2014 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND IT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SPECIFY IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES OR IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE BODY WORK REPAIRED. THE DEALER HAD NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

VEHICLE IS UNSTABLE DUE TO STALLING AND LURCHING FORWARD UNDER ALL THROTTLE RANGES. VEHICLE MAY "CHUG" AT VARIABLE DRIVING SPEEDS. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT AND VARIES FROM SUBTLE TO HEAVY EFFECTS. SEVERE EFFECTS CAUSES VEHICLE TO SHUDDER AND/OR STALL THEN ABRUPTLY ACCELERATE. ISSUE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO "TURBO LAG" AS IT OCCURS UNDER LOW BOOST CONDITIONS. TRANSMISSION ALSO PRODUCES "CLICKING" SOUND WHEN ENGAGING FROM NEUTRAL OR UNDER CHANGES IN SPEED. CONDITION OCCURS THROUGHOUT ALL DRIVING MODES (I, S, S#). CONDITION OCCURS MOSTLY UNDER ACCELERATION FROM DEAD STOP, BUT MAY ALSO OCCUR UNDER "PICK UP" ACCELERATION, IE OFF THROTTLE TO DECELERATE (55MPH-45MPH) THEN LIGHT THROTTLE TO RESUME DRIVING SPEED. VEHICLE MAY ALSO BACKFIRE UNDER ACCELERATION. VEHICLE MAY HESITATE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATION FROM STOP OR AT HIGHWAY SPEED THAN UPON RESUMING ACCELERATION VEHICLE MAY HAVE A FLAT/SLOW ACCELERATION IN SPITE OF HEAVY THROTTLE. FACTORY AUTHORIZED REPAIRS ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY CONDITION BY CLEANING THROTTLE BODY AND "UPPER ENGINE" CLEANSE AND STATES UNABLE TO REPLICATE FAILURE. CONDITION HAS BEEN ON-GOING FROM PURCHASE WITH APPROXIMATELY 30K MILE TO CURRENT WITH 74K MILES.

YOKOHAMA G-91 TIRES- ON A SUBRAU FORRESTER 225-60-17 WITH LESS THAN 30K MILES THE TIRES WERE BALDING. ROTATIONS WERE DOWN BETWEEN 6000 AND 7000 MILES- LIKE CLOCKWORK. I WROTE YOKOHAMA. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER OWNERS, (SUBRAU USING G91) AND THEY HAVE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM,TOO. I HAVE PURCHASED ANOTHER BRAND OF TIRE AS THESE ARE DANGEROUS-

THE PROBLEM I AM ENCOUNTERING HAS TO DO WITH THE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. SINCE I HAVE OWNED MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER, I HAVE HAD THE LOW OIL LEVEL DETECTED FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. IN EARLY 2015 I HAD A OIL CONSUMPTION TEXT PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. THEY HAD ME BRING THE CAR BACK IN AFTER 1200 MILES. THEY SAID I DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST THAT WOULD HAVE MADE MY ENGINE BE REPLACED. I NOW HAVE TO ADD OIL EVERY 2,500 MILES, AT A COST OF $9.00-10.00 A QUART. THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE NORM FOR THIS MODEL CAR. I INDICATED THAT I HAVE A VW PASSAT THAT GOES 10,000 MILES BETWEEN OIL CHANGES AND NEVER LOSSES A DROP. I AM VERY DISSAPOINTED THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WAS ONLY FOR 1200 MILES. THAT DID NOT PROVE THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM. WHY DID SUBARU ONLY HAVE OIT FOR 1200 MILES. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FOCUS ON OFFSETTING CUSTOMERS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FOR THE REST OF THE TIME THEY OWN THERE CAR. AS I DO DRIVE A LOT OF MILES FOR MY BUSINESS, I SPEND ON AVERAGE $140 A YEAR JUST ON BUYING OIL FOR BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. IT IS ALSO INCONVENIENT IF I AM TRAVELING AND I AM SOMEWHERE WERE I CAN NOT FIND FULL SYNTHETIC OIL IN THE PROPER WEIGHT WHICH CONCERNS ME AS I MY FAMILY AND I LIKE TO VACATION IN THE MANY DIFFERENT CAMP GROUNDS AROUND MARYLAND AND THE SURROUNDING STATES.

ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR ON A COLD MORNING. BATTERY HAD GOOD CHARGE, BUT CAR WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY START AS NORMAL. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS I PLACED A BATTERY BOOSTER INLINE WITH THE BATTERY, AGAIN AFTER SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS NOTHING BUT A FEW SPURTS.. THIS HAPPENED OVER A 20 MINUTE PERIOD. AT NO POINT WAS THERE NOT ENOUGH CRANKING VOLTAGE OR AMPERAGE. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE COLD -10, BUT MIND YOU NO COLDER THEN THE 2013 WINTER IN WHICH MANY MANY MORNINGS AND DAYS WHEN THE POLAR VORTEX WAS UPON US DID THE CAR EVER FAIL TO START. THIS IS A 2014 TURBO XT MODEL, IN GENERAL TURBOS ARE HARD STARTERS, AS I RECENTLY OWNED A 2009 ACURA RDX TURBO, BUT AGAIN NEVER HAD STARTING ISSUES WITH THAT CAR. I SPOKE TO MY DEALER , BUT HE OFFERED LITTLE HELP, ALSO CALLED AND CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA, WHO TRIED TO WRITE OF OFF AS A BAD BATTERY, BUT AS I MENTIONED PLENTY OF CRANK, TO DTC'S ERROR, NOTHING , JUST HARD TO START.. THIS CAR HAS A PROVEN HISTORY OF STARTING IN COLDER WEATHER. THE CAR HAS EXPERIENCED ROUGH IDLES ON AN OFF, BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THE CAR UNDER THE CONDITIONS SHOULD HAVE STARTED FIRST FEW CRANKS, NOT OVER A DOZEN ATTEMPTS IN A 20 MINUTE PERIOD. *TR

WE HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND CAR INSPECTED AT THE VISTA AUTOMOTIVE GROUP SUBARU OF SILVERTHONE, COLORADO ON DECEMBER 29, 2014. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CAR WAS REPORTED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. UPON DEPARTING FOR CALIFORNIA ON JANUARY 2, WE WERE ON INTERSTATE 70 WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO YAW (PULL TO LEFT AND THEN PULL TO RIGHT) IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. THERE WAS SOME RESIDUAL SNOW IN THE CENTER OF AND ON THE SIDES OF THE LANE BUT THE PAVEMENT UNDER THE TIRES WAS DRY. AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR OF THIS PHENOMENON, AND AFTER THE PAVEMENT WAS COMPLETELY CLEAR, THE YAWING CEASED. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MCCRAE SUBARU IN EUREKA, CALIFORNIA UPON OUR RETURN AND WERE TOLD THE FOLLOWING DAY THAT THE SPEED DIFFERENCE IN THE DRIVETRAIN WAS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY THE REAR TIRES HAVING LESS TREAD THAN THE FRONT TIRES. AFTER CONTACTING SUBARU NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, WE WERE TOLD THE REAR TIRE WEAR RESULTED FROM THE FAILURE TO ROTATE THE TIRES. SUBARU REFERRED US TO YOKOHAMA TIRES FOR REPLACEMENTS. WE PURCHASED TWO NEW YOKOHAMA TIRES AND WHEN MOUNTED BY TP TIRES IN ARCATA, CALIFORNIA, WERE ADVISED THAT THE REAR WHEELS WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT. WE THEN HAD THE CAR ALIGNED BY SIMPLY PERFORMANCE AUTOMOTIVE OF ARCATA, CA AND THEY CONFIRMED THE REAR TWO WHEELS WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR UNEVENLY. WE STILL ARE CONCERNED THAT THE YAWING COULD BE THE RESULT OF THE CAR'S COMPUTER SYSTEM, BUT HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT SUBARU WILL DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM HONESTLY, AS THEY CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN IT'S A TIRE ROTATION ISSUE. *TR

I ALSO HAVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM WITH MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER, PURCHASED AT EARLY 2014. THOUGH, MY FORESTER'S OIL CONSUMPTION RATE IS ABOUT 1-1/2 QUART PER 5000 MILES. I VISITED THIS SITE BECAUSE I RECEIVED A SETTLEMENT NOTICE IN THE MAIL, PER DISTRICT COURT OF NEW JERSEY. I WAS HOPING THERE ARE SOME OFFICIAL POST TO GO ALONG WITH THE SETTLEMENT NOTICE FOR GETTING A NO-CHARGE FIX FROM THE DEALER, IF THERE IS ONE. I SUPPOSE THE NOTICE ITSELF WILL HAVE TO DO. A OFFICIAL POSTING APPEARING SOON ON THIS SITE WOULD BE NICE. HERE IS THE URL FOR THOSE THAT DID NOT GET THE NOTICE: HTTP://WWW.OILCONSUMPTION.SETTLEMENTCLASS.COM/

I WAS MAKING A ROUTINE VISIT TO MY MOTHER AT HER APARTMENT. TURNED LEFT INTO THE COMPLEX THEN TURNED RIGHT AND WENT UP A SMALL HILL. AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AT NO MORE THAN 5-10 MPH I TURNED FAIRLY SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT TO ENTER THE PARKING SPACE. AT THAT POINT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE APPROXIMATELY 15-20 FEET AWAY. THE FORCE OF THE CRASH CAUSED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY AND THE FRONT END RECEIVED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 30 YEARS WITH NO ACCIDENTS AND CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXCELLENT DRIVER. OF COURSE I QUESTIONED WHETHER OR NOT I COULD HAVE HIT THE GAS BY MISTAKE, BUT THIS VISIT IS SO ROUTINE AND HAVE MADE THIS SAME TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE SO MANY TIMES, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS THE CASE. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE SURGED FORWARD AND HIT THE TREE WITH THAT MUCH FORCE IN SUCH A SHORT DISTANCE. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED AS I WAS ALONE IN THE VEHICLE. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER HOW MUCH WORSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN. I DID REPORT THE INCIDENT TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND WILL BE MAKING A REPORT TO THE MANUFACTURER SUBARU OF AMERICA. *TR

IN OCTOBER OF 2013, I PURCHASED BY WAY OF LEASE, A BRAND NEW 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER I BEGAN TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE OIL CONSUMPTION IN MY VEHICLE. IN EXAMPLE, BEFORE MY FIRST OIL CHANGE OF 3,000 MILES, I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR ASSESSED BY THE OIL TECHNICIANS AS THE OIL LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. THE OIL TECHNICIANS WOULD ?TOP? OFF MY FLUIDS AND ALONG I WENT. SADLY, AFTER HAVING MY 3,000 MILE OIL CHANGE, I CONTINUED TO HAVE ISSUES WITH OIL CONSUMPTION. I THINK I PAID A VISIT TO THE OIL TECHNICIANS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 6 WEEKS OR SO; SO MUCH SO THAT THE OIL TECHNICIANS WERE TIRED OF SEEING MY VEHICLE. I PRACTICALLY DEVELOPED A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OIL TECHNICIANS. IF THEY DID NOT KNOW ME BY NAME, THEY WERE AT LEAST FAMILIAR WITH MY VEHICLE. TO MAKE A LONG STORY LONGER, THIS MONTH (SEPTEMBER) OR BETTER STATED LESS THAN A YEAR OF HAVING A 2014 IN MY POSSESSION, WHILE STILL BEING IN THE YEAR 2014 WITH 3 MONTHS LEFT TO GO IN THIS YEAR, I HAD SOME MAJOR WORK DONE TO MY VEHICLE. UP TO AND INCLUDING A REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE. PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED INVOICE TO SEE ALL THE ITEMS THAT WERE REPLACED. NOW YOU ARE PROBLEM ASKING WELL HOW MANY MILES ARE ON THE CAR? THERE ARE ONLY 7,600 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IN OTHER WORDS I PUT MAYBE 760 MILES ON MY VEHICLE PER MONTH IN LESS THAN A YEAR.OPPORTUNITY: CLEARLY, I WAS SOLD A HIGH PRICED LEMON; A DUD. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, IT IS IN MY OPINION THAT SUBARU SHOULD PROVIDE ME WITH A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER THAT IS NOT DEFECTIVE OR ONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE DESIGN FLAWS. NO VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 8,000 MILES AND LESS THAN A YEAR OLD SHOULD REQUIRE AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT AFTER THE WORK WAS DONE NOW THE CAR HAS A VIBRATION AND FEELS AS IF IT IS GOING TO SHUT OFF. *TR

THERE IS METAL CLICKING NOISE FROM DRIVER SIDE REAR END WHEN RUNNING ON BUMPY OR ROUGH ROADS. DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR FELT AS IF IT IS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. REAR END BOTTOMED OUT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. CAR FEELS UNSTABLE. THIS IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM AND IT IS GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. *TR

THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. THE CAR HAS BEEN HAVING TROUBLES TURNING OVER ON COLD STARTS, AND HAS EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF PROPULSION AND STALL GOING UP HILL INCLUDING A LOSS OF BRAKES SINCE I BOUGHT IT A YEAR AGO. ON 9/6/2014 THE CAR WAS STARTED AND WAS IDLING HIGH (APPROXIMATELY 4000RPM), CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, SPEED CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON, INCLINE ALERT LIGHT ON, SPORT MODE LIGHT WAS ON AND CHECK EMISSIONS SYSTEM LIGHT WAS ON. HAD TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND IT BARELY MADE IT UP THE INCLINE IN THE UNDERGROUND GARAGE AS IT WAS NOT RESPONDING TO THE ACCELERATOR, CALLED FOR A TOW WHICH NEVER ARRIVED AND TRIED TO RESTART OUT OF FRUSTRATION ALL LIGHTS WERE OFF AND CAR I MADE IT TO THE DEALER WHICH WAS NOT FAR AWAY. HAVE ALREADY HAD THE DEALER INSPECT THE CAR ONCE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY REPORTED THEIR DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THAT CAR ELECTRICAL\COMPUTER PROBLEMS CANNOT BE FIXED UNTIL THEY BREAK COMPLETELY (OR SOMEONE IS HURT OR INJURED PERHAPS). THERE WAS ONE MORE REPORT SIMILAR TO THIS ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM THAT OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED. SEEMS TO ME THAT CAR IS NOT SAFE AT THIS POINT. *TR

JUST PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT, FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SURGED. *TR

DRIVING ABOUT 15-25 MILES PER HOUR. AS I STARTED TO TAKE FOOT OFF THE BRAKE CAR SPED FOWARD(FORCING ME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES).ONE TIME MY WIFE HIT CAR IN FRONT OF HER. THIS HAS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. DEALER STATES NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR. HAS HAPPENED WITH BOTH MYSELF AND WIFE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V311000 (SERVICE BRAKES). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED AND THAT HIS STATE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ON COLD START THE VEHICLE WILL ROLLOVER AND OVER AND NOT START. IT HAPPENS IN ALL TEMPERATURES. IT DOES SEEM TO START ON SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS. THIS IS A NEW CAR. IT SHOULD START! *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2014 FORESTER IN JULY 2013. I LOVE THE VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR THE DESIGN OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL DIALS WHICH I CONSIDER TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN AT A GLANCE WHAT THE CURRENT SETTING IS FOR EACH FUNCTION (HEAT/AC TEMP, FAN SPEED, FAN DIRECTION.) STARING AT THE DIAL(S) OR REPEATED GLANCES TAKES THE DRIVER'S ATTENTION OFF THE ROAD FOR TOO LONG, AND THEREFORE IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY ISSUE: EACH ROUND DIAL HAS A RUBBER GRIP SURFACE THAT THE USER CONTACTS. ON THE FRONT FACE OF THE DIAL IS A SHINY CHROME BEZEL RING. THIS RING IS QUITE NARROW AND HAS 7 SMALL, EQUIDISTANT INDENTATIONS AROUND THE RADIUS. ONE OF THE INDENTATIONS IS YELLOW PLASTIC, WHICH INDICATES THE SETTING. AT A GLANCE, THE SMALL YELLOW PLASTIC INDICATOR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AMONG THE OTHER SIX INDENTATIONS. WHAT THE PURPOSE IS OF THE INDENTATIONS IS A MYSTERY (SOME MARKETER WANTED SPARKLE?) AND WHY SUBARU CHOSE PALE YELLOW AGAINST SHINY CHROME MAKES NO SENSE. I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ALTERED MY DIALS BY PUTTING A TINY DROP OF WHITE FINGERNAIL POLISH ON THE BLACK RUBBER GRIP DIRECTLY ABOVE EACH YELLOW PLASTIC INDICATOR. NOW, AT A QUICK GLANCE, I CAN EASILY SEE AT WHAT POSITION EACH FUNCTION DIAL IS SET. IT'S GREAT. I FEEL MUCH SAFER. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS LIKE A SMALL, UNIMPORTANT PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS A HUGE CONCERN TO ME. I HOPE NO FORESTER OWNER IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH BECAUSE HE/SHE TOOK HIS/HER EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR TOO LONG TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ONE OR MORE OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL SETTINGS. THE FORESTER MIGHT BE A "TOP SAFETY PICK" BUT NOT ON THIS. THANK YOU. *TR

I WAS TURNING LEFT ON AN ARROW AND A CAR RAN THE RED LIGHT RESULTING IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ME, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 3MPH AND HE WAS DRIVING 45MPH. HIS CAR WAS TOTALLED, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND ON FIRE. I HAD FRONT END DAMAGE AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT LOCK UP. AS A RESULT I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY KNEE AND MY ANKLE GOT LACERATED AND BLUNT TRAUMA FROM THE BRAKE/ACCELARTATION PEDAL. *TR

I SLOWLY PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT WALMART AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY AND JUMPED THE MEDIAN. THE CAR CRASHED INTO METAL RACKS WITH PLANTS ON THEM. THE CAR WAS SUSPENDED ON THE MEDIAN. WITNESSES SAW THAT THE CAR SURGED FORWARD WHILE MY BRAKES LIGHTS WERE ON AS I SLOWED TO ENTER THE PARKING SPACE. EARLIER ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE DAY BEFORE I NOTICED THAT THE CAR HESITATED (CHUGGING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH), BUT THAT STOPPED WHEN I ENTERED THE HIGHWAY. I NOW THINK THIS IS SOMEHOW RELATED TO THE ACCELERATION SURGE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING UP MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS BRAKING WHEN THE CAR JERKED FORWARD AND HIT THE GARAGE DOOR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE GARAGE DOOR WAS DAMAGED AS WAS THE FRONT BUMPER AND GRILL OF THE CAR. *TR

THIS SUBARU OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM IN MY 2014 FORESTER IS DEFECTIVE. IT DOES NOT DETECT MY WIFE AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT TURN ON. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SUBARU THAT THEY HAVE RECENTLY CHANGED TO AN "ELECTROSTATIC CAPACITANCE SENSOR" TO REPLACE THE PREVIOUS "WEIGHT SENSOR". MY WIFE NEEDS TO SIT ON A SEAT CUSHION AS THE SEATS ARE TOO HARD FOR HER MEDICAL CONDITION. SUBARU TOLD US THE SEAT CUSHION WILL NOT ALLOW THE ODS TO VERIFY A PERSON IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND WILL NOT TURN ON THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT WET CLOTHING (WET RAINCOAT) WILL ALSO DEFEAT THE SENSOR AND THE AIRBAG WILL NOT BE TURNED ON. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS TO ALL PASSENGERS. THE ONLY SUGGESTION FROM SUBARU WAS FOR MY WIFE TO SIT IN THE BACK SEAT. SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISED ME THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS MANDATING THAT ALL VEHICLES USE THIS ELECTROSTATIC CAPACITANCE SENSOR. I STRONGLY URGE YOUR DEPARTMENT TO RECONSIDER MANDATING THIS SENSOR AS THE OLD "WEIGHT SENSOR " IN MY 2011 OUTBACK WORKS JUST FINE WITH A CUSHION.

IN PARKING SPOT, FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SUDDENLY SURGED. *TR

VEHICLE HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP WITH SLIGHT SHUTTERING. CAR NOW HAS 6,600 MILE AND STILL HAS THE PROBLEM. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM BUT CLAIMS THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED.

AFTER A ROUTINE PERIODIC MAINTENANCE THAT WAS REPORTED TO INCLUDE A SOFTWARE UPDATE (UNRELATED?), INTERMITTENT EVENTS WITH UNEVEN AND BRIEFLY ABSENT ACCELERATION OCCURRED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE VEHICLE SPEED FROM SLOW SPEEDS OR FROM A STOPPED CONDITION WHEN DEPRESSING THE THROTTLE. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE PRESENT ON THE DASH OF AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL PROBLEM OR ANY UNSAFE CONDITION. AFTER INITIALLY DENYING THE PROBLEM THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE IT. ELECTRONIC DATA WAS REPORTED TO BE COLLECTED ON THE EVENT AND EXAMINED BY SUBARU. SUBARU AMERICA IS REPORTED TO HAVE SUGGESTED CHECKING THE KNOCK SENSOR CONNECTION. DEALER REPORTED "TIGHTENING" THE CONNECTION. NO PARTS LISTED AS REPLACED, NO REASON FOR "LOOSENING" GIVEN (AT 11500 MILES), NO REASON GIVEN FOR "INTERMITTENT" PERFORMANCE, NO REASON GIVEN FOR LACK OF INDICATION/DASH LIGHT FOR A PRESUMED UNCERTAIN STATE IN A SENSOR CONTROLLING ACCELERATION/FUEL IGNITION. I GUESS THE DEALER AND SUBARU AMERICA KNOW THEIR PRODUCT BEST - AND THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED - BUT I AM SURPRISED THAT AN INTERMITTENT CONNECTION TO A SENSOR IMPACTING ACCELERATION WOULD NOT RESULT IN A DASH INDICATOR OR CODE. ALSO, SINCE NO REASON FOR THE "DISCONNECTION" WAS GIVEN - AND NO PARTS WERE REPLACED - I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT A FACTORY ASSEMBLY DEFECT OCCURRED (MANIFEST JUST AFTER A SOFTWARE CHANGE?). IN ANY CASE, SUBARU AMERICA INDICATES THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT SINCE THE PERFORMANCE ISSUE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCELERATION CONTROL, IT DESERVES TO BE NOTED. *TR

I BOUGHT MY BRAND NEW SUBARU FORESTER 2014 IN AUGUST, 2013. AFTER MY FIRST OIL CHANGE I NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS OVERFILLED WITH 1 - 2 QUART OIL. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE AGENT AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND HE WAS TRYING TO CONVINCE ME THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT. ON MY SECOND OIL CHANGE I CLEARLY ASKED THEM IF THERE IS ANY OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM WITH MY ENGINE AND IF THIS IS THE REASON FOR OVERFILL . THE ANSWER WAS NO PROBLEM WITH OIL CONSUMPTION. I MADE A COMPLAIN FOR THIS OIL CONSUMPTION TO SUBARU USA. THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT THIS IS A NORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION. ON MY THIRD OIL CHANGE I COULDN'T MAKE EVEN 3000MI.WITHOUT ADDING EXTRA QUARTER +THE EXTRA ONE I HAD FROM THE DEALER. TO BE FARE I DON'T SEE ANY SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST, BUT I'M SURE THAT'S GOING TO COST ME EMISSION PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. ACCORDING TO THE 2014 SUBARU FORESTER MANUAL - 1 QUART FOR 1200 MILES IS CONSIDERED NORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION.. TODAY THE VEHICLE IS OVER 12 000MI. AND I'M CONSTANTLY ADDING OIL AND PAYING OUT OF MY POCKET AND WONDERING HOW THIS IS GOING TO END. AFTER SHORT RESEARCH I REALIZED I'M NOT ALONE. IF I KNEW FOR THIS PROBLEM EARLIER I'D NEVER BUY THIS EXPENSIVE SUBARU FORESTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS EXTREMELY WORN DOWN, BUT THE OTHER TIRES HAD NO ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE AND FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRES WERE REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE RECEIVED AN ALIGNMENT; HOWEVER, THE ISSUE RECURRED SIX MONTHS (APPROXIMATELY 8,000 MILES) LATER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT NO ISSUES WERE FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

THIS VEHICLE IS A FORESTER XT TURBO. I WAS OPERATING ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 78 MPH, APPROXIMATELY 900 MILES FROM HOME, WHEN A SUDDEN LOSS OF PROPULSION OCCURRED. DASHBOARD HAD MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS. ENGINE WAS STILL OPERATING, THOUGH AT VERY LOW RPM SO I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN STEERING AND BRAKING CONTROL. AFTER MANEUVERING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I NOTICED THE TACHOMETER WAS FLUCTUATING BETWEEN 500-800 RPM. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FOLLOWING WARNING LIGHTS WERE STILL ILLUMINATED: CHECK ENGINE, HILL CONTROL, CRUISE CONTROL, AND OPERATING MODE. OPERATING MODE WAS STUCK IN "SPORT" MODE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE AT NORMAL SPEED TO NEAREST DEALER APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AWAY. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED I HAD AN ERROR CODE OF P0606. THIS IS A VOLTAGE ISSUE ON THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, (ECM). THE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO RE-FLASH THE ECM COMPUTER CHIP. THIS IS A RESTRICTED ACTION, REQUIRING A FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER TO COME TO THE DEALER TO DO THE PROCEDURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THEY HAD ALREADY EXPERIENCED THIS WITH A VEHICLE THEY SOLD BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE MODULE USUALLY OCCURS ON ENGINE START. THE TECHNICIAN CLEARED THE ERROR CODES AND I CONTINUED ON MY TRIP. UPON RETURNING TO MY HOME, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY DEALER TO BE SERVICED. MY DEALER STATED THEY WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. I AM WONDERING WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL/NOTICE TO OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR A WHILE. IT IS FRIGHTENING TO LOSE POWER WHEN CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2014 FORESTER XT 2.0 UPHILL ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 50 MPH, THE CEL, HILL-ASSIST, EYESIGHT-DISABLED AND ANOTHER WARNING LIGHT ALL CAME ON. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD, STOPPED AND CALLED THE DEALER, WHO SAID THE CAR COULD BE SAFELY DRIVEN IN FOR INSPECTION AS THE CEL WAS NOT BLINKING. APPARENTLY THE CEL LIGHT SETS OFF A BUNCH MORE TO GET YOUR ATTENTION. THE OBD CODES THE DEALER PULLED SAID THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD FAILED (NO FURTHER EXPLANATION WAS OFFERED). THEY SAID A NEW ONE WOULD BE ORDERED AND INSTALLED UNDER WARRANTY. SO THE DEALER PUT IN THE NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER YESTERDAY, AND NOW THE ENGINE PERFORMS EXTREMELY POORLY COMPARED TO BEFORE SERVICE. THE ELECTRONIC TURBO BOOST GAUGE NOW SHOWS NEGATIVE BOOST (I.E., NO ACTIVATION) UNTIL OVER 20% THROTTLE POSITION IN I MODE (BEFORE, TURBO BOOST WAS OBTAINABLE AT 8% THROTTLE). THERE IS A HUMMING SOUND (RATHER LIKE THE ALTERNATOR BELT NOISE FORD VANS MAKE) THAT DROWNS OUT THE ENGINE PURR WHEN GENTLY REVVING THE ENGINE IN PARK AND, WHEN DRIVING, THE CVT SHIFTS VERY IRREGULARLY AND AT MUCH HIGHER RPMS IN I MODE (E.G., STAYING IN ONE GEAR UNTIL TACH HITS 2000 BEFORE SHIFTING WHERE BEFORE THE TACH NEVER WENT ABOVE 1500 AT ANY SPEED UNLESS WE WERE IN S/I OR S# MODE AND SHIFTING MANUALLY WITH THE PADDLES). I HAVE NOTIFIED SUBARU OF AMERICA OF THE SITUATION AND THIS CAR IS GOING BACK TO THE SHOP FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING. *TR

THE EYESIGHT, ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL AND PRE-COLLISION BRAKING SYSTEMS DO NOT RECOGNIZE STOPPED VEHICLES - HARD BRAKING IS REQUIRED TO STOP VEHICLE IN TIME. WHEN SYSTEMS DO FUNCTION THEY DO NOT GRADUALLY SLOW VEHICLE AND COME TO A STOP, BUT DO SO SUDDENLY AND DANGEROUSLY, CAUSING ME TO BRAKE HARD TO COME TO A STOP AT A SAFE DISTANCE BEHIND STOPPED VEHICLE. SAME SYSTEMS ARE ALSO DANGEROUSLY AFFECTED BY BRIGHT SUNLIGHT AND FAIL TO FUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER SAID THEY CHECKED SYSTEMS OUT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. GAVE ME PRINT-OUT FROM OPERATING MANUAL STATING IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DRIVER TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE SAFELY AT ALL TIMES AND THAT THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM IS NEVER A SUBSTITUTE FOR ACTIVE DRIVER INVOLVEMENT AND MAY NOT OPERATE OPTIMALLY UNDER ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS!!!!!!! SUBARU CORPORATE CUSTOMER RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE SAID THERE WAS NO SOFTWARE UPGRADE/FIX AVAILABLE FOR THE FORESTER MODEL. CERTAIN SUBARU 2015 MODELS ARE ADVERTISED TO HAVE AN UPGRADED EYESIGHT SYSTEM THAT RECOGNIZES LIGHTED TAILLIGHTS, AMONG OTHER IMPROVEMENTS. I WAS TOLD THE 2015 SYSTEM WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE 2014 FORESTER. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. A RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

AT COLD STARTING, APPROXIMATELY ONE TIME OUT OF 20, THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO START. IT CRANKS FOR UP TO 10 SECONDS BEFORE STARTING. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A FUEL DELIVERY OR AN IGNITION PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES FROM 35 TO 65 DEGREES. IF I DIDN'T CONTINUE CRANKING THE ENGINE TO AN EXTENT THAT I THINK IS HARMFUL TO IT, IT WOULDN'T START. I CONSIDER THAT A SAFETY ISSUE, IF I NEEDED TO GET THE CAR GOING QUICKLY. *TR

The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle’s hood had suddenly opened impairing the contact’s vision. The contact ended up swerving the vehicle and crashing into a nearby tree. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle had not been towed. There were no injuries and no medical attention needed. A police report was filed. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the vehicle’s hood latch and the hood strap had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired for the failure. The vehicle’s shift release lever had failed causing the shifting of gears failing and the contact was unable to remove the key. The contact took the vehicle back to the certified mechanic who repaired the vehicle however the failure persisted. The lever within the transmission stick had detached. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 18,000.

I STARTED THE VEHICLE, PUT IT IN REVERSE AND NOTHING!! IT DIDNT MOVE. STEPPED ON THE GAS, NOTHING! TRIED THIS 4 TIMES. AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR IT STARTED AND WENT IN GEAR. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY TESTED IT , SAID NOTHING WRONG. SECOND TIME, WHICH WAS LATER THAT NIGHT, I HAD THE CAR OUT. STARTED UP, PUT IT IN REVERSE, NOTHING HAPPENED. CAR WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, CAR THEN ROLLED FORWARD AND ALMOST HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF US. TRIED 3 TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD BACK UP THIRD TIME, WHICH OCCURED ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2013. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. LIGHT TURNED, I STEPPED ON THE GAS AND THE CAR DIDNT MOVE, IT THEN JUMPED INTO THE INTERSECTION OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY! LUCKY I WASNT HIT FROM BEHIND OR HEAD ON! I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR GOING. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW AND I HAVE A LOANER CAR. THEY CALLED AND SAID AGAIN THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG!!! I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!! I DO NOT WANT THIS CAR BACK UNTIL IT IS FIXED OR I GET A NEW ONE TO REPLACE IT. I AM NOT VERY HAPPY WITH THE NEW 2014 FORESTER! *TR

SUBARU CORPORATE RECENTLY PURCHASED MY 2014 FORESTER BACK UNDER THE LEMON LAW. THIS WAS AFTER I HAD 4 DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS OF THE VEHICLE VEERING SPORADICALLY OUT OF CONTROL AROUND 55 MPH. IT WAS INCONSISTENT BUT THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT SOMETHING WAS PULLING IT OUT OF ALIGNMENT/AFTER THIS HAPPENED IT WAS ALWAYS OUT OF SPEC. IT WAS QUITE DRAMATIC. AS IN THE ENTIRE BACK-END WOULD START TO PULL OUT OF CONTROL. THIS OFTEN HAPPENED WITHIN ICIER CONDITIONS. WHILE SUBARU CORPORATE WAS RESPONSIVE IN GETTING ME A NEW SUBARU, I DO NOT FEEL THEY AT ALL ACKNOWLEDGED OR TOOK MY COMPLAINT SERIOUS. THEY KEPT REFERENCING MY INCONVENIENCE WITH AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. IF IT WAS AS SIMPLE AS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE, THEY COULD HAVE FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME. MY CONCERN IS THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE BUT SINCE IT IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE AND EXTREMELY INCONSISTENT, IT'D BE EASY TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS ISSUE. SINCE MENTIONING MY FRUSTRATION TO RANDOM ACQUAINTANCES, TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE CONTACTED ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING A COMPARABLE PROBLEM WITH THEIR FORESTER AND/OR CROSS TREK. I SENT A LENGTHY DESCRIPTION ABOUT MY SAFETY CONCERNS TO SUBARU CORPORATE WHICH THEY IGNORED. PERHAPS THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY IS LOOKING INTO THIS/MAKING SURE IT IS NOT A MORE SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR

I WAS TURNING RIGHT TO PARK AT A STATE PARK. THE PARKING AREA IS SANDY AND FULL OF POT HOLES. I WAS ALMOST STOPPED WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY. MY CAR MOUNTED A FLAT BOULDER, ONE OF MANY IN THE PARKING AREA. I STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE I COULD HAVE STEPPED OR STOMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL VS THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT IT IS A POSSIBILITY. I AM A VERY CAUTIOUS DRIVER. COULD THIS BE A DEFECT IN THIS CAR? I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE REPORTED AND NOTED IN CASE OTHERS HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE. *TR

WHILE CHANGING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE (FOOT ON BRAKE) THE VEHICLE HESITATES VERY BADLY ESPECIALLY ON A HILL- PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL WHEN IN DRIVE DOES NOT MOVE IT FORWARD UNTIL THE HESITATION IS OVER - VERY SCARY. DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THIS SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IN DEC 2013 - HE SAID SUBARU WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WERE WORKING ON A FIX - IS THIS TRUE?

THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE HAS NOT RECOGNIZED STOPPED VEHICLES, AND DID NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN THUS POTENTIALLY CONTRIBUTING TO A CRASH AND INJURY. THE CAR HAS BEEN EVALUATED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THIS BY THE DEALER AND HAS NOT FOUND A PROBLEM. THE DYSFUNCTION CONTINUES; THERE WERE 4 INCIDENTS TODAY WHERE THERE WAS FAILURE OF THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM TO INITIATE ANY SAFETY MANEUVERS TO AVOID A CRASH. *TR

MY 2014 FORESTER HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RPMS OF THE ENGINE. IN COLD WEATHER & AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP (DASH BLUE LIGHT TURNS OFF) & WHILE CITY DRIVING, THE ENGINE RPM GOES UP 300 TO 400 RPMS WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL (HEATER) IS TURNED ON. THEN IF I STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN OR ADJUST THE HEATER FAN SPEED, THE ENGINE RPMS WILL GO UP ANOTHER 500 TO 600 RPMS WITH THE CV TRANSMISSION GOING INTO A LOWER RANGE (TRANSMISSION WHINES QUITE LOUD AT THIS TIME). I AM NOW DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE RPM AT 1000+ OVER NORMAL RPMS (NORMAL RPMS IS CONSIDERED THE RPM WITH THE CLIMATE CONTROL OFF). THIS CONDITION WILL CONTINUE FOR CLOSE ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF CONTINUED DRIVING AND THEN STOP. IF I TURN OFF THE HEATER WHILE DRIVING THE RPMS REVERT TO NORMAL. IF I AGAIN TURN ON THE HEATER, THE RPMS AGAIN WILL GO UP 300 TO 400 RPMS AND NOT GO UP THE ADDITIONAL 500 TO 600 RPMS UNTIL I WOULD STOP AGAIN. THE 1000 RPM PLUS CONDITION APPEARS TO BE DANGEROUS ON SLIPPERY ROADS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE BRAKES FAILED UPON MAKING A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURES COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

A LARGE NUT FELL FROM TREE (WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH) AND HIT DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WHICH SHATTERED. THIS VEHICLE COMES WITH SPECIALTY HEATED WINDSHIELDS, WHICH WAS ON AT THE TIME AS IT HAPPENED DURING WINTER. THE SECOND TIME, THE WINDSHIELD BROKE WITHOUT FULLY SHATTERING, BUT PRODUCED VERY UNUSUALLY LARGE "SPIDER" CRACKS, AFTER A TINY ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. THE HEATED WINDSHIELD WAS NOT ON DURING THE SECOND INCIDENT. BOTH WINDSHIELDS WERE SUBARU FACTORY NEW AND BOTH NEEDED TO BE FULLY REPLACED AFTER EACH INCIDENT. *TR

THIS INCIDENT IS NEARLY IDENTICAL TO AN EARLIER COMPLAINT: NHTSA ID NUMBER 10574697. I WAS TRAVELLING ON A STRAIGHT PORTION OF INTERSTATE AT REDUCED HIGHWAY SPEED DUE TO COLD WEATHER AND LIGHT SNOW WHEN I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE A WIGGLING SENSATION IN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. LIKE DESCRIBED IN THE EARLIER COMPLAINT IT FELT LIKE THE REAR END WANTED TO STEP OUT, FIRST ONE WAY AND THEN THE OTHER, REPEATING RAPIDLY. I COULD SEE FROM THE REACTIONS OF DRIVERS BEHIND ME THEY WERE GIVING ME A WIDE BERTH AND COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS VISIBLY HAPPENING WITH MY VEHICLE. THE FRONT END DID NOT APPEAR TO BE AFFECTED NOR WAS THE ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE. ONCE I DECELERATED TO 45-50 THE WIGGLING ABATED. IT WAS SNOWING AT THE TIME BUT THERE WAS NO MORE THAN A TRACE ON THE ROADWAY. NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME SEEMED TO BE HAVING ANY DIFFICULTIES WITH TRACTION AND MOST WERE TRAVELING AT FULL HIGHWAY SPEED (70). MY ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE, EVEN MODERATELY, WASN'T AFFECTED AS I COULD SLOW IMMEDIATELY AND CHANGE LANES AND THE FRONT END DID NOT SKID. I TRAVELLED AT NO FASTER THAN 50 MPH FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 5 MILES AT WHICH TIME I SLOWLY ACCELERATED AND WAITED FOR THE WIGGING TO RESUME BUT IT DID NOT. I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY JOURNEY (ANOTHER 40 MILES) WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I'M VERY EXPERIENCED IN WINTER DRIVING BUT THIS IS MY FIRST TIME WITH AN AWD VEHICLE. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE AND IT WAS QUITE UNNERVING. I DON'T KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS INDEED STEPPING OUT DUE TO SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS (ALTHOUGH NOBODY ELSE SEEMED TO BE HAVING ANY DIFFICULTY) AND THE AWD SYSTEM WAS CORRECTING (OR OVERCORRECTING?) AS DESIGNED AND THAT WAS THE WIGGLING I FELT. IT'S NOT OCCURRED AGAIN . . . BUT I'VE BEEN CAREFUL TO AVOID SIMILAR WEATHER CONDITIONS (DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF OWNING A SUBARU) AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED IT IN DRY WEATHER. *JS

I WAS DRIVING MY 6 MONTH OLD 2014 SUBARU FORESTER AT ABOUT 50 MPH AT NIGHT AND MY DRIVER'S SEAT BEGAN RECLINING. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE MECHANISM TO STOP IT WAS NOT WORKING. IT HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES AFTER THAT OCCURRENCE. ALSO, THE POWER LIFT GATE WAS INOPERABLE. I HAD TO CRAWL INTO THE BACK CARGO AREA TO TRY TO OPEN THE REAR LIFT GATE. IT WOULD NOT OPEN, EVEN FROM THE INSIDE. IT WAS REINITIALIZED SEVERAL TIMES BY KINGERY RYE SUBARU IN RYE, NY AND THEY FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY THEY REPLACED THE PART BUT THE OPERATION OF LIFT GATE REMAINS UNPREDICTABLE. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE THE POWER LIFT GATE AT ALL TIMES TO PUT A WHEELCHAIR IN THE BACK. I WAS INFORMED BY SUBARU OF AMERICA (IN WRITING) THAT SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE OCCURRING ARE BECAUSE KINGERY RYE SUBARU INSTALLED AN AFTER MARKET REMOTE STARTER INTO MY CAR WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL. I HAVE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA STATING THE DEALERS MUST INSTALL SUBARU PARTS. I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR A SUBARU REMOTE STARTER. RYE SUBARU PUT A CHEAP AFTER MARKET STARTER INTO MY CAR. THAT IS FRAUD. MY CAR IS STARTING RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION. A CO-WORKER CAME INTO WORK AND TOLD ME MY CAR WAS LOCKED AND RUNNING IN THE PARKING LOT. RECENTLY I CLOSED THE LIFT GATE, USING THE BUTTON ON THE LIFT GATE AND THE CAR STARTED ITSELF AS I WAS WALKING AWAY FROM IT. THE CAR HAS STARTED ON ITS OWN MANY TIMES. THERE ARE MULTIPLE DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE PUTTING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY'S LIVES AT RISK. THE SIDE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S WINDOWS FOG UP WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. THE DE-FOGGER DOES NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AT ALL. I AM UNABLE TO SEE ANYTHING OUT THE SIDE WINDOWS WHICH POSES A BIG SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER. I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE IT HAD A HIGH SAFETY RATING. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE.

WHILE TRAVELLING AT 50 MILES PER HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, MY CAR JUST STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS DURING RUSH HOUR AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE AS I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER ABOUT ONE MINUTE THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE. TODAY, THE 21ST, MY WIFE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE BEING ON A HIGHWAY. THE CAR WON'T ROLL, IT JUST STOPS DEAD. YOU DON'T HAVE TO START AGAIN, IT WILL START ITSELF. *TR

STARTING FROM A COLD OR WARM TEMPERATURE THE VEHICLE CRANKS EXCESSIVELY AND WILL NOT START UNTIL A SECOND OR THIRD ATTEMPT. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT RANDOM AND ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SWAYED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

I STARTED THE CAR AND THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT WAS INCREMENTAL WHEN YOU ROTATED THE WHEEL. IT WAS COLDER THAN NORMAL OUT BUT NOT THAT COLD. THE TEMP WAS PROBABLY IN THE 40'SF. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM SINCE THEN. I HAVE HAD IT AT THE SUBARU 4 TIMES AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND THE LAST THING THEY TOLD ME WAS CALL SUBARU. I BELIEVE IT IS THE CONTROL MODULE FOR STEERING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE WALL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47.

WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF HAVING THE CAR, I NOTED THAT IT DID NOT MOVE FORWARD SMOOTHLY FROM A DEAD STOP BUT SURGED AHEAD. I HAD NOT DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL VERY FAR. THERE AFTER I AM VERY CAREFUL TO DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL VERY CAREFULLY UNTIL THE ENGINE RESPONDS SMOOTHLY TO A NORMAL SPEED. I NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN IN ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED AND I NOTED AFTER READING THE COMPLAINTS OF OTHER OWNERS THAT OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A BIG ISSUE BUT NOW I WONDER IF THIS COULD EVENTUALLY BECOME A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS THE CAR GETS OLDER. I ALSO NOTED A COMPLAINT BY ANOTHER PERSON, ABOUT THE LINES ON THE CLIMATE CONTROL KNOB THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE WHICH SHE SOLVED BY MARKING THEM WITH WHITE NAIL POLISH. PERHAPS SUBARU DESIGNERS WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS AND HAVE THOSE LINES PAINTED A COLOR THAT IS EASIER TO SEE THEN THE YELLOW THEY ARE USING . ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE DASH BOARD SOMETHING THAT TELLS ONE WHAT POSITION THE LIGHTS ARE IN, RUNNING? NIGHT TIME? OR HIGH BEAM? AS THE LEVER IS SHIELDED BY THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

WHEN SOMEONE DEPARTS ROAD ON AN EXIT AND THEY ARE DECELERATING EVEN IF THEY ARE CLEAR AND OUT OF THE LANE THE CAR WILL PRACTICALLY STOP ON THE HIGHWAY, SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES HARD. EVEN UNDER NORMAL USE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM DOES NOT ENGAGE THE BRAKES SLOWLY IN A PROGRESSIVE PATTERN IT HITS THEM ABRUPTLY. I AM IN A CONGESTED AREA AND HAVE OFTEN HAD TO OVERRIDE THE SYSTEM BY HITTING THE BRAKES MANUALLY TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM OR FLOOR THE GAS TO PREVENT SOMEONE FROM REAR ENDING ME ON THE HIGHWAY. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION THEY SAY IT IS OPERATING AS IT SHOULD AND HAVE BROUGHT IT TO SUBARU CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE ATTENTION ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS ASKING FOR A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE. I BELIEVE THE SYSTEM IS GOOD BUT NEEDS REFINEMENT OF ITS SOFTWARE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED.

WHEN I PURCHASED MY NEW VEHICLE LAST JULY, I NOTICED DRIVING IT HOME THERE WAS A "CLUNK" SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN I WENT OVER RAILROAD TRACKS OR ANY BUMP. I TOOK IT BACK TO SUBARU AND THEY FOUND A BENT AND TWISTED PART ON THE RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION. I NOW HAVE 19K ON MY CAR A YEAR LATER. I NOTICED MY RIGHT REAR TIRE BALD ONLY ON THE OUT SIDE. ALL OTHER TIRE TREAD IS PERFECT. SO I TAKE IT BACK TO SUBARU AND THEY HAD IT ALIGNED AND SAID THE RIGHT WHEEL HAD BEEN TIPPED OUT! I DRIVE MY CAR VERY EASY! I HAVE NEVER HIT ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS MALFUNCTION. THE TIRE CO. WILL NOT REPLACE MY WORN TIRE AND I AM FEELING A BIT SLIGHTED ON THIS AS I FEEL IT WAS LIKELY A PROBLEM FROM THE CAR HAULER OR SOMETHING. PERHAPS TOO AGGRESSIVELY CINCHING THE CAR ON THE TRAILER...OR SOMETHING! BOTH INCIDENTS WERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE AT THE LEAST A NEW SET OF TIRES! THIS HAS BEEN NO FAULT OF MINE IN ANY WAY! *TR

CAR ENGINE CONSUMES UNREASONABLE AMOUNTS OF OIL DURING USE REQUIRING CONSTANT MONITORING TO AVOID ENGINE FAILURE. CAR BURNS THROUGH ONE QUART OF OIL PER 2000 MILES. I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE DEALER AND COMPANY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT IT IS "NORMAL" FOR THE CAR TO BURN UP TO ONE QUART PER 1200 MILES. TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, THE CAR HOLDS SEVEN QUARTS OF OIL AND THE MANUFACTURER'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULED SPECIFIES CHANGING THE OIL EVERY 7500 MILES. THIS MEANS THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BURN SIX AND A HALF OUT OF SEVEN QUARTS OF OIL BETWEEN SCHEDULED SERVICES TO MEET CRITERIA.