2001 Subaru Forester

01 FORESTER WAS BOUGHT FROM VAN BORTEL SUBARU ON 4/24/04 COMING OFF A LEASE WITH 29,000 MILES. I HAD TO NEGOTIATE THAT DEALER TO CHECK CAR FOR SERVICE BULLETINS AND RECALLS AND ASKED FOR THE 30K MAINTENANCE TO BE COMPLETED. MINIMAL WORK WAS COMPLETED AND SUBSEQUENTLY MAJOR PROBLEMS SUCH DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS SUCH AS HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND WHEEL BEARING FAILURE HAD TO BE DONE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AT DEALER AND COMPLAINTS OF ROAD NOISE HAD BEEN SHARED WITH DEALER. TIRES WERE REPLACED AT OWNER EXPENSE IN RESPONSE. HEAD GASKET COST WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT ONE REAR WHEEL BEARING ($400) WAS NOT COVERED AND PAID BY OWNER. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED BY OTHER OWNERS SINCE 2002 AND NEITHER SUBARU NOR VAN BORTEL INFORMED OWNERS OF PROBLEMS. AS A RESULT THEY PLACED OWNERS AT RISK OF SERIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE AND INCREASED COST OF REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE REAR AXEL AND POSSIBLE SERIOUS ACCIDENT/INJURY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH WITH THE CONTACT'S FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH. SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.

AS SOON AS THE CAR AGED TO 75,000 MILES I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. THE CLOSEST SUBARU DEALER IS 51 MILES AWAY FROM MY CURRENT LOCATION. NOT EASY TO GET TO. MY IN TOWN MECHANIC HAS ONLY BEEN TRYING TO TREAT THE SYMPTOMS. I'VE HAD THERMOSTAT, HEATER CORE, VALVE COVERS, SPARK PLUG WIRES REPLACED, HOSES REPLACED, AND STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO A SUBARU DEALER THIS MORNING, STILL OVERHEATING, AND HE SAYS I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE VALVE COVERS, WIRES, OBVIOUSLY THE HEAD GASKET AND POSSIBLY A FEW OTHER PARTS. LABOR ALONE IS A 1000 DOLLARS. SUBARU SHOULD TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AS I AM NOTICING THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL POSTS AND SEVERAL WEBSITES WITH OWNERS HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED OWNING A SUBARU UP UNTIL NOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE. *JB

PURCHASED USED "AS IS" 02/01/2007 FROM DEALER THAT LISTED 2001 FORESTER AT $9800.00, THEN WHEN I WENT TO BUY THEY REDUCED COST TO $5200.00 JUST TO MOVE THEIR USED VEHICLES OFF LOT. THEY DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PROBLEMS AND SAID FORESTER WENT THOROUGH VEHICLE INSPECTION AND VEHICLE WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION MECHANICALLY. (1) FAILURE OF EMISSION SYSTEM IE,OXYGEN SENSORS (2) FRONT AND REAR LOCATIONS. SECOND DAY AFTER PURCHASE. (2) FAILURE OF LEFT FRONT CV JOINTS (2) AND AXLE. THIRD DAY AFTER PURCHASE. (3) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD ONLY GO INTO REVERSE AND NOT ANY DRIVE OR FORWARD GEARS WHILE COMING HOME FROM WORK ON "5TH" DAY OF OWNERSHIP AND THIS BEING THE "THIRD" TIME TO HAVE FORESTER TOWED TO SERVICE CENTER. I CONTACTED THE MULTI-FRANCHISED (INCLUDING SUBARU) FOR HELP AND INFORMATION. THEY RESPONDED THE FORESTER WAS SOLD AS IS AND DIDN'T CARE EVEN IF THE VEHICLE FELL IN HALF ONCE IT LEAVES THEIR LOT. MY NEXT STEP IS I CONTACTED SUBARU AMERICA OF MY VEHICLE AND DEALER PROBLEMS BY EMAIL. I RECEIVED RETURNS FROM THEM WITH VAUGE AT BEST REASONS BUT NO RECALL OR TSB INFORMATION. THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER AND WAITING FOR A PERSONAL REPLY VIA POSTAL MAIL OR TELEPHONE CALL. IN TOTAL I HAVE BEEN TOWED 3 TIMES, TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE CENTERS AND CERTIFIED. MECHANICS. PAID $300. FOR FRONT AXLE, $429.00 FOR EMMISISON REPAIRS, $150 FOR A TRANSMISSION FLUSH,FILTERS (2 ONE INTERNAL ONE EXTERNAL SPIN-ON) AND SUBARU TRANSMISSION. CONDITONER. FINALLY AFTER ALL THAT I STILL HAVE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND RARELY USE IT BECAUSE I AM AFFRAID TO DRIVE IT WITH MY TWO BABIES I HAVE, I USE MY FATHERS CAR. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE. *AK

SUBARU 2001 FORESTER, 71,440 MILES, ONE OWNER, PURCHASED 04/2000. WHILE DRIVING, GRINDING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. TALKED WITH SUBARU AND TWO INDEPENDENT GARAGES, AND ALL WITH SAME CONCLUSION - DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARING. ALL STATED THIS WAS/IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE PART WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH. SUBARU MECHANIC DIAGNOSED RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING IS PROBLEM AND IT WAS REPLACED. ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED REPLACED PART. *NM

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE. MY 2001 SUBARU FORESTER SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I HAD NOT PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I COULD NOT MAKE THE CAR STOP WITH THE BRAKE ALTHOUGH I PRACTICALLY STOOD ON THE BRAKE. MY RIGHT LEG WAS INJURED BECAUSE THE LIGAMENT WERE STRAINED BY THE FORCE I USED TO TRY TO STOP THE CAR. THE CAR SMASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR IN THE PARKING LOT AND SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP. SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER, 2005 WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AND SMASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP. I ASSUMED THEN THAT I HAD MADE A MISTAKE, BUT NOW, WITH THIS SECOND INCIDENT, I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. I HAVE ASKED THE MECHANIC TO CHECK THE ACCELERATOR. *NM