NHTSA Complaint #11415781 — 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK

MY NEW BATTERY WAS DRAINED TO A POINT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I MESSAGED SOME BIBLE STUDY FRIENDS AND ONE WAS GOING TO COME OVER AND JUMP MY VEHICLE. WHILE WAITING I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PUSHED IT OUT OF MY GARAGE INTO THE DRIVEWAY. THE DRIVEWAY IS ON A STEEP SLOPE. ONCE IN THE DRIVEWAY I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR INTO PARK, IT WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK. IN FACT IT WOULD ONLY GO INTO DRIVE WHICH DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS. I TRIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT IT IS ELECTRICALLY OPERATED AND DID NOT WORK. THE BRAKES WERE VERY HARD TO HOLD SINCE THE HYDRAULICS WERE NOT KICKING IN, SAME WITH THE POWER STEERING. I AM A BIG STRONG GUY SO I WRESTLED THE CAR TO TURN IT DIAGONALLY IN THE DRIVEWAY AS IT ROLLED BACKWARDS, TRYING TO PREVENT IT FROM GOING INTO THE STREET AND FLYING INTO SOMEONE'S HOUSE OR VEHICLE. ONCE DIAGONAL IN THE DRIVEWAY I THREW A PADLOCK UNDER THE FRONT TIRE FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT IT FROM ROLLING BACK. AT THIS POINT IT WAS BARELY HELD BUT STATIONARY SO I GOT OUT, CHALKED THE WHEELS WITH 2X4'S UNTIL BY BIBLE STUDY FRIENDS CAME OVER AND JUMPED MY CAR. I DID NOT HAVE MY CELL PHONE AND NO ONE ELSE WAS AROUND TO HELP ME. I LITTERALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO JUST LET MY CAR ROLL DOWN INTO THE STREET AND LET IT GO BECAUSE I HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS. I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THEY DIRECTED ME TO A YOUTUBE VIDEO THAT SHOWS ONCE THE BATTERY COMPLETELY DIES, THERE IS A SPECIAL TOOL YOU NEED IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR IN AND OUT OF PARK. BUT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU THAT IF THE CAR WON'T START AND THERE IS ENOUGH POWER TO GET IT INTO REVERSE, DON'T DO IT WITHOUT THE TOOL. WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED IN THE MOUNTAINS OR SAN FRANCISCO OR ANY HILLY OR MOUNTAINOUS LOCATION? I BELIEVE THIS IS A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR LIFE THREATING INJURY OR LOSS OF PROPERTY. E-BRAKES SHOULD NOT BE ELECTRIC IN MY OPINION.