1999 Subaru Forester

I BOUGHT A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER S LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO. IN DECEMBER 2003, AT APPROX. 71,200 MILES, THE CAR BEGAN LOOSING ANTIFREEZE. I DISCOVERED THAT I NEEDED A HEAD GASKET JOB. NOW I FIND THEY HAVE A RECALL ON THIS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I DISCOVERED THE MYSTERIOUS "VANISHING OIL" PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. AT 75,775, I CHECKED THE OIL AND FOUND IT MOSTLY GONE! I RETURNED TO MY MECHANIC, WHO FOUND NO EXTERNAL LEAK AND NO SIGN OF OIL BURNING ON THE SPARK PLUGS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH (SEE NHTSA COMPLAINTS), THIS APPEARS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES. I CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND ADD OIL AS NECESSARY. I SEEM TO NEED 1 QUART PER 1500 MILES, APPROXIMATELY. NOW, THE FINAL PROBLEM. ON 3/24/04, AT 77,848, I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH, HEARD A STRANGE NOISE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND COASTED TO A SAFE TURN OUT. AFTER TOWING THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TOP OF THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD POPPED OFF, RELEASING THE HYDRAULIC AND OF COURSE THE TIMING BELT. HE HAS NEVER SEEN A TENSIONER FAIL, AND OUT OF THE HUNDREDS OF NEW TIMING BELTS HE HAS DONE, HE ONLY HAD TO REPLACE ABOUT A DOZEN THAT WERE OUT OF SPECS. WE DEBATED A COURSE OF ACTION AND, SINCE IT IS A NON-INTERFERENCE MOTOR, I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TENSIONER AND NOT THE ENTIRE MOTOR. HE ALSO DID A HAND CRANK TO CHECK FOR RESISTANCE OR OTHER HEAD DAMAGE. AFTER WAITING NEARLY 2 WEEKS FOR PARTS (DUE TO SUBARU'S PART ORDERING METHOD), HE REPLACED THE TENSIONER. WHEN TESTING THE ENGINE, IT DID NOT SOUND RIGHT. HE DID A COMPRESSION TEST AND FOUND NO COMPRESSION ON 3 CYLINDERS! SO NOW I HAD THE SHOCKING PROSPECT OF NEEDING A NEW ENGINE!I DECIDED I BETTER GET HELP FROM THE DEALER, AS THIS ALL APPEARS TO BE A QUALITY ISSUE THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO THIS ENGINE AT THIS MILEAGE. THE CAR IS NOW AT STOHLMAN SUBARU IN VIENNA, VA. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH TEMPERATURE GAUGE SUDDENLY WENT INTO THE HOT ZONE. CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. CHECKED THE FLUIDS LEVEL, ADDED WATER, AND GOT BACK ON THE ROAD, AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK INTO THE HOT ZONE. CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE.*AK

ENGINE SEIZED AND BLEW AT 30,000 - I PROVIDED SUBARU WITH ALL RECEIPTS FOR OIL CHANGES THAT COMPLIED WITH WARRANTY. SUBARUA DENIED WARRANTY WRITING THAT OHIO HAS SUCH SEVERE WEATHER THAT THE WARRANTY PROVISIONS DID NOT APPLY. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT SUBARU HAS NO SUCH WARRANTY POLICY. SUBARU DESTROYED MY ENGINE OIL, AFTER RECEIVING A CERTIFIED LETTER DIRECTING THAT THE OIL BE PRESERVED FOR TESTING, CHARGED ME FOR THE OIL'S DISPOSAL, TORE DOWN MY ENGINE, DESTROYED THE DEFECTIVE PARTS, CHARGED ME FOR THE ENGINE TEAR DOWN, AND HAS REFUSED TO COOPERATE IN DISCOVER - I SUED - COURT ORDERED SUBARU TO COMPLY WITH DISCOVERY, AND SUBARU ADMITTED THAT IT'S LETTER DENYING MY WARRANTY WAS BASED ON A FALSE REASON. MY TRIAL AGAINST SUBARU IS IN SEPTEMBER - TRYING TO FIND OTHER INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HELP.

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, IT BURNS WELL OVER A QUART OF OIL WHEN IT TRAVELED 1000 MILES. HENCE HAVING TO REPLACE 3 TO 4 QTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. THE DEALER INSISTS THAT THIS IS ?NORMAL.? I THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PUT THIS ON THE STICKER INFORMATION OF ALL NEW CARS WHILE OTHERS ARE DOCUMENTING THE SAME INFORMATION. *LA

CHRONIC ENGINE AND OIL LEAKAGE OF A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER. NO SATISFACTION FROM 2 DEALERSHIPS (BALD HILL SUBARU AND PILGRIM SUBARU). I HAVE NOTED THE LAST DATE OF SERVICE, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CONSTANT AND CHRONIC. I HAVE LOST TIME FROM WORK, HAD BREAKDOWNS ON 2 VACATIONS, AND HAVE CONSTANT ANXIETY ABOUT THE SITUATION. *NLM