2014 Subaru Forester Speed Control & Cruise Problems

I was driving my 2014 Subaru Forester (about 148,000 miles) behind a minivan at a safe distance and speed. Without warning, my vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. Despite applying the brakes, shifting into low gear, and using the emergency brake, I was unable to slow it down. After impact, the car then hit a telephone pole, spun me around and rolled the car over. There is major damage to the car and we looked at it at the tow yard but the salvage adjuster is moving it shortly.

The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while she had the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle suddenly accelerated unintendedly. The vehicle crashed into the garage in front of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact had not received any injuries. There was damage to the garage, itself. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a certified mechanic or dealer as of yet. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,765.

ACCELERATION WHILE BRAKING AND IT'S SPORADIC

2014 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BATTERY BEING DRAINED ABS FAULT LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED MULTIPLE FAILURES BEGAN AFTER HAVING SAFETY RECALL WUE-90 PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY REPEATEDLY WOULD DRAIN DUE TO THE TAIL LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE. THE HILL CONTROL WARNING LIGHT, ABS WARNING LIGHT, AND THE ANTI SKID WARNING LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. *JS

ON JANUARY 26, 2019, AT 8:00 PM, IN A PARKING DECK AT A SHOPPING CENTER, I WAS IN A LINE OF CARS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO AN AISLE. I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR VERY LIGHTLY TO MOVE A FEW FEET FORWARD. THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED GREATLY, AND I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE HITTING THE BRAKE DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY SLOW THE CAR DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ANYTHING, BUT IT WAS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF CONTROL. THIS WAS CLEARLY A CASE OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.

I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT ON AUGUST 19, 2018 -COMPLAINT NUMBER 1120961. I HAD SUV TOWED THE FOLLOWING DAY TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT BRAND-NEW. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT IS TRYING TO TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SUV, BUT THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. THE DEALER HAS ARRANGED FOR SUBARU OF AMERICA FROM NJ TO CONTACT ME, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP TO GET THIS RESOLVED. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE IT. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN MY DAUGHTER'S DRIVEWAY WHEN I PLACED IT IN REVERSE AND IT ACCLERATED AT SUCH A HIGH RATE IN REVERSE WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED AND I COULD NOT STOP IT WHEN MY FOOT WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKE, I HAD MY ACCIDENT RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF MY DAUGHTER'S SUV IN WHICH WAS PARKED IN HER DRIVEWAY - CAUSING OVER $2,000 DAMAGE TO HER SUV - MY SUV WAS DAMAGED IN THE REAR BUMPER BUT DEALER HAS NOT TOLD ME THE ESTIMATE OF DAMAGE. SUBARU IS HAVING ACCIDENT REP CONTACT ME WITHIN NEXT 48 HOURS. THIS SUV IS SO DANGEROUS THAT I COULD BE KILLED AND SO COULD OTHERS IN MY CAR OR OTHER VEHICLE PASSENGERS. PLEASE PLEASE TAKE THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE REFER TO MY INITIAL COMPLAINT.. THANK YOU *TR

JULY 6, 2018 DRIVING ON CITY STREET WHEN MY FOOT HAD THE BRAKE DEPRESSED AND THE AUTO SUDDENLY ACCELERATED SO MUCH THAT I HAD TO TURN INTO A CURB TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE - I HIT A CURB WITH ONE TIRE TO AVOID ACCIDENT AND HAD TO GET FOUR NEW TIRES BECAUSE IT IS AWD. TODAY MY BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED AND IT ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS IN REVERSE THEN ATTEMPTING TO GET SUV INTO DRIVE - DRIVING DOWN MY DAUGHTER'S DRIVEWAY TODAY, IT ACCELERATED SO RAPIDLY UNINTENDED THAT PRESSING THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE - ENGAGED EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT STILL DID NOT STOP IT - PLACED IT INTO PARK AND PRESSING BRAKE CONTINUOUSLY AND EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, FINALLY STOPPED THE CAR AT ROADSIDE AFTER TURNING OFF IGNITION - VERY HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUE - LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT OR KILLED - THIS SUV IS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE - HAVING IT TOWED BY AAA TOMORROW MORNING TO DEALER. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS? IT HAS ONLY 41,870 MILES ON IT - BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALER IN MAY 2014 AND I AM ONLY DRIVER. HELP!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT CRASHED INTO TWO POLES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIGHTLY 'HOP'. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

CAR ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE TO PARK MY CAR IN A PRIVATE COMPANY'S PARKING LOT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REVERSED, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED VERY QUICKLY. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V159000 (EQUIPMENT). NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

CAR WAS PARKED IN STREET. STARTED IT AND PUT IT INTO REVERSE TO BACK INTO A DRIVEWAY. CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED IN REVERSE. I WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE STOMPED HEAVILY ON GAS PEDAL TO GET IT TO THAT SPEED BUT I'M NOT SURE I EVEN TOUCHED IT. TRAVELED 2-3 CAR LENGTHS BEFORE I COULD STOP IT. GRATEFUL NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. NOT RELATED TO CAR MATS WHICH WERE ANCHORED IN PLACE.

WHEN SLOWLY ENTERING HOME GARAGE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED & DESPITE STANDING ON THE BREAK PEDAL & PULLING THE EMERGENCY BREAK IT CRASHED INTO TABLE & WORK BENCHES AT FRONT OF AREA CAUSING DAMAGE TO FURNITURE & DAMAGING FRONT OF VEHICLE. PREVIOUSLY IN NOVEMBER 2016 WHEN PULLING INTO HIGHWAY REST AREA PARKING PLACE THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE CURB A & TRAVELED 15' ONTO A GRASSY EMBANKMENT BEFORE STOPPING WITH MAXIMUM BREAKING APPLIED.

VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPING CURB, CROSSING SIDEWALK AND IMPACTED A BUILDING. CAR WAS THEN PUT INTO REVERSE, IT ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AND IMPACTED AN ADJOINING PARKED CAR. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE AREA AROUND THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE WERE INSPECTED AND NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE BRAKE OR ACCELERATOR TO STICK OR MALFUNCTION. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE CLAIMS THAT HER FOOT WAS NOT CAUGHT ON THE ACCELERATOR NOR DID HER FOOT SLIP OFF THE BRAKE AND ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR.

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE COMING TO A STOP IN A PARKING SPACE. THE FORCE OF THE ACCELERATION THREW THE CAR OVER A CURB AND SEVERAL FEET INTO A HEAVY DUTY IRON FENCE, WHICH SNAPPED. THE CAR WAS COMING TO A STOP.

VEHICLE HESITATES FOR 3+ SECONDS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM "CANNOT BE DUPLICATED." DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED WHETHER IT'S ENTERING A LOCAL ROADWAY OR A HIGHWAY.

WHEN SWITCHING FROM THE BRAKE TO THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP AND WHEN SWITCHING FROM BRAKING TO ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS SUCH AS IN CITY TRAFFIC. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS RANDOMLY. DRIVER HAS BEEN VERY AWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR AND SURGING CAN OCCUR WITH VERY LITTLE PRESSURE. BECAUSE THIS OCCURS WHEN MOVING FORWARD AT INTERSECTIONS, MOVING FORWARD IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND WHILE PARKING OR LEAVING A PARKING SLOT, THE CHANCE OF A COLLISION IS GREAT. THE MOST DANGEROUS IS TO SURGE SUDDENLY INTO AN INTERSECTION WHEN MOVING FORWARD TO SEE AROUND OBSTACLES BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND IT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SPECIFY IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES OR IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE BODY WORK REPAIRED. THE DEALER HAD NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

I WAS MAKING A ROUTINE VISIT TO MY MOTHER AT HER APARTMENT. TURNED LEFT INTO THE COMPLEX THEN TURNED RIGHT AND WENT UP A SMALL HILL. AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AT NO MORE THAN 5-10 MPH I TURNED FAIRLY SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT TO ENTER THE PARKING SPACE. AT THAT POINT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE APPROXIMATELY 15-20 FEET AWAY. THE FORCE OF THE CRASH CAUSED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY AND THE FRONT END RECEIVED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 30 YEARS WITH NO ACCIDENTS AND CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXCELLENT DRIVER. OF COURSE I QUESTIONED WHETHER OR NOT I COULD HAVE HIT THE GAS BY MISTAKE, BUT THIS VISIT IS SO ROUTINE AND HAVE MADE THIS SAME TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE SO MANY TIMES, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS THE CASE. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE SURGED FORWARD AND HIT THE TREE WITH THAT MUCH FORCE IN SUCH A SHORT DISTANCE. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED AS I WAS ALONE IN THE VEHICLE. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER HOW MUCH WORSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN. I DID REPORT THE INCIDENT TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND WILL BE MAKING A REPORT TO THE MANUFACTURER SUBARU OF AMERICA. *TR

DRIVING ABOUT 15-25 MILES PER HOUR. AS I STARTED TO TAKE FOOT OFF THE BRAKE CAR SPED FOWARD(FORCING ME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES).ONE TIME MY WIFE HIT CAR IN FRONT OF HER. THIS HAS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. DEALER STATES NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR. HAS HAPPENED WITH BOTH MYSELF AND WIFE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. *TR

AFTER A ROUTINE PERIODIC MAINTENANCE THAT WAS REPORTED TO INCLUDE A SOFTWARE UPDATE (UNRELATED?), INTERMITTENT EVENTS WITH UNEVEN AND BRIEFLY ABSENT ACCELERATION OCCURRED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE VEHICLE SPEED FROM SLOW SPEEDS OR FROM A STOPPED CONDITION WHEN DEPRESSING THE THROTTLE. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE PRESENT ON THE DASH OF AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL PROBLEM OR ANY UNSAFE CONDITION. AFTER INITIALLY DENYING THE PROBLEM THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE IT. ELECTRONIC DATA WAS REPORTED TO BE COLLECTED ON THE EVENT AND EXAMINED BY SUBARU. SUBARU AMERICA IS REPORTED TO HAVE SUGGESTED CHECKING THE KNOCK SENSOR CONNECTION. DEALER REPORTED "TIGHTENING" THE CONNECTION. NO PARTS LISTED AS REPLACED, NO REASON FOR "LOOSENING" GIVEN (AT 11500 MILES), NO REASON GIVEN FOR "INTERMITTENT" PERFORMANCE, NO REASON GIVEN FOR LACK OF INDICATION/DASH LIGHT FOR A PRESUMED UNCERTAIN STATE IN A SENSOR CONTROLLING ACCELERATION/FUEL IGNITION. I GUESS THE DEALER AND SUBARU AMERICA KNOW THEIR PRODUCT BEST - AND THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED - BUT I AM SURPRISED THAT AN INTERMITTENT CONNECTION TO A SENSOR IMPACTING ACCELERATION WOULD NOT RESULT IN A DASH INDICATOR OR CODE. ALSO, SINCE NO REASON FOR THE "DISCONNECTION" WAS GIVEN - AND NO PARTS WERE REPLACED - I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT A FACTORY ASSEMBLY DEFECT OCCURRED (MANIFEST JUST AFTER A SOFTWARE CHANGE?). IN ANY CASE, SUBARU AMERICA INDICATES THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT SINCE THE PERFORMANCE ISSUE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCELERATION CONTROL, IT DESERVES TO BE NOTED. *TR