# 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
> NHTSA complaint `430462` · 2003-09-15 · Subaru of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** SUBARU
- **Model:** OUTBACK
- **Year:** 1998
- **Manufacturer:** Subaru of America, Inc.
- **Component:** UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- **Miles at failure:** 101,000
- **Speed:** 40 mph
## Narrative
THE CAR ACCELERATED WHEN BACKING FROM A PARKING SPACE, HIT A POLE, I THEN PUT IT ON DRIVE AND IT ACCELERATED AT A VERY HIGH SPEED, I WENT TO BRAKE, IT HAD ALREADY HIT A PARKED DODGE CARAVAN IN THE PARKING SPOT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS ON BRAKE, CAR STILL CONTINUED TO MOVE. I MANAGED TO PUT IT ON NEUTRAL AND IT STOPPED. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. MY CAR HAD PUSHED THE PARKED DODGE 1.5 CAR LENGTHS. VAN TIRE SKID MARKS MEASURED BY HIGHWAY PATROL. NO INJURIES EXCEPT TO MYSELF, HIT MY KNEE AND MY HEAD. INDICENT REPORTED TO CA HWY PATROL, GEICO INSURANCE COMPANY, AND 49R SUBARU DEALERSHIP. CURRENTLY CAR IS AT THE DEARLERSHIP BEING EVALUATED FOR A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.    I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AT 60K MILES FOR POSSIBLE TRANSMISISION PROBLEM, IT SEEMED TO DOWNSHIFT AT LOWSPEEDS INAPPROPIATELY. NO PROBLEM FOUND. I TOOK IT IN 90K BECAUSE OF BURNING OIL SMELL AND ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. OIL  WAS LEAKING FROM SEVERAL SEALS, ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED, INCLUDING THE TIMING BELT. I DISCOVERED THE TIMING BELT AND OIL SEALS WERE REPLACED BY PREVIOUS OWNER PRIOR TO 50K MILES. I'VE HAD THE TIRES BALANCED AND ALIGNED TWICE BECAUSE OF SEVERE TIRE WEAR AND SHAKING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. CAR CURRENTLY HAS 101K MILES.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*