2014 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

MY 2014 FORESTER HAS STALLED ON ME 5 TIMES IN THE PAST 3 YEARS WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO AND EL PASO TX. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (80MPH ON THIS PART OF I-10) WITH AND WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WOULD MAKE A HARD DOWNSHIFT, THEN ANOTHER, AND ALLOWED ME ABOUT 10 SECONDS TO PULL OVER TO RIGHT SHOULDER, THEN STALLED. DURING THE DOWNSHIFT NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON UNTIL I WAS COMPLETELY STALLED AND THEN THEY ALL TURNED ON. ONE TIME IT GAVE ME A WARNING LIGHT THAT MY TRANSMISSION OIL WAS HOT, AFTER IT STALLED. I HAVE TRAVELED TO OTHER PLACES IN TEXAS WITH SAME VARIABLES OTHER THAN THE INCLINES/ DECLINES OF THAT PART OF I-10. THIS VEHICLE CANNOT HANDLE INCLINES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER DRIVING AN HOUR OR TWO. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY THAT THE 5 TIMES MY FORESTER STALLED I WAS NOT SURROUNDED BY HEAVY TRAFFIC. THIS IS A VERY BAD SITUATION AND VERY DANGEROUS!! A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I NOTIFIED MY SUBARU DEALER WHEN THEY DID AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST (BECAUSE I HAVE TO ADD A QUART BETWEEN EACH OIL CHANGE) AND THEY DID NOTHING. THE MANAGER SPECULATED SOME WORK THEY COULD DO AT MY COST BUT HAD NO ANSWERS OR SUGGESTIONS. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BALL BEARINGS IN THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL. THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A NEW CAR WITH HIGH RATINGS. MY 86 HONDA CIVIC COULD GO BETWEEN EL PASO AND SAN ANTONIO WITH NO PROBLEMS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL SHOOK SEVERELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COCONUT CREEK SUBARU IN COCONUT CREEK, FL, 888-459-5432, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

I HAVE A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER 2.0XT TOURING WITH PUSH START AND EYESIGHT. MY CAR WOULDN'T START WITH THE PUSH START BUTTON AND THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED. I COULDN'T PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN. WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED MONTHS AGO, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY AND THAT WAS REPLACED IN NOVEMBER OF 2016. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT AND I HAD THE RADIO ON FOR 30 MINUTES WHILE SITTING IN THE CAR. I COULDN'T START THE CAR AFTERWARDS AND THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED UP AT THE TIME AS WELL. I COULD NOT PRESS THE BRAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE SECOND TIME IT WOULD START WAS LAST SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2017 IN THE MORNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT AND I HAD TROUBLE STARTING IT IN THE MORNING. AND THE DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH NO GUARANTEES THIS WILL FIX THE PUSH START ISSUE.

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE SEVERAL LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ABS, AND A PICTURE OF AN AUTO ON A HILL. I THEN PULLED OVER AND PUT THE AUTO IN PARK. IT LOCKED UP IN PARK AND I COULDN'T GET IT OUT OF PARK. I CALLED THE DEALER, THEY WALKED ME THRU A SERIES OF STEPS TO GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK. NOT AN EASY TASK. I TOOK THE AUTO INTO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A SWITCH STOP, I KNEW THERE HAD BEEN A SERVICE BULLETION PUT OUT ON THIS PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED THE SWITCH HAD BEEN REDESIGNED. OF COURSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE SWITCH AND LABOR, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ONLY OUT OF WARRANTY FOR A MONTH. I FEEL THIS IS DANGEROUS! WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE IF IT HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE OR I WASN'T ABLE TO CONTACT A DEALER. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAD REPLACE MANY OF THESE SWITCHES. THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS SWITCH. IT'S DANGEROUS. WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WAS AON A CITY STREET, PULLED OVER AND PUT IT IN PARK. IT WOULD NOT RELEASE AND COME OUT OF PARK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO DON MILLER SUBARU (WEST 5822 ODANA RD, MADISON, WI 53719) FOR AN INSPECTION, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT RODENTS HAD CHEWED THE SOY-BASED WIRING IN THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND DAMAGED THE WIRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 12/13/2017 *LN CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE REMAINS @ DAN MILLER WEST AS OF 10-30-17 BEING REPAIRED. CONTACTED SUBURU OF AMERICA ON 9-26-17 SERVICE REQUEST #1-26823068140 UPDATED 7/20/18*JB *TR

ON SUMMER 2015, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER XT. I'M A SUBARU FAN. MY CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH EYESIGHT SYSTEM, WHICH WILL APPLY BRAKES FOR ME IN CASE I DON'T OR WILL INCREASE BRAKE FORCE TO AVOID A COLLISION IN CASE I DIDN'T. THIS IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST SELLING POINTS OF THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM: FRONTAL COLLISION AVOIDANCE. THAT DAY ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, DURING RUSH HOUR, I WAS NOTICING SOME SPONGE EFFECT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL SO I DECIDED TO INCREASE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. SUDDENLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED RESPONDING TO MY PROPORTIONALITY (CONTROLLED FORCE APPLIED) AND I END UP REAR-ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WORK TESTING LANDING GEARS FOR PLANES AND HELICOPTERS SO BRAKE FADE WAS NOT NEW TO ME. I IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AND REPORTED TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS REPRODUCED BY THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN AND THE CAR WAS INTERNED FOR FURTHER REVISIONS. 2 DAYS LATER, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE LACK OF SERVICE IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE SERVICE WAS DONE IN ANOTHER DEALER ON TIME. THAT WAS THE LAST EXCUSE I HEARD FROM SUBARU. CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL NOT REPLACE ANY PART IN THE CAR IF A DEALER DOESN'T APPROVE IT, SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE THE 20,000KM SERVICE WAS DONE, 1 HOUR AWAY FROM MY TOWN. BY THAT TIME, THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS LOWER FROM SUMMER 33C TO AUTUMN 17C. THE DEALER PUT MORE THAN 20KM ON THE CAR JUST TO TELL ME THAT HE COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE FAILURE SO THERE'S NO FAILURE AT ALL. I EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT THE FAILURE CANNOT BE REPRODUCED AT 17C TEMPERATURE. I EVEN SHOW HIM THAT THE BRAKE FORCE IS SO WEAK, IT NEVER ACTIVATES THE ABS SYSTEM, BUT ALSO IN VAIN. SUBARU CANT EXPLAIN WHY AN EYESIGHT EQUIPPED CAR ENDS UP REAR-ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT, IN BUSY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THEY SIMPLY DIDN'T ANSWER ME ANYMORE.

I HAVE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER THAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2013, IN WHICH THE CHECK OIL LIGHT ROUTINELY GOES ON APPROXIMATELY HALF-WAY THROUGH A 6K OIL CHANGE. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST SUBARU THAT STIPULATED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST COULD BE INITIATED FOLLOWING AN OIL CHANGE. THE OIL LEVELS ARE CHECKED AT 1,200 MILES AFTER THE OIL CHANGE AND IF THE LEVELS ARE LOW THE VEHICLE WILL FAIL THE TEST AND QUALIFY FOR A NEW ENGINE AT NO COST. I'VE HAD 2 OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS COMPLETED ON MY CAR, WITH THE FIRST ONE DONE 1 YEAR AGO. MY VEHICLE PASSED BOTH TESTS AT 1,200 MILES, BUT ROUTINELY IS LOW ON OIL WELL BEFORE MY NEXT SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. I HAVE FILED 2 COMPLAINTS WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA WITH NO SUCCESS. I LAST HAD MY OIL CHANGED AT 71,308 MILES, AND BROUGHT IT BACK FOR THE TEST 1,200 MILES LATER. I AM NOW 3K INTO THE SAME OIL CHANGE AND MY CHECK OIL LIGHT WENT ON YESTERDAY AND TODAY. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THE LEVEL AND IT WAS 3/4 OF A QUART LOW, WHICH SUBARU OF AMERICA SAYS IS NORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION AT 3K INTO AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE FOR SUBARU FORESTERS MANUFACTURED IN 2014, AS SUBARU OF AMERICA CHANGED THE PISTONS IN THE ENGINE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. I AM VERY STUCK; THE DEALER WON'T HELP ME, SUBARU OF AMERICA WON'T HELP ME, AND THE CAR IS WORTHLESS GIVEN THE SERVICE RECORDS INDICATING THAT IT USES EXCESS OIL. I WORK FULL-TIME. I AM ALSO THE MAIN TRANSPORTATION FOR MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN. I DRIVE WITH EXTRA QUARTS OF OIL IN MY CAR AND HAVE TO ADD OIL APPROXIMATELY 3-4.5K INTO A 6K OIL CHANGE WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY ON THIS ISSUE WITH NO SUCCESS AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I AM HOPING YOU CAN HELP. I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL EMAILS TO SUBARU OF AMERICA AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR THE CAR. UPDATED 11/07/2017*JS

CVT 2.5I 70K MILEAGE. ON 8/12/17, WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY NONSTOP FOR 310 MILES, WITH CRUISE ON 76 MPH, TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WENT "OUT OF GEAR." ENGINE RPMS RACED TO OVER 5,000 BUT CAR WAS OUT OF GEAR. NO PROPULSION WHATSOEVER. IT FELT EXACTLY LIKE WHEN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR OR IS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL BY ACCIDENT AY SPEED, BUT THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. SHIFT LEVER HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED. TRANSMISSION JUST FELT LIKE IT "GAVE WAY." I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO THE SHOULDER AND ENGINE DIED. "CHECK ENGINE," "VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL," AND BATTERY CHARGE WARNING" LIGHTS LIT ... MAYBE OTHERS. ENGINE DIED. PUT IN PARK. WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND THEN RESTARTED ENGINE. IT RAN ROUGH FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN SMOOTHED OUT AND WE DROVE 2 MILES TO FILL UP GAS AND PROCEEDED ANOTHER 100 MILES OR SO WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. 2 DEALERS NEVER RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRY. DROVE AROUND TOWN FOR A FEW DAYS WITHOUT INCIDENT. THEN, ON 8/20/17 WHILE AGAIN DRIVING NON-STOP FOR OVER 300 MILES AND AGAIN WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET ON 74, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. NO WARNING. SUDDENLY "OUT OF GEAR." ENGINE REVS SPIKED. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. COASTED TO SHOULDER. SHUT DOWN ENGINE FOR MAYBE 20 SECONDS THEN RESTARTED ENGINE AND PROCEEDED ON WITHOUT INCIDENT TO REFUEL AND RESUME TRIP. WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY A TAILGATER THIS TIME SINCE HE WAS DRIVING SO CLOSE TO ME WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST PROPULSION. BOUGHT CAR NEW OVER 70K MILES AGO AND HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE 8/12/17 AND NOW IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN 8 DAYS AND UNDER VERY SIMILAR CONDITIONS. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DUAL CAMERA SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED OVER TIME. THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY WAS AFFECTED BY THE FOG BUILD UP ON THE DUAL CAMERA SYSTEM FEATURE OF THE VEHICLE. THE TWO FRONT CAMERAS ATTACHED TO THE HEADLINER OF THE VEHICLE WERE THE AFFECTED. RANDY MARION SUBARU OF MOORESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROCEDURE OR TSB AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN CLEANING THE CAMERAS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000. UPDATED 09/19/17*LJ *CN

WHEN EVER ANY BLUE TOOTH DEVICE OR BATTERY POWERED DEVICE IS HELD BY THE PASSENGER,THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DISABLED. THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE AIRBAG CAN NOT BE TURNED ON UTIL AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF AND ON > 5 TIMES.