2000 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

REAPEADED WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. *AK

FOUR OF THE 5 ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE HAD SIDEWALL BLOWOUTS, ALTHOUGH I CAREFULLY MAINTAIN TIRE PRESSURE. IN THIS LAST EVENT THE FRONT LEFT TIRE EXPLODED AS THE CAR WAS EXITING RTE9 IN NJ TO THE SERVICE ROAD [A MILD S EXIT RAMP AT ABOUT 38 MPH]. THE CAR LOST STEERING CONTROL AND BOUNCED OVER THE CURB. THE REAR TIRE ALSO EXPLODED WHEN IT FOLLOWED OVER THE CURB. IN PREVIOUS EVENTS BOTH RIGHT SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT IN TWO SEPARATE TIMES WHILE MY SON WAS RETURNING FROM COLLEGE ON THE TACONIC PARKWAY IN NEW YORK. 4 OUT OF FIVE IS A GREAT BASEBALL AVERAGE BUT A LOUSY TIRE SCORE FOR FAILURES DUE TO BLOWOUTS. I SUSPECT A BAD BATCH THAT MAY BE ON A LIMITED NUMBER OF FORESTERS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: ELYTCHB349 TIRESIZE: 205/70R/15)

IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENCES, ON 9/26/2000 AND 03/30/2001, AN ORIGINAL BRIDGESTONE TIRE SUPPLIED WITH A NEWLY LEASED SUBARU FORESTER HAD A BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WE REGULARLY CHECK TIRE PRESSURE, AND ALL PRESSURES WERE ON SPECIFICATIONS, 29PSI FRONT AND 36PSI REAR. YET THEY BLEW OUT. LUCKILY THE DRIVER HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE CAR COULD BE STOPPED SAFELY, WITHOUT HUMAN DAMAGES. IN THE BLOWOUT ON 03/30/2001, HOWEVER, THE RIM SUSTAINED DAMAGES AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE TIRE. IN BOTH CASES THE BLOWOUT WAS THROUGH THE SIDEWALL, AND NOT AS A RESULT OF ANY PUNCTURE. IN BOTH CASES THE TIRE SIMPLY EXPLODED FROM THE INSIDE, FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE A BUBBLE, POSSIBLY FORMED BY A SEPARATION OF THE RADIAL WINDINGS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 274 TIRESIZE: 205/R75/15)

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON ONCE STARTED AND WOULD STAY ON UNTIL VEHICLE IS SHUT DOWN. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP.*AK LIGHT IS COMING ON DUE TO GAS CAP NOT BEING TIGHT ENOUGH, CONSUMER STATES THE CAP WILL NOT CLICK WHEN TURNED. *SLC

THE OXYGEN SENOR FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE SENOR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. *JB

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOORS INTERMITTENTLY WON'T CLOSE. DOORS HAVE APPROXIMATELY A BIG GAP OPENING. CONSUMER HAS THIS PROBLEM NEARLY ONCE A WEEK. WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED.*AK

CONSUMER HAD GONE TO DEALER TO HAVE TIRES CHECKED. DEALER VERIFIED REAR TIRES WERE WORN UNEVENLY, AND, SHOE ON REAR WHEELS WERE PUT ON TURNED IN AT FACTORY, CAUSING TIRE WEAR. SAID TO COME BACK IN A WEEK, AND DEALER WOULD REPLACE TIRES. BEFORE THAT DATE, CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO WORN REAR TIRES. SUBARU STATED THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE $1700. *AK AFTER ACCIDENT, TIRES WERE REPLACED AT NO CHARGE, CONSUMER DID NOT GIVE TIRE INFORMATION. *SLC

THE VEHICLES TIRES WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF BALDING AT ONLY 23000 MILES AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD ONLY LAST ANOTHER 7000 MILES, BEFORE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEWOUT, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTIMG REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE NEW TIRES INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. NLM

COMPONENTS OF VEHICLE THAT RELY ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OPERATE ERRATICALLY AND WILL TURN ON AND OFF ON THEIR OWN. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD OF VEHICLE WILL COME ON AND STAY ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I WAS ATTEMTING TO PARK BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE WAS A SURGE OF ACCELERATION AND I COULD DO NOTHING BUT RUN INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE SECOND OCCASION WAS SIMILAR, BUT, THIS TIME I WAS TRYING TO COME TO A STOP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED, THERE WAS A SURGE OF ACCELERATION AND I HAD TO FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO AVOID STRIKING AN ONCOMING CAR. *AK

CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE ON A 5-DEGREE INCLINE, AND IN IN 1ST GEAR. 10-15 MINUTES LATER, CONSUMER HEARD CAR ALARM GOING OFF & SAW VEHICLE HAD ROLLED BACKWARDS, DOWN SLOPE INTO BUSHES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT, AND DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE FUEL FILLER DESIGN IS SUCH THAT IT IS TO COMPLICATED FOR GAS STATION ATTENDANTS TO CORRECTLY PUT ON. IT WILL CROSSTHREAD EASIER THAN IT WILL GO ON CORRECTLY. WITH OUT PROPER PRESSURE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, LIKE MANY CARS IT WILL STALL ABRUPTLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN NEW JERSEY IT IS ILLEGAL TO PUMP YOUR OWN GAS, OR EVEN GET OUT OF YOUR CAR TO CHECK THAT THE CAP IS PROPERLY INSTALLED. SUBARU REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEALER WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FUEL FILL CAPS, OR THAT THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE DEALER WILL JUST RESET THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND CONSIDER IT A LOSS. *AK

CHATTERING CLUTCH ON 2000 SUBARU FORESTER. THIS CONSTANTLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS COLD AND CONTINUES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FOUR FORWARD GEARS. I HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND I KNOW IT IS NOT MY DRIVING/SHIFTING SKILLS. A CHECK OF A MESSAGE BOARD SHOWS THAT OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF DRIVER ERROR. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND/OR DESIGN DEFECT. MY CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH THIS. BUT IF THIS IS AN ACTUAL DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER, I WANT IT KNOWN THAT I HAVE THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO THE ISSUE OF BAD O2 SENSORS ON THIS CAR. MINE WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES BEFORE A RECALL WAS DONE. THAT WAS 32,000 MILES AGO AND NOW THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON ONLY AFTER A 60,000 MILE SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP IS ASKING ME TO DO MORE REPAIRS AS A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TO ZERO IN ON THE CAUSE OF THE LIGHT SHOWING. I FEEL THEY DID SOMETHING DURING THE MAINTENANCE SERVICE AND WANT ME TO PAY FOR THEIR ERRORS. IF IT IS ANOTHER O2 SENSOR THAT HAS GONE BAD, DOESN'T THE STATE OF CA HAVE A 50,000 WARRANTY ON ALL EMISSION COMPONENTS? WOULD IT BE COVERED?

DESIGN OF BELT, WHENEVER GETTING INTO VEHICLE CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT HE ALWAYS WAS SEATING ON TOP OF SEAT BELT BEFORE HE COULD FASTEN IT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. *AK THE SEAT BELT WAS VERY HARD TO BUCKLE UP. *YH

ENGINE HAD A POROUS BLOCK. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. CAUSE UNKNOWN. CAR CURRENTLY AT NEW MOTORS FOR REPAIR. MATTER HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AN ATTORNEY FOR POSSIBLE ACTION UNDER STATE LEMON LAWS.

OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL COMING, BUT NOT ENOUGH PARTS YET. *AK

THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 100 MPH WHILE ENGAGED WITH CRUISE CONTROL BECAUSE THE CRUISE CONTROL IS DEFECTIVE. YH

THE OXYGEN SENSOR SWITCH IS NOT OPERATING. THE DEALER IS WILLING TO REPLACE IT, HOWEVER, HE CANNOT GET THE PART AS IT IS NOT AVAILABLE. THIS DEALER AND OTHERS SAID THEY HAVE SEVERAL NEW CARS WAITING FOR THIS PART. THIS MAY BE A NATIONAL PROBLEM, SUGGEST YOU CHECK INTO A RECALL. MY GAS MILEAGE IS NOW VERY POOR AND THE ENGINE IS STARTING TO RUN ROUGH. *AK

2000 SUBARU FORESTER WITH FUEL PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE DEALER SAID THE RUST WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER ALSO TOLD HIM THAT RUST IS A COMMON PROBLEM. HE WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED AND BELIEVES SUBARU NEEDS TO PUT OUT A RECALL. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT FIRST ACTIVATED DUE TO A VACUUM/PRESSURE PROBLEM WITHIN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE GAS CAP WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. A FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE GAS FILLER PIPE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL LINES HAD ALSO BEEN SUBJECTED TO SEVERE CORROSION CAUSING THE RUBBER TUBING TO PULL AWAY FROM THE GAS FILLER PIPE. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE PIPE ASSEMBLY HAD A LARGE DEPOSIT OF SAND AND SALT COVERING THE RUST. THE AREA WAS COVERED BY A PLASTIC SHROUD. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED A MORE CORROSION RESISTANT MATERIAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED, POSSIBLY MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL. *JB

DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DRIVER HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE BRAKING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE PROBLEM WAS ALSO REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK *ML

FRONT, LEFT TIRE IS BALD AND THE OTHER THREE TIRES ARE VERY WORN. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT FAILED FROM LACK OF LUBRICATION, SUBARU STATED THAT INDEPENDENT FACILITIES MISTAKENLY DRAINED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID INSTEAD OF ENGINE OIL DURING OIL CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF PLUGS, THE DIFFERENTIAL PAN AND OIL PAN NEES TO BE PROPERLY LABELED. NLM

WHILE APPROACHING A HIGHWAY TOLL BOOTH, I RAISED MY HIPS TO REMOVE MY WALLET FROM MY BACK POCKET. THIS OBVIOUSLY PLACED PRESSURE ON THE SEAT BACK, WHICH THEN SUDDENLY RELEASED AND RECLINED CAUSING ME TO NEARLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. AFTER RETURNING THE SEAT TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION AND EXITING THE TOLL BOOTH, THE SEAT BACK AGAIN SUDDENLY RECLINED WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO PLACE MY WALLET IN MY BACK POCKET. IN TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT HAD BECOME LOOPED AROUND THE SEAT BACK RELEASE LEVER. IN RAISING MY HIPS TO RETRIEVE MY WALLET, I EXERTED TENSION ON THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT, WHICH IN TURN PULLED UP THE LEVER AND RELEASED THE SEAT BACK. I HAVE NOTICED THE BELT LOOPED AROUND THE RELEASE LEVER ON AT LEAST ONE OTHER OCCASION. IT APPEARS THAT IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR, THE BELT CAN BECOME LOOPED AROUND THE LEVER AND THEREBY CREATING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *AK

PE-00-020; TIRES ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, BRIDGESTONE HT DUELER, TIRE SIZE 15 INCH, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE, TIRES HAVE SEVEN THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. WHEN DRIVING 50 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHICH CAUSED SLIGHT LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK