NHTSA Complaint #11339829 — 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK

FOR A FEW YEARS OFF AND ON WITH THE CAR STOPPED AND ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE PARKING, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN FROM THE ACC TO OFF POSITION OR RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. OF THE SEVERAL TIMES WE MENTIONED IT TO MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS OUR TECHNIQUE, NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. FINALLY A DEALERSHIP REPORTED THE SHIFT ASSEMBLY WAS NOT RECOGNIZING THE CAR WAS IN PARK THUS WOULD NOT TURN THE KEY PAST THE ACCESSORY POSITION TO OFF OR RELEASE THE KEY. THIS OCCURRED WITH MULTIPLE KEYS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT YOU CANNOT LOCK THE CAR WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, IF YOU CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY AND LEAVE THE CAR, YOU ARE HANDING THE CAR OVER TO WHOMEVER WANTS TO STEAL IT. ONLY WITH LOTS OF TIME, STARTING THE CAR, PUTTING IT INTO ANOTHER GEAR, THEN BACK TO PARK AND TURNING IT OFF AGAIN, WITH LUCK THE ASSEMBLY RECOGNIZES YOU ARE IN PARK AND ALLOWS THE KEY TURN TO OFF AND ALLOWS THE KEY TO BE REMOVED. THE DEALERSHIP WHO IDENTIFIED THE DEFECTIVE SHIFT ASSEMBLY STATED THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $1100.00.