2018 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

OCT. 25, 2018. CAR IN GARAGE STATIONARY/STARTED VEHICLE/ DASHBOARD RED WARNING LIGHT OF SEAT WITH BELT/AIRBAG. TURNED VEHICLE OFF. 1/2 HOUR LATER, RETURNED TO CAR, SAW HEADLIGHTS ON, TWO FRONT DOORS LOCKED/DIDN'T START CAR. CALLED DEALER AND TOOK IN. SAID AIRBAG PROBLEM AND NEED PASSENGER SEAT REPLACEMENT-BUT ON BIG BACKORDER/MONTHS AND MONTHS. NO FIRM DATE. SAID CHOICE: DRIVE IT AT RISK/ OR TAKE A RENTAL. GM GAVE US LOANER. GM SAID THIS IS FIRST ONE HE HAS HEARD OF AT THEIR DEALERSHIP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND DECELERATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOHNSON SUBARU OF CARY (5010 OLD RALEIGH RD, CARY, NC 27511, (833) 287-8912) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

IT SEEMS THAT MY CAR HAS A POORLY DESIGNED/NOT-CURRENT-LIMITED USB JACK, WHICH FAILS TO PREVENT A PHONE CHARGING CABLE WITH SHORTED OR SHORTING-INTERMITTENTLY INTERVAL POWER WIRES FROM BURNING UP AND POSSIBLY CAUSING A FIRE. THE DETAILS OF MY BURNT-CABLE EVENT: ON TUESDAY EVENING OCT. 9, 2018, I GOT INTO MY CAR IN MY GARAGE. I THEN STARTED THE CAR. THE USB PART OF MY IPHONE CABLE WAS ALREADY IN THE CAR'S USB PORT, I BELIEVE. WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL IDLING IN PLACE, I THEN PLUGGED THE LIGHTENING END OF THE CABLE INTO MY IPHONE'S PORT TO CHARGE IT. I WAS STILL IDLING IN PLACE WHEN I HEARD A SOUND SIMILAR TO A PLASTIC BOTTLE POPPING INWARD OR OUTWARD AND STARTED TO LOOK AROUND IN MY CAR FOR WHAT'S GOING ON. I THEN, WITHIN SECONDS, I BELIEVE, STARTED TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL. I OPENED MY CENTER CONSOLE, SINCE THAT WAS THE MOST RECENT THING I HAD HANDLED, AND HAD PORTS IN IT, AND I SMELLED THE BURNING SMELL MORE. I QUICKLY PULLED OUT THE CABLE FROM THE USB PORT AND THE IPHONE ITSELF. I WENT ONWARD WITH THE NIGHT'S ACTIVITIES, AND THEN LATER THAT NIGHT, BACK AT THE CAR, INSPECTED THE CABLE AND SAW THAT THE LIGHTENING END (IPHONE END) WAS DISTORTED, WITH A WIRE PROTRUDING, AND A BROWN BURNT SPOT. I BELIEVE THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A FIRE IF I HADN'T QUICKLY REMOVED THE CABLE FROM THE USB PORT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING OVER 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (SUBURBAN SUBARU, 1821 MAPLELAWN DR, TROY, MI) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A BUILD UP OF DIRT AND DEBRIS IN THE WHEELS AND WHEEL WELLS. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO POWER WASH THE WHEELS AND WHEEL WELLS TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM RECURRING. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE IDLED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV HIGH AND THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY DROVE FORWARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AS THE DRIVER WAS GETTING BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD NOT BEEN DEPRESSED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH THE ENGINE IDLING, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ROLL BACKWARDS ONCE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO FOUND NO FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURES AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500. *TT CONSUMER STATED VIOLENT VIBRATION AND SHAKING AT 45MPH OR GREATER ESPECIALLY IN WINTER MONTHS WITH SNOW AND MUD BUILD UP. AUTOMATIC BRAKES SLAM FREQUENTLY WHEN IN REVERSE. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, WHEN CAR IS IN DRIVE ON AN INCLINE ENGINE STARTS REVVING. VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS WHILE FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. UPDATED 11/19/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO AN EXIT RAMP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL IDLING EXTREMELY LOW AND THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. RIMROCK SUBARU (324 S 24TH ST W, BILLINGS, MT 59102, (406) 651-5200) REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE DEALER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND OFFERED A TRADE-IN FOR A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,200. **TR *JB

THE SPEEDOMETER INFORMATION IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE IN SUNNY DAYLIGHT. NUMBERS ARE "RED". IF "POLARIZED" OR REGULAR SUN LENSES ARE USED, (INFO. (NUMBERS) CAN NOT BE READ. 2019 MODELS, THE SPEEDOMETER IS CHANGED, WITH "WHITE" CHARACTERS. FINALLY SUBARU GOT THE MESSAGE. IT IS CRITICAL TO BE DRIVING AND YOU CAN NOT SEE THE SPEED THAT YOU ARE DRIVING !

WINDSHIELD BREAKAGE 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. OUR WINDSHIELD WAS HIT TWICE BY SMALL ROCKS IN EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE TWICE WITHIN 30 DAYS. ONE BREAK ON THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD AND AGAIN ON THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD. IT APPEARS THE DESIGN OF THE HOOD FACILITIES THE DAMAGE OR THE DESIGN OF THE GLASS IS FRAGILE. THESE BREAKS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH SPEEDS OF AROUND 70 MPH. WHEN SPEAKING TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP OF OUR CONCERN THEY INFORMED US THAT SUBARU WINDSHIELDS HAD A TENDENCY TO CRACK EASILY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OFTEN. WHEN WE ASKED THEM IF THIS SEEMED LIKE A SAFETY CONCERN THEY DID NOT SOME TO THINK IT WAS.

VEHICLE WAS BEING BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE TO REPLACE THE TRASH CAN. AFTER BACKING PART WAY OUT OF THE GARAGE WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR IT SHOT FORWARD AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT HIT THE BACK GARAGE WALL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PUT INTO REVERSE IT SHOT BACKWARDS, ALSO. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS TOTALLY OUT OF THE GARAGE. THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, THE GARAGE WALL AND THE INSIDE UTILITY ROOM AND HALLWAY.

THE FORESTER HAS AN AUTOMATIC SYSTEM THAT TURNS OFF THE AIRBAGS FOR THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WHEN NO-ONE IS SITTING THERE OR WHEN THEY DO NOT WEIGH ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM. SHOULD A PERSON NEED TO SIT ON A CUSHION IN THAT SEAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE SYSTEM DOES NOT THINK ANYONE IS THERE AND TURNS OFF THE AIRBAGS. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT NEED VARIOUS CUSHIONS FOR BACK SUPPORT OR OTHER HEALTH RELATED REASONS OR BECAUSE THEY HAVE SHORT TORSOS AND FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE SITTING HIGHTER. IF THEY USE THEIR PILLOWS OR CUSHIONS, THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED BY THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. IF THEY DON'T USE THEIR CUSHIONS, THEY ARE IN PAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU AND THEY SAY THEY CANNOT CHANGE THE SYSTEM. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT PASSENGERS WILL USUALLY USE THEIR CUSHIONS TO AVOID PAIN AND HOPE THERE IS NO ACCIDENT THAT WOULD NEED AIRBAG PROTECTION. IN MY OPINION, THERE SHOULD BE AN OVERRIDE TO THE AIRBAG DISABLE SYSTEM SO ADULTS NEEDING SEAT CUSHIONS CAN STILL BE PROTECTED BY THE AIRBAG SYSTEM.

ALL MY CARS FROM 2001 THRU 20176 FORDS TOYOTAS MAZDAS ETC. ALL HAD AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKING WEATHER WHEN PUT IN GEAR OR WHEN THE CAR PROCEDED TO 10 MPH I JUST LEASED A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER IT DOES NOT DO IT! WENT TO THE DEALER THEY STATED THE CAR DOES NOT DO THAT ONLY THE LEGACY AND THE OUTBACK . THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND I WILL TAKE LEGAL MOTION AGAINST SUBARU MY CELL NUMBER IS [XXX] PLEASE CALL ME THERE IS A MODULE BOX THAT CAN BE INSTALLED AT MY OWN EXPENCE AND IM OK WITH THAT FOR 125$ I AM IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SAFETY IS A BIG ISSUE WITH ME PLEASE ALL ME FOR DIRECTION ME PERSONALLY THEY SHOULD RECALL AND HAVE THAT SAFETY ISSUE INSTALLED THE SALESPERSON DID NOT MENTION THAT THE CAR DIDNT COME WITH OUT THAT OPTION GEE WHIZ ITS LIKE NOT HAVING AN AIR BAG IN YOUR CAR. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).