2010 Subaru Forester Acceleration Problems

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  1146%
• 25k–50k
  313%
• 50k–75k
  521%
• 75k–100k
  313%
• 100k–150k
  14%
• 150k+
  14%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Subaru Forester owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while reversing out of a garage parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into several other parked vehicles before coming to a stop. During the incident, the driver sustained a mild concussion which did not require medical attention. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed to the local collision center. The contact was unsure if the failure occurred while in the reverse or drive position. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that as she attempted to park her vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated forward at a high rate of speed without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped on its own before hitting another vehicle. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home but had not driven the vehicle since the failure. The contact called the manufacturer and they informed her to tow the vehicle to a dealer for an inspection. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it remained in their possession and was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

A family member was re-parking our car next to the house. She put the car in reverse, pressed the accelerator lightly, and the car suddenly lurched backwards and kept going even after she took her foot off the accelerator, and hit the house, causing damage to both the car and the house (and causing my daughter a concussion). Earlier, my son had a similar experience with the same car. He had the car in reverse, lightly tapped the accelerator, the car jolted backward but he did not hit anything because he was not close to any objects or structures.

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. While attempting to park the vehicle at a low speed with the brake pedal slightly depressed, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into an electrical junction box. The air bags did not deploy. The contact was not injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

While parking my 2010 Subaru Forester suddenly accelerated causing it to jump over a curb sideswiping a hedge jumping another curb then hitting a large Ram 150 truck. The whole time I was standing on the brakes trying to avoid parked cars. Upon impact the engine was still running at high RPM's. After shutting it off I looked to see if the mats were the cause and they were not. Could not determine what the cause of acceleration. There was over $12.000 damage to the Forester.

While backing slowly into a parking space (2-3 MPH) in my apartment parking lot. Car accelerated rapidly out of control. Brakes failed. Car accelerated ftom 3mp to 20-35 MPH jumped a curb and hit car parked in street (impact so high that the car ended up in the middle of the street). Impact was the only thing that stopped the car.

My 2010 Subaru Forester suddenly accelerated in reverse for the 3rd time. This last time it hit another vehicle damaging it and knocked down a person that required evaluation at the er. I was in a church parking lot this last time. I do not have any pictures as I was concerned about the person hit.

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. The contact shifted into reverse and the vehicle abnormally accelerated backward, crashing into a building. A police report was filed and a bystander was reported as injured. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was then taken to an independent repair shop where the body damage was repaired. Approximately one month later the failure recurred, again upon shifting the vehicle into reverse. The vehicle continued to accelerate backward until heavy pressure was applied to the brake pedal and the ignition was turned off. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed because the authorized dealer refused to examine the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also stated that there were no floor mats present in the vehicle during either failure. …

The vehicle is a 2010 Subaru Forester. When stepping on the gas pedal to back up, the car accelerated as if the accelerator had been floored. The car shot up a snow bank and rested on a guard rail still running fast. The car was turned off and the winter mat that came with the car was on the lower part of the accelerator. We do not know if the mat caused the rapid acceleration or there was a malfunction with the car. If this had happened in a busy parking lot someone could have been killed. The mat has been removed from the car. There was damage to the under side of the car and fender.

At highway speed above 60 MPH suddenly several dash warning lights illuminate. Traction control, cruise, transmission overheat, check engine all became illuminated. No affects to the operation of the vehicle. Disconnect the battery overnight resolves the problem for a day or two. Situation repeats on dry or wet roadways for no apparent reason. Online google-yahoo chat rooms has hundreds of similar issues discussed with no fixes from dealer or corporate Subaru. Its a bit unnerving when at highway speed all or most of the warning lights illuminate. Any assistance is most appreciated.

Acceleration complaints in other Forester years