Key Takeaways
- Subaru owners have filed a lawsuit against the automaker for alleged unintended acceleration.
- 2012-2020 Forester, 2015-2020 Legacy, and 2015-2020 Outback are mentioned in the lawsuit.
- After reviewing data, Subaru says incidents of unintended acceleration are down to driver error.
A group of disgruntled Subaru owners have filed a class action lawsuit against the automaker that alleges certain vehicles have defects that cause unintended acceleration. The suit claims the 2012-2020 Forester, 2015-2020 Legacy, and 2015-2020 Outback could accelerate without driver input, which puts drivers and other road users at risk. In the proposed lawsuit, filed by law firm Berger Montague, the plaintiffs claim several problems.
2024 Subaru Forester
- Base MSRP
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$27,095
- Engine
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2.5L Flat 4 Gas
- Horsepower
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182 hp
- Fuel Economy
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26/33 MPG
This includes defects “in their integrated mechanical and electronic devices that transfer signals between components or networks” and brake override systems, resulting in the vehicle’s failure to prevent unintended acceleration without driver input. While the lawsuit stretches as far back as 2020, it is getting attention now, with several affected owners sharing their stories with the media. Speaking to WSB-TV, Karen Karna says her 2016 Subaru Outback accelerated independently, sending the car hurtling toward a box truck: “It was life or death for me. I mean, it happened that fast.”
Several Cases Of Unintended Acceleration In Subaru Vehicles
Video footage captures the moment the 2016 Outback smashes into the truck. The driver cracked her sternum in the accident. “I thought, what’s going on? What’s wrong with my car? I have no control. I could see what was coming in front of me and what decisions I had to make from killing somebody or killing myself or injuring myself or somebody,” said Karna, who believes the accelerator “grabbed hold” and went to the floor.
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And this isn’t the only incident of alleged unintended acceleration in Subaru vehicles. Two other drivers, Theresa Rawls and Cheryl Boucher, claim their vehicles also accelerated without driver input. In Rawls’ case, she was waiting for her garage door to open when the Outback she was driving reportedly smashed through the door. Despite this – and several similar incidents – Subaru says these crashes are down to driver error.
Subaru Says The Issue Is Driver Error
In a statement to WSB-TV, Subaru of America said its data tells a different story: “Subaru of America takes safety very seriously, and we are not aware of a single confirmed case of unintended acceleration in a Subaru vehicle. When reviewing cases with Event Data Recorder (EDR) data, the results invariably show that the vehicle driver pressed the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal.” CarBuzz has reached out to the automaker for more information on the matter and will update the article accordingly once we receive a reply.
Subaru isn’t just saying what it needs to say. The automaker makes safety a top priority, and its vehicles perform consistently well in crash and accident prevention tests. Just recently, the Forester was singled out as the only compact SUV to earn a Good rating in the updated IIHS front crash prevention test. Also mentioned in the lawsuit, the Outback also has an exceptional crash safety record.
Lawsuit Claims Subaru Is Aware Of The Defect
According to the lawsuit, the NHTSA has received more than 150 complaints related to the matter. One complaint for the 2015 Legacy (filed in April 2023) describes an unusual scenario: “The moment I put my foot on the brake pedal, my car surged forward. I had a moment to think, and I confirmed that my foot was on the brake pedal, I had felt the brakes trying to resist the surge. I put the car into neutral, and it jerked to a stop.”
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Despite Subaru’s stance on the matter, Russell Paul, litigator at Berger Montague, says this is a clear case of unintended acceleration: “We’ve spoken to many, many of the class members. You’ve heard them testify, ponder over their experiences, and we’d analyze their crash data. And we’ve also created a simulation of all of the incidents that occurred. We believe they are clear, clear expressions of unintended acceleration.”
It’s worth noting the lawsuit alleges that Subaru has been aware of these defects since 2011.
News Summary:
- Subaru Drivers Are Suing Over Unintended Acceleration Crashes
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