NHTSA Complaint #11585741 — 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK

On [XXX], around noon, my wife and I were driving south on [XXX] in our 2017 Subaru Outback, at approximately 70 mph. It was a clear and sunny day. We were just north of the [XXX] exit (in Port St. Lucie, Florida) in the far right-hand lane when our vehicle violently jolted. It felt like we were being dragged from behind, although we were still moving forward at a reduced speed. It was making a terrible sound (tires screeching), and you could smell rubber burning. This sensation felt similar to an airplane’s hard landing on the tarmac. My initial thought was that someone hit us from behind, while my wife thought we may have blown a tire. I glanced at the instrument panel and noticed that the word “Eye Sight” was displayed. As we were coming to complete stop, we realized cars were speeding to the left and right of our car to avoid hitting us. We both immediately realized that we were in a very dangerous situation and at risk of being hit from oncoming traffic. My wife put the hazard lights on while I was attempting to drive the car off the road. However, the car would not move forward even though the engine was running, and it was in gear (drive). Several good Samaritans stopped to assist us in trying to move the car off [XXX]. However, the car would not move because all four wheels were locked. My wife called 911 and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and Road Ranger arrived approximately twenty minutes later. They were unable to assist us with moving the car off the road. We called a tow truck company (Apex Towing) to move the car because all four tires were locked and had to be lifted off the road. Our car was towed to a safe location and we able to call AAA to have the car towed to Dyer Subaru in Vero Beach, Florida. As time has passed, we realize that our car was a stationary object on a heavily traveled interstate. If a car had hit us, the outcome could and most probable would have been catastrophic to everyone involved. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)