NHTSA Complaint #10849994 — 2015 SUBARU FORESTER

WHILE FINALIZING PARKING WITHIN A PARKING LOT SPACE AT VERY LOW SPEED (LAST 2 FEET) WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED AND THE CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND STRUCK THE PARKED CAR ON THE OPPOSITE PARKING SPACE. BOTH CARS SUSTAINED MODERATE FRONT-END DAMAGE. THE OTHER CAR WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY BUT OURS HAD FRONT FENDER PARTS PUSHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVERS TIRE AND HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY TO THE REPAIR SHOP. NOT SURE OF THE COST TO REPAIR THE OTHER (PARKED) CAR BUT OURS RAN APPROXIMATELY $5000 DUE TO FRONT FRAME DAMAGE. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, NO ONE WAS INJURED. POLICE OFFICER WHO RESPONDED SAID LOW SPEED IMPACTS DO NOT NORMALLY SET OFF THE AIR BAGS. REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL ON THE CAR COMPUTER WHAT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS DUE TO. CONTACTED OUR INSURANCE AGENT WHO RECOMMENDED WE REPORT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION TO SUBARU AND NHTSA. SUBARU DEALER DENIED ANY SUCH ACCELERATIONS AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECOURSE. FOUND SEVERAL INSTANCES VERY SIMILAR TO OUR ON NHTSA SITE FOR SUBARU FORESTERS IN 2014 AND 2015 MODEL YEARS AND DECIDED TO MAKE A REPORT. ODOMETER READING AT TIME OF ACCIDENT: 5,814.