Sudden acceleration on a 2009 Subaru forrester. My wife was pulling into a parking space when the vehicle suddenly accelerated, crashing thru a brick wall, over a large a/c unit and into a building. *tr
2009 Subaru Forester cruise control problems
severe 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
10crashes
3injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 14 cruise control complaints filed for the 2009 Subaru Forester, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 15 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report sudden, forceful acceleration without depressing the throttle in both forward and reverse, occurring across a range of mileages from 1,000 to 90,000 miles. In forward driving, the vehicle accelerates aggressively at low speeds (5–15 mph) while stop-and-go driving or pulling out of parking spaces. In reverse, the car revs and shoots backward immediately upon shifting, without any driver input. Critically, brake pedal pressure produces no response in these events, and shifting to Park fails to slow the vehicle. Owners have stopped the car only by shifting to Neutral or by collision. The dash control center illuminates completely during at least one occurrence, suggesting an electrical or control module fault. One owner received timing over-advanced and bad catalyst diagnostic codes. Multiple incidents resulted in crashes into parked cars, walls, buildings, and retaining walls, causing injuries, vehicle total loss, and property damage. Dealers attempted diagnostics but could not determine a cause; no manufacturer recalls or technical service bulletins are mentioned. The failure occurs unpredictably and has not been resolved through repair.
Same Subaru Forester cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration during forward driving
Vehicle accelerates suddenly without driver input while moving forward at low speeds (5–15 mph), brakes do not respond, and shifting to Park does not stop the vehicle. Multiple owners report loss of braking authority and only being able to stop by shifting to Neutral or hitting an object.
When: 52,000–90,000 miles; also reported at 1,000 and 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden aggressive acceleration at low speed; Brake pedal unresponsive; Shift to Park fails to slow vehicle; Engine races without driver depressing throttle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnostic attempts unsuccessful in determining cause; vehicles not repaired or destroyed in collisions. One owner reported $6,000 damage to vehicle and garage.
Unintended acceleration during reverse
Vehicle accelerates suddenly when shifted into Reverse without driver depressing the gas pedal, brake input has no effect, and vehicle stops only when shifting to Neutral or colliding with an obstacle.
When: 17,000–90,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle revs and accelerates immediately upon shifting to Reverse; No response to brake pedal; Vehicle continues at full acceleration until collision or Neutral engaged
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle shifted to Neutral to stop in one case; another owner reported impact with tree. One incident caused retaining wall collision over 20–30 feet of acceleration.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer notified in at least one case but offered no assistance; vehicles not repaired.
Dashboard control center malfunction during acceleration event
During unintended acceleration, the dash control center completely illuminated, suggesting an electrical or control module fault coinciding with the acceleration event.
When: Occurs simultaneously with acceleration episodes; mileage not specified for this observation alone
Symptoms owners cite: Dash control center completely lit up; Occurs concurrently with unintended acceleration
Engine timing and catalyst issues (possible secondary failure)
One owner reported receiving a timing over-advanced diagnostic code paired with a bad catalyst code, which may relate to control module or engine management faults underlying the acceleration events.
When: Timing and mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Timing over-advanced code; Bad catalyst code
Codes mentioned: Timing over-advanced, Bad catalyst
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2009 Subaru Forester?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2009 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 24,000 and 90,000 miles, with the median around 52,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 24,000; a quarter make it past 90,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Subaru/Forester.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.