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Consumers say that Subaru vehicles equipped with EyeSight driver assist technology pose serious and deadly problems due to defects in their components in a nationwide class action lawsuit filed in New Jersey federal court.
The lead plaintiffs, all current and former Subaru owners, say that EyeSight technology suffers from a number of dangerous vehicle safety defects. These defects allegedly cause the lane assist function in Subarus to engage without reason, as well as the automatic braking system. Their class action lawsuit contends that the carmaker knew of these defects, but still sold the cars, touting their safety and reliability.
Lead plaintiffs Laura and James Sampson say that they purchased a new 2017 Subaru Outback limited in their home state of Illinois. They say that they depended on Subaru’s claims that the car was reliable and safe when making their purchase, but began to experience problems with the EyeSight driver technology within the first year. They allege their vehicle would stop abruptly, even though there were no obstacles, while they were backing out of their driveway and that their complaints were “brushed off” by the dealership.
Lead plaintiffs Anthony Ventura and Joanne Fulgieri Ventura of New York say that they decided to lease a 2020 Subaru Forester based on claims made about the car’s safety; however, they too allegedly ran into problems with both the lane assist technology and braking, including the car slowing significantly despite no obstacles.
Pennsylvania plaintiff Elizabeth Wheatley says that she purchased a new 2019 Subaru Crosstrek in 2018. The class action lawsuit says that Wheatley experienced the vehicle’s brakes suddenly engaging without reason on several occasions. Wheatley says her concerns were also dismissed by the Subaru dealership.
Lead plaintiff Shirley Reinhard, who is also representing her deceased husband Kenneth Reinhard, claims that the EyeSight defect caused their certified pre-owned 2015 Subaru Outback to get into a severe accident that caused the car to roll four times. Reinhard alleges that the couple had brought the Subaru in prior to the accident after experiencing problems with the braking system, but the dealership refused to do a repair.
The class action lawsuit alleges that the EyeSight system suffers from defects that affect the vehicles’ lane assist technology and braking. The technology includes cameras and sensors mounted on the front and back of the vehicles.
The components that make up the EyeSight technology are not calibrated correctly, allege the plaintiffs, and also have other issues that cause them to malfunction. In addition, Subaru allegedly failed to properly test the technology to ensure it was safe for motorists.
The plaintiffs seek to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who purchased or leased any 2013 to 2021 Subaru with the allegedly defective EyeSight technology.
Do you own a Subaru with EyeSight technology? Have you had trouble with the automatic brakes or lane assist functions? Tell us about it in the comment section below!
The lead plaintiffs are represented by Russell D. Paul, Amey J. Park, Abigail J. Gertner, and Natalie Lesser of Berger Montague PC, and Steven Weinmann, Tarek H. Zohdy, and Cody R. Padgett of Capstone Law APC.
The Subaru EyeSight Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Sampson, et al. v. Subaru of America, Inc, et al., Case No. 1:21-cv-10284-RMB-KMW in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
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68 thoughts onNationwide Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Subaru Eyesight Problems
2016 Forester, 76000 miles. Loses EyeSight in ALL conditions, with no discernible pattern. No obstructions in camera system, and yet the dealer says $2100 for replacing “faulty cameras.” Yes, we know that sunshine and hard rain can predictably disable the system, but in the last six months, we lose it nearly every time we drive, all conditions, short hauls included. I say good riddance to the lane departure and pre-braking aspects, but when they go, cruise control goes — not cool when you’re on a long run. The dealer showed me a trick to bypass EyeSight, and I’ve tried a couple of my own, but no luck….we continue to lose cruise. Anyone have a true blue clue? And mosdef I’d want to join a class action suit!
I have a 2016 Forester as well, that eyesight has been going on and off for the last 2 months and they tell me it’s a camera malfunction that needs to be replaced, of course I’m out of warranty so I’m going to call Subaru America.
I own a 2020 Outback Touring XT with 11,000 miles. Three times recently, when starting, “EYE SIGHT” (the word eye over the word sight) appeared on the screen. The first time I was pulling out of a residential parking space and noticed how difficult steering was. I continued about 50 feet until I could wrestle the steering wheel to the curb. The owner’s manual was no help. After turning the engine off, the car re-started normally. Within three days I experienced the “eye sight” issue two more times. I was parked, merely starting the car each time. Re-start cleared the problem. Rafferty Subaru, Newrown Square, PA (where I bought the car) said they could not isolate the issue and that Subaru wants them to correct the specific cause of the malfunction and not just replace a defective system. Rafferty kept the car a week but could not duplicate my error message, so I now have the car back with no satisfaction.
We have a 2013 Outback which we just took on a cross country trip. While on the interstates the adaptive cruise control would work but when another car would pull into the lane, the device would beep once and instead of slowing down and “adapt” to the new car in front, it would turn off completely with the display showing eyesight and referring me to the owners manual. Could only reset it by turning the car off and on again. Brought it to the dealer yesterday. ” Verified codes B280C VDC Abnormal C0075 Wheel cylinder pressure sensor out of range, stored in history.” Not sure what all that means, but the recommended correction was to start by replacing all calipers and servicing the pads at a cost of $1600. If that didn’t work may need a new VDC mosule at a cost of $1316.75. This seems to me, in other words, just a guessing game at my expense. I didn’t bite as it was obvious there was no clear correction. I am interested in knowing more about what the verified codes that were found mean and what Subaru is doing about it. Add me to the class action.
Our 2019 Crosstrek experiences random shutdowns at night where the eyesight shuts off randomly while driving at the interstate speeds. In a 50 mile stretch it has shut off as many as 12 times and as few as 3 times but always a few times on each trip.
Eyesight system in our leased 2020 Forester activated itself in March 2020 and resulted in an accident on a surface street. Car was repaired and was good until July 2021 when eyesight self activated on a freeway off ramp with no traffic ahead causing the car to swerve. Dealer calibrated system and told me how to turn off the system. Not a good solution.
The lane assist in my 2019 Crosstrek is bad enough I never turn it on, only the dash warning. It tends to try and hug the center line too closely in curves, and several times it’s tried to nudge me into oncoming traffic. In construction zones it’s too confused to be useful. Also, usually if the system is on and I am starting to drift, the car and I notice it simultaneously and causes an auto-correct. I don’t blame the car for this, though.
The adaptive cruise is very good, but I sometimes worry about it’s ability to stop. Fairly regularly I get collision alerts while the cruise control is running, or the car seems like it’s not going to stop. As long as you’re paying attention the cruise control works well, but you have to know its limitations and I would not depend on the collision system to actually stop the car.
I have made several complaints about the lane assist and eyesight malfunctioning since owning my 2018 Outback. I have had multiple automatic breaking when backing up and nothing was behind me. I have also experienced the auto collision warning detection randomly warning me when driving and not near cars. I worry about brakes activating while driving and causing an accident.
Bogus claims… eyesight has saved many lives..
You can’t say they are bogus claims. You can argue it’s helped people as well though.
Please add me
Terrible issues with the automatic breaking system as well as lane assist.
Eyesight get triggered easily if someone is making a fast move in the right or left even if they are not in front of you.
Can explain better if we are contacted.