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2015 Subaru Outback Cruise Control Problems

20 owner-reported cruise control complaints from NHTSA data

20
Complaints
4
Crashes
Jan 2018Dec 2016
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (20)

criticalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Jan 2026

January 25th, 2026 13:30 I was coming to a stop at an intersection with my foot on the brake pedal when suddenly my vehicle lurched forward potentially causing rear end collision with the truck in front of me that was stopped at the red light. My vehicle finally came to a stop when I pressed hard on the brake pedal. This problem happened today, so I have not reproduced it.

NHTSA #: 11713284
criticalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE
CrashFiled: Sep 2025

I was within the town limits so I was driving slowly. When I approached the first stop light in town I saw that it was red. There were of three or four vehicles stopped at that light.

NHTSA #: 11689049
criticalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Aug 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while making a right turn into a parking space, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and lunged forward. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions.

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NHTSA #: 11609991
criticalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Sep 2020

My 2015 subaru outback -- have experienced sudden and unintended acceleration. I've mentioned this to the stevens creek san jose dealership when taking my car for maintenance, but they said the behavior is as intended.

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NHTSA #: 11361103
criticalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CrashFiled: Dec 2019

Tl* the contact owns a 2015 subaru outback. While pulling into a parking space at low speeds with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated, jumped the curb, and crashed into a house. There were no warning indicators illuminated.

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NHTSA #: 11288897
criticalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CrashFiled: Feb 2017

WHILE PULLING MY FATHER-IN-LAWS SUBARU OUTBACK INTO MY GARAGE I PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR PROCEEDED INTO GARAGE FIRST HITTING THE SIDE OF THE GARAGE DOOR FRAME AND THEN INTO THE BACK OF MY OTHER CAR WHICH WAS PARKED INSIDE THE GARAGE. I INSTINCTIVELY APPLIED GREATER PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE BUT THIS DID NOT STOP THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR WEDGED AGAINST THE RIGHT SIDE COLUMN OF THE GARAGE I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND REAPPLIED IMMEDIATELY. THIS ACTION CAUSED THE CAR TO DECELERATE TO AN IDLE MODE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING A LONG TIME AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE LIKE THIS BEFORE. I NOTICED OTHERS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS AS REPORTED ON THIS SITE. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT OBSTRUCTION SO I CAN ONLY CONCLUDE THERE IS A POSSIBLE SOFTWARE ISSUE. *TR

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NHTSA #: 10950390
criticalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jun 2015

Unintended acceleration.

NHTSA #: 10723607
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Mar 2022

While parking car in garage, car suddenly surged forward although my foot was off gas and nearly hit end of garage. Engine Temp was relatively cold as it had just been started. This has happened several times before.

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NHTSA #: 11457438
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Mar 2020

On february 25 I was driving my subaru on a city street and traveling about 40 MPH. I noticed that a traffic light ahead of me would be turning red so I tried to slow down. The power brakes did not work at all.

NHTSA #: 11316723
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Mar 2019

TAKATA INFLATORS. WHILE DRIVING WE NOTICED THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM STOPPED FUNCTIONING, IT WOULD NOT ACTIVATE OR ENGAGE. WE PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AFTER ABOUT 1 MINUTE WE STARTED UP AND ONCE ON THE ROAD IT WAS WORKING FINE FOR ABOUT 5 MILES OR SO THEN STOPPED AGAIN. THEN THE ABS LIGHT ALONG WITH OTHER INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. WHEN WE GOT HOME WE CALLED A MECHANIC AND ADVISED WE BRING IT IN, WHICH WE DID. HE SAID THE SPEED SENSOR IS BAD (PART #27540AL11B) WHICH CAUSED OTHER LIGHTS TO COME ON AND SAID IT WAS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE ESPECIALLY WHERE WE DRIVE WHICH IS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS. HE ORDERED PART BUT WAS TOLD THIS PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER AND MAY BE AVAILABLE ON APRIL 2, 2019. OUR CAR HAS NOW BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE MARCH 8TH, THIS IS SUCH AN INCONVENIENCE. THE CAR HAS APPROX 58K MILES ON IT. WOULD THIS NOT BE UNDER WARRANTY.

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NHTSA #: 11192142
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Jan 2018

THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM TURNS ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT SPEED AND ALL OF SUDDEN IT IS NOT. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CLEAR AND IT WAS NOT RAINING. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WHICH THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO RESOLVE.

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NHTSA #: 11062145
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Aug 2017

I DRIOVE OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ONE BLOCK TO STOP SIGN. ONLY GOING 10 OR SO MPH WHEN I DEPRESSED BRAKE TO STOP AT STOP SIGN . POWER BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND UNTIL PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HARD TO FLOOR. THEN WHEN STOPPED THE ENGINE REVED UP AND I DID NOT TAKE MY FOOT OFF BRAKE. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO ROAR LIKE IN A VERY LOW GEAR. I CHECKED GEARS AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL, THEN PARK AND REVERSE, ENGINE STILL ROARING. BUT AS MY FOOT WAS HARD ON BRAKE, IT DID NOT GO INTO FOUR LANE TRAFFIC AHEAD. I TURNED OFF ENGINE WITH KEY AND THE ENGINE REVING STOPPED..WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN THE BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY AND ACCELERATION WAS NORMAL .IT SEEMED TO RESET AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO SUBARU DEALER FOR REPAIRS ALBEIT VERY SLOWLY. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HAD IT TOWED. THERE ARE NO FLOOR MATS IN THE CAR. DRIVER NOT IMPAIRED. THIS OCCURRED AROUND 10 AM ON A CLEAR AUGUST DAY TEMPERATURE AROUND 75 DEGREES .

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NHTSA #: 11015626
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Dec 2016

WHILE BRAKING TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT FROM A HIGHWAY, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD THE CAR. ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. SYMPTOM ONLY LASTED 2-3 SECONDS.

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NHTSA #: 10935607
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Oct 2016

FILE UPLOADED BELOW PICTURES #4 AND #5 WERE NOT ABLE TO BE DOWNLOADED WHICH SHOW CLOSEUPS OF THE TIRE MARKS IN THE BARK CHIPS. #3 SHOWS THE COMPLETE TIRE MARK IN THE BARK CHIPS.

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NHTSA #: 10914028
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Aug 2016

MY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5LIMITED HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH SUDDEN-ACCELERATION.IT WILL SURGE WHILE FOOT IS ON BRAKE USUALLY AT STOP SIGNS,RED LIGHTS.IT IS BECOMING WORSE AND MORE FREQUENT.I AM 100% SURE THAT MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE AND THE FLOOR MAT IS NOT INVOLVED EITHER.IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS AND WE HAVE HAD NO RESULTS AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AS THEY STATE THEY CAN NOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE..IT BEGAN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND IS STILL HAPPENING A YEAR LATER

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NHTSA #: 10897359
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Feb 2016

CRUISE CONTROL (CC) CAUSED WHAT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. OPERATION OF CC IS DIFFERENT FROM ANY CC I USED IN THE PAST. THE CC WAS ALREADY ENGAGED AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A HIGHWAY. I DECIDED TO INCREASE MY SPEED, SO I PRESSED THE 'SET +' BUTTON. AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS WHEN I REACHED 43 MPH, I RELEASED THE BUTTON. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO 70 MPH. LUCKILY THE HIGHWAY WAS EMPTY AND I WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE CC. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CC 'SET +' (AND 'SET -') HAS 2 POSITIONS - PUSHING IT HALF WAY INCREASES YOUR SPEED LIKE A TRADITIONAL CC, AND PUSHING IT ALL THE WAY ACTUALLY INCREASES THE SET SPEED OF YOUR CC BY 5 MPH INCREMENTS. HENCE WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS JUST ACCELERATING TO 43 MPH, I WAS ACTUALLY SETTING THE CC SPEED TO 70 MPH. ONE OF THE OPTION PACKAGES WITH THE CAR ADDS THIS 5 MPH INCREMENT 'FEATURE'. THE QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE AND THE REGULAR MANUAL DO NOT MENTION THIS 'FEATURE' - IT IS ONLY MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE AUXILIARY MANUALS FOR THE OPTION PACKAGE. I THINK UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT MUCH WORSE THAN IT DID. THE CC DOES NOT WORK LIKE TRADITIONAL CC, AND THE CONTROLS LOOK LIKE A TRADITIONAL CC.

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NHTSA #: 10825212
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Mar 2015

Cruise control: when the cruise control (+/-) toggle switch on the steering wheel , which is used to set or change the speed setting of the cruise control, is pressed down to the minus or set side, it intermittently and in variable conditions either does not react at all (I.e.

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NHTSA #: 10701761
lowVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Dec 2025

A particular corner where the arterial has a y turn. With cruise engaged the vehicle will do the emergency braking even though the lane is clear. Has occurred several times at this same location.

NHTSA #: 11704294
lowVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Dec 2022

while attempting to come to a complete stop, depressing the brakes, the vehicle continued to accelerate even though the brake was depressed to the floor. At no time was the driver's foot on the accelerator. This is one of 2 incidents with the vehicle.

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NHTSA #: 11496422
lowVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CrashFiled: Feb 2015

I have 2015 subaru outback with eyesight and blind spot detection. I had stopped the vehicle in the driveway, about 10 ft from the garage, waiting for my husband to clean the floor. The engine was running.

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NHTSA #: 10690859

Other 2015 Subaru Outback Issues