2016 Subaru Outback: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Aug 10, 2026 · Acceleration · NY · crash

UNKNOWN When pulling into a parking space at the [XXX] diner my 2016 OUTBACK suddenly accelerated while I was ready to shift from drive to park. It was as if I put the gas peddle to the floor. There was a car about 6feet in front of me which I hit. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 16, 2025 · Engine · WA

Accelerated on its own doing 25mph and accelerated quickly and took pumping brakes to get it to stop

Filed Sep 12, 2023 · Fuel system · OR · crash

As I was pulling slowly into a parking spot in a busy lot that serves a lot of small businesses, my Subaru suddenly accelerated forward, over the concrete parking bumper and raised sidewalk area, and into the side of the building. While I was uninjured and had no passengers in the vehicle, the car sustained damage to the apron and tire area on front passenger side of the car. The airbag did not inflate. Tiling on the exterior of the building was impacted, but not greatly damaged, and I had been able to avoid the plate glass entry to the business. A few customers were greatly alarmed by the Subaru's proximity to their lunch tables by the windows. I was able to put the vehicle into reverse and carefully move it off the sidewalk. I exited the car and went in to share my insurance information with the empathetic employees and manager of the business. I was able to drive my vehicle about two blocks to a larger lot, so that the towing company my husband contacted could access it, but not for several hours. The vehicle was taken to an auto body shop where it remains until they are finished with it. The claims people seem to have reached the conclusion that since I was driving, I must be at fault in this accident. I immediately, and still, continue to think over that incident, trying to determine how parking carefully and without distraction could turn into such a collision. I believe that I am not to blame. In reading the reports that have been made to your agency on Subarus of this vintage, there are marked similarities to the narratives on sudden unintended acceleration caused by Subaru equipment faults. I have lost confidence in what has been my favorite car. I'm hoping that some clear path exists for me to drive it again without anxiety.

Filed Jul 10, 2023 · Acceleration · IL

While driving on the highway at about 60mph my 2016 Outback suddenly accelerated much faster. The only way to avoid collision with another car or cars or end up in a ditch was to drive around them. The brake did not work! After a minute or more(?) I eventually was able to stop using the brake.

Filed Apr 11, 2023 · Acceleration, Engine · CT · crash

At low rate of speed, while parking vehicle accelerated without warning and damaged 3 cars . This happened previously with separate family drivers without damage. This is a serious defect and could potentially cause serious injury or death. This was not driver error. the car lurched forward with absolutely no gas pedal involvement. The previous times it happened at a stoplight with enough room in front to hit the brake. Not this time.

Filed Jan 27, 2023 · Engine, Fuel system · NY · crash · 2 injuries

I was in a parking lot at a near-complete stop. I needed to nose the car about 18 inches to move it all the way into the spot. I lightly touched the accelerator to inch the car forward, and it shot forward as if some outside force had stomped on the accelerator. The car jumped the sidewalk and slammed into the wall of the building. The car inner body bent and the car is totaled. The airbags did not inflate. The passenger in the passenger seat sustained a fractured sternum and two broken ribs from going into the seatbelt. The driver sustained a sore neck and dizziness.

Filed Aug 1, 2022 · Brakes, Electrical · TX · crash

This incident occurred on Friday July 29, 2022 @ 5pm. I was pulling into a parking space while my foot was on the brake I proceeded to put the car in park when the car suddenly lunged forward into the concrete patio of the Market/Store. I was in disbelief at what just happened. I would happily make my car available for inspection. I want to find out what is wrong with the car. I believe this could happen again and I am fearful for my life and the lives of others. I was so lucky that the table and chairs were roped off that evening for some reason. People could have been sitting or walking there at the time of this incident. This incident has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer or independent service center. I brought the car to the Subaru dealer for them to do a diagnostic test and any other things needed to give me some answers & repairs. I was told no issues were found. They also told me they would like to have my car for a week so they could drive it & do more test. I asked for a loaner and they said they could not do that. I can’t afford to rent a car for a week. And I feel they will come back to me with the same answer of not being able to find an issue. I have had this car for almost 3 years and I park by putting my foot on the brake and then shift into park. There was a malfunction! What it was I don’t know. But I do know something went very wrong with the vehicle. There was never any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to this failure.

Filed May 20, 2020 · Acceleration · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru outback. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH in the rain, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The contact was unable to remember what was done to slow and stop the vehicle. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Jan 2, 2018 · Acceleration · 24,000 miles · FL

Sudden acceleration: this serious unsafe condition relates to my 2016 outback limited 2.5l purchased on 2/29/2016 in tampa florida. The exact same unsafe condition has happened twice; first in october 2016 at approximately 8800 miles, and second in december 2017 at approximately 24,000 miles. Description of incident: while slowly pulling into a parking space and gently applying the brake, the car's engine RPM accelerated and I had to break hard in order to stop the car. I moved the transmission to park, but the engine continued at high RPM so I moved the transmission to reverse, then to neutral, then I turned off the car off since the engine was still at a high RPM. A notice appeared in my odometer area to put the car in park, which I did. I then restarted it and everything was back to normal again. Note: I did not simultaneously push the break and the accelerator together which could possibly cause this situation. I am fortunate nothing was in front of me either time. I hope no one has been injured, but it is likely property damage has resulted. Please determine the cause and correct this potentially deadly situation. I am taking my car for a 24,000 mile service on 1/3/2017 and will document this with the dealer (mastro subaru) at that time. I suspect this is a computer glitch, and a potentially dangerous one at that. I also suspect other car manufacturers can have this same issue if these computers and programming all come from the same third party.

Filed Jun 8, 2017 · Acceleration, Airbags · 4,000 miles · MA · crash

Tl* the contact owned a 2016 subaru outback. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration. The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a utility pole. The front end was severely damaged and the vehicle was destroyed; however, the air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The cause of the failure was not determined. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 4,000. Updated 08/09/17*lj updated 10/13/2017

Filed Sep 9, 2016 · Acceleration, Airbags · 1,100 miles · NJ · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru outback. While the vehicle was secured in park with the emergency brake engaged, the vehicle lunged forward independently when the brake was released. The contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle. The driver then shifted into reverse and the vehicle accelerated independently in reverse. The driver shifted into drive and the vehicle independently accelerated forward again and crashed into the side of a building. The vehicle jumped a curb and crashed into a tree coming to a stop. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer; however, a diagnostic test showed no fault codes. The approximate failure mileage was 1,100.