NHTSA Complaint #11153488 — 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK

I WAS TRAVELING ON I49 AT ~60 MPH, IN LIGHT RAIN, AND NON FREEZING TEMPERATURE. I WAS ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD WITH CRUISE CONTROL OFF. THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. I WAS APPROACHING BRUSH CREEK BRIDGE AND HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL STEADY AND STRAIGHT. THE CAR STARTED TO DRIFT LEFT AND STEERING WAS NOT RESPONDING. THE REAR OF THE CAR STARTED TO GET AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND THE CAR WAS GOING SIDEWAYS. AS SOON AS THE CAR STARED TO DRIFT, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND TRIED TO REGAIN STEERING. WHEN SLIDING SIDEWAYS ON THE BRIDGE, I CUT THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE DIRECTION THE CAR WAS SLIDING. AT THAT TIME, THE CAR REGAINED SOME STEERING CAPABILITY AND OVERSTEERED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, TRAVELING SIDEWAYS AGAINST A CEMENT BARRIER UNTIL STOPPED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE AMOUNTING IN ~$10000 IN REPAIRS. THE CAR STARTED AND WAS DRIVEN HOME AFTER THE INCIDENT. ALTHOUGH IT WAS RAINING, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS RELATED TO ANY TRACTION LOSS AND THE TRACTION LIGHT WAS NOT ACTIVATED. I THINK THE EXISTING STEERING RECALL MAY HAVE IMPACTED MORE VECHICLES THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. I SUSPECT THAT THE STEERING IS DEFECTIVE AND THE EXISTING STERLING RECALL DID NOT CATCH ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. I ALSO FOUND IT SURPRISING THAT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYS, EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A HIGH IMPACT CRASH. I HAD BRUISING IN MY STERNUM, KNEES, ELBOWS AND ALONG THE SEAT BELT PATH.