2002 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

I ALMOST HAD A BAD ACCIDENT, AND I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN OUR SUBARU FORESTER. I CAME TO A RED LIGHT, BEGAN TO SLOW USING THE BRAKE, AND FOUND THE CAR TRYING TO SURGE AHEAD INTO THE PASSING TRAFFIC: MY FOOT HAD CONTACTED THE ACCELERATOR AS WELL AS THE BRAKE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, BUT IT WAS A SCARY MOMENT.*AK

MULTIPLE TIMES I HAVE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. *JB

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND TECHNICIAN INDICATED VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY.*AK THE PROBLEM THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED WAS SIMILAR TO A RECALL ISSUED FOR 1998 AND 1999 MODELS. AFTER THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED THE PROBLEM SUBSIDED. *NM

ON MARCH 4, 2004, WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 SUBARU FORRESTER, I SMELLED AN AWFUL SMELL AND THE EMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. CAR WAS TOWED TO PALM SUBARU, GAINESVILLE FLORIDA, @ 4:30 PM. PALM HAS PERFOMED ALL PRIOR SERVICES ON THIS CAR INCLUDING OIL CHANGES. PALM COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM THAT DAY AND DIRECTED ME TO GATRO LEASING, WITHIN THEIR BUILDING, FOR A RENTAL. I DID NOT PROVIDE A CREDIT CARD FOR THE RENTAL WHICH I HAD FOR ABOUT 16 HOURS AND DROVE ABOUT 20 MILES. ON MARCH 5, I WAS TOLD THAT THE OIL FILTER WAS FAULTY I HAD NOT TIGHTENED THE GAS CAP AND THAT IS WHY THE EMISSION LIGHT WAS ON. NOW I AM BEING ASKED TO PAY THE $22.00 FOR THE RENTAL. I DON'T THINK THIS IS FAR SINCE PALM INSTALLED THE FAULTY OIL FILTER.*AK

CAR HESITATES THEN LURCHES FORWARD AFTER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE THEN HESTIATES AS IF LOSING POWER. HAD THE SAME PROBELEM IN AUGUST OF 2003 AND DEALER RESET THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER AND SAID NO PROBLEM. DEALER TRIED TO HAVE ME PAY FOR A FUEL INJECTOR CLEANING SERVICE THIS TIME. CAR HAS 29,000 MILES. I SPOKE A ANOTHER CUSTOMER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOTICED THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB SITE. SHOULDN'T THIS MATTER BE LOOKED AT FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL?

ON THE GREEN TRAFFIC SIGNAL I ACCELERATED AND THE CAR SURGED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I JAMMED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THREW THE SHIFT INTO PARK WHEN THE CAR STOPPED, THEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND SHIFT IN PARK, THE CAR SURGED IN REVERSE HITTING THE CAR BEHIND ME. I PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED SURGING TWICE BEFORE THIS. MY 2002 SUBARU FORRESTER WAS RECALLED FOR THE PARKING ROD REPLACEDMENT IN APRIL 2003.*AK

AIRBAG LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND WILL STAY ON DURING THE TIME THE IGNITION IS ON. IT WILL DO THIS FOR DAYS AND THEN IT WILL WORK CORRECTLY FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE REPEATING THE ABOVE BEHAVIOR. *LA

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THERE WAS A HUMMING WINDING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC TOLD THE DRIVER THAT FRONT DIFFERENTIAL CAME APART, AND PIECE OF METAL WAS INSIDE OF TRANSMISSION, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. *AK

CAR "HESITATES" OCCASIONALLY, 1-2 SECOND DELAY AFTER YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL UNTIL THE CAR RESPONDS. ALSO, THE CAR SHIFTS INAPPROPRIATELY. MOSTLY THIS OCCURS ON HILLS. YOU WILL ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE, AND THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS; OR YOU ATTEMPT TO PASS SOMEONE ON HIGHWAY AND CAR WILL HESITATE, THEN BEGIN TO ACCELERATE, THEN WILL SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFT. I HAVE HAD CAR TO DEALER, FIRST I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THEN, THEY REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, AND HAD THE COMPUTER RESET. THIS SEEMED TO IMPROVE HANDLING FOR ONLY ABOUT A WEEK. THE CAR IS NOW HESITATING AND DOWNSHIFTING ON A REGULAR BASIS.*AK

TRANSMISSION HESITATES FROM A DEAD STOP. YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENS FOR 2 SECONDS OR SO, THEN THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE UNTIL CONSUMER PUSHES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 15 MPH AND HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE STRIKING A TRUCK IN THE OPPOSITE LANE.*TS *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, IT ACCELERATED FORWARD AND THE ONLY WAY TO SLOW IT DOWN WAS TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL. *JB SCC

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AT ABOUT 45MPH. VEHICLE WENT AIRBORN, THE FRONT VEHICLE AXLE BROKE ON IMPACT. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH WITH AN ELK. BOTH DRVR AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, WHO ADVISED CONSUMER THAT AIR BAGS WERE NOT DESIGNED TO DEPLOY FOR COLLISIONS WITH ANIMALS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED OF 30MPH WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD/. *AK

WHEN PARKING AND BRAKES APPLIED VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. ON 27 JUNE 2002 WHILE PARKING VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, BRAKES WERE APPLIED, AND VEHICLE HIT A POST, CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURY. VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME.*AK

SUBARU HAS NOT CONTACTED US OR LET CONSUMERS KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH 2002 FORESTERS. DT

VEHICLE DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY START UP. DEALER HAS REPLACED ECM BOX, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS OVERHEATED AND SEIZED UP.*MJ

CONSUMER EXPERIENCES VEHICLE STALLING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

VEHICLE WAS STANDING WITH MOTOR RUNNING IN DRIVE AND I HAD THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN THE CAR STARTED SLOWLY MOVING FORWARD. WHEN I PUSHED THE BRAKE FURTHER, THE CAR INCURRED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION FORWARD AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. I JUST COULD DO NOTHING TO STOP IT. SUBARU OF AMERICA DID NOT ADMIT THERE IS A MALFUNCTION AND ASKED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO CONFIRM SUCH FAILURE. HOWEVER I AM RELUCTANT TO DO SO, SINCE THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPRESENT MY INTERESTS AS WELL. I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR ANYMORE AS IT IS UNSAFE TO DO SO AND I DO NOT KNOW HOW SHOULD I PROCEED. ANY ADVICE? PLEASE TELL ME HOW WERE THE OTHER COMPLAINS OF THESE TYPE RESOLVED. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINS AGAINST FORESTER 2001 AND 2000. THANK YOU.*AK

THE OPEN WHEEL DESIGN ALLOWS SNOW, SILT, MUD TO EASILY PACK IN GROOVES INSIDE THE WHEELS. THIS CAUSES ALL WHEELS TO BECOME IMMEDIATELY OUT OF BALANCE CAUSING, OF COURSE, EXTREME SHIMMYING. THE COMPANY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT CONSIDER IT IMPORTANT. I CONSIDER DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH OUT OF BALANCE WHEELS AND IMPORTANT IF NOT DANGEROUS SITUATION. ALSO, TO CLEAN THE WHEELS ENTAILS GETTING DOWN ON HANDS AND KNEES WITH A SCREWDRIVER AND SCRAPING THE DEPOSITS FROM THE OUTSIDE GROOVE, BEHIND THE WHEEL "SPOKES" AND AROUND THE INSIDE GROOVE. THE ONLY ACCESS TO THIS IS THRU THE SMALL OPENINGS IN THE "SPOKES". IT ALWAYS TAKES AT LEAST THREE SUCH CLEANING OF ALL EFFECTED WHEELS BEFORE ONE CAN GET ALL THE DEPOSITS REMOVED AND THE WHEELS BACK IN BALANCE. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE WAY TO CHURCH DURING THE MIDDLE OF WINTER THIS SITUATION BECOMES UNTOLERABLE AND RESULTS IN HAVING TO DRIVE WITH UNBALANCED WHEELS TO DESTINATION OR AT LEAST A LOCATION WHERE REMOVAL OF DEPOSITS CAN BE DONE SAFELY. EXPLAINING THIS PROBLEM IS DIFFICULT AND I DO NOT KNOW THE TECHNICAL TERMS OF WHEEL PARTS/CONSTRUCTION. IN ALL VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED THE OUTSIDE OF THE WHEEL IS SOLID, NO OPENINGS, OTHER THAN FOR LUG BOLTS THEREFORE THERE IS NO PLACE FOR DEPOSITS TO STICK AND OF COURSE HUBCAPS FURTHER PROTECT FOR THIS. ON THE SUBARU THE WHEEL IS NOT SOLID BUT OF AN OPEN SPOKED DESIGN ALLOWING SAND, MUD, SNOW TO EASILY SETTLE INSIDE THE WHEEL. THERE ARE NO HUBCAPS AVAILABLE TO AT LEAST PROTECT THE OUTSIDE OF THE WHEEL. EVEN IF THERE WAS THAT WOULDN'T STOP STUFF FROM GETTING IN FROM THE INSIDE. I'M NO EXPERT BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SUBARU JUST NEEDS TO PROVIDE A SOLID WHEEL REPLACEMENT TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANKS. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT FUNCTION, HAD TO USE HAND PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE. TS. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEARS LOCK IN PARK POSITION ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS DURING ACCELERATION OFTEN IN FAST MOVING CROSS TRAFFIC CAUSING OUR HEARTS TO STOP AS WE FEAR OF GETTING HIT BROADSIDE. THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY ACCELERATES AT HIGH SPEEDS CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BRAKE. I HAD ONE INCIDENT. *AK

INTERMITENT BACKFIRE AFTER SHIFTING ON MANUAL TRANSMISSION FORESTERS. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, CONFIRMED THAT ENGINE BACKFIRES BUT SAID BACKFIRING WAS NOT A PROBLEM, HENCE NO FIX WAS NECCESSARY AND NON WOULD BE PROVIDED. HOW MANY OF YOU OUT THERE CONSIDER BA. *AK

HOOD IS TOO HIGH AND ALLOWS WATER TO RUN ONTO ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

THIS SITUATION WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY REPLACING "THE BRAINS" OF THE TRANSMISSION BUT THE IDLE SPEED HAS REMAINED BELOW 300 WITHOUT THE SERVICE LIGHT COMING ON SINCE. ONE OTHER COMMENT IS THAT THE SHIFTER DOES NOT LOCK INTO DRIVE LIKE MOST CARS IT LOCKS INTO 3RD. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE IDLE SPEED IS SUPPOSED TO BE BUT IT CAN'T BE 220. PUT BACK IN SERVICE ON DEC 8TH. *AK

MOST OF THE TIME BOTH OUTSIDE MIRRORS ON VEHICLE ARE COVERED WITH CONDENSATION. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

MYSELF, AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS, HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR SUBARU VEHICLE HESITATING UPON PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, FOR AS MUCH AS 2-3 SECONDS, FOLLOWED BY SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENS IN DRIVE AS WELL AS REVERSE. SUBARU ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM (REALLY DEPENDS ON WHO YOU TALK TO AT ANY DEALERSHIP) BUT SAYS THAT IT IS NORMAL AND THERE IS NO FIX. WHEN AND IF A REPLY IS SENT, I WILL FORWARD A COPY OF THE LETTERS SENT TO SUBARU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE CLUTCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND DELAY ENGAGMENT. *YH

FROM A STAND STILL VEHICLE WILL HESITATE OR ONCE GETTING STARTED WILL LUNGE FORWARD. DEALERSHIP LOOKED OVER VEHICLE, AND CONTACTED SUBARU WHICH TOLD DEALERSHIP THAT VEHICLE MET ALL REQUIREMENTS, AND RETURNED VEHICLE TO CONSUMER WITH NO MODIFICATIONS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STARTED HESITATING DURING ACCELERATION FROM A COMPLETE STOP, HESITATION OCCURS ONE SECOND TO A FEW SECONDS AFTER ACCELERATION AND CAN LAT APPROXIMATELY THREE SECONDS. SINCE THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITH THE HESITATION, THE TRANSMISSION NOW SHIFTS WITH A SLIGHT THUMP TO A LOUD BANG, DURING ACCELERATION THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MISSES A SHIFT AND GOES INTO NEUTRAL CAUSING THE ENGINE TO INSTANTLY OVER SPEED TO 2,000 RPM'S THE TRANSMISSION SEARCHES FOR DIFFERENT GEARS WHILE GENTLY ACCELERATING, ON 2 OCCASIONS THE DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER MODIFICATIONS WHICH HAS MADE THE PROBLEMS LESS INTENSE, BUT STILL EXISTS. *JB *SCC

WHEN THE CONSUMER DEPRESSES THE FUEL PEDAL THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND SOMETIMES STALL, THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM SEVERAL TIME BUT NO REMEDY HAS BEEN FOUND. NLM

PROBLEMS GETTING RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. *MR CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 02V-282 TO REPLACE FAILED TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM. CONSUMER HAS PROBLEM WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. THE NOTICE STATES REPAIRS WILL TAKE AN 1-1/2 HOUR, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP NEEDS VEHICLE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY AND WILL NOT AUTHORIZE A LOANER CAR FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. *TT *NLM

AFTER THE RECALL FOR THE PARKING ROD 02 V 282 000 WAS PERFORMED, THERE IS VERY LOUD NOISE FROM THE BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY THE BRAKE LINE RUSTING, BECAUSE CAR IS NOT BEING DRIVEN ENOUGH.*AK

CONSUMER STATED BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE. SOMETIMES WHEN BRAKING THE DRIVER PRESSES THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, ALMOST RESULTING IN CRASHES. *AK *MR