2003 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS COLD THERE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN IT HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN IDLE MODE WHEN DRIVING THE SMELL DISSIPATES BUT YOU CAN STILL SMELL IT FAINTLY I NOTICED IT LAST YEAR I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN SEPTEMBER 2016 AND THEY NOTICED A POOLING OF GASOLINE BUT THEY NOTICE ANYTHING BECAUSE THE WEATHER WAS WARM SO THEY TIGHTENED THEY TIGHTENED THE ENGINE TO THE CHASSIS

THREE YEARS AGO, WE STARTED TO NOTICE A FUEL SMELL WHEN DRIVING OUR 2003 SUBARU FORESTER ON VERY COLD DAYS (BELOW 20 DEGREES). WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR SERVICE. THEY COULDN'T FIND A SPECIFIC LEAK, BUT THEY TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS AROUND THE FUEL LINES. WE CONTINUED TO NOTICE THE SMELL AND TOOK THE CAR TO OTHER SERVICE CENTERS TO SEE IF ANOTHER MECHANIC COULD FIND THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. WE RECENTLY TOOK THE DARK BACK TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND WERE INFORMED THAT THE FUEL LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $700. WE DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY SUBARU OWNERS COMPLAINING OF SIMILAR ISSUES ON FORESTER AND OTHER SUBARU MODELS MANUFACTURED IN THE EARLY 2000S. OTHER OWNERS REPORTED THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE CAR. GIVEN THE SAFETY RISK OF LEAKING FUEL, WE URGE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, GOING STRAIGHT, WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STARTED ACCELERATING AT FULL SPEED. I CHECKED AND MADE SURE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BREAK INSTEAD OF THE GAS, WHICH IT WAS. THE CAR PROCEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD EVEN WITH BOTH OF MY FEET AND ALL OF MY WEIGHT ON THE BREAK, AND IT STARTED ACCELERATING AGAIN BECAUSE THE BREAK COULD NOT STOP IT OR HOLD ON. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THREW THE CAR IN PARK EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL GOING 15 MPH AND CLIMBING. EVEN IN PARK, THE ENGINE WAS GOING AS HARD AS IT COULD GO. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE.

I WAS GETTING NEW TIRES PLACED ON MY VEHICLE WHEN MY MECHANIC NOTICED THAT MY CONTROL ARMS AS WELL AS THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED OUT. I CONTACTED SUBARU WHO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CONTROL ARMS FOR RUSTING OUT BUT NOT ON THE SUBFRAME. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO GET CONTROL ARMS PLACE ON A MECHANIC FROM THE DEALER SHIP CONTACTED ME. HE STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS IN BAD SHAPE AND THAT IF THEY WERE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THEY COULD NOT PASS THE INSPECTION PER THE LEVEL OF RUST AND CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME. THEY STATED THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR SUBFRAME WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED/FIXED. MY MECHANIC HAS NEVER SEEN A SUBFRAME CORRODE SO BADLY IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE LAST THING ON A CAR TO GO SHOULD BE THE SUBFRAME AND FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS AND I AM REALLY SURPRISED THERE IS NO RECALL IN REF TO THIS. I AM NOT SURE HOW THEY DON'T KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE WHEN THEY KNOW THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE CONTROL ARMS.

LAST WINTER ON COLD DAYS I NOTICED STRONG FUEL SMELL COMING INTO INTERIOR CABIN OF CAR, ATTRIBUTED IT TO DIRTY AIR FILTER, CHANGED IT AND WEATHER GOT NICE SO SMELL WAS GONE. NOW IT'S JANUARY AGAIN AND COLD TEMPS HAVE ARRIVED, NOTICED THE SMELL AGAIN WORSE THAN EVER. WHILE TAKING CAR FOR OIL CHANGE THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME I HAVE A FUEL LEAK AND THAT IS WHY THE CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS. NOW I WON'T DRIVE MORE THAN 10 MILES FEARFUL THAT I MAY WIND UP IN A ROLLING FIREBALL. SINCE THERE A MULTITUDES OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THIS, I THINK SUBARU OF AMERICA NEEDS TO DO 1 THING..RECALL AND REPLACE AT NO CHARGE TO OWNERS. IT SMELLS WHEN IT IS STARTED, SMELLS DURING INITIAL DRIVE AND FOR QUITE SOME TIME -- DRIVING WITH WINDOWS DOWN AT 30 DEGREES AND BELOW IS DIFFICULT, I DID IT DURING OUR BLIZZARD TOO. AREA AROUND ENGINE REEKS OF FUEL AS WELL. I ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKETS ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THOSE FOR THE PRIOR FEW YEARS WHICH MY MODEL WASN'T COVERED UNDER. INSTALLED NEW MUFFLER SO THAT'S NOT IT EITHER.

EVERYONE THE TEMPERATURE GETS BELOW FREEZING THERE IS A TERRIBLE GASOLINE SMELL THAT FILLS THE CABIN OF THE CAR. IT IS ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR AND IT CAUSES HEADACHES. THIS HAPPENS WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND WHILE DRIVING IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAD SEVERE CORROSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

INSPECTION OF VEHICLE IN JULY 18,2003 REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OD BOTH SUBFRAME BARS DUE TO SEVERE RUST. SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVED SEVERE LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. LOWER CONTROL ARM, AND DRIVERS SIDE AXLE BROKE, AND BENT WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO HOP, JUMP, LOSS OF STEERING. STOPPED BY RUNNING ALONG SIDE OF CURB. HAD TO REPLACE AXLE AND LOWER CONTROL ARM DUE TO SEVERE RUST. MECHANIC SAID PARTS WERE BACK ORDER FOR MONTHS. WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLACE SO HE RESHAPED A 2002 SUBARU ASSEMBLY TO RETURN MY VEHICLE, AFTER 11 DAYS ON HIS LIFT. I AM 73 YRS. OLD AND HAVE CHRONIC ANXIETY ISSUES. AM STILL AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE PASSENGER SIDE ALSO LOOKS RUSTY.