NHTSA Complaint #10098142 — 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK

ON OCTOBER 6, 2004, I WAS COASTING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN MY 1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. MY HEADLIGHTS WERE FACING A CURB, SIDEWALK, AND CEMENT BRICK BUILDING, AND I TOUCHED THE BRAKES TO PREVENT BUMPING THE CURB. AS SOON AS MY FOOT HIT THE BRAKE, THE CAR VROOMED AS IF THE THROTTLE HAD BEEN FULLY OPENED, AND THE CAR CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD. I PRESSED THE BRAKE HARDER, BUT THE CAR SEEMED TO TAKE OFF ON IT'S OWN AND WAS TOTALLY OUT OF MY CONTROL. THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE EASILY BUMPED UP THE CURB, AND THE CAR FLEW INTO THE AIR AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT (THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY). THE ENTIRE INCIDENT HAPPENED VERY FAST AND WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. ALTHOUGH I AM THANKFUL THAT THERE WAS NO PEDESTRIAN WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK WHEN IT HAPPENED AND THAT I AM ALIVE TO BE WRITING THIS, I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS WAS A CAR MALFUNCTION THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED IN THIS VEHICLE.*AK