2018 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

THE WINDSHIELD HAS A CRACK STEMMING FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT (DRIVER SIDE) GOING ACROSS TO THE RIGHT (PASSENGER SIDE) AND THERE ISN'T ANY SIGNS OF IT BEING CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS. IT JUST APPEARED AS I WAS GETTING HOME.

VEHICLES DRIVER SEAT RAIL HAS BECOME LOOSE CAUSING SEAT TO SLIGHTLY MOVE WHEN LAYING BACK.. COULD BE HAZARDOUS WHILE DRIVING.. AT INITIAL TAKE OFF, ACCELERATION JERKS, ACCELERATION IS NOT SMOOTH, AFTER SLIGHTLY PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATION PEDAL, I HAVE TO SOMETIMES BRAKE BECAUSE ACCELERATION IS JERKY AND ROUGH. I JUST PURCHASED THIS PRE-OWNED 2018 SUBARU FORESTER WITH 14K MILES AND IT IS ALREADY BLOWING SMOKE AT START UP.

A NUMBER OF TINY CHIPS DEVELOPED ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. COUNTED AT LEAST 6 SPOTS. THE CAR WAS MOSTLY PARKED ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE CHIPS SEEM TO HAVE OCCURRED. HAVE DRIVEN LESS THAN 100 MILES ON HIGHWAYS AND LESS THAN 20 MILES IN THE CITY.

WENT TO START MY CAR AND BATTERY WAS DEAD. GOT A JUMP FROM AAA BUT SINCE NONE OF THE EYESIGHT SAFETY FEATURES WORKED, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SUBARU AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. I WAS TOLD I'D NEED TO DRIVE IT EVERY DAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED. THAT'S ABSURD. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, REMOTE START WILL ONLY WORK FOR 2 STARTS. ON THE 3RD START, IT WON'T START UNLESS YOU START THE CAR MANUALLY. WHAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING A REMOTE START IF YOU HAVE TO START THE CAR MANUALLY EVERY 3 DAYS?

FOUND A 10" CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD AFTER PARKING IN A GARAGE OVERNIGHT. IT RUNS HORIZONTAL FROM ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW EDGE TOWARD THE CENTER. IT HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT.

VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED UPON STEPPING ON THE BRAKE, WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGH.

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE BARRING'S LT SIDE, WORN OUT UNDER 19,000 MILES, REAR GATE LIFT MOTOR REPLACED TWICE-IN MOTION! LT BACK INTERIOR FRAME POPPING OUT!

When a passenger sits in the front passenger seat of my Subaru Forester, the airbag notification light indicates that the airbag is "OFF". It is my understanding that there was a recall for this very issue but when I contacted Subaru to get it fixed, they said that my vehicle wasn't on their list of recalled vehicles and would not service it under the recall.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE, WHEN THEY PRESSED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S GARAGE DOOR THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR AND PARTIALLY THROUGH THE CEMENT WALL INSIDE THE GARAGE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOWEVER IT WAS STILL BEING DETERMINED WHETHER THE VEHICLE WOULD BE DEEMED TOTALED. THE CONTACT'S WIFE RECEIVED INJURIES THE HIP AND LEG AREA. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. THE CONTACT HAD SPOKEN TO THE DEALER (CASTLE SUBARU BURNSHARBOR MI) WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO REQUESTED THE BLACK BOX AND OPENED A CASE REGARDING THE MATTER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, PARKED, ENGINE WAS OFF, NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR. CRACK SPONTANEOUSLY APPEARED FROM BASE OF WINDSHIELD UP ABOUT 5 INCHES. THERE WAS NO CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WHEN I PARKED THE CAR. THERE WAS NO ROCK CHIP ON THE WAY UP. I LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE CRACK AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A ROCK CHIP, NO DIVOT ANYWHERE ALONG THE CRACK, NONE WHATSOEVER. WHEN I RETURNED, A CRACK HAD SPONTANEOUSLY APPEARED. THE SERVICE DEPT AT EASTSIDE SUBARU IN KIRKLAND, WA, SAID TO CALL MY INSURANCE AND THAT IT'S NOT COVERED THOUGH THE CAR HAS BASIC WARRANTY AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.

WHEN DRIVING, SOMETIMES MY CAR LOSES POWER TEMPORARILY. IT HAPPENS AT TIMES WHEN I AM GOING UP AN INCLINE, BUT IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON FLAT SURFACES.

EXHAUST GASKET LEAK. ONLY NOTABLE WHEN COLD AS IT MAKES A WHISTLING SOUND. ISSUE HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES

EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKS AT BOTH 30,0000 AND 65,000 MILES. CAR WAS MAKING WHISTLING SOUNDS WHEN STARTING THAT ARE EXCEPTIONALLY NOTABLY ONLY IN COLD WEATHER. UNKNOWN HOW LONG LEAKS WERE THERE AS THEY ONLY LOUD DURING THE COLD MONTHS. NOISE WOULD GO AWAY ONCE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP.

I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED IN MY FIELD OF VIEW, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. ONCE STOPPED, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A TINY CHIP NEAR THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, NEAR THE HEATING ELEMENT BENEATH THE WIPERS, SO SMALL THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF ANYTHING EVER HITTING IT WHILE DRIVING. SOMETHING SO SMALL SHOULD NOT HAVE COMPROMISED THE WINDSHIELD IN SUCH A MAJOR WAY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SEE.

ON RANDOM AND UNPREDICTABLE OCCASIONS THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE APPARENTLY AS AN ISSUE WITH THE ANTI-THEFT MECHANISM. WHEN THIS OCCURS, NOTHING WORKS TO TRY TO RESOLVE EXCEPT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND WAIT FOR 10-15 MINUTES AND THE MECHANISM WILL RESET ITSELF AND THEN WORK NORMALLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

I WAS SCRAPING ICE OFF THE WINDSHIELD WITH A PLASTIC/TYPICAL ICE SCRAPER AND IT SHATTERED AT THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WHICH THEN CAUSED A 5" CRACK WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO LENGTHEN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED ON THE LOWER PASSENGER'S SIDE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD BEFORE THE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED. THE FRACTURE EXPANDED TOWARDS THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CONTACTED A DEALER NOR A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF THE ISSUE FROM A NEWS SOURCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,159.

A CRACK STARTED IN THE LOWER PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND HAS CONTINUED TO MOVE ACROSS TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD OBSTRUCTING VIEW. I NOTICED IT WHILE DRIVING BACK FROM VICKSBURG, MS. IT WAS UNDER A LEASE AND THEN I PURCHASED IT IN MARCH OF 2021.

AN ACORN FALLING OUT OF A TREE OUT A 14' CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD WHILE PARKED THAT I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE

IKEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED, PUT IN PARK, BRAKE [PEDDLE DEPRESSED.

WHILE DRIVING GLASS CHIPS APPEARED, UNEXPECTEDLY, ON THREE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.

THE WINDSHIELD WAS SO PITTED WHEN I BOUGHT IT THAT I HAD IT REPLACED WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SUN HIT IT.

A CRACK APPEARED RANDOMLY IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD.

A FEW INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE LATTER HALF OF 2020: WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT THAT TURNED GREEN, MY CAR STOPPED MOVING FOR A FEW SECONDS DESPITE PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE RPM WENT UP TO 6/ LOUDLY REVVED. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED AT THIS LIGHT.THE CAR HAS ALSO HAD THIS LACK OF MOVEMENT ISSUE ON THE FREEWAY WHILE IN TRAFFIC. MY CAR JERKS SEVERAL TIMES ON SLIGHT INCLINES ESPECIALLY AFTER SURPASSING 40 MPH. OFTEN TIMES, I CANNOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH REGARDLESS IF THE DRIVE IS ON A FLAT SURFACE OR AN INCLINE. THE RPM WILL INCREASE, BUT THE GEAR FEELS LIKE IT WILL GET STUCK AND THE CAR MAKES A LOUD NOISE. THIS IS THE MOST NOTICEABLE GOING FROM 40 MPH TO 50-55 MPH. THESE INCIDENTS ARE ON CITY STREETS. HOWEVER, POWER OFTEN GETS LOST GOING ON TO FREEWAYS FOR THE SAME REASON. I CANNOT SURPASS 40 MPH WHEN ENTERING A FREEWAY AND WAS ALMOST SIDESWIPED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY AN IMPATIENT PERSON ENTERING TOO EARLY WHERE THE ON-RAMP MERGES WITH THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF THIS. WHILE ON A FREEWAY, THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE DESPITE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW IT DOWN BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS AND POSES A SAFETY ISSUE. THE ACCELERATION WHEN THIS HAPPENS IS MUCH FASTER THAN WHEN I TRY TO MANUALLY ACCELERATE THE CAR MYSELF IN OTHER CONTEXTS, LIKE MENTIONED ABOVE. I BELIEVE IT IS THE CVT AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CARS OF MY MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR.

BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2018, IN 2019 A SMALL PIECE OF GRAVEL HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND A HUGE CRACK APPEARED A FEW WEEKS LATER. HAD IT REPLACED. NOW 10//27/2020 THERE IS A CRACK THAT JUST APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD AGAIN. NO ROCKS HAVE HIT THE WINDSHIELD. .I DROVE THE CAR AND DID NOT SEE A CRACK. PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR AN HOUR AND WENT OUTSIDE TO CLEAN THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE WAS A CRACK. THEY APPEAR WHEN THE CAR IS JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY..THE FIRST CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND CLAIM WERE FROM 9/19 CLAIM 06-B531-7M4 WITH STATE FARM.

I ENCOUNTERED A CHIP IN MY FRONT PASSENGER WINDSHIELD WITH CRACKING GOING UP AND DOWN VERTICALLY. MY CAR WAS STATIONARY.

ON JULY 5, 2019, I HAD MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED AFTER MULTIPLE CRACKS APPEARED ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE TOP-MIDDLE PART. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CRACK WAS FROM DEBRIS THAT IMPACTED IT DIRECTLY WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. THE ADDITIONAL CRACK AT THE TOP-MIDDLE PART WAS UNEXPLAINED AS THERE WAS NO IMPACT ON IT BY ROCKS OR DEBRIS WHILE DRIVING. A YEAR LATER ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2020, I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED A SECOND TIME AFTER A ROCK IMPACTED THE SIDE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND FRAME OF THE CAR SENDING SPIDER CRACKS INTO THE MIDDLE LAYER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS HAPPENED IN MID-AUGUST. A THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 18, 2020, WHEN A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD IN THE MIDDLE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK IN THE MIDDLE LAYER AND IS NOW BEING SEALED.

FIRST, DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. SECOND, THE VERY NEXT DAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES (SQUEALING) WHEN DRIVING IT ANYWHERE. STREETS, TURNS, HILLS ETC. THEN IT BEGAN RACE AND IT FELT AS IF THE BACK TIRES WERE RACING TO CATCH UP TO THE FRONT TIRES. THERE WAS LURCHING FORWARD. SHUDDERING. NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEN TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS SCARY TO DRIVE IT THERE. I FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING UP. THIRD, THE TAILGATE, ( IN OR OUT) RELEASE BUTTONS WERE NOT WORKING CONSISTENTLY (REPEAT COMPLAINT). I LEFT THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND TELEPHONED SUBARU OF AMERICA. THIS 2018; I HAD OWNED FOR EXACTLY TWO MONTHS. I HAD ONLY DRIVEN THE CAR APPROX 1200 MILES TOTAL. MILEAGE 47,000. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE AC AND CVT TRANSMISSION. THE AC IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND IT WAS THE CONDENSER THAT WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED REPLACED. THE CVT IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM. THE SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND ABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN. HE FOUND THE RPM INCREASED AND THE SQUEALING COULD BE HEARD. VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER. WHEN HE REMOVED THE PAN HE FOUND METAL IN THE OIL. CONFIRMING THE CVT (TRANSMISSION) NEEDED REPLACED. REPAIRS WERE MADE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. GIVEN THE INFORMATION FOUND ON THE WEB REGARDING THESE PROBLEMS IT WAS IMPORTANT TO REPORT THAT THESE PROBLEMS CONTINUE. SAFETY IS CONCERN.

AS IT STANDS IN P (PARK) IT HAS A REALLY HIGH IDLE EVEN IN NEUTRAL AS IF IT WANTS TO GO. THEN IN DRIVE IT WILL LURCH REALLY FAST. OR I HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BREAK AND IT STARTS TO REV HIGH THEN AFTER 3-5SEC OF SEEING REV CYCLE IN THE 2000-3000S IT CALMS DOWN. I ALMOST REAR-ENDED A CAR YESTERDAY. IF YOU SLIGHTLY PULL OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL WANT TO JOLT FORWARD. WHEN IT REVS HIGH AND I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE IT JOLTS FORWARD THEN SLOWS AS IF IT RECOGNIZES I NEVER HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. IN ALL OF THESE TIMES I NEVER HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I DON'T HAVE PICTURES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S SCARY AND I'D RATHER FOCUS ON THE DRIVING THEN MY CAR ACTING STRANGE. BUT I REALISED THAT WHEN THIS WAS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY MY BRAKES COMPLETELY WORE OUT. I WENT FROM A 7/10 TO A 1/10 IN BETWEEN A 3000 MILE SERVICE! IT ALL BECAME MORE APPARENT AFTER THE 30,000 MILE MARK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHO STATED THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT MULTIPLE CRACKS WERE PRESENT ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE CRACKS OCCURRED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT YET NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

ENCOUNTERING 2 ISSUES: WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AND FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT CAUSED UNEVEN WEAR AND TEAR ON FRONT TIRES

ENCOUNTERING 2 ISSUES: WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AND FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT CAUSED UNEVEN WEAR AND TEAR ON FRONT TIRES

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A FRONT SIDE PASSENGER, INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS, THE DISPLAY SCREEN INDICATES "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF", THE DISPLAY BRIEFLY GIVES A MESSAGE TO HAVE THE SRS CHECKED, AND THE RED AIRBAG DASHBOARD LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND REMAINS ILLUMINATED FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIP. (THESE TRIPS INCLUDED BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING.) THE DEALER (ADVENTURE SUBARU OF MENTOR, OHIO) WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. MORE TROUBLING THOUGH, THE DEALER STATED THAT A SCAN REVEALED NO ACTIVE OR RETAINED ALARM CODES. THIS CAR WAS BUILT AFTER THE END DATE OF RECENT NHTSA CAMPAIGN 19V-701, BUT THIS PROBLEM IS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THAT CAMPAIGN.

SUBARU FORESTER 2018 AIR BAG WON'T TURN ON WITH ADULT IN FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT. I HAVE SEVERAL PHOTOS TO SHOW THAT IT IS OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO DOCUMENT IT.

WOULD GO TO START CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. MULTIPLE DAYS THOUGHT I WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG G LEAVING SOMETHING ON, GOT BATTERY CHECKED THEY SAID IT WAS OK JUST LOW. IT KEPT DOING IT, WENT ON FOR LIKE 2-3 MONTHS . FINALLY I HAD ENOUGH AND BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY. SINCE IT HAPPENED AND REPLACED BATTERY VEHICLE IDLES HIGH LIKE 1-2 IN PARK.

DRIVING IN A HIGHWAY AT AROUND 45-50 MPH, HEARD A SOUND, AND WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED FOR MORE THAN 12 INCHES LONG.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE GOING 35 MPH ON A SURFACE ROAD.

I JOIN COMPLAINANTS WITH A SUBARU WINDSHIELD CRACK. A CRACK MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED AT THE BASE OF MY WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING HITTING IT, AND THERE'S NO SIGN OF ANY IMPACT (DING, CHIP, NOTHING!). I CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE OR HOW IT MAY HAVE STARTED (CRACK RUNS TO BASE OF WINDSHIELD). SINCE APPEARING, IT'S GROWN ABOUT HALFWAY UP, AND NOW HALFWAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I UNDERSTAND FROM A NEWS ARTICLE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS PENDING WHICH INCLUDES A VAST NUMBER OF SUBARU VEHICLES - MULTIPLE MODELS & YEARS - EXPERIENCING WINDSHIELD CRACKS. MY MODEL AND YEAR IS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS. I FILE MY COMPLAINT AS A RESULT OF FINDING THE NEWS STORY, WHICH SUGGESTS A COMPLAINT BE FILED.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2018 SUBARU FORESTER ON A HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, AN 11.5" CRACK APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE. THE CRACK EXTENDS FROM THE EDGE OF THE GLASS HORIZONTALLY. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED A CHIP ABOUT 3/8" FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD MEASURING NO WIDER THAN 1/16". GIVEN THE IMMEDIACY AND THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIGN OF DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD MATERIAL. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THIS CRACK WILL GROW VERY QUICKLY BEFORE I AM ABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED.

WINDSHIELD BROKEN TOO EASILY

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET. NOTHING HIT IT. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS NEAR ME. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD.

OUR 2018 SUBARU FORESTER HAS BEEN SITTING IN OUR DRIVEWAY EVERY DAY SINCE MARCH 2020 WHEN THE COVID CRISIS KEPT US HOUSEBOUND. WE MAKE A FEW SHORT TRIPS AROUND TOWN PER WEEK. JUST TODAY (JULY 28, 2020) MY WIFE NOTICED A BIG CRACK IN THE LOWER WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THEN SHE NOTICED THE SAME TYPE OF CRACK IN THE MOONROOF GLASS. WE HAVE BARELY BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE NOTICED IF A PEBBLE OR OTHER DEBRIS HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND MOONROOF SO HARD THAT THE TWO CRACKS DEVELOPED. (ALSO THERE'S NO CHANCE THAT A TREE FELL ON IT AND WE SIMPLY FAILED TO NOTICE.) WE WERE ABOUT TO TAKE THE CAR ON A 9-HOUR ROAD TRIP IN TWO DAYS BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT FURTHER DAMAGE WILL OCCUR AND WE WILL BE STRANDED. VERY DISAPPOINTING.

WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND IMMEDIATELY SAW THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC OR VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME ON THE LOCAL HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. THE BANG STARTLED ME SO BAD I STARTED TO SWERVE INTO THE OTHER LANE. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HOW LONG THE CRACK EXTENDED. I TOOK THE CAMERA OFF THE WINDSHIELD TO GET PICTURES OF THE FULL EXTENT OF THE CRACK.

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD FULL REPLACEMENTS 3 TIMES IN 2 1/2 YEARS. USUALLY A SMALL ROCK KICKED UP FROM HIGHWAY STARTS THE CHIP AND IT SPREADS VERY QUICKLY. I HAVE HAD CHIP FILLED BUT IT STILL CRACKS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD SO THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. CAR WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY WHEN I CAM OUT IN THE MORNING A LARGE CRACK FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE BODY WENT ACROSS TO THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE MY THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

PASSENGER AIRBAG OCCASIONALLY SHOWS AS 'OFF' EVEN THOUGH AN OCCUPANT IS IN THE SEAT. THE INFO CENTER (AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED PICTURES) ALSO INDICATES AN ISSUE WITH AN AIRBAG AND TO CHECK THE OWNER'S MANUAL. A SIMILAR AIRBAG DEFECT WAS REPORTED IN NHTSA BULLETIN - 19V701000 - SUBARU WUM-98, HOWEVER FOR WHATEVER REASON MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS SIMILAR SYMPTONS.

I bought my 2018 Subaru Forester in may of 2020 it is now January of 2022 and I have replaced the entire windshield THREE TIMES. If requested, my vehicle can be inspected. It is clear that this windshield is too fragile and poses a safety risk for myself and those passengers that enter my vehicle. It is also costing me a lot of money to repair multiple windshields and causing my insurance to go up for something out of my control. I can only imagine what would happen if I were ever to get into an accident with the windshield being that fragile. I am not a dangerous driver nor have I ever been in an accident, I have a clean record. A class action lawsuit filed in 2017 stating that “The cracks were allegedly due to the deicer creating a condition that makes the glass susceptible to cracking after a minor strike to the glass, such as the stone's impact“ it also stated that the lawsuit included 2.5 million Subaru models between the years of 2017-2020. “[XXX], represented by Attorneys [XXX] Law Group, Moon Law APC, and [XXX], contends the Subaru models have "defective and dangerous" windshields that are prone to "cracking, chipping and otherwise breaking."” After the first windshield crack in June of 2020 (1 month after I purchased the vehicle) I called my authorized Subaru dealership and asked if there was a common problem or known safety issue with the windshields, I was told there was not and my issue was singular. This is a SEVERE safety concern. A minor crack went through both panes of the windshield and rapidly become in my line of vision. I feel as though this is an unfair and unjust safety concern that is costing Subaru drivers like myself their safety and money. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK WHILE I WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. IT EMANATES FROM RIGHT ABOVE THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ROCK STRIKE.

VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN "SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED" WARNING APPEARED ON CONSOLE. PASSENGER WAS PRESENT IN PASSENGER SEAT. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING VEHICLE, ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN WHEN CAR WAS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. MESSAGE WAS PRESENT BOTH WHEN PASSENGER WAS PRESENT AND NO PASSENGER. SYMPTOM MATCHES EXISTING NHTSA CAMPAIGN 19V701000. PERFORMED INSPECTION PER HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/RCL/2019/RCRIT-19V701-0743.PDF, FOUND PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT AIRBAG OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) HARNESS THAT MATCHES DEFECTIVE PART DESCRIPTION PROVIDED BY SUBARU (DATE CODE IS BEFORE 18074, SUPPLIER CODE IS 6578). OWNER CONCERN IS THAT THE VEHICLE VIN DOES NOT APPEAR LISTED UNDER RECALL PROVIDED ON NHTSA OR SUBARU WEBSITE, EVEN THOUGH THE DEFECTIVE, RECALLED PART IS PRESENT IN THIS VEHICLE. OWNER BELIEVES THAT SCOPE OF RECALL IS INCORRECT AND DID NOT INCLUDE ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.