2003 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE REVERSING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

TODAY I WAS AT MY MECHANICS TO REPLACE A MUFFLER. AFTER RAISING THE CAR UP ON THE RACK HE NOTICED DESTRUCTIVE RUST THAT WAS COVERING AND INUNDATING THE K FRAME AND FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS (TRANSVERSE LINKS). IN SEPTEMBER OF 2012 I WAS AT GARY LANG SUBARU (ILLINOIS) FOR AN UNRELATED ISSUE. THE SAFETY RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE , WVX-34, REQUIRED AN INSPECTION AND REPAIRS, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACEMENT OR CORROSION TREATMENT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS (TRANSVERSE LINK). ACCORDING TO SUBARU OF AMERICA, THAT RECALL WAS "COMPLETED". THE SUBARU OPERATOR (KAYLA) COULD NOT ELABORATE ON THE TERM "COMPLETE". NO MENTION OF ANY SPECIFIC ACTION WAS REPORTED. TODAY, DURING THE INSPECTION OF SAID AREA, MY MECHANIC INDICATED THAT NO PROOF EXISTED OF EITHER CORRECTIVE ACTION, EITHER UNDERCOATING OR MECHANICAL REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, AND AT SOME POINT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT LOSS OF CONTROL WILL FOLLOW IF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BREAKS. I WILL PURSUE THE SUBARU DEALER FOR REPAIRS BUT HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY.

WE PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND MAINTAINED IT ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. HOWEVER, AROUND 75,000 MILES THE HEAD GASKETS STARTED LEAKING. AFTER EACH USE OF THE CAR, OIL WOULD LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND PRODUCE A BURNT OIL SMELL IN THE GARAGE; NOT GOOD. THE LEAK REMAINED LIMITED AND OUR SERVICE TECHNICIAN (AAA-APPROVED), ADVISED US TO NOT MAKE ANY REPAIRS RIGHT AWAY, BUT TO MONITOR THE LEAK. THE LEAKING BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND AFFECTED BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOXER CYLINDER HEADS. AT 90,000 MILES, THE LEAKS REQUIRED A FULL HEAD GASKET REPAIR, NECESSITATING EXTRACTION OF THE ENTIRE ENGINE. WHILE THIS WORK WAS DONE, TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP AND OTHER UNRELATED MAINTENANCE ISSUES WERE PERFORMED. THE MAIN COMPLAINT WE HAVE IS WITH THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THIS BOXER ENGINE'S HEAD GASKETS. SUBARU *KNOWS* THERE IS A PROBLEM AS IT RECOMMENDS AN COOLANT ADDITIVE FOR OLDER ENGINES IN AN ATTEMPT TO POSTPONE THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. AND A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS THAT MANY THOUSANDS OF SUBARU OWNERS HAVE HAD HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, YET SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA) HAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL. IF THE BOXER ENGINE DESIGN IS PRONE TO HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, AS IT APPEARS TO BE IN SUBARUS, AND FAILURES HAPPEN WELL BEFORE 100,000 MILES, SUBARU SHOULD STAND BEHIND ITS DESIGN AND COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THESE EXPENSIVE FAILURES. OUR REPAIR COST NEARLY $4,000, WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WE BELIEVE SOA SHOULD ISSUE RECALL FOR A FAULTY ENGINE DESIGN, AND DEVELOP A HEAD GASKET THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME! SOA CONTINUES TO BUILD THIS SAME ENGINE INTO ITS CURRENT MODELS, AND THE PURCHASERS OF THESE VEHICLES WILL EACH DISCOVER THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, WHEN WARRANTIES HAVE EXPIRED AND REQUIRE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. IF THESE PROBLEMS HAD LED TO CRASHES SOA BE FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND A GRINDING NOISE EMITTED OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED. IN 2012, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION) AND A RUSTPROOF SOLUTION WAS APPLIED TO THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

FIRST EVENT WAS IN DECEMBER 2014, LONG ISLAND, NY: AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 3 MILES, STOPPED WITH CAR SHUT OFF FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, WHEN RESTARTING, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG FRESH/RAW GAS ODOR IN THE CAR. SICKENING ODOR. THIS HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER DID A SMOKE TEST, SAID THEY FIXED IT BY TIGHTENING CLAMPS ON FUEL RAIL ON 2/11/15. THE ODOR CONTINUES SPORADICALLY. NOW, MARCH 3, 2015, THEY WANT TO REPLACE HOSES ON FUEL RAILS. MILEAGE IS JUST OVER 92,200. *TR

ON WINTER DAYS, WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE NOT UNUSUALLY LOW FOR A NORTHERN STATE, THE FUEL LINES ON THE FORESTER WILL SHRINK AND CONTRACT. THE RESULT IS THAT FUEL WILL LEAK OUT OF THE LINE RESULTING IN TWO THINGS, FUEL VAPORS IN THE CABIN AND FUEL PUDDLING ON THE ENGINE. FUEL PUDDLING ON THE ENGINE REPRESENTS ON OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. THE HEAVY FUEL VAPORS AND ODOR IN THE CABIN CAUSED ME TO BECOME NAUSEOUS AND LIGHT HEADED. IN ORDER TO DRIVE HOME SAFELY, THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE OPENED ALMOST COMPLETELY. LUCKILY THEY WERE NOT FROZEN UP, WHICH IS ALSO COMMON IN WINTER MONTHS. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SEVERAL DAYS WHERE WIND CHILL ALONE COULD RESULT IN FROST BITE IN ONLY A FEW MINUTES. I COULD NOT HAVE ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOWS SAFELY ON THOSE DAYS OR IN SIMILAR TEMPS BECAUSE OF THE ADDED VEHICLE SPEED. SOA IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO CORRECT THE ISSUE OR ADMIT THAT IT APPLIES TO MOST OF ITS MODELS. THE PROBLEM EVEN CONTINUES ON LATER MODELS. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE, SEE THIS THREAD THAT SPANS SEVERAL YEARS (CONTINUING TODAY): HTTP://WWW.SUBARUFORESTER.ORG/VBULLETIN/F87/SMELL-GAS-COLD-STARTS-41319/ THE LINES AND PROBLEM ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE IMPREZA ISSUE, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 09-36-03. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER COATED THE CONTROL ARMS, BUT THE CONTROL ARMS WERE RUSTED THROUGH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

BAD RAW FUEL ODOR IN CABIN IN COLD WEATHER, HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR WEEKS. WENT ONLINE, FOUND TONS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2003 FORESTER, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JS

2003 - SUBARU - FORESTER - BODY HARDWARE, FENDER, STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS & RAILS, LOWER FRAME LEFT IS COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SUPPORT STRUT BESIDE IT BUT NONE ON THIS. THIS IS A MAJOR CRASH PROTECTION COMPONENT AS IT CONNECTS THE BUMPER TO THE FRAME. I TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL SO IT IS MY PROBLEM. CLEARLY THE STEEL THAT WAS USED WAS SUBJECT TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN SALTY/HUMID ROAD CONDITIONS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL ON THE STRUT. THE OTHER SIDE (RIGHT) IS IN GOOD CONDITION, INDICATING DEFECTIVE MATERIALS IN THIS PART. *TR

IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE IS OVERCOME WITH FUEL FUMES. IT HAPPENS AT IDLE AND LOW SPEEDS, DOES GO AWAY ONCE WE ARE DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES OVER 30 MPH. IT IS SO BAD WE HAD TO DRIVE WITH WINDOWS OPEN IN 5 DEGREE WEATHER. DEFINITELY COMING IN THROUGH THE HEAT VENTS, HOWEVER, SHUTTING THE HEAT OFF DID NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS MY FIRST WINTER WITH THE CAR AND DIDN'T HAVE THIS HAPPEN UNTIL THE LAST FEW DAYS, WHEN THE TEMPS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY BELOW 30 DEGREES F. I'VE READ NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS, NOT SURE WHY THERE IS NO RECALL/SERVICE BULLETIN BUT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE. IT CAN'T BE SAFE TO BREATHE THESE FUMES! WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM, AS WE OTHERWISE LOVE THIS VEHICLE! *TR