2003 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

MY MOTHER WAS PULLING HER CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED & SHOT DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, ACROSS THE STREET, THRU THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND LANDED IN THEIR BACKYARD. THE CAR JUST MISSED MY FATHER IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE NEIGHBORS IN THEIR HOUSE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID THE CAR WAS AIRBORNE WHEN IT WENT THRU THE FRONT DOOR BASED ON THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT DOOR & THE SKID MARKS ON THE TILE IN THE HALLWAY. THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS MY MOTHER WAS PARKING THE CAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IT CROSSED THE SIDEWALK AT THE STORE & HIT ANOTHER CAR. AT THE TIME SHE THOUGHT THAT HER FOOT MUST HAVE SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE. MY FATHER DROVE IT A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT & SAID IT WANTED TO ACCELERATE WHILE HE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROX. 72,000.

FRONT SUBFRAME ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE RUSTS AWAY CAUSING FAILURE. COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND COULD INJURE PASSENGERS. TURNING OR HITTING BUMPS COULD CAUSE IT TO SNAP DUE TO EXTRA FORCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHICH EMITTED FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE, GOING FROM THE RIGHT LANE TO THE EXTREME LEFT LANE, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE CONTACT STATED ON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL FROM THE SUSPENSION. THE FRACTURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE INSIDE WHEEL WELL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. MILLER SUBARU (1592 NJ-38, LUMBERTON, NJ 08048, (609) 267-4000) WAS CONTACTED AND NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT WAS NOT GIVEN PROOF THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT NOTICED EXTENSIVE RUST, CORROSION, AND HOLES AROUND THE FRONT FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT FRAME, AND THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARMS. IN ADDITION, THE REAR FRAME AND DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARMS WERE ALSO INSPECTED WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THOSE PARTS HAD ALSO DETERIORATED AND MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION) AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11011 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATED AT THE WELD SEAM WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE SWUNG REARWARD AND OUTWARD BECAUSE THE FRONT PORTION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE CONTROL ARM. THIS PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD BUT LUCKILY SHE WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED ON A SIDE ROAD ON HER WAY TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR STOPPED BEFORE CRASHING. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT ANY NORMAL ROAD SPEED SHE WOULD LIKELY HAVE DIED FROM A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2011 ON THESE CARS FOR THIS VERY CONDITION. MY CAR SHOWS "COMPLETE" IN THEIR SYSTEM FOR THIS RECALL BUT IT WAS EITHER NOT ACTUALLY COMPLETED OR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE EQUALLY AS DANGEROUS AND NEED TO BE RECALLED AGAIN. I NOTIFIED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND TOOK THE CAR TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO REVIEW BUT SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS NOT CONCERNED SAYING IT SHOWED COMPLETE SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME I HAVE FOUND OTHERS ONLINE WHO HAD SUBARU DEALERS COMPLETE THE RECALL WITHOUT CHANGING SEVERELY CORRODED LOWER CONTROL ARMS JUST LIKE MINE. I AM AFRAID THAT OTHER PEOPLE OR THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING THEIR LIVES DUE TO SUBARU'S NEGLIGENCE. MANUFACTURER: SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. MFR'S REPORT DATE: SEP 06, 2011 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V464000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11011 COMPONENT: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 295,123 THIS IS SUBARU'S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER WVX-34.

FUEL LINE LEAKING UNDER 20 DEGREE TEMPS, SMELLS STRONGLY OF GAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IDOLING AS WELL AS DRIVING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE DURING COLD WEATHER, AN ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WOULD ONLY OCCUR IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 25 DEGREES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NEIL HUFFMAN SUBARU DEALER LOCATED AT 4916 DIXIE HWY, LOUISVILLE, KY 40216 WHO TIGHTEN AND RE-CLAMPED THE FUEL LINES BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED TO OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. *TT *TR

VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY RECALLED IN 2011/2012 FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V464000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11011. AT TIME, DEALER CONDUCTED PUNCH TEST AND DETERMINED LOWER CONTROL ARM TO "PASS" AND USED SOME TYPE OF ANTI-CORROSION SPRAY. FAST FORWARD TO 2017 AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS HAVE "FAILED" PUNCH TEST WITH SIGNIFICANT CORROSION. I ONLY DETECTED THIS FAILED, AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING CONDITION OF VEHICLE, BY PERSONALLY INSPECTING UNDER CARRIAGE PRIOR TO GIVING VEHICLE TO 16 YEAR-OLD SON AS FIRST CAR. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY OF THESE SUBARU FORESTERS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY, AND QUITE CONVENIENTLY DETERMINED TO PASS BY PUNCH TEST, ARE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS AND HIGHWAYS WITH POTENTIAL SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES TO THE UNKNOWING OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT SUBARU SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPTION TO "PUNCH" TEST THESE LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPLACE THESE CRITICAL PARTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SUBARU ADDRESS THE ISSUE. TO DATE, I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND HAVE BEEN DENIED ANY REMEDY, NOR ALLOWED TO TALK TO A SUPERVISOR.

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND LEFT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH. LUCKY WAS ONLY DRIVING 35 MPH AND NOT OUT ON THE FREEWAY. THIS HAPPENED ON A RURAL ROAD WITH LIMITED TRAFFIC. LEFT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE AND WHEEL CAME UP AGAINST THE INNER FENDER AND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS BROKE THE CV AXLE IN HALF AND ALSO BROKE THE TIE ROD ENDS. BOTH WHEELS POINTED OUTWARD FOUND A RECALL 11464000 AND IT WAS NEVER COMPLETED ON THE CAR. JUST BOUGHT THE CAR IN PA 2 WEEKS AGO.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT FOUND NO DAMAGE. UPON RE-ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND SWAY BAR LINK WERE SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000. ..UPDATED 05/09/17 *BF UPDATED 05/17/2017*JS