A class action lawsuit claims that certain Subaru Forester and Outback vehicles can suddenly accelerate without warning, often when drivers are using the brakes.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting unintended acceleration induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured in a car accident due to sudden acceleration in a Subaru, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Automotive & Crashworthiness Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Subaru Class Action Lawsuit Filed for Sudden Acceleration
In May 2020, Subaru was hit with a proposed class action lawsuit in New Jersey federal court alleging that certain Forester and Outback vehicles can suddenly accelerate — and that Subaru hid the defect.
Subaru may have known about the sudden acceleration problem since at least 2011, when drivers began reporting unintentional acceleration issues with their cars, often when the driver used the brake-pedals.
The lawsuit (PDF) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on May 13, 2020 — In RE: Weston et al. v. Subaru of America Inc. et al. —Case No. 1:20-cv-05876.
What is the Problem?
The lawsuit claims that over 200 complaints have been filed over Subaru’s unintended acceleration problems with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In one complaint, the driver of a 2017 Subaru Forester hit the brakes while driving 5 mph and accelerated until they crashed into a cement divider. “The vehicle then lunged forward and crashed into a tree three times and a parked vehicle,” according to the report.
What is the Risk?
- Car accidents
- Near-misses
- Collisions with stationary objects
- Pedestrian injuries
- Hospitalization for injured driver & passengers
- Death
Lawsuit Lists Defects Linked to Subaru Acceleration
The lawsuit claims that the vehicles are prone to sudden acceleration due to 3 separate defects:
- The vehicles have an inadequate fault-detection system that can’t detect unintended acceleration.
- The throttle-position sensor, throttle body assembly, powertrain control module, or related components are “highly susceptible to malfunction,” including faulty circuit boards.
- The brake override system malfunctions
New Jersey Couple Files Lawsuit for Subaru Acceleration Injuries
The lawsuit names two plaintiffs — Martin and Margaret G. — who were hospitalized after their 2014 Subaru Forester accelerated without warning. The accident occurred in March 2020, when Margaret pressed the brake pedal to slow the vehicle. Instead, it accelerated and caused her to lose control, veer off the road, hit a guardrail, and flip. Both of them were hospitalized and the vehicle was totaled.
Do I have a Subaru Unintended Acceleration Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting unintended acceleration induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured in a car accident due to sudden acceleration in a Subaru, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Automotive & Crashworthiness Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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