NHTSA Complaint #11097025 — 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM issue reported to NHTSA

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Complaint Details

ODI Number 11097025
Vehicle 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK
Component ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of Incident
Date Filed
Mileage 57,000 miles
Crash No
Fire No
Injuries 0
Deaths 0
Vehicle Towed No
State MA

Consumer Description

MY CAR WAS PARKED AT A PIER. GOT INTO CAR AND WOULD NOT START. DID NOT SEEM LIKE A BATTERY ISSUE, HOWEVER, AS IT SOUNDED AS IF IT WOULD START TO TURN OVER, BUT THEN JUST CLICKED OFF. THEN I PUSHED THE BUTTON TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT WINDOW AND IT GOT STUCK HALF WAY UP, BUT THE OTHER WINDOWS WERE OKAY AT THAT TIME. THEN THE WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE BREAK WOULD NOT BUDGE. THEN AFTER TRYING TO TURN THE CAR ON AGAIN, THE OTHER WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING. EACH TIME BEFORE TRYING TO START IT AGAIN, I WAITED A FEW MINUTES. THEN AFTER TRYING TO START THE CAR AGAIN, ALL THE LOCKS FROZE AND WE WERE STUCK INSIDE THE VEHICLE! INSIDE LOCKS AND LEVER DID NOT WORK! LUCKILY, THE DRIVER'S SEAT WINDOW WAS STUCK HALF WAY DOWN, SO I TOOK MY MANUAL KEY OUT OF THE ACCESS KEY, AND STUCK MY HAND AND ARM OUT THE WINDOW TO OPEN THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE. IT WAS ALSO LUCK THAT MY FRIEND WAS WITH ME, AS SHE HAD TO PULL THE INSIDE KNOB AT THE SAME TIME (AS I COULD NOT REACH IT) SO I COULD OPEN THE DOOR. THEN 2 MEN WALKED BY AND OFFERED THEIR ASSISTANCE. WHERE ABLE TO JUMP START THE CAR AND GET IT GOING. THE PROBLEM STILL WAS NOT SOLVED, HOWEVER, AS NOW MY PARKING BREAK WAS STUCK ON AND I COULD NOT TURN IT OFF. THEN I INADVERTENTLY TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND IT MIRACULOUSLY TURNED RIGHT BACK ON AND ALL SOFTWARE DEFICIENCIES WERE CLEARED SO I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. THIS ALL HAPPENED OVER A PERIOD OF 5 HOURS, DURING WHICH TIME I HAD CALLED AAA FOR A TOW, MY EX-HUSBAND FOR A RIDE (AS AAA WOULD NOT ALLOW MY DOG TO RIDE IN THE TOW TRUCK) AND I WAS 1HR 20 MIN FROM HOME WHICH AS THE EVENING CREPT IN, WAS SLOWLY BECOMING AN UNSAFE AREA AND WE WERE GETTING MORE AND MORE SCARED. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN ALONE? WHAT IF MY WINDOW WAS NOT HALF WAY DOWN? WHAT IF I HAD BROKEN DOWN IN AN UNSAFE PLACE FROM THE GET GO? THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE!

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