NHTSA Complaint #10108341 — 2004 SUBARU OUTBACK

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WITH TWO DIFFERENT DRIVERS, MY SUBARU OUTBACK 2004 VEHICLE EXPERIENCED DANGEROUS SUDDEN ACCELERATION. IN BOTH CASES, WE WERE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC FOR A FEW MINUTES, FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN SUDDENLY, THE CAR BEGAN TO SURGE FORWARD. EVEN EXERTING STRONG PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR CONTINUED TO SURGE FORWARD, THE ENGINE RACING. ON ONE OCCASION, WE WERE BEHIND OTHER STOPPED CARS AND ALMOST REAR-ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. ON ANOTHER, WE WERE STOPPED AT A CROSS WALK AND ALMOST LURCHED FORWARD INTO PEDESTRIANS. IN BOTH CASES, WE THEN THREW THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL (IT IS AN AUTOMATIC). THE ENGINE THEN RACED WILDLY FOR A FEW SECONDS. WE THEN THREW IT INTO PARK. AT THIS POINT, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE, THEN SUBSIDED. A MOMENT LATER, THE CAR WAS BEHAVING NORMALLY AGAIN. OUR INITIAL CALLS TO SUBARU WERE REGARDED WITH LIGHTHEARTEDNESS. THEY TOLD US, IN ESSENCE, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE (EACH DRIVER HAS MORE THAN 30 YEARS DRIVING EXPERIENCE). A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALS MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND A SUBARU HISTORY OF IGNORING IT AND THEIR CUSTOMERS' SAFETY. SHAME ON SUBARU. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO PREVENT INJURY OR DEATH RESULTING FROM THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE.*AK