NHTSA Complaint #10480053 — 2005 SUBARU LEGACY

CAR HAS BEEN VERY SLOW TO REDUCE RPMS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS OR WHEN STOPPED (AND IN NEUTRAL) FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS. TODAY, WHEN PULLING INTO A STARBUCKS, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. LUCKILY I HAVE A STICK SHIFT AND JUST PUSHED THE CLUTCH IN. AFTER SURGING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. USING A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL, I FOUND THAT THE CAR IS THROWING ERROR CODE P2138. THIS INDICATES THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION (APP) SENSOR IS EITHER BAD OR HAS A POOR CONNECTION. THE DETAIL ON THE ERROR STATS "THE ECM HAS DETECTED THAT THE APP SENSOR 1 AND APP SENSOR 2 DISAGREE MORE THAN 4.5% FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND." ESSENTIALLY, ONE OR BOTH THROTTLE-BY-WIRE CIRCUITS ISN'T FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM AND SOME FOLKS HAVE FOUND THAT THEIR CARS ARE SURGING FORWARD, THREATENING SAFETY. *TR