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The Subaru Outback is often described as an ideal family car, equal parts rugged, roomy, and reliable. They are a favorite among soccer moms and outdoors enthusiasts and have traditionally been among the longest kept and longest driven models on American roads.
Recently though, Subaru has been the subject of mounting criticism.
An increasing number of owners are reporting problems with the Subaru Outback and other models suddenly accelerating, and they say they aren’t getting much traction with the auto maker, which is leaving many wondering what to do.
Subaru Outback Acceleration Problems Overview
Drivers began complaining about unintended acceleration in their Subarus on online car forums including carcomplaints.com, cartalk.com and carproblemzoo.com in recent years. One after the other, they described harrowing incidents in which their Subaru Outback or Forester or Legacy lurched forward causing a collision, or near collision.
Most said when they took their cars to their Subaru dealership for repair, the dealerships reported there was nothing wrong.
Now, a group of drivers has filed a class action lawsuit against Subaru alleging the automaker has known about the mechanical defect causing the sudden acceleration since at least 2011 and has done little if anything about it. The lawsuit, filed in May in New Jersey, claims the defect affects 2012-2018 Subaru Forester, 2015-2019 Subaru Legacy and 2015-2019 Subaru Outback vehicles.
According to Law360, more than 200 complaints about unintended sudden acceleration in Subarus have been lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Yet the carmaker has not issued any recalls on the models involved and has not informed drivers about the potential for problems.
Several plaintiffs taking part in the lawsuit, and many others who have aired their grievances on online car forums claim Subaru has directed its dealerships to tell customers their cars were operating normally or that no issues could be found.
“Moreover, dealers also shift blame to the vehicle operators by telling them that the vehicle’s floor mats may cause the unintended acceleration, often even when the mats are properly secured and in place,” the lawsuit claims.
The Subaru Outback Class Action Lawsuit is Weston, et al. v. Subaru of America Inc., et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-5876, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
What Is Causing the Subaru Outback Acceleration Problems?
Generally speaking, sudden unintended acceleration happens when a car’s electronics cause the throttle to expand wide open, explains Tsukasa Azuma, a contributor to the automotive website Carfromjapan.com.
In an article published on the site, Azuma goes on to say the primary reason is “the malfunction in the electronics, controlling the vehicle’s power train. The cases of the throttle control mechanism have risen to a next level since the introduction of throttle control mechanism in the modern vehicles.”
The root of the problem with the Subarus, according to the drivers who brought the lawsuit against the carmaker, is threefold. Firstly, the affected vehicles have an inadequate fault detection system that isn’t sensing the sudden acceleration. Second, the throttle body assembly and other components have faulty circuit boards, the lawsuit claims. And thirdly, the brake override systems either malfunction or are incapable of countering the acceleration.
The result is that drivers are caught off guard, and most have reported the surge in acceleration happened when they were applying the brakes. Several instances have ended in collisions and in the case of two of the plaintiffs in the suit, Martin G. and Margaret G. of New Jersey, sent the driver and passenger to the hospital with injuries.
What Should You Do if Your Subaru Outback Experiences Sudden Acceleration?
In practical terms, if the vehicle you are driving suddenly accelerates, experts say there are steps you can take to bring the car back under control. The first is to press the brake pedal, hard, and with both feet if necessary.
According to the technicians at Popular Mechanics, the car won’t slow as quickly as normal, but it will reduce speed. In every car, the brakes are more powerful than the engine, so eventually the brakes will win.
The next step is to shift the car into neutral, even if the motor revs high. And finally, drivers should shut the engine off, navigate safely off the road and call for roadside assistance.
How to Join a Subaru Class Action Lawsuit
If you own or lease a 2015-2019 Subaru Outback, 2012-2018 Subaru Forester or 2015-2019 Subaru Legacy and have experienced unintended sudden acceleration you might be eligible to participate in a class action lawsuit and pursue compensation.
Consulting with an attorney is the first step in determining whether your experience could qualify you to take part in such legal action.
Join a Free Subaru Unintended Acceleration Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If you have owned or leased 2012–2018 Subaru Forester, a 2015–2019 Subaru Outback, or a 2015–2019 Subaru Legacy that has experienced sudden Subaru unintended acceleration issues, you may be able to join this class action lawsuit investigation and pursue compensation.
This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.
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One thought on What Should You Do if Your Subaru Outback 2018 Has Acceleration Problems?
From Australia in August 2022, can advise Subaru Outback 2018 driver in her 90s who had stopped with her husband for afternoon tea at a small country town (Kendall, New South Wales) had a serious life-threatening accident involving violent acceleration. The car took off at very unusual speed, driving to a bridge over a river about 50 meters away from the cafe, accelerating uphill onto and over railings on the bridge and flipping 360 degrees to land on its wheels. Both occupants were taken to hospital – driver with very serious injuries including compound fracture. Police are still investigating. No recall so far in Australia. Seems to fit a pattern.