2015 Subaru Legacy: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Jan 31, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · NY

Incident ~ 5:40 pm, Geneva NY Weather ~ 10 F, not snowing. Background. On or shortly after being started, the vehicle had exhibited prior incidents of extremely rapid engine acceleration not initiated by the operator. Most recently the day before. The incident: I was in the process of very slowly parking the vehicle in a narrow laneway, and positioning the vehicle behind and in line of one other, both parallel to the laneway, in a small area that had been cleared of snow, leaving the laneway open. First, I stopped the vehicle opposite of the parked vehicle's driver side door. Second, I reversed and backed up and positioned the vehicle behind that vehicle. This involved firmly stepping on the brake to stop the vehicle once well behind the parked vehicle. Third, while keeping my foot firmly pressed on the brake pedal, I moved the shift from reverse to forward. At that time, the front wheels were still fully turned to the left. Immediately on completing the shift to forward, my vehicle made a very rapid acceleration. My foot had remained firmly on the brake and had not touched the accelerator pedal. Despite my foot being firmly pressed on the brake pedal, my car surged forward, retracing the path that I had followed while backing up. I could hear the noise of the accelerated engine, and feel the fighting of the brake as the car surged uncontrolled for about four feet and then finally stopped. My foot had been fully depressed as hard as possible on the brake the entire time and did not touch the gas pedal at all. The owner of the parked vehicle observed the incident and expressed concern since the surge was dramatic, and stopped with the right corner of the front bumper of my car within a couple of inches of the left corner of the parked vehicle. The driver's car mat was in the correct position and did not interfere in any way with the operation of the vehicle. I did not inadvertently step on the accelerator. No warning lamps or messages. Cause Unknown.

Filed May 29, 2024 · Acceleration · PA · crash

Subaru sudden acceleration – Garage Accident [XXX] [XXX] – before noon, wet, rainy day: [XXX] returning from grocery shopping - car suddenly accelerated from near stop as she was about to enter garage, the car hit the garage brick wall. When she put her foot on the brake, the car suddenly accelerated. I have security video showing this sudden acceleration (.mp4, the federal safety agency doesn't accept). After accident, car drives well - all lights work - hood opens and locks. Substantial car damage to bumper and adjoining parts - wood trim damaged, garage bricks cracked and pushed in, garage door would not close. [XXX] Wed – took Subaru in for unexpected sudden acceleration on braking – [XXX] – test drive with Gary – Problem unexpected with Subarus – electronic control – no manual linkage (some transmission linkage with shift lever). Sent me home – no charge. [XXX] – Subaru sudden acceleration on braking while car cold – today at Trexlertown after haircut. Happened previously within week. Called Subaru 855‑399‑3787; INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Dec 22, 2023 · Acceleration, Brakes · NY

As I pulled up behind a car that was stopped at a stop sign, I took my foot off the gas pedal, and put it on the brake pedal. 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. No one was hurt, I stopped the car in time, but I wondered if this had happened in other settings, what danger it would have posed. This has previously occurred rarely and intermittently when, starting out on some cold mornings, i shifted from reverse to neutral to drive, when backing out of my driveway in the morning.The car surged forward and I had to be quick on pressing the brake pedal hard to get it to stop before hitting a mailbox post. No warning lights went on, in any of these incidents. I called a Subaru dealer, who said there had been no recall history re this uninitiated surge behavior.

Filed Jul 10, 2021 · Acceleration, Brakes · VT

I have experienced two separate occasions where my vehicle accelerated even though my foot was on the brake pedal. Once, I was slowing down on a main street for a stop light behind several other cars. My vehicle began to accelerate and would have rammed the car in front of me if I had not been able to swerve into an empty turn lane. Due to the acceleration, I figured I must have accidentally hit the gas pedal, so I lifted my foot and hit the other pedal--which was the accelerator, and naturally just accelerated the vehicle more. I then put my foot back on the brake and the car came to a stop. The second time, my son was backing into our driveway. He had the brakes on. The car was slowing down. Then it suddenly accelerated backward. My son said his foot was still on the brake pedal when the car accelerated, and he did the same thing I did when I had the issue: he moved his foot to the other pedal, thinking he had made some kind of error, but found that the switch only made the car accelerate more, so he switched back to the brake pedal and the car stopped. In both of these instances, the car was initially braking when the brake pedal was applied, then began to accelerate without a change in foot positioning. The accelerator was not touched in either instances because the vehicle was going slow enough not to need much pressure, and the accelerator is positioned far enough away from the brake as it is impossible to touch both pedals at the same time. The floor mats were properly secured at both times (as they always are) and could not possibly have interfered in any way. Thankfully no one has been hurt or experienced any property damage during either of these episodes, but I am worried that one of these days, something horrible will happen if this problem is not corrected! I will give the date of the most recent occurrence in the information included with this report.

Filed Nov 19, 2018 · Acceleration, Airbags · 76,000 miles · NY · crash

My vehicle was involved in an accident yesterday. While pulling in to a parking spot and almost completely stopped with my foot on the brake about to place the car in park, it suddenly accelerated. The result was a front end collision with the side of a restaurant and the air bags did not deploy. I'm grateful that there were no injuries but I'm worried that there may be something seriously wrong with this vehicle and possibly others like it. I'm not sure how to start an investigation of this nature so I'm turning to your organization for guidance. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

Filed Jan 11, 2018 · 11,000 miles · NY · crash

In february 2017 we experienced unintended acceleration on 6 occasions. We took it to the dealer and they said that there was nothing wrong with the car. They said that we must have done something to cause the acceleration. We know that was not the case, but we continued to drive the car. It happened another time in july. The really bad incident occurred on september 5, 2017 in a parking garage. As we were exiting the parking space, the car took off on its own. This time, we hit a concrete pillar along the side of the car and grazed one parked vehicle before getting the car to stop. Also, this time, after we turned off the car and it set for approximately 10 minutes, we turned it back on and the engine continued to severely rev. Every time the unintended acceleration occurred, we were either stopped at a light, in traffic, in a parking lot, or at a gas pump or moving very slowly with our foot on the brake as one would in a parking lot when turning into or out of a space. Subaru again told us that nothing was wrong with the car and suggested that we must be two footed drivers, which we are not. We have refused to drive the car or take repossession of it. Subaru made us get the body of the car repaired before their engineers even looked at it. This was a leased car. Subaru said we had to continue to pay off the lease because there is nothing wrong with the car. We know they are wrong.

Filed Nov 30, 2015 · Acceleration, Airbags · 32,000 miles · MA · crash · 2 injuries

Slowly pulling into a parking spot, when the car accelerated (unintended acceleration) into a brick wall. My passenger suffered 3 broken ribs from the seat belt, and I suffered whiplash, bruising from seat belt, and bruised knees. The air bags did not deploy. Subaru corp decided to do nothing, and suggested that I trade in the car, which I have only owned for a few weeks. Do they then sell it to some unsuspecting person. Please help. Vin [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Feb 2, 2015 · Acceleration · 900 miles · NE

Tl* the contact owns a 2015 subaru legacy. While attempting to cross two lanes of oncoming traffic at an unknown speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and then accelerated without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was notified. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 900.