NHTSA Complaint #11606332 — 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK

I was in a store parking lot, putting purchases into the trunk of my 2014 Subaru Outback. The rear gate had been opened for about five minutes. As I was leaning into the trunk, as I'd just done 2 or 3 times, with no warning I suffered, a sudden forceful blunt impact on the back of my head. I was so startled, I didn't know for a second what had happened, then realized, I couldn't move, as the rear gate was on top of me. I lifted it up off my head. It was quite heavy as there was no help from the hydraulic arms. I stepped back, while holding the gate/door, and let it go. It rapidly slammed shut. I tried to open it again, and realized the hydraulic arms were not activating to lift it. Each time it is opened, it only stays open for as long as I hold it and then slams closed. It is clear how I or my family could have been seriously injured or killed. If I had looked up to close the gate in the second preceding the failure, the gate would have come down on my face. I or a family member could have had hands or arms crushed when the gate crashed down, and would have been trapped under the gate until help came. I have not used the trunk since the incident as am trying to get Subaru to repair it this week. The problem remains, exactly the same and can be replicated by anyone. There were no warning messages that this was coming and no previous signs that the hydraulic system was going to imminently malfunction and fail. I have seen other reports by Subaru Outback owners that they have had similar failures with their gates and one was almost identical to my situation.