NHTSA — Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch Problems

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 Subaru Forester transmission problems

transmission problem

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1998 Subaru Forester Owner Comments

problem #2

Jan 092002

Forester 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When vehicle was turned on it suddenly accelerated backwards very fast, crashing into two vehicles. Consumer has contacted dealer. Cause of the problem has yet to be determined. While vehicle was in park and consumer had foot on the brake and turned on ignition the vehicle accelerated very fast in reverse and caused accident, consumer is also having various electrical problems with the vehicle, such as the battery draining, security system goes off while parked, and the doors lock by themselves.

- Passadena, MD, USA

problem #1

Jul 242001

Forester 4WD

  • miles
Yesterday aft. My car drove itself into a store window with me at the wheel. Fortunately no one was hurt but it could have been a real disaster. I was already parked there, put the car in reverse and it took off without my touching the accelerator. In fact, my foot was on the brake the whole time (automatic transmission). My braking wouldn't stop it, so I managed to get it into a forward gear. Had I not, the car might well have driven further into the store and hurt the several shoppers. Once in a forward gear, the car then it took off forward on a wild ride; again, I was merely the passenger. I managed to steer the car for a short distance before it decelerated, my foot on the brake all this time, while I cleared a light post and two cars on either side, as well as traffic in the road.

- Watertown, MA, USA

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