NHTSA Complaint #10779477 — 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 10 MONTH OLD IN THE CAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECCELERATE. I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND GOT NO RESPONSE. THE CHECK ENGINE AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING AT THIS TIME AS WELL. FORTUNATELY I WAS ON A RURAL ROAD (SPEED LIMIT 40 MPH) AND WAS ABLE TO LIMP ALONG TO A PULL OFF. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR 5 MINUTES. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON WHEN I INITIALLY STARTED THE CAR BUT TURNED OFF WHEN I BEGAN DRIVING AGAIN. THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED 4 DAYS LATER WHEN I WAS TAKING MY 4 YEAR OLD TO PRESCHOOL. I TURNED OFF A 25 MPH STREET INTO HIS SCHOOL WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE GAS PEDAL QUIT WORKING. I SHOULD NOTE THAT WHEN THE GAS PEDAL "QUITS WORKING" THE CAR WILL NOT LET ME GO ABOVE 15 MPH. ONCE AGAIN, I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WHEN I STARTED IT BACK UP THE GAS PEDAL WORKED AGAIN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND SENSOR. FORTUNATELY I WAS ON RURAL ROADS WHEN BOTH OF THESE EVENTS HAPPENED, BUT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIFYING IF I WAS ON A BUSY ROAD OR FREEWAY, ESPECIALLY WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR.