2016 Subaru Forester Fuel System Problems

October 31, 2023 at approximately 11:45 am was slowly pulling in to HEB Curbside parking spot #[XXX] at 651 N U.S. 183 in Leander, Texas and the car accelerated at a high speed without touching the gas pedal. I responded with braking but it did not stop the crash in to the concrete pylon. The pylon is fine but my front end on the 2016 Subaru Forester is not. It will need extensive repair. I got a ride for myself and my groceries, notified my insurance company but unfortunately, I am only covered by liability insurance. I am very fortunate that no-one was hurt including myself. The car remains at the scene of the accident in parking slot [XXX]. I am aware that this is not an isolated incident for this Make, Model, and Year of this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, OUR CAR STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT 60 - 70 MPH. (2016 SUBARU FORESTER) THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS ON FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 2019 ON PA ROUTE 283. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17TH, 2021. IN BOTH CASES THE CAR ENGINE DIED WITHOUT WARNING AT SPEEDS OF BETWEEN 60 - 70 MPH. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS WAS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MY FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT I NEEDED GAS IN THE FIRST INCIDENT BUT I ESTIMATED THAT THE CAR HAD A LITTLE MORE THAN A GALLON REMAINING. IN THE SECOND INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD ABOUT A QUARTER OF A TANK OF GAS. I CONTACTED SABARU AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN. I ALSO CONTACTED THEM AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT BUT HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK YET. BSED ON MY RESEARCH, OTHER OWNERS OF SUBARU FORESTERS HAVE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. I'M SURPRISED QUITE FRANKLY THAT NO DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

I HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY 10 EPISODES WHERE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT GETTING ANY OR VERY LITTLE GAS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS PLENTY OF GAS IN THE GAS TANK . THESE EPISODES ARE INTERMITTENT AND STARTED LAST WINTER. THE ISSUE DIDN'T OCCUR OVER THE SUMMER BUT STARTED AGAIN WHEN IT GOT COLD. THE LAST EPISODE WAS ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO ON THE HIGHWAY. I PUT MY FLASHERS ON QUICKLY AND LUCKILY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT . UNLIKE PAST EPISODES, THE ISSUE DIDN'T RESOLVE ITSELF QUICKLY, I HAD THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, BUT WAS ONLY ABLE TO DO A SLOW CRAWL. IT FINALLY ALLOWED ME TO GO AGAIN, BUT THEN ANOTHER EPISODE HAPPENED BEFORE I MADE IT TO MY EXIT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SLUGGISH SINCE THEN ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S COLD, BUT ANOTHER EPISODE HAS NOT HAPPENED AS OF YET. I TOOK IT TO THE SUBARU MECHANICS IN CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND LAST WINTER WHEN THE ISSUES FIRST STARTED. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BAD GAS, AND WAS CHARGED $95 FOR IT. I HAVE USED DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS, AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT BAD GAS SINCE THE ISSUE IS CONTINUING.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, 2016 FORESTER ENGINE REVVED WHILE ALSO LOSING POWER AND THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CAR STILL RUNNING, I SHUT THE CAR OFF. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE ENGINE STARTED FINE BUT THE CAR STILL HAD NO POWER. WAS TOWED TO THE SHOP AND THEY STATED THE CAR RAN OUT OF GAS. THE CAR STATED THERE WERE 30 MILES LEFT TO DRIVE AND THE GAS LIGHT CAME ON 18 MILES PRIOR (AT 50 MILES ESTIMATED LEFT TO DRIVE) . THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED, I RAN OUT OF GAS WITH 50 MILES LEFT TO DRIVE AND ONLY 5 MILES AFTER THE GAS LIGHT CAME ON. I HAVEN'T LET THE CAR GET BELOW 1/4 TANK DUE TO THIS ISSUE. SOMETHING IS NOT READING RIGHT WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE MANUAL SAYS THERE SHOULD BE ROUGHLY 2 GALLONS LEFT IN THE CAR WHEN THE GAS LIGHT COMES ON SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO AT LEAST GO 40 MILES AT THE BARE MINIMUM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED; HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED 70 MILES BEFORE EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BLAISE ALEXANDER SUBARU (1703 W COLLEGE AVE, STATE COLLEGE, PA 16801) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.