NHTSA Complaint #10536607 — 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA

THE MALFUNCTION DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING ALWAYS OCCURS UNDER THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING MALFUNCTION THAT IN MANY CASES WOULD RESULT IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. 1. CAR IS PARKED, WITH THE ENGINE OFF. 2. DRIVER ENTERS CAR, DEPRESSES CLUTCH PEDAL, AND RELEASES PARKING BRAKE. 3. VEHICLE ROLLS (EVEN SLIGHTLY) BEFORE ENGINE IGNITION IS TURNED ON AND ENGINE STARTS. 4. ENGINE STARTS AND THE STEERING MALFUNCTION LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SERVO POWERS ON AND ACTIVELY LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL IN POSITION, PREVENTING THE DRIVER FROM TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CONDITION CONTINUES TO EXIST WHEN THE CLUTCH IS RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION UNDER ENGINE POWER. THIS CONDITION LASTS 4-10 SECONDS, AND THEN THE VEHICLE BEGINS OPERATING NORMALLY. IN ORDER TO TURN THE WHEEL, THE DRIVER MUST OVERPOWER THE POWER STEERING, SOMETHING MANY DRIVERS WOULD BE UNABLE TO DO. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF "DRY STEER" (ENGINE OFF STEERING) OR ATTEMPTING TO STEER WITHOUT POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE CAN BE STEERED (WITH INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, AS EXPECTED) UNDER "DRY STEER" (ENGINE OFF) CONDITIONS, THE FIRST TIME THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH BEFORE THE DRIVER (MYSELF) NOTICED THE INABILITY TO STEER. I NARROWLY MISSED CRASHING INTO A CURB/DIVIDER BY PERFORMING A "PANIC STOP" WITH THE BRAKES. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER TO AVOID THE CURB, I WAS FORCED TO COME TO A RAPID STOP USING THE BRAKES. *TR