2013 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

IN JUNE WHILE DRIVING TO LA FROM YOSEMITE, MY OIL LIGHT BEGAN FLICKERING, ENGINE HAD ABOUT 46K, THEN CAME ON AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING FROM SAN DIEGO TO LA. SUBARU TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY OIL SWITCH. REPLACED WITH AUTOZONE PS309. DROVE FROM DENVER TO BISMARCK ND TO DRIVE MY COUSINS KID WITH A TUMOR ON HIS HEART AND SPINE TO MAYO CLINIC TO ROCHESTER, MN FOR CHEMO 2 TIMES TO TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF OF THE FAMILY. IN THE MIDDLE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I CHANGED THE OIL AND FILTER. OIL LIGHT STILL ON, EVEN THOUGH TOTALLY FULL OF OIL, ENGINE IS STILL VERY HOT. DID NOT SLEEP ALL NIGHT, WORRIED ABOUT CAR. I WENT 35 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY TO SUBARU DEALER IN BISMARCK ND, AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NEW OIL SENSOR, NO PROBLEMS, DRIVE ON, WOULD COST $175 TO CHANGE SENSOR (MY ENGINE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY). MY MILEAGE DROPPED FROM 30 MPG TO 25.5 MPG AFTER DEALERSHIP VISIT ON WAY TO ROCHESTER, AND 27 MPG BACK TO BISMARCK. CALLED SUBARU DEALER, WAS TOLD IT WAS THE GAS I WAS USING. CALLED SOA, BASICALLY WASTE OF TIME. CHANGED OIL AND FILTER AGAIN. DROVE TO ROCHESTER, SLIGHTLY BETTER GAS MILEAGE, LOW OIL LIGHT WAS ON THE ENTIRE WAY BACK. ADDED 1/2 QT. CALLED SUBARU DEALER ABOUT GAS MILEAGE DROP TOLD ME IT WAS THE GAS. DROVE FROM BISMARK TO MISSOURI TO DENVER ABOUT 1200 MILES. OIL LIGHT ON AFTER ABOUT 10 HOURS. SMELLED BURNT TAR SMELL NEAR ENGINE. CHECKED OIL IN DENVER. OIL AT LOW LEVEL OF STICK. ADDED ABOUT A QT. GOING TO DEALER TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.

AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE - PROMPTED ME TO WRITE THIS. 2YRS INTO OWNING MY CAR HAD OIL CONSUMPTION TEST DONE BECAUSE IT SEEMED THE SYNTHETIC OIL IS DISAPPEARING. WAS TOLD CAR IS FINE. I STILL NEED TO PUT OIL IN - IN BETWEEN CHANGES. THE ENGINE HAS NO LEAKS. I WAS TOLD SYNTHETIC OIL BURNS OFF WHEN YOU DRIVE A LOT OF MILES. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.

EXCESSIVE OIL COMSUMTION - STARTED BEFORE 100,000 AROUND 2016- HAS GOTTEN WORSE - BURN A QUART AND A HALF IN 1100 MILES.... HAD OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BEFORE WARRENTY RAN OUT AND WAS TOLD ITS FINE. EXCELLENT MAINTAINANCE ON CAR - OIL CONSUMPTION RUINED CATALYTIC CONVERTOR BY 150,000 - HAD TO REPLACE/ KEEP CALLING SUBARU 800 NUMBER TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR WEAR AND TEAR ON CAR

CAME OUT OF A CAR WASH AND SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE THE SUBARU FORESTER ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED WITHOUT TOUCHING ANY PEDALS. STARTED PUMPING BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOTHING. STEERED CAR THRU PARKING LOT NEXT TO CAR WASH AND SIDE-SWIPED THREE CARS AND SOMEHOW MANAGED TO STEER THRU THE REST OF THE PARKING LOT WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING OR ANYONE. DROVE CAR INTO A SNOW BANK AND IT STOPPED. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. IT'S A MIRACLE NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY SNOW AND USING THE HEATER FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHICH IS BUILT INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE ICE AND SLUSH CONTINUED TO BUILD ON THE WIPERS AND I CONTINUED TO USE THE HEATER. AT ONE POINT, THE SNOW HAD BUILT UP ON THE LOWER WINDSHIELD AND THE HEATER WAS ON. SUDDENLY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL OF THE WAY ACROSS, ABOVE THE HEATER AND BELOW THE SNOW. THE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE MUST HAVE CAUSED THIS CRACK, AS I WAS TRAVELING ONLY ABOUT 10 MPH (AS WAS EVERYONE ELSE) AND NO TRUCKS OR ANY TYPE OF VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THAT MIGHT HAVE KICKED UP A STONE. I TOOK THE CAR TO SUBARU AND THEY SAID IT WAS DUE A PREVIOUS STONE CHIP. I DISAGREED VEHEMENTLY BUT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE HAD TO PAY $325 TO GET IT FIXED. I FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. PERHAPS THE WIPER HEATER SHOULDN'T BE ACTIVATED WHEN SNOW IS ON WINDSHIELD. I DO KNOW THAT TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE IS USED IN GLASS MANUFACTURING TO FACILITATE BREAKING AT A CERTAIN POINT

2013 SUBARU FORESTER - CONSTANTLY BURNING OIL. NEEDS TO BE REPLENISHED OFTEN. *JS

THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR ON MY SUBARU FORESTER FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS NOT EVEN TOUCHING IT AT THE TIME. THE IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE, THE FIRST TIME WITHIN 1 YEAR OF PURCHASE. THE MECHANISM FOR ATTACHING THE MIRROR TO THE WINDSHIELD IS DEFECTIVE IN THAT IT CAN'T BE COMPLETELY TIGHTENED AS DESIGNED. WITHIN DAYS OF THE LAST REPLACEMENT, IT LOOSENED AGAIN AND EVENTUALLY FALL OFF (AFTER 12 OR SO MONTHS) CREATING A SUDDEN AND DISTRACTING SITUATION THAT CAN EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE MIRROR HAS WIRES ATTACHED TO IT SO AFTER IT FALLS OFF, IT HANGS FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND WILDLY SWINGS TOWARDS THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER UNTIL IT IS REATTACHED. NEEDLESS TO SAY EVEN AFTER THE INITIAL INCIDENT, THIS CREATES A DISTRACTING AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. SINCE SUBARU DOESN'T SEEM TO BE VOLUNTARILY FIXING THIS ISSUE, NHTSA SHOULD EVALUATE THIS AS A POTENTIAL RECALL ISSUE TO FORCE THEM TO MAKE CREDIBLE FIX. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER SUBARU OWNERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FAR MORE COMMON PROBLEM THAN OTHER ISSUES I'VE SEEN RECALLED. I WILL BE GETTING IT REATTACHED ASAP; HOWEVER I DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE A PERMANENT SOLUTION. IN THE MEANTIME, I'M FORCED TO DRIVE WITH ONE HAND ON MY REARVIEW MIRROR IN ORDER TO AVOID IT SWINGING INTO THE WINDSHIELD OR MY HEAD. *TR

The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the headlights and taillights became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who changed the taillight light bulbs approximately 10 times. The headlight light bulbs were replaced 4 times. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was not available.

REAR TAIL LIGHTS CONSTANTLY HAVE MOISTURE IN THEM. THEY SAY THIS WILL EVAPORATE WHEN IT WARMS UP. DOESN'T WARM UP IN WISCONSIN DURING LONG WINTERS - HELLO! *JS

WHEN TURNING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, THE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF. STARTED SWINGING WILDLY UNTIL WE STOPPED IT. *JS

MY CAR HAS BEEN CONSUMING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL SINCE I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IN APRIL OF 2014 BY INDEPENDENT MECHANICS. AT THAT OIL CHANGE I HAD ABOUT A QUART OF SYNTHETIC LEFT AFTER ONLY 4500 MILES. I TOOK IT IN EARLY BECAUSE THE CAR WAS RIDING ROUGH AND THAT WAS WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE LOW OIL LEVEL. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST SUBARU AMERICA OVER THIS COSTLY PROBLEM. I'M TOLD BY SUBARU THAT AFTER A COMPRESSION TEST THEY WILL CHANGE THE PISTON RINGS HOWEVER I'M TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE PISTON RINGS ARE DAMAGED BY LOW OIL AND DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS COMPLAINT IS PROMPTED AFTER I DISCOVERED THE HORDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING SUBARU'S OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT SUBARU IS PUTTING A BANDAID OVER THE PROBLEM AND SAFETY IS IN FACT AN ISSUE AS PEOPLE HAVE HAD COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AND OTHERS HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FIXING DAMAGE TO OTHER AREAS OF THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF LOW OIL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

I WAS DOING ROUGHLY 25/30 MILES AND MY CAR ACCELERATED TO A MUCH FASTER SPEED AND HIGHER RPM'S CAUSING ME TO JAM ON THE BRAKES. *TR

MY CAR WAS RECALLED AND I NEVER GOT THE NOTIFICATION THAT I COULD GET IT FIXED - IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR!

2013 SUBARU FORESTER. 07/25/14 CAR HAD DIFFICULTY TIME ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY.REPORTED TO THE DEALER THAT RIGHT FRONT WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING AND GETTING VERY HOT. DEALER INSPECTED R/F WHEEL, ROTOR WAS BLUE AND HARD TO TURN. INSPECTED BRAKES AND FOUND PADS STUCK IN BRACKET. CLEANED AND LUBED PAD SLIDES, CHECKED CALIPER WHICH WAS OK. REPLACED R/F ROTOR DUE TO RUNOUT CAUSED BY HEAT, HAD .007 RUN ROADTEST OK.) THE CALIPER WAS NOT REPLACED ON 07/25/2014. ON 08/18/2014 THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED CAR HAD DIFFICULT TIME ACCELERATING. BOTH FRONT RIGHT SIDE AND LEFT SIDE WERE VERY HOT. GOT CAR TOWED TO DIFFERENT SUBARU DEALER ON 8/18/2014 AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT. *TR

SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE WE HAVE REPLACED THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT 6 TIMES. IN THIS SAME TIME PERIOD WE HAVE REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ONLY ONCE. THIS CONCERNS ME, AS IT MAKES ME THINK THERE IS A WIRING PROBLEM & A POSSIBILITY OF A MORE SEVERE PROBLEM

IN MY VEHICLE, I HAVE A BACKUP CAMERA AND I'M THANKFUL FOR IT BUT ALSO I STRONGLY WISH THAT VEHICLE HAD THAT BACKUP SENSOR SYSTEM AS WELL WITH THE INCREASING BEEPING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE GETS CLOSER TO AN OBJECT. VEHICLES REALLY NEED TO BE EQUIPPED WITH BOTH THE CAMERA AND BACKUP SENSORS IN COMBINATION TO BE SAFE. I HAD A SMALL ACCIDENT BACKING UP EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE CAMERA BECAUSE MY EYES ARE MOVING BACK-AND-FORTH AS I'M A MANEUVERING THE CAR BACKWARDS SO THAT I AS WELL DO NOT HIT AN OBJECT ON THE SIDE. THANKS YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY REQUEST, FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I KNOW THAT IT WILL SAVE LIVES AND INJURIES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES WHEN A BURNING ODOR BECAME PRESENT. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A IMPOUND LOT AND WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

ON DEC 28,2014 I AM GOING TO MERILAND,MA FROM PHILADELPHIA. I WAS DRIVING MY SAID VEHICLE AT REGAL SPEED 65. JUST AFTER REST AREA MARILEND HOSE, TRAFFIC SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN, I APPLIED MY BRAKE BUT ITS WONT STOP IN TIME, I SWITCH DRIVING LINE AND AVOID ACCIDENT, BUT MY FAMILY AND ME ALL SCARED. AFTER THIS INCIDENT I WENT TO MY SUBARU DEALER FOR SERVICE I COMPLAINED SERVICE MANAGER TOO. HE DROVE WITH ME AND SAID ITS WORK FINE, NEXT TIME ITS HAPPEN , YOU APPLIED EMERGENCY BREAK TOO. I KNOW SUBARU HAVE A RE-CALL FOR BRAKE LINE, IT WAS ALSO DONE WAY BEFORE TOO. NOW I RECEIVED 2ND RE-CALL ABOUT SAME THING.I DID WROTE SUBARU TOO THIS MORNING. SEE WHAT HAPPEN. THIS IS JUST TO INFORM GOV, NOT FOR COMPLAINED. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHENEVER HE DROVE THE VEHICLE DURING THE DAYTIME THERE WAS NO VISIBILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY PANEL. HOWEVER, AT NIGHT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY PANEL WOULD AUTO ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED EVERY TIME HE DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT-DISPLAY PANEL BUT DID NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

MY VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED IN APRIL AND APPROVED, BUT BY OCTOBER OF THE SAME YEAR MY BRAKING SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND STUCK. MY MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THE REAR PADS WERE INTO STEEL, ROTORS DEEPLY GROOVED, FRONT BRAKE PADS STUCK IN BRACKETS CAUSING BRAKE PRESSURE TO GO TO REAR BRAKES CAUSING QUICK WEAR. THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE ALSO REPLACED, THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACED AT A COST OF $791. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO SUBURU OF AMERICA, I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE REPAIR WOULD BE COMPLETELY REDONE AT NO COST TO ME. I AM STILL WITHOUT THE $791 AND WILL HAVE TO SPEND MORE WAITING TIME FOR A REPAIR OF THE REPAIR. HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED TO A NEW CAR WITH JUST 24,000 MILES? I HAVE DRIVEN A SUBARU SINCE THE LATE 70S AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES...NEVER! *TR

WHILE BACKING INTO A GARAGE THERE WAS A UNCONTROLABLE ACCELERATION CAUSING DAMAGE THE THE REAR END OF THE CAR AND ITEMS STORED IN THE GARAGE. 8JS

I HAD A SIDE IMPACT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT CRUSHED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS AND BLEW OUT THE DRIVER'S WINDOW. THE IMPACT NEARLY CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER AND AGAIN THE SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED BUT THERE WERE SERIOUS INJURIES IN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED. I AM CONCERNED THIS MAY BE A DEFECT IN THE SENSOR SYSTEM. THE DRIVER'S DOOR WAS CRUSHED ALL THE WAY IN TO THE SEAT.

HI, DURING MY DRIVING TO OFFICE THIS MORNING, THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF. I DROVE THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO AUSTIN SUBARU (200 W HUNTLAND DRIVE, AUSTIN TX 78752) AND AFTER THE INITIAL CHECKING, I WAS TOLD THAT LATER THAT THE PART FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM IS NOW ON BACK-LOG AND I HAVE TO WAIT FOR AROUND ONE WEEK BEFORE THE FIXING. I AM DEEPLY WORRIED THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR. *TR

THE MIRROR ON MY CAR FELL OFF WHEN I WENT TO ADJUST IT. I CALLED THE DEALER AND ASKED HOW TO REATTACH IT, THE SERVICE CENTER WAS EVASIVE, I WAS ASKED TO BRING THE CAR IN. ONCE I ARRIVED I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT A RETRO FITTED BRACKET WOULD BE INSTALLED. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND WAS TOLD NO. THIS IS A SERIOUS KNOWN PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE A RECALL. THE MIRROR IS ATTACHED BY A BRACKET THAT CONTAINS AN ELECTRICAL CORD FOR A LIGHT. THERE IS NO WAY TO DETACH THE MIRROR FROM THE ELECTRICAL CORD. ONCE THE BRACKET COMES OFF THE MIRROR SWINGS WILDLY WHILE DRIVING. THE 15 MILE DRIVE TO THE DEALER WAS HARROWING. THE MIRROR SWUNG WILDLY, AT ONE POINT HITTING THE DASHBOARD. I HAD TO LEAN WAY TO THE RIGHT IN MY SEAT TO AVOID BEING HIT IN THE HEAD. I GRABBED THE MIRROR AS I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY SO AS NOT TO BE HIT AND WAS IN A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT THAT SCARED ME. THE VERY NEXT WEEK THE IDENTICAL THING HAPPENED TO MY NEIGHBOR. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY UP GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FLOORMAT ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WOULD CATCH ON THE CLUTCH WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU FORESTER (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLOOR MATS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE FLOOR MATS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200...UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF UPDATED 2/4/2013 *JS

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DID NOT SEE A UPS TRUCK PARKED ALONG SIDE OF. ROAD . REAR ENDED THE TRUCK HAD SEAT BELT ON AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND HEAD STILL HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHY DIDN'T. THE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT PREVENT THIS?