What 405 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY, CAUSING CAR TO CRASH INTO GUARDRAIL ON MEDIAN, CAUSING EXTENSIVE BENT FRAME OF CAR AND EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE, CAUSING CAR TO BE DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS, AND CAUSING NERVE DAMAGE IN THE NECK OF DRIVER.

NHTSA ODI 11323214

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.

NHTSA ODI 11252433

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.

NHTSA ODI 10810175