2004 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

THE REAR HATCH DOOR DOES NOT LATCH AND DOOR CAN SWING OPEN. PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 45K AND ALL THE DEALER WOULD DO IS SPRAY THE MECHANISM WITH WD-40. THE PROBLEM KEPT GETTING WORSE AND I AM FED UP. AS A RESULT OF THIS I WOULD NOT BUY ANOTHER SUBARU. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON GOING FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS ,IT HAPPENS EVERYTIME THE HATCH IS OPEN...IT NEVER LATCHES WHEN CLOSED. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT SEEMS TO INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS MOVED FORWARD. THE LIGHT GOES OFF ON ITS OWN USUALLY WHEN THE SEAT IS MOVED BACK BUT WE HAVE NOT DETECTED ANY PATTERNS. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON SHORTLY BEFORE THE WARRANTY ON THE ITEM RAN OUT. DEALER CHECKED CONNECTIONS AND LIGHT WENT OUT. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE LIGHT CAME AGAIN. CHECKED CONNECTION, LIGHT WENT OUT. LIGHT STARTED GOING ON INTERMITTENTLY. NOW WAS ON STEADILY. GOGGLING 2004 FORESTER AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATES THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. IT WAS A POOR DESIGN THAT EXPOSED THE CONNECTOR TO DAMAGE BY FEET OR OTHER OBJECTS UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. *AK

2004 FORESTER XT STALLED, HAD LOSS OF POWER DURING ACCELERATION AND JERKED VIOLENTLY. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALTHOUGH SEATBELTS WERE WORN THE TWO OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW 10 DEGREES F., CAR WILL NOT START OR STARTS ONLY WITH GREATEST DIFFICULTY. LAST YEAR(2004), SAME SORT OF STARTING PROBLEM WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A CRACKED IGNITION COIL. THIS YEAR DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM, ALSO CAN'T EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM. *JB

1. NO FAILURE YET. CENTER, REAR PASSENGER, ROOF MOUNTED, SEATBELT IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED ON A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER X. 2. 10LB TUG ON THE CENTER, REAR PASSENGER, ROOF MOUNTED, SEATBELT ON A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER X WILL CAUSE THE HEADLINER TO CAVE. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR UNIT FOUND THAT IT'S MOUNTED ON A THIN GAUGE METAL (BENDABLE) FLAP BOLTED TO THE ROOF WITH ONE BOLT. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN YET. IT'S A NEW ITEM PROBLEM.

DT: CONTACT STATES HE HAS HAD TO CHANGE THE TIRES ON HIS VEHICLE ON 1-22-05. THE MILES ON THE VEHICLE WERE 14,394. THERE ARE NOW 21,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND HE HAS HAD TO CHANGE THE REAR CYLINDER ON THE CAR. THIS WAS COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. HE HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. HE HAS ALSO TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURER. ON 4-7-05 HE HAD TO CHANGE THE TIRES AGAIN AT 17,151. THE MANUFACTURER WAS RUDE TO HIM AND SAID HE HAD WAITED A LONG TIME TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TIRES. *NM

PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE. HAD FOOT ON BRAKE. APPROXIMATE SPEED OF CAR 10 MPH. CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKE. LOOKED DOWN SAW THAT GAS PEDAL WAS TO FLOOR. CAR ACCELERATED INTO BRICK BUILDING. AS QUICKLY AS IT ACCELERATED IT STOPPED. WAS ABLE TO REVERSE CAR INTO PARKING SPACE. HOLE IN BUILDING DAMAGING ELECTRICITY FOR BUILDING. ENTIRE BUILDING WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR ENTIRE DAY. BUILDING HAS A 5' X 5' HOLE IN WALL AND CRACKS DOING UP AND DOWN AND AROUND CORNER OF BUILDING. CAR WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP SINCE SUBARU(FORESTER 2004) DOES NOT DO REPAIRS. CAR WAS INSPECTED BY MECHANIC WHO SAID HE COULD SEE NO VISIBLE REASON WHY GAS PEDAL STUCK. FRAME OF CAR IN TACK, ESTIMATED DAMAGE $3600. CAR WILL BE REPAIRED AND SHIPPED TO SUBARU FOR INSPECTION PRIOR TO REPOSSESSION OF CAR. AIRBAG DID NOT ENGAGE DURING ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO ACCIDENT, APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED. I CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, STEPPED ON BRAKE AND CAR ACCELERATED. IT TOOK BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. I THOUGHT PERHAPS IT WAS WINTER AND I SLID ON ICE, OR PERHAPS IT WAS JUST A FREAK ACCIDENT. DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT UNTIL THE SECOND OCCURANCE.

CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER WHILE DRIVING DURING DAY TIME WHEN THE SUN IS OUT. THE SUN LIGHT IS OBSTRUCTING CONSUMER'S VIEW TO SEE IF HE IS COMPLYING WITH THE SPEED LIMIT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO CHANGE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE COMPLIED WITH THE DOT SPECS. *AK

THE VEHICLE GENERATED EXCESSIVE STATIC SHOCK. *NM THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD GO NO MORE THAN 15- 20 MPH. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 28 MPH A HEAD ON COLLISION OCCURRED. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ONE PERSON WAS INJURED. *AK

THERE IS TEAR BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL ON THE RIGHT REAR SIDE TIRE, WHICH IS CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO NOT MAINTAIN EASY CONTROL WHEN BEING DRIVEN. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER. *JB *NM

EXCESSIVE SULFUR DIOXIDE ODOR (ROTTEN EGG). COMPANY REFUSES TO FIX CONVERTER, BLAMES FUEL. CONVERTER SHOULD HANDLE THE SULFUR CONTENT OF FUEL, REGARDLESS. *JB

CAR PRODUCING NOXIOUS ODOR INSIDE. WHEN PARKING CAR IN GARAGE, ACCIDENTALLY STEPPED ON ACCELERATOR RATHER THAN BRAKE. HIT AND DESTROYED BACK WALL. COSMETIC DAMAGE TO CAR. DEALER CLAIMS LEAVES WERE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THROUGH TURBOCHARGE INTAKE. BUT, ODOR WAS OF BURNT RUBBER OR PLASTIC, NOT LEAVES. AND, THE CAR IS ALWAYS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. FINALLY, MOST LEAVES WERE DOWN SEVERAL WEEKS EARLIER THIS YEAR, I.E., BY END OF NOVEMBER. *NM

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, RESULTING FROM OIL LEAKING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND BECAUSE OF PROXIMITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITHIN 4-5 MINUTES. SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA) MAINTAINS THAT OIL LEAKED FROM OIL FILTER AND THAT THIS IS NO FAULT OF THEIRS. GIVEN THE HISTORY OF RECALLS OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE IN JAPAN FOR LEAKING OIL AND FIRES I AM NOT SURE THAT THIS POINT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED. SOA REFUSED TO FIX DAMAGE AND TOLD ME TO FILE AN INSURANCE CLAIM... WHICH I HAVE DONE. DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED TO BE $6-10K. MATTER WILL BE SUBROGATED TO INSURANCE COMPANY FOR SETTLEMENT.*AK

FUEL DOOR RELEASE BUTTON DOES NOT WORK. AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *BF 5 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL DOOR RELEASE BUTTON FELL OFF. OPENING OF THE FUEL DOOR WAS AND CONTINUED TO BE DIFFICULT. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE A FULL REFUND FOR THE VEHICLE. *TC *JB

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION MADE NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT HE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO RETURN THE VEHICLE AND RECEIVE A REFUND FOR THE PURCHASE PRICE. *NM THE SUBARU DEALER OFFERED THE CONSUMER $1500.00 TO 2,000 DOLLARS TOWARD TRADING HIS VEHICLE IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. OFFER EXPIRES OCT 31,2004 *TC

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION MADE NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT HE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO RETURN THE VEHICLE AND RECEIVE A REFUND FOR THE PURCHASE PRICE. *NM THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE IS MAKING A HIGH PITCH WHINING NOISE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE IS FROM THE REDUCTION GEAR TEETH TRANSMISSION AND WAS NORMAL. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH HER 1998 SUBARU FORRESTER THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED OVERHEATING AND ENGINE DAMAGE. A FAULTY THERMOSTAT CAUSED THE OVERHEATING. AN INITIAL TEST SHOW CARBON MONOXIDE INDICATING PROBABLE DAMAGE TO THE SLEEVES BETWEEN THE PISTONS AND CYLINDERS, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE SHORT BLOCK. OVERHEATED CAMS ARE WARPED DUE TO THE HEAT.