2000 Subaru Forester Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2000 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle began to shake and suddenly veered into the left lane into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that the vehicle had stopped in the middle of the road. The contact was unaware of any warning light being illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had to be pushed off the roadway. The contact stated that the passenger’s side front tire was at a 90-degree angle to the wheel well. The contact stated that he could see that the control arm had snapped. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the control arms, the inner power steering rack, and front stabilizer bar needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE REAR WHEEL BEARING ON MY 2000 SUBARU FORESTER 3 TIMES RIGHT AND LEFT REAR OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I SEE THROUGH ONLINE READING THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THE SUBARU AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PRESSURE NEEDS TO BE PUT ON THEM TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. *TR

10/19/04 RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING REPLACED ON MY 2000 SUBARU FORESTER AT 56,886 MILES (PREVIOUS MAINT PERFORMED ON 3/2/04) AT A COST OF $324.40. RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AGAIN ON 4/2/07 AT 88,569 MILES AT A COST OF $331.86 (PREVIOUS MAINT PERFORMED ON 6/20/06). REPLACING THE REAR WHEEL BEARING 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN 100,000 MILES? *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED MECHANICAL VIBRATION NOISE AT FREQUENCY OF WHEEL ROTATION, PERSISTING AFTER COMPLETE WHEEL CHANGE WHEN CHANGING FROM ALL-WEATHER TO WINTER TIRES. REPAIR SHOP CONTINUED DIAGNOSIS. PROBLEM SOLVED UPON REPLACEMENT OF WHEEL BEARINGS IN LEFT-REAR WHEEL. *AK

REAR LEFT WHEEL BEARING FAILURES. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN 60,000 MILES. NUMEROUS CONTACTS WITH SUBARU HAVE FAILED TO RESOLVE OR FIX THIS ONGOING PROBLEM.*AK

I BOUGHT MY SUBARU FORESTER 2000 NEW. UNDER WARRANTY I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY WHEEL BEARINGS THREE TIMES. A FORTH TIME AFTER WARRENTY AND NOW FOR A FIFTH TIME.. FOUR OF THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN ON THE SAME WHEEL; THE BACK RIGHT. YOUAR COMPONENT SELECTION DOES NOT HAVE SUSPENSION REAR; WHEEL BEARINGS SO I PUT IN SUSPENSION FRONT; WHEEL BEARINGS. SUGGEST YOU ADD THIS COMPONENT.*AK

RUMBLING UNDER CAR WAS INDICATION THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED. 1ST INCIDENT THANKSGIVING WEEKEND 2003. FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARINGS FALIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET CAR IN IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE I WAS TRAVELING AND NOBODY WAS OPEN. I FINALLY GOT CAR TO HUNTER IN NC FOR REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. PARTS PERSON TOLD ME THEY NEVER REPLACE FORESTER BEARINGS WITH ORIGINAL PARTS. THEY USE OUTBACK OR SOME OTHER MODEL INSTEAD. THEY DID NOT REPLACE AXLE BUT I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO NORMAL FIX. SOME COMPONENTS HAD FROZE AND THEY HAD TO GO IN BACKWARDS TO FIX. I THINK THE BEARINGS ARE VERY HEAVY DUTY AND WILL DRIVE FOR A LONG TIME DAMAGED AND SO CRASH IS UNLIKELY. I DROVE 800 MILES WITH RUMBLING. 2ND INCIDENT JUN 21 2004 - BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AND REAR RIGHT AXLE WAS FROZE AND ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIME I BROUGHT CAR IN TO SUBARU OF BEECHMONT VERY NEAR TO START OF RUMBLING. SUBARU OF AMERICA IS TRYING TO SAY THAT MY VEHICLE SHOWS SIGNS OF HEAVY TRAILERING AS EXCUSE TO NOT REIMBURSE ME. I USE MY HITCH SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR AND MY REAR BRAKES ARE BEING REPLACED AT 82,000 MILES WHICH WOULD NOT BE TRUE IF I TRAILERED AS THEY CLAIM. THEY SAID THAT MY HITCH BALL SHOWED HEAVY WEAR AND IT HAS PROBABLY ONLY BEEN USED LESS THAN 2 DOZEN TIMES IN IT'S ENTIRE LIFE. IT LOOKS NEW. THEY ARE TRYING TO DIVERT ATTENTION AND I AM WONDERING HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE THEY ARE DOING THIS WITH. WHEN I TALK PRIVATELY WITH DEALERSHIP PERSONELL THEY AGREE THAT FORESTERS AROUND 2000 HAVE REAL ISSUES WITH WHEEL BEARINGS. PERSONELL AGREE THAT BEARINGS AND AXLES SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR 3 BEARINGS TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. I THINK IT IS AN UNDER-REPORTED DESIGN FLAW. ACCIDENTS DON'T HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY ARE SO HEAVY DUTY THAT THEY GRIND DOWN LONG ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE USUALLY GET THEM IN FOR REPAIR BEFORE THE WHEEL FALLS OFF. THERE IS POTENTIAL HERE FOR DISASTER. *AK

LEFT WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT MAY 2004. PAID APPROX. $1300 TO REPAIR IT AT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP. RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT SEPT 2005. PAID APPROX $450 TO REPLACE IT AT A SUBARU CERTIFIED REPAIR SHOP. NOW MAY 2006, LEFT WHEEL BEARING HAS GONE OUT AGAIN, LESS THAN 2 YEARS AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. THE SUBARU DEALER NOW WANTS $500-800 TO REPLACE IT AGAIN AS THEY SAY REPAIRS ARE ONLY UNDER WARRANTY FOR 12 MOS. I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $2,000 ON REPAIRS FOR SOMETHING THAT IS DEFECTIVE AND OBVIOUSLY CANNOT BE FIXED. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO SPEND ANOTHER $800 TO REPAIR IT AGAIN WHEN IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN. MY VEHICLE HAS 94K ON IT. I DRIVE LESS THAN 10K PER YEAR. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. SUBARU WON'T HELP ME. DEALER WON'T HELP ME. *NM

DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS THREE TIMES. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AT THIS TIME. *AK

2000 SUBARU FORESTER S REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED AT 19K UNDER WARRANTY THEN, AT 67K, 70K, 80K AND IT NEEDS REPLACEMENT NOW AGAIN!*JB

RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING NEEDS REPLACING AT 51,000. THESE SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER AS THEY DO IN MY OTHER VEHICLES.*AK

COMPLAINED TO SERVICING DEALER ABOUT EXCESSIVE NOISE. REPORT WAS AT 49,622 MILES, BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED. THIS COMPONENT IS NOT NORMALLY INSPECTED OR REPLACED IN THE ORDINARY SCHEDULE OF MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED CARE. MY WEB RESEARCH SHOWS QUITE A FEW REPORTS OF THIS SAME FAILURE, INDICATING INADEQUATE DESIGN OR FAULTY COMPONENTS. AVERAGE MILES TO FAILURE SEEM TO BE AROUND 50,000. INCREASINGLY, THESE CASES WILL BE SHOWING UP GIVEN THE AGE AND TYPICAL MILEAGE OF THESE CARS. ANYONE WHO IGNORES THE SOUND LEVEL INCREASE IS LIABLE TO EXPERIENCE A COMPLETE FAILURE ON THE ROAD WITH DEFINITE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE COMPILING STATISTICS ON THIS DEFECT, EXCEPT PERHAPS SUBARU. THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT SUBARU AMERICA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM'S FREQUENCY (A TSB ON IMPROVED REPLACEMENT METHOD), BUT THEY HAVE NOT REGULARLY AGREED TO COVER REPAIR COSTS OR ALERTED OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM'S EXISTENCE. IN MY CASE, REPAIR IS SCHEDULED SIX DAYS FROM NOW. MY COMPLAINT CALL TO SUBARU AMERICA RESULTED IN A PROMISE TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER AND CALL ME BACK WITH A RESPONSE ON WHAT ACTION THE COMPANY WOULD TAKE. IT IS NOW 2+ DAYS AWAITING RESPONSE. FORESTER (AND PERHAPS IMPRESA) OWNERS SHOULD BE ALERTED TO WHAT IS A VERY STEALTHY FLAW. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE SUPPLYING GOOD INFORMATION AND ADVICE, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING THEIR PRODUCT. *JB

HAD TO HAVE WHEEL BEARINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR REPLACED AT ONLY 44,000 MILES ON MY 2000 SUBARU FORESTER. UPON RESEARCH HAVE FOUND WHEEL BEARINGS TO BE A DEFECTIVE COMPLAINT AMONG SUBARU FORESTER AND IMPREZA OWNERS. SOME OWNERS CLAIMING THAT WHEEL BEARINGS MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 30,000 MILES.*JB

WHILE TRAVELING, CONSUMER NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND EMITTING FROM THE REAR WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY DEALER TECHNICIAN WHO NOTICE THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THEY CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE HUB ASSEMBLY. TS *JG

BOTH REAR TIRES ARE WEARING ONLY ON OUTER EDGE. DEALER HAS DONE ALIGNMENT, BUT IT HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *JG

THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BURNED DUE TO THE WRONG LUBRICANT FOR THE SEAL. THE NOISE IN THE REAR ALERTED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. NLM *TT

FROM 14,000 MILES TO PRESENT 34,000 MILES FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS BEING REPLACED FOR FOURTH TIME BY DEALER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

REAPEADED WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. *AK