2018 Subaru Outback

THE CAR WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL IMPACT WHILE PARKED. THE CRACK STARTED FROM THE TOP ON PASSENGER SIDE AND EXTENDED VERTICALLY TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CRACK IMPAIRED THE ABILITY OF THE EYESIGHT DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE SAFETY CRITICAL FEATURES LIKE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE AND LANE KEEP ASSIST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE REVVED, AND WITH THE DRIVER'S FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WENT OVER THE PARKING CURB AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT IN ANOTHER PARKING LOT. THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE COMPLAINED ABOUT AN UNKNOWN LIGHT THAT ONCE FLASHED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT DID NOT STAY ON. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED BUT WAS NOT TOTALED. THERE WAS NO INJURY AND NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE (ANDERSON SUBARU LOCATED AT 7050 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505), WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE TECHNICIAN OFFERED TO HAVE AN ENGINEER EVALUATE THE FAILURE BUT WARNED THAT IT WOULD TAKE THREE TO FOUR MONTHS TO BE COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,000. *DT*JB

I WAS DRIVING IN A 4 LANE (TWO ON EACH DIRECTION) PARKWAY TOWARD A RED STOPLIGHT WITH ONE CAR STOPPED AT MY LANE AT THE LIGHT, I WAS COASTING, SLOWING DOWN TOWARD THE CAR. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 30 FT AWAY THE LIGHT CHANGED, THE CAR IN FRONT STARTED DRIVING AND I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR. THE DISTANCE TO THE CAR IN FRONT WAS DEFINITELY INCREASING HOWEVER MY CAR WENT INTO EMERGENCY BRAKING MODE, CANCELLING MY ACCELERATION PEDAL ACTION AND STOPPING THE CAR. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME AS IT WOULD HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY ENDED IN A REAR-END COLLISION.

10/2018 TO PRESENT: INFOTAINMENT SYS: WHILE DRIVING GPS SCREEN GOES WHITE ENTIRELY & SOUND STOPS. WHILE DRIVING GPS SOUND IS LOST OR PARTIAL LOSS. WHILE DRIVING GPS WILL REROUTE TO DIFFERENT LOCATION. THE ABOVE CAUSES MENTAL CONFUSION/DISTRACTION TO DRIVER W DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. BEFORE DRIVING/WHEN DRIVING RE/PROGRAMMING MAP WHEN DIRECTIONS STOP OR SCREEN WHITE OR GPS VOL DROPS OR VARIES THE UNIT WILL GO FM MAP TO PHONE FAV RELIABLY CAUSING DISTRACTION TO DRIVER, MENTAL CONFUSION ON LOCAL ROADS & ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. WHILE DRIVING RADIO: SOUND VOLUME GOES HIGH & LOW OR DROPS SOUND OR WHEN CHOOSING A STATION FROM PROGRAMMED RADIO BUTTONS CHANNELS BEGIN TO CYCLE RAPIDLY THROUGH EACH PROGRAMMED CHANNEL AND REPEATS CYCLE UNTIL I CAN MANAGE TO POWER OFF THE RADIO & TAKES UP TO 5 TIMES TO PRESS RADIO POWER BUTTON TO POWER OFF CAUSING DISTRACTION TO DRIVER & MENTAL CONFUSION TRYING TO POWER OFF THE RADIO IN TRAFFIC ON LOCAL ROADS & ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. STEERING: WHILE DRIVING FEELS LIKE HIGH WINDS/HYDROPLANING AS CAR SWAYS IN LANE & OUT OF LANE WITH NO RAIN & NO HIGH WIND CONDITIONS CAUSING DISTRACTION TO DRIVER & MENTAL CONFUSION TRYING TO CONTROL STEERING TO STAY IN LANE IN TRAFFIC ON LOCAL ROADS & ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. ENGINE: WHILE DRIVING IN EMERGENCY MANEUVERS SEVERE DELAY IN ACCELERATION WHEN PEDAL IS TO THE FLOOR CAUSING NEAR COLLISION SITUATIONS, DISTRACTION TO DRIVER & MENTAL CONFUSION TRYING TO AVOID A COLLISION IN TRAFFIC ON LOCAL ROADS & ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. ENGINE: RPM EXTREMELY HIGH ON ACCELERATION AS IF I AM IN LOW GEAR & MANUAL PADDLE NEVER WAS TOUCHED CAUSING DISTRACTION, CONFUSION, AND INABILITY TO CONTROL INTENDED SPEED OF VEHICLE CAUSING DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. EACH TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,400.

ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 I WAS DRIVING MY SUBARU OUTBACK THROUGH BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK. I WAS LEAVING THE CHISOS MOUNTAINS BASIN WITHIN THE PARK WHEN IT BEGAN LIGHTLY RAINING. I PRESSED THE X-MODE BUTTON HOPING IT WOULD INCREASE MY TRACTION ON THE WINDING ROADS. AS THE CAR WAS COMING DOWN FAIRLY STEEP DECLINE, I NOTICED THAT I WAS GAINING SPEED AND X-MODE HAD TURNED ITSELF OFF. I CAME AROUND A CURVE A LITTLE FAST AND FELT THAT IT TOOK MORE EFFORT THAN I'D EXPECTED TO SLOW THE CAR. AT THAT POINT, THE ROAD LEVELED OUT AND THE RAIN HAD STOPPED, BUT MY SPEED WAS STILL ACCELERATING. I HAD TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SPEED. I DECIDED TO PULL OVER, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION IN HOPES THAT WOULD RESET THE ENGINE. AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO, I STARTED UP THE CAR AGAIN, PUT IT INTO DRIVE, AND WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. AFTER IT REACHED APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH (WHICH WAS THE SPEED LIMIT) ON ITS OWN I PULLED OVER AGAIN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. MY FIANCE SUGGESTED PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THINKING THAT COULD RESET WHATEVER MALFUNCTION THERE WAS IN DRIVE. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND AGAIN, THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. IT WENT FROM 0 MPH TO 40 MPH IN NEUTRAL. IT GAINED SPEED IN A STEADY AND CONSISTENT PACE, ABOUT 1 MPH EVERY 1.5 SECONDS. MY FIANCE CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA, HOPING THEY COULD TELL US ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY RECOMMENDED WE GET IT CHECKED OUT AT A DEALERSHIP AND THAT THE CLOSEST SUBARU DEALERSHIP WAS MORE THAN 200 MILES AWAY. WHILE HE WAS ON THE PHONE, THE CAR BEGAN DECELERATING WITHOUT HAVING TOUCHED THE GAS OR BRAKE PEDALS. AFTER THAT, IT BEGAN DRIVING NORMALLY AND I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ANY FURTHER ISSUES UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND BRING THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS IN A LOWER GEAR, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MCGOVERN SUBARU (203 LAFAYETTE RD, NORTH HAMPTON, NH 03862, (603) 964-9303) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRYING TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES OR MERGE LANES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER ASSIST TECHNOLOGY FEATURE CALLED EYESIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROMANO SUBARU (960 HIAWATHA BLVD W., SYRACUSE, NY 13204), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 680.