2010 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

I WAS HEADING TO WORK ON RT 80 W IN NJ WHEN MY CAR'S ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A KNOCKING SOUND. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I GOT INTO THE RIGHT-HAND LANE AND EXITED RT 80 VIA EXIT 34B, RT 15N TOWARDS SPARTA NJ. I KNEW THERE WAS A GAS STATION AT THE EXIT AND WAS JUST BARELY ABLE TO PULL IN WHEN THE CAR DIED. AT THAT POINT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL AND THE CAR DIED. THE AAA DRIVER TOLD ME THE CAR HAD BURNED THROUGH ALL THE OIL (HE CHECKED THE OIL TANK; IT WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY.) I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MILFORD PA WHERE MY PLACE OF BUSINESS IS AS I HAD PERISHABLES I HAD JUST BOUGHT FOR MY CAFE WITH ME THAT NEEDED TO BE REFRIGERATED. MY MECHANIC SAID EXACTLY WHAT THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD SAID. THE ENGINE BLEW DUE TO THE CAR BURNING UP ALL THE OIL. NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. SINCE BUYING THIS CAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS TWICE, BOTH TIMES BEFORE THE CAR HAD REACHED 50,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE IGNITION COIL REPLACED 3 TIMES IN UNDER 3 YEARS. THE CAR IS A LEMON, BUT NO SIGNS WERE EVIDENT UNTIL I HIT 34,000 MILES OR SO. IT IS A MIRACLE THAT I DIDN'T HIT OR HARM ANYONE ON RT 80 WHEN THE ENGINE DIED, OR THAT I WASN'T HARMED. SUBARU OF AMERICA IS VERY UNHELPFUL; THEY KEEP TELLING ME MY CAR NEEDS TO BE AT A SUBARU DEALER FOR THEM TO "OPEN A CASE", EVEN THOUGH I EXPLAINED I HAD PERISHABLES WITH ME AND HAD TO KEEP THEM COLD. I ASKED IF SUBARU WOULD TOW THE CAR FOR ME, BUT THEY SAID NO, AS IT HAS TOO MANY MILES ON IT. WHEN I ASKED THEM ABOUT WHY THE WARNING LIGHTS NEVER CAME ON, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE IS "NOT EQUIPPED" WITH THOSE LIGHTS, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT IS AS THEY CAME ON WHEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS MELTED AND THE DRIVER'S MANUAL FOR MY CAR INSTRUCTS THE DRIVER AS TO WHAT TO DO IF THE LIGHTS COME ON.

WE HAVE RECEIVED THE MANDATORY RECALL LETTER OF JULY 2016. THE OPEN-ENDED STATEMENT: "WE WILL NOTIFY YOU WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE" IS INSUFFICIENT. WHY? BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A RECALL NOTICE FOR OUR 2013 LEAF WHICH IS ALREADY THREE MONTHS OLD AND THUS FAR NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE WITH THAT. I AM ANGRY BECAUSE NOW THE "FAMILY" CAR CANNOT BE USED AS A FAMILY CAR! SO THE QUESTION IS WHEN?? WILL PARTS BE AVAILABLE NEXT YEAR? 5 YEARS FROM NOW?? WHEN???

IT APPEARS SEAT WELD BROKE ON DRIVER'S SEAT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO BRACKET. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I FOUND THIS IS VERY COMMON. IT COULD POSE A HAZARD TO THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND POTENTIALLY COME LOOSE IN AN ACCIDENT.

WHILE PARKING MY 2010 SUBARU FORESTER SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CAUSING IT TO JUMP OVER A CURB SIDESWIPING A HEDGE JUMPING ANOTHER CURB THEN HITTING A LARGE RAM 150 TRUCK. THE WHOLE TIME I WAS STANDING ON THE BRAKES TRYING TO AVOID PARKED CARS. UPON IMPACT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AT HIGH RPM'S. AFTER SHUTTING IT OFF I LOOKED TO SEE IF THE MATS WERE THE CAUSE AND THEY WERE NOT. COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT THE CAUSE OF ACCELERATION. THERE WAS OVER $12.000 DAMAGE TO THE FORESTER.

THE SUBARU FORESTER 2010 FAILED THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST PERFORMED BY SUBARU. THE CAUSE FROM A SUBARU BULLETIN STATES THAT THE #1 AND/OR #4 INTAKE VALVE GUIDE INSERTION HOLE WAS IMPROPERLY MACHINED, PERMITTING OIL TO ENTER THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THIS OCCURRED ON THE SUBARU FORESTER 2010 MODELS AS WELL AS 2011 LEGACY/OUTBACK, AND 2011 IMPREZA. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE MORE THAN 1.5 QUARTS OF OIL IS CONSUMED AFTER ONLY 1100 MILES DRIVEN. IN ALASKA YOU COULD BE STUCK IN THE FROZEN INTERIOR IF THIS DEFECT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND MALFUNCTION WHILE TRAVELING. SUBARU WILL NOT FIX THE KNOWN DEFECT. SUBARU STATES IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE BULLETIN DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VIN NUMBER. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AND SUBARU SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL ONLY PROVIDE $500.00 FOR A $5,000 FIX.

ENTERED VEHICLE AND SAT DOWN ON DRIVERS SEAT AND THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE DRIVER SEAT DROPPED. REMOVED SIDE COVER AND FOUND TWO WELDS BROKEN FROM BRACKET THAT GOES TO THE SEAT BOTTOM. AFTER LOOKING ON SAFERCAR.GOV FOUND SAME ISSUE WITH OTHER FORESTERS. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW AND WAS NEVER ABUSED. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT UNTIL NOW.

WHEN GETTING INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT I NOTICED THE LEFT SIDE OF MY SEAT WAS 1-2 INCHES LOWER THAN THE RIGHT SIDE. WHEN TRYING TO ADJUST THE SEAT, THE CONTROLS MOVED THE RIGHT SIDE UP AND DOWN, BUT THE LEFT SIDE REMAINS STATIONARY AT THE BOTTOM. ALSO THE LUMBAR SUPPORT CONTROLS NO LONGER FUNCTION.

WHILE SITTING STATIONARY IN PARKING LOT, DRIVERS POWER SEAT SUDDENLY DROPPED A FEW INCHES. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED THE FRONT BRACKET WHICH ATTACHES TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SEAT HAD SNAPPED (WELD BROKE ON THE LEFT SIDE).

SAT DOWN IN DRIVERS SEAT TO DRIVE, EVERYTHING NORMAL. APPROX 1.5-2 MINUTES LATER WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT, APPROX. 10-15 MPH OVER A SLIGHTLY BUMPY NEIGHBORHOOD STREET, I HEAR A SMALL "SNAP" UNDERNEATH SEAT AND FRONT LEFT PART OF DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSES. SEAT FEELS VERY UNSTABLE AND OFF CENTER, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BEING UNSAFE WHILE TURNING AND USING PEDALS. UPON LOOKING UNDERNEATH THE SEAT; THE FRONT BRACKET HAD SNAPPED FROM THE 2 SPOT WELDS HOLDING IT UPRIGHT. CAN NOT FIX ON MY OWN, MUST BE WELDED.

DRIVER SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED ON FRONT LEFT SIDE OFFERING NO SUPPORT. AWKWARD SEATING POSITION. AFTER DOING RESEARCH IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON AND IS A WELDING ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WHILE I WAS DRIVING MAKING A TURN ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.