on the brake and with me attemtping to put it in park.

NHTSA ODI 11463552

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DEPRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE ANY INJURIES OR SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER GRAYSON HYUNDAI ( 8729 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 37923; (865) 693-4550) AND HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE AS OF YET. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000.

NHTSA ODI 11378295

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.

NHTSA ODI 10981716

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.

NHTSA ODI 10957367

"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.

NHTSA ODI 10918643

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.

NHTSA ODI 10823231