2010 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

ON ICY DOWNHILL GRADES WHEN BRAKING OR SLOWING ABS SYSTEM WILL CAUSE A "ROCK HARD" PEDAL AND COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES. ALL FOUR WHEELS WILL LOCKUP. THIS CAUSES LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND LOSS OF BRAKING. THIS FAILURE OCCURS WHEN ABS FAILS TO PREVENT WHEELS FROM LOCKING UP ON SLICK SURFACES. CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE REAR END COLLISION, LOSS OF CONTROL, UNEXPECTED EXIT FROM THE ROADWAY AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE ATTITUDE. VEHICLE WAS TAKE TO DEALER AND BRAKES WERE INSPECTED. NOTHING WAS FOUND TO BE WRONG. BRAKES WERE OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IN THAT THE SYSTEM CAUSES UNEXPECTED DRASTIC CHANGES IN THE FEEL OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, ALLOWS THE WHEELS TO LOCK AND DOES NOT GIVE THE DRIVER CLEAR EXPECTATION OF HOW TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ON LOW COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION SURFACES THE ABS SYSTEM CANNOT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE VEHICLE MOVING WITH WHEELS LOCKED AND VEHICLE STATIONARY WITH BRAKES ENGAGED. VEHICLE MUST BE ACCELERATED TO START WHEELS TURNING IN ORDER FOR THE ABS TO RELEASE THE PEDAL. *TR

AT LOW SPEEDS NEAR INTERSECTIONS WITH LIGHT SNOW OR SLUSH ON THE ROAD VEHICLE'S ABS SYSTEM CAUSES LOSS OF STOPPING ABILITY AND LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING AND/OR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AT STOP SIGNS AND ON SLICK ROADS. PREMATURE ACTIVATION OF ABS SYSTEM IN SNOWY AND SLUSHY CONDITIONS. POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE STRIKING PEDESTRIANS, LEAVING THE ROAD UNEXPECTEDLY AND STOPPING IN NOT BEFORE AN INTERSECTION. DEALER INSPECTED BRAKING SYSTEM AND STATED THAT IT IS PERFORMING AS INTENDED. DEALER FURTHER DOCUMENTED THAT OEM TIRES HAD LOW TRACTION RATING CAUSING ABS SYSTEM TO OPERATE INCORRECTLY IN CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS. IN PARTICULAR ABS CAUSES DRASTICALLY INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE WITH LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WITH OEM BRIDGESTONE DUELLER H/T 687 TIRES WITH 7/32 TREAD DEPTH AND CORRECT INFLATION PRESSURE. DEALER STATES THAT TIRES SHOULD BE CHANGED TO IMPROVE DRIVABILITY AND ABS FUNCTION IN SNOW AND ICE CONDITIONS. BRIDGESTONE DUELLER H/T 687 TIRES WILL BE REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND. THESE TIRES WILL BE PUT IN STORAGE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE. *TR

THE VEHICLE IS A 2010 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL TO BACK UP, THE CAR ACCELERATED AS IF THE ACCELERATOR HAD BEEN FLOORED. THE CAR SHOT UP A SNOW BANK AND RESTED ON A GUARD RAIL STILL RUNNING FAST. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND THE WINTER MAT THAT CAME WITH THE CAR WAS ON THE LOWER PART OF THE ACCELERATOR. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THE MAT CAUSED THE RAPID ACCELERATION OR THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE CAR. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN A BUSY PARKING LOT SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE MAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CAR. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE UNDER SIDE OF THE CAR AND FENDER. *TR

WE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE TWICE ON A TRIP 11/4/10 - 11/6/10. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 11/4 WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL. TO SLOW FOR A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US, I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONSIVE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL REMAINED ACTIVE. PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL IN A FEW SECONDS DEACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE BRAKES RETURNED. THIS OCCURRED WITH A NOTICEABLE JERK. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED 11/6 WHILE ON HEADING EAST ON RT 30 COMING DOWN SIDLING HILL. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT IN USE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE TO REDUCE SPEED GOING DOWN THE HILL, THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO USE THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO PROVIDE ANY BRAKING. I USED THE PARKING BRAKE TO SLOW US DOWN; HOWEVER, THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT SEEM VERY EFFECTIVE. IT TOOK A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE TO COME TO A STOP. I PROCEEDED DOWN THE HILL IN A LOWER GEAR AND AT SOME POINT THE BRAKES RETURNED TO USE. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY REASON AS TO WHY THEY FAILED OR HOW OR WHY THEY RETURNED. THE CAR HAS OVER 20,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT OF BRAKE FAILURE; ALTHOUGH THE SITUATION WITH THE CRUISE NOT DEACTIVATING HAD OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 11/7. THE DEALER CHECKED BOTH THE CRUISE AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. THE DEALER REPORTED CONSULTING WITH SUBARU ON THE PROBLEM AS WELL. ON 11/12 AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DEALER, I CONTACTED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE (REF#1-1157948155). SUBARU'S FOLLOW UP WAS THAT THE CAR WAS CHECKED AND FOUND TO BE OK AND WE SHOULD DRIVE IT AND SEE IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WE OPTED FOR A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE AT CONSIDERABLE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE SOLD TO SOMEONE ELSE. IT SHOULD BE RETURNED TO SUBARU TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURES DESCRIBED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU FORRESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BIRD DROPPINGS WERE EATING A HOLE IN THE CLEAR COATING PAINT ON THE TOP AND HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD PERFORM A ONE TIME COURTESY SPRAY AND RE-COAT THE TOP AND HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT BIRD DROPPINGS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND OFFERED NO FURTHER OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,600.

I HAVE A 2010 SUBARU FORESTER. THE VEHICLE HAS AN ISSUE WITH (1) THE STEERING PULLS TO THE RIGHT, (2) THE ENGINE LOSES POWER INTERMITTENTLY AND (3) THE CAR SHAKES AND SHIMMIES WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALL THREE OF THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN WITH THE CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT AT 6 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE STEERING ISSUE IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT MAKES IT HARD TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN 2 TIMES FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND THE ISSUE PERSISTS STILL AT 2750 MILES. THE ENGINE ISSUE HAS BEEN WITH THE CAR SINCE THE BEGINNING. WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER HEARS A CLICK SOUND COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE CAR WILL MOMENTARILY LOSE POWER. THE ISSUE HAPPENS AS FREQUENTLY AS 6 TIMES A MINUTE AND SOMETIMES EVERY OTHER MINUTE OF DRIVING. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON OR OFF, BUT EXACERBATED WHEN DRIVING IN 3RD GEAR AND WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR IS ENGAGED. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO SAY THAT THIS IS A NORMAL FEATURE OF THE CAR. I HAVE OWNED OTHER SUBARU FORESTERS AND DRIVEN MANY OTHER 2010 SUBARU FORESTER'S AND THIS ISSUE DOES NOT HAPPEN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE STEERING ISSUE AND THE SHAKING ISSUE. THE DEALER HAS BALANCED THE TIRES THREE TIMES NOW AND RE-ALIGNED THE TIRES TWICE. THIS HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE ISSUE REMAINS. CONCERNING THE ENGINE ISSUE, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN THREE TIMES NOW AND THE DEALER HAS CHECK THE CAR AND STATED THAT THE ISSUE IR NORMAL. THE ISSUE IS NOT NORMAL WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER VEHICLES FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING A 2010 SUBARU FORESTER AROUND A CORNER UP A STEEP DRIVEWAY I ENCOUNTERED A VEHICLE COMING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE FORESTER IS MANUAL AND THERE WAS A SHOULDER IN THE DRIVEWAY BEHIND THE CORNER I HAD ROUNDED; I APPLIED THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE WHEN I SAW THE VEHICLE AND RELEASED THE BRAKE WHILE CONTINUING TO HOLD THE CLUTCH WHEN I SAW THAT I COULD ROLL BACK ONTO THE SHOULDER DIRECTLY BEHIND ME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ONCOMING VEHICLE. THE SUBARU DID NOT MOVE AND I BEGAN TO PANIC AS THE ONCOMING VEHICLE APPROACHED AND MY SERVICE BRAKE HAD APPARENTLY CEASED (THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE BY GRAVITY YET THE SERVICE AND HAND BRAKES WERE BOTH OFF). I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND REVVED THE ENGINE UNUSUALLY HARD WHILE AGGRESSIVELY RELEASING THE CLUTCH TO OVERCOME THE APPARENTLY FROZEN BRAKE AND AVOID THE HEAD ON COLLISION, AT WHICH POINT THE BRAKE RELEASED AND THE CAR FLEW BACKWARDS TOWARD A STONE EMBANKMENT BEHIND THE TURN-OFF IN THE DRIVEWAY. I STOPPED IN TIME AND AVOIDED THE VEHICLE EXITING THE DRIVEWAY. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS SOME SORT OF SAFETY FEATURE ON SUBARUS WHEREBY THE SERVICE BRAKE WILL NOT RELEASE WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED ON A HILL. THE FORESTER I WAS DRIVING GIVES NO INDICATION TO THE OPERATOR THAT THE SERVICE BRAKE WILL BEHAVE IN AN UNEXPECTED WAY AND THERE IS APPARENTLY NO WAY TO DISABLE THIS BEHAVIOR IN THIS MODEL. AS A SEASONED DRIVER WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES OF EXPERIENCE IN MANY MAKES AND MODELS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS I FIND THIS HIGHLY UNSAFE AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER, 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS SAID THEY WOULD ADJUST TIRE PRESSURE TO CORRECT. TIRE PRESSURE DOES NOT CORRECT ISSUE. OFF CENTER STEERING WHEEL CAN LEAD TO A CRASH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND BEGAN INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTING GEARS. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT 35 MPH OR LESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FIVE TIMES BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE FOR A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.

I BOUGHT A 2010 SUBARU FORESTER IN SEPT. OF 2009. AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED THAT THE LEFT OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR HAD A DISTORTION IN THE GLASS WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT IN PASSING AND BACKING UP. THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE IT IS LIKE LOOKING INTO A "FUN HOUSE MIRROR" AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK. I TOOK MY FORESTER BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HE NOTICED THE DEFECT ALSO AND HE HAD ME COME IN TO HAVE THE MIRROR REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT THE DEFECT IS STILL THERE, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SUBARU IS HAVING WITH THEIR MIRRORS AND THERE IS NO FIX FOR IT AT THIS TIME. I CONTACTED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE WEB SITE AND AFTER SOME CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S MY PROBLEM NOW THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM, AND THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE MIRROR. IF THERE IS NO PROBLEM THEN WHY DID THEY REPLACE IT TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM? IN MY OPINION IT IS A SERIOUS DEFECT BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND UNSAFE WHEN TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY OR WHEN TRYING TO BACKUP USING A MIRROR THAT YOU CAN'T SEE A GOOD VIEW TO THE REAR. AFTER A FEW EMAILS BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AND REQUESTING THEM TO LOOK AT THIS FORUM SINCE THEY SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM, THEY BECAME RUDE AND NOW, ME AND ALOT OF OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE STUCK WITH A DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE MIRROR. I WILL GIVE YOU A WEB SITE FORUM WITH OTHER SUBARU OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT.: WWW.SUBARUFORESTER.ORG/VBULLETIN/F88/2010-LIGHT-ASSEMBLY-CONDENSATIONN-MIRROR-67147/ THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR