NHTSA Complaint #10149986 — 2002 SUBARU FORESTER

DRIVER OF FORESTER WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ABOUT 10 FEET AWAY FROM CAR IN FRONT. DRIVER TOOK FOOT AWAY FROM BRAKE PEDAL FOR A MOMENT AND CAR SURGED FORWARD ON ITS OWN. DRIVER SLAMMED BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, BUT FORESTER CONTINUED TO SURGE FORWARD. DRIVER SWERVED TO TRY TO AVOID ACCIDENT BUT STILL CLIPPED BUMPER OF CAR IN FRONT AND CAUSED DAMAGE. FORESTER CONTINUED TO SURGE AND BUCK FORWARD FOR ANOTHER MOMENT BEFORE FINALLY STOPPING (DRIVER'S FOOT HAD REMAINED FIRMLY ON BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME). I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER I HAD BOUGHT IT FROM JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, BUT THEY CLAIMED THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING IN A SUBARU AND REFUSED TO EVEN INVESTIGATE IF THERE WAS A MECHANICAL ERROR THAT WOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF LEGAL FEARS. THEY IMPLIED THE ACCIDENT WAS MY FAULT AND I WAS LOOKING TO BLAME THEM. DESPITE MINOR DAMAGE, THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE, YET I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE I WAS SCARED OF DRIVING IT EVER AGAIN. I WAS LUCKY I ONLY HIT ANOTHER CAR'S BUMPER-- IT COULD'VE BEEN A BICYCLIST OR PEDESTRIAN WHO WAS STRUCK! MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS INVESTIGATING THE CLAIM AT THIS POINT, BUT I REFUSE TO DRIVE THAT CAR UNLESS SOMEONE FINDS THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE OUT OF CONTROL SURGING AND FIXES IT. I AM APPALLED SUBARU IS DENYING THIS PROBLEM EVEN EXISTS. *NM