NHTSA Complaint #11051387 — 2015 SUBARU FORESTER

WHILE BACKING UP A WINDING HILL ON A HARD PACKED GRAVEL DRIVEWAY I BACKED INTO A SEVEN INCH DIAMETER TREE ON THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. DID NOT HIT IT HARD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE BACK BUMPER. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND IN AN INSTANT THE MOTOR WENT WIDE OPEN. I HIT THE BRAKES, BUT NO NOTICABLE EFFECT. I NARROWLY MISSED THE CORNER OF THE GARAGE. THE CAR DUG FOUR DEPRESSIONS IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN IT TOOK OFF. AND THREW GRAVEL ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HILL AND ON THE FLAT UNTIL IT HIT A LARGE TREE, THE MOTOR STILL RACING. THE RUNAWAY HAPPENED IN SECONDS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY WIFE SUFFERED A BADLY BROKEN RIGHT WRIST. I WAS NEARLY KNOCKED OUT. I HAVE BEEN A SAFE DRIVER FOR 60 YEARS. DROVE PROFESSIONALLY FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS. I ALSO HAVE OVER 175,000 MILES AND COUNTING ON MOTORCYCLES. THIS CAR DEFINITELY DID MALFUNCTION. FORTUNATELY THE HOUSE SECURITY CAMERA CAPTURED THE ACTION. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN UPLOAD THE VIDEO TO YOUR SITE. PLEASE ADVISE. SABARU CANADA AND THE MY SUBARU DEALER IGNORED MY COMPLAINT, WITH THE DEALER REP SAYING, 'THE FLOOR MAT WAS PROBABLY ON THE GAS PETAL.'