2001 SUBARU FORESTER Vehicle Speed Control Problems

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A CURBSIDE PARKING PLACE ON A CITY STREET THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AND I COULD NOT CONTROL IT BY STOMPING ON THE BRAKES OR APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. AS I WAS WRESTLING TO KEEP THE SURGING CAR UNDER CONTROL ANOTHER CAR CAME DRIVING BY AND WAS SIDESWIPED. ON TWO PRIOR OCCASIONS I HAD TAKEN THIS CAR TO CHECK OUT THE SURGING WHICH TAKES PLACE WHEN THE CAR IS STARTING UP. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT I CONSULTED BOTH ASSURED ME THAT THEY HAD ADJUSTED THE IDLE AND THE CAR WAS NOW SAFE TO DRIVE. BUT IS IT?

BRAKES JUST DO NOT WORK ON SNOW, ICE (ABS DOES NOT KICK IN), AND THE WHEELS DO NOT TURN. HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, RAN INTO AN INTERSECTION ON RED AT LEAST 4 TIMES. ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN; NOTICED OTHER COMPLAINTS OF ACCIDENTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING, IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR BEING DEPRESSED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE FIFTEEN FEET AWAY AND ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND STATED THAT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 178,000. UPDATED 1/7/14*CN

ON MONDAY AT 4:50 PM I WAS DRIVING N A SCHOOL ZONE AND REALIZED THAT I WAS HAVING TO RIDE MY BRAKES I ALSO THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME FUNNY NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOW AND COULDN'T HEAR ANY THING. AS I APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND I PRESSED MY BRAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE RPMS WENT ALL THE WAY INTO THE RED AND MY CAR CONTINUED ABOUT 4 TO 6 FEET WITH BRAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN. WHEN CAR FINELY CAME TO A STOP I PLACED IT IN PARK BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS MY STOP MY CAR FROM GOING INTO GEAR AGAIN AND THE RPMS CONTINUED TO RISE MORE INTO THE RED. I WAS AFRAID AND PLACED IT IN DRIVE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE TO GET IT INTO THE PARKING LOT I TOOK A RIGHT. WHEN I HAD TO STOP...

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET. TRIED TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL WITH STALK, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE. TRIED REPEATEDLY, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE. HIT THE BRAKES TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE (BRAKES ONLY SLOWED CAR DOWN). STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED ALL THE WAY TO REDLINE AND REMAINED THERE (MEANING THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ENGAGED). COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD WITH CLUTCH IN, ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT REDLINE... CONTINUED HITTING CANCEL ON THE STALK, EVENTUALLY REVS SETTLED DOWN TO IDLE. MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS NON-OPERATIONAL AFTER THIS INCIDENT.

I WAS DRIVING ALONE IN A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER AROUND 3PM ON A SUNNY AUGUST DAY IN 2010. HEADING SOUTH ON A 2 LANE ROAD IN TALLAHASSEE, FL, I APPROACHED A RED STOPLIGHT AHEAD WITH TWO VEHICLES STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. AS I STARTED TO BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED, I SWERVED INTO THE ONCOMING LANE TO AVOID THE STOPPED CARS IN MY LANE AS THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 40 MILES/HR. A VEHICLE HAD JUST MADE A TURN AT THE LIGHT INTERSECTION INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, SO I HAD TO STEER THE FORESTER TO THE LEFT, UP OVER A CURB ONTO AN EMBANKMENT TO GET AROUND THE ONCOMING CAR TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION, THEN STEER BACK ONTO THE ROAD TO AVOID A TELEPHONE POLE. THE VEHICLE CAREENED BACK ACROSS INTO THE ORIGINAL LANE I STARTED IN WHILE THE TRAFFIC WAS STILL STOPPED AT THE...

CAR ACCELERATING WHILE BRAKES ENGAGED AND FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL. HIT ANOTHER CAR AND BRICK WALL WHILE USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. ENGINE AFTERWARD REVVED UP SO FAST WHEN CAR TURNED ON SEVERAL TIMES. RETURNED TO NORMAL. DROVE CARE TO DEALER. NOTHING WRONG CAN BE FOUND. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON JUNE 14, 2010, WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGES. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR CENTER WHERE IT WAS CURRENTLY BEING INSPECTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP OR THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH WITH THE CONTACT'S FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH. SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE. MY 2001 SUBARU FORESTER SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I HAD NOT PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I COULD NOT MAKE THE CAR STOP WITH THE BRAKE ALTHOUGH I PRACTICALLY STOOD ON THE BRAKE. MY RIGHT LEG WAS INJURED BECAUSE THE LIGAMENT WERE STRAINED BY THE FORCE I USED TO TRY TO STOP THE CAR. THE CAR SMASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR IN THE PARKING LOT AND SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP. SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER, 2005 WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AND SMASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP. I ASSUMED THEN THAT I HAD MADE A MISTAKE, BUT NOW, WITH THIS SECOND INCIDENT, I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. I HAVE ASKED THE MECHANIC TO CHECK THE ACCELERATOR. *NM

MY MOTHER WAS BACKING HER 2001 SUBARU FORESTER INTO HER PARKING SPACE AT WORK, WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. THE CAR CONTINUED OVER A PARKING MEDIAN, OVER A GUARD RAIL AROUND THE PARKING LOT, THROUGH A ROW OF BUSHES BEFORE EVENTUALLY STRIKING A TELEPHONE POLE AND STOPPING. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES ON MARCH 10, 2005, SHE TOTALED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, IT WENT INTO A DITCH. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN MAY 2004. THIS TIME, THE VEHICLE WENT ACROSS TRAFFIC INTO A DITCH. SHE HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP; HE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED A TIRE THAT WENT FLAT. THE MECHANIC TOLD HER THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THE SECOND TIME, WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER ON A WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD IT WENT ACROSS THE ROAD AGAIN. IT ENDED UP IN A DITCH AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT. SHE HASDTWO CRACKS ON L-1 AND BOTH T-9 AND T-10 NEED SURGERY. SHE ALSO HAS A CRACKED STERNUM. SHE HAD TO STAY IN THE HOSPITAL FOR FIVE DAYS. SHE IS CURRENTLY SEEING A SPECIALIST AND...

WHILE COASTING, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PROBLEM FORCED THE CONSUMER OFF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

ON 3/31/2004 I WAS EXITING THE PARKING LOT OF A SUPERMARKET IN JACKSON, WHEN SUDDENLY, MY 2001 FORESTER LURCHED FORWARD AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AS I WAS BREAKING. IT WENT OUT INTO COOPER STREET (A VERY BUSY STREET). FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO ONCOMING CARS. IT CONTINUED OVER THE CURB AND HIT SEVERAL TREES BEFORE IT STOPPED. *NM

SUDDEN ACCELERATION..CAR WAS IDLING FEW MINUTES IN PARK IN MY DRIVEWAY,BEFORE ENTERING GARAGE. WHEN SHIFTED TO DRIVE, WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE, CAR REVVED UP, ACCELERATED, CRASHED THROUGH GARAGE WALL INTO FAMILY ROOM OF HOME. BRAKES DID NOT WORK;ONLY IMPACT STOPPED CAR. AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN.*AK

CONSUMER SHIFTED TO DRIVE AND CAR THROTTLED FORWARD OVER EMBANKMENT ACROSS STREET IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE. *YD

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER /DROPS TO 5 MILES. THEN GOES BACK TO 60 MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED 6 TIMES, AND COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. *AK

WHILE PLACING VEHICLE IN PARK VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND ACCELERATED FORWARD, RESULTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO PARK, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPING A CURB AND HITTING TWO PARKED VEHICLES. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. SUBARU WAS CONTACTED TO INSPECT VEHICLE.*AK *YH

CONSUMER SHIFTED TO DRIVE AND CAR THROTTLED FORWARD OVER EMBANKMENT ACROSS STREET IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE. *YD

WAS ATTEMPTING TO BACK INTO DRIVEWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR MOVED FORWARD. ENGAGING THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP CAR AND IT WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT. IN PREVIOUS YEARS SUBARUS WERE RECALLED FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS.ALSO FOR PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK

UPON EXITING DOORWAY OF DRIVE-THU CARWASH, TOOK CAR OUT OF NEUTRAL AND CAR LUNGED FORWARD ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL INTO TRAFFIC CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE.APPLYING ANTILOCK BRAKES DID NOT SLOW/STOP ACCELERATION,AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF DESPITE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. *AK

PARKING WITH FOOT ON BRAKES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OVER CEMENT BLOCK. HAD HIT A FEW BUSHES AND THEN A BUILDING. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC BASED ON REFERRAL FROM DEALERSHIP.*AK