2012 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

TL* I RECEIVED AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE (1ST NOTICE) FOR MY 2012 SUBARU FORESTER REGARDING POTENTIAL BRAKE LINE CORROSION. IT COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID IMPAIRING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STOP THE CAR BY INCREASING BRAKING DISTANCE. IN THE 1ST NOTICE SUBARU AGREED TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THE BREAK LINES FREE OF CHARGE. SUBARU STATED THAT IT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING ANTI-CORROSION MATERIALS AND REPLACEMENT PARTS TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY REPAIR. THEY WOULD RE-CONTACT THE OWNER BY MAIL WHEN THE MATERIAL WERE AVAILABLE. WHEN THE 2ND WAS RECEIVED THE OWNER WAS TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER FOR THE INSPECTION AND ANY NECESSARY REPAIRS. UNTIL THEN THERE WERE SEVERAL IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN INCLUDING, MONITORING BRAKE FLUID LEAKS, BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AND PRESSURE, STOPPING DISTANCE, AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT. SHOULD ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS BECOME APPARENT THE OWNER SHOULD CONTACT THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THE DRIVER SHOULD MAINTAIN SAFE BRAKING DISTANCE AND TAKE EXTRA CARE WHEN PARKING AND IN TIGHT SPACES. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED IT WOULDN'T BE UNTIL NOVEMBER 2014 UNTIL THE 2ND NOTICE WAS TO BE RECEIVED (3 MONTHS AWAY FROM THE 1ST NOTICE). THE OWNER THEN CALLED THE DEALER WHO, WITHIN A WEEK, INSPECTED, CLEANED, AND APPLIED ANTI-CORROSION MATERIALS TO THE BRAKE LINES. THE OWNER HAVING TO TAKE THE PRECAUTIONS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN MY OPINION. SUBARU SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS AND INSPECTION. THE BRAKING SYSTEM SHOULD BE INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A RISK OF A BRAKE MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE DOES HAVE DUAL BRAKING SYSTEM, BRAKELINE MATERIALS AND EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS IS LIKELY THE SAME FOR BOTH SYSTEMS. COULD BOTH SYSTEMS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM SIMULTANEOUSLY? IF THERE IS A LARGE ENOUGH LEAK IN 1 SYSTEM THAT GOES UNDETECTED COULD IT EMPTY THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR AFFECTING THE 2ND SYSTEM'S CAPABILITY? SUBARU CAMPAIGN WQK-47 RECALL NO. 14V-311 JULY 2014. UPDATED 11/20/14 *JS

ENGINE USING SYNTHETIC OW-20 OIL PER DEALER RECOMMENDATION USES OIL FASTER THAN NEW CAR SHOULD. OIL CHANGED 18,951MI. AT AROUND 22,000 OIL WAS NOTED LEAKING AROUND OIL FILTER. ALSO DIPSTICK SHOWING LOW LEVEL. OWNER HAD TO ADD OIL WHILE ON A TRIP. AFTER 24,393MI OIL FILTER LEAK REPORTED, DEALER REPLACED GASKET 803916010 AND TOPPED OFF OIL. AT 26,312 MI, OIL AGAIN CHANGED BY DEALER. 3K MI LATER (29,000MI) OIL AGAIN SHOWED BELOW LOW ON DIPSTICK REQUIRING OWNER TO ADD OIL. 32,191 MI SERVICE APPOINTMENT OIL CHANGE BY DEALER STATES "CLOSE TO FULL." DEALER TOLD US THAT CARS USE A QUART OF OIL EVERY THOUSAND MILES NORMALLY. NO LEAK FOUND ON INSPECTION. I ALWAYS PARK IN THE SAME PLACE AT PARKING GARAGE AND THERE ARE NO OIL LEAKS ON THE CONCRETE. MY FAMILY HAS HAD 2 OTHER NEW SUBARU VEHICLES SINCE 2003 WHICH ALSO USE SYNTHETIC OIL AND NO OTHER CAR HAS HAD THIS OIL USAGE. I HAVE OWNED 6 NEW CARS IN MY LIFETIME. I KNOW HOW TO MAINTAIN AN ENGINE BY FREQUENT CHECKS AND MAINTENANCE. MY CONCERN IS THAT OWNERS MAY LOSE AN ENGINE DUE TO SEIZURE IF THEY FOLLOW SUBARU RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGE BY MILEAGE OR MONTHS. SOME OWNERS WHO ARE NOT DILIGENT IN CHECKING FREQUENTLY MAY LOSE AN ENGINE. MY OTHER CONCERN IS THAT EITHER SUBARU ENGINE DESIGN, GASKETS, OR OTHER PARTS MAY BE TO BLAME IN EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS A BLOCK FROM HOME AFTER HAVING HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES FROM WORK WHEN I HEARD A LOUD "POP." I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HIT THE CAR. I COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE INTO MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SUDDENLY FOLDED INTO THE FENDER, AND I COULD NOT MOVE FURTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT VIA THE ROADSIDE SERVICE OFFERED THROUGH SUBARU, AS THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT WAS MISSING A BOLT. BOTH THE SERVICE PEOPLE AND THE GENERAL MANAGER HAD STATED TO ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE AND THOUGHT, POSSIBLY, THE BOLT WAS NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY AT THE FACTORY. THE REPAIR DOCUMENT READS AS FOLLOWS: "CONFIRMED CUSTOMERS CONCERN RIGHT FRONT STRUT MISSING BOLT, RECOMMEND TO REPLACE STRUT AND HAT WITH NEW BOLTS. RECOMMEND TO REPLACE HAT DUE TO DAMAGED BENT STRUT. WITH CUSTOMERS AUTHORIZATION REMOVED AND REPLACED RIGHT FRONT STRUT AND NEEDED HARDWARE. REPLACED STRUT HAT AND COMPLETED. TORQUED ALL WHEELS AND ALL RELATED NUTS AND BOLTS TO SPECIFICATION." I HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM SINCE I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK ON MARCH 18, 2014. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY NOT BE JUST MY VEHICLE. HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT A MUCH HIGHER SPEED, THIS COULD HAVE ENDED UP VERY BADLY FOR NOT ONLY ME BUT OTHERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. THANK YOU *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO AN ATM MACHINE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,700. UPDATED 04/30/14 MA UPDATED 04/19/16*LJ *TR

THE ENGINE CONSUMES TOO MUCH OIL FOR SUCH A RELATIVELY NEW & LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE 2ND COMPLAINT TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS CONCERN. EACH TIME THE ENGINE OIL IS CHECKED THE DIPSTICK WOULD NOT REGISTER ANY OIL READING. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALER CHANGED THE OIL & FILTER UNDER WARRANTY AS PER BULLETIN 02-144-13R & HAVING ME RETURN AFTER AN ADDITIONAL 1200 MILES OF DRIVING. THIS ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE FOR HAVING OIL USAGE AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND BEGIN RELATIVELY NEW. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS IN MY TIME AND UNDERSTAND ALL CARS CONSUME OIL AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER BUT NOT WHEN THE CAR IS STILL PRACTICALLY NEW. DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, MOST WITH NO RESOLUTION. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD MAINLY FOR THE OWNERS WHO ARE NOT AS SAVVY WITH VEHICLES. THE ENGINE OIL COULD RUN OUT & SEIZE THE MOTOR OF WHICH CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING DURING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, HE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THEN INTO A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,500. UPDATED 11/14/13*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD INDEPENDENTLY DISABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING ACCORDING TO STANDARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,650 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,626. UPDATED 10/17/13*LJ

SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION: STEPPED ON BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN. INSTEAD ENGINE REVS INCREASED AND CAR SPED UP. WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR UNDER CONTROL BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED, ONLY BY TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND REPLACING IT SEVERAL TIMES. SAME PROBLEM AS OCCURRED WITH THIS VEHICLE ON 10/12/2012. SEE ODI # 10484833. *TR

NOTICE TWO BLEMISHES ON TIRE SIDE WALL AFTER BUYING NEW CAR, 1 YEAR LATER BULGING IS BIGGER. *TR

2012 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UNLESS HE DROVE THE VEHICLE REGULARLY, OR STARTED IT AND LET THE ENGINE IDLE, THE COMPLEX OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS WOULD RUN DOWN THE BATTERY TO A NO START AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ALL SYSTEMS WOULD BE DEAD. THE CONSUMER STATED SELLERS ADMITTED TO THE PROBLEM AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND RUNNING THE ENGINE MORE OFTEN.