2006 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

THIS IS A REPEATABLE EVENT THAT COULD LEAD TO AN INJURY: PURCHASED A NEW 2006 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5X END OF OCTOBER 2005. AFTER APPROX. TWO WEEKS CAR BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE UNEXPECTED ENGINE RPM INCREASES IMMEDIATELY AFTER A "COLD START." WHEN CAR IS FIRST STARTED, ENGINE RPMS ARE AT AROUND 1500. PUT CAR INTO REVERSE AND BACK OUT OF PARKING SPACE. WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED, ENGINE RPMS SHOOT UP TO 3000+. THEN, AFTER PUTTING CAR IN 1ST GEAR, AND RELEASING CLUTCH, ENGINE RPMS DROP TO ABOUT 1500 BUT SLOWLY INCREASE TO AROUND 2500-3000 RPM AND VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES WITHOUT FOOT EVEN BEING ON THE ACCELERATOR. PROBLEM USUALLY CLEARS UP AFTER DRIVING A FEW MINUTES EXCEPT ON ONE OCCASION WHEN CAR HAD BEEN OPERATING FOR AROUND 15 MINUTES... WHEN I CAME HOME FOR LUNCH AND PULLED INTO OUR DRIVE AND PUT IN THE CLUTCH, THE RPMS SHOT UP TO AROUND 3000. TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING WILL "RESET" THE RPMS TO AROUND 1500 UNTIL IT IS PUT IN GEAR ONCE AGAIN AND THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED. A COUPLE OF TIMES THIS HAPPENED: AFTER THE RPMS SHOT UP TO 3000+, I KEPT THE CLUTCH PRESSED TO SEE HOW LONG THE RPMS WOULD STAY AROUND 3000. THE RPMS DID A DECAYING SINUSOIDAL OSCILLATION OF ABOUT 6 CYCLES OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 30-45 SECONDS, FINALLY LEVELING OUT AROUNT 1500 RPM. *NM

APPARENTLY, SUBARU HAS GONE TO A ??DRIVE BY WIRE?? FOR AT LEAST 2006. THE 2006 FORESTER I HAVE HAS THE SURGING PROBLEM. IT IS WORST DRIVING DOWNHILL AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT SPEED IN EITHER MANUAL OR CRUISE CONTROL. THE STEEPER THE HILL THE WORSE THE SURGE. I LIVE IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS AND IF THERE WERE SNOW OR ICE THIS SURGE WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE TRACTION AND GO OUT OF CONTROL. ACTIVELY ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING IS NOT A PROBLEM. THE SURGE OCCURS ONLY WHEN A CONSTANT SPEED IS ATTEMPTED. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY A SUBARU DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND REPRODUCED ON ANOTHER 2006 FORESTER. SUBARU SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM AND IS EXPECTED WITH THE DRIVE BY WIRE SYSTEM. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AS A DRIVER COULD LOOSE CONTROL WITH THE SEVERE SURGE PROBLEM. *JB

VEHICLE- 2006 SUBARU FORESTER WITH 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ON COLD STARTS, THE ENGINE RACES UNCONTROLLABLY UP TO 3500 RPM AFTER THE CLUTCH IS RELEASED. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO ACCELERATE BRISKLY TO 15-20 MPH. THIS HAS OCCURED REPEATEDLY SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN LATE SEPTEMBER. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE IS HESITATED AND SURGED. THIS HAPPENED MORE OFTEN WHEN TRAVELING DOWN A MOUNTAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS, AND THE PROBLEM WAS DUPLICATED. HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER CONCLUDED THERE WAS ACTUALLY NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED $1,000 GIFT CERTIFICATE AS INCENTIVE TO HAVE NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH THEM. *AK