May 7, 2026BrakesDriver assistance
The car in front of me was about a two car's lengths away. It was very cold and that car's exhaust plume was larger than normal. The exhaust plume was highlighted by sunlight, and I believe my car thought it was an object. The auto braking system alerted and immediately slammed on the brakes in the middle of heavy traffic. There was no time for me to respond. Thankfully no one hit me. If I'd been on the highway it could have been catastrophic. The problem has not been reproduced or inspected.
NHTSA ODI 11736429
Nov 6, 2022BrakesCrash1 injury
In the winter of 2021-22, while parallel parking, backing up, then pressing the brake, my Crosstrek spontaneously accelerated in reverse and rammed into the truck already parked behind me. The Crosstrek paused, then rammed again, as I pressed harder on the brake. I put the car into “park” and turned off the engine. I was baffled and had no explanation for what happened. Thank goodness a person wasn’t between my Crosstrek and the truck. More recently, on October 4, 2022, I was at the post office mailbox drop-off. My Crosstrek was stopped with my foot on the brake. Some mail had fallen out of the overstuffed mailbox, I opened my door, set my foot outside, leaned over to pick up the mail, and my Crosstrek spontaneously accelerated forward. My car door hit the cement pylon and closed on my leg. The car lurched forward again, then stopped, and I was able to open the door. My leg was broken with a compound fracture and my foot was nearly ripped off. I called for help, 911 was dispatched, and I was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.
NHTSA ODI 11492507