2003 Subaru Forester

ON MONDAY NIGHT, 5 FEB. 2007, WHEN I PARKED MY CAR IN THE GARAGE IT SMELLED STRONGLY OF GASOLINE. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND THE ODOR SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I DID NOT SEE ANY GASOLINE LEAKING. THE STRENGTH OF THE ODOR SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THE COLD WEATHER (15-20 DEG. F). THAT MONDAY WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD EVER NOTICED THE SMELL OF GASOLINE EMANATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ODOR WAS SO INTENSE THAT I DECIDED TO PARK THE CAR OUTSIDE AS A PRECAUTION. I DROVE THE CAR TUESDAY MORNING AND PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE AND IT SMELLED OF GAS AGAIN. AS THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE HAS INCREASED, THE INTENSITY OF THE SMELL HAS DECREASED. DURING VERY COLD WEATHER SMALL AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE SEEMED TO BE LEAKING FROM ONE OF THE FUEL LINES OR ESCAPING FROM THE ENGINE. ON 9 FEBRUARY, I BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER (HERITAGE SUBARU, OWINGS MILLS, MD) SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE GASOLINE SMELL. THE DEALER REPLACED THREE SHORT RUBBER FUEL HOSES (P/N 807707130) FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE REPLACED HOSES SHOWED NO SIGN OF WEAR, HOLES, CUTS, ABRASIONS ETC., BUT THE DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THAT FUEL HAD PERMEATED THE HOSE MATERIAL ALLOWING FUMES AND POSSIBLY SMALL AMOUNTS OF FUEL TO ESCAPE. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN MATERIAL OR DESIGN SINCE THE CAR IS ONLY 3.5 YEARS OLD AND THE REPLACED HOSES SHOW NO SIGNS OF WEAR (I.E., OLD AND NEW HOSES APPEAR ON THE OUTSIDE TO BE IDENTICAL). I HAVE THE OLD HOSES AND CAN PROVIDE THEM FOR INSPECTION. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE VEHICLE'S FAILURE OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED A SUBARU DEALER AND NORTH AMERICAN SUBARU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE EXCEEDED 100,000 IT REQUIRED A NEW HEAD GASKET. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT WAS A LEAK IN THE RADIATOR, WHICH WAS REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT SUSPECTED THE HEAD GASKET WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS LEAK. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS A COOLANT LEAK WHICH WAS ALSO REPAIRED, WHICH OCCURRED TWO DAYS AFTER THE ORIGINAL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER ANDWAS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED.

TOOK FORESTER INTO SUBARU DEALER FOR 3K OIL CHANGE; WAS TOLD THAT ALMOST ALL OF MY ANTI-FREEZE WAS GONE AND THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING, NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT $1500. MILES ON VEHICLE: 78K, PURCHASED 6/02 NEW, ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AT DEALER PER SCHEDULE. AT THIS TIME, I'M LOOKING INTO WEBSITES TO IDENTIFY IF THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT'S SYSTEMIC WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE SOURCES TO FIX VEHICLE TO REDUCE COST. *JB

I RECENTLY HAD AN UNCOMFORTABLE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS INCIDENT WITH MY 2003 FORESTER, AT, OF ALL PLACES, THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I HAD STOPPED TO DISCUSS A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. UPON LEAVING, MY FORESTER WOULD NOT START, BUT EXHIBITED SYMPTOMS OF INITIALLY FUEL STARVATION, AND THEN POOR IGNITION; IT RAN FOR 1/2-1 MINUTE, MISSING FREQUENTLY AND THEN WOULD DIE; WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, IT WOULD NOT RUN AT ALL, SUGGESTING EITHER COMPLETE FUEL OR IGNITION FAILURE. THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLOSED AT 6, AND THEIR SUGGESTION WAS TO TOW THE FORESTER TO THE NEARLY SUBARU DEALERSHIP, ONE BLOCK AWAY. AND SUGGEST THAT NEXT TIME I GET A RAV4. THE SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLOSED AT 5:30, OF COURSE, AND THERE WERE ONLY SALESPEOPLE PRESENT. THEIR SUGGESTION WAS TO ALSO TOW THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. FINALLY, THE SALES MANAGER SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT BE THE SECURITY SYSTEM. OF COURSE, MY FORESTER DID NOT HAVE THAT OPTION, BUT HE SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD MOST OF THE CIRCUITRY EXISTED, AND THAT CERTAIN COMBINATIONS OF LOCKING/UNLOCKING THE DOOR WITH THE KEY, OR THE DOOR SWITCH, COULD ACTIVATE THE IGNITION CUTOFF. HE TOLD ME TO SHUT ALL THE DOORS AND THEN LOCK/UNLOCK THE DOORS TWICE WITH THE REMOTE. I WALKED BACK, DID THAT, AND THE FORESTER STARTED. AFTER DRIVING BACK AND THANKING HIM, I CAREFULLY READ BOTH THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND THE SEPARATE MANUAL FOR THE REMOTE/SECURITY SYSTEM. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM. LUCKILY, THIS HAPPENED IN DAYLIGHT, WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE SUBARU DEALER, AND THERE ALSO HAPPENED TO BE SOMEONE THERE WHO COULD SUGGEST A CURE. 1) IS THIS A KNOWN FAULT IN THE SYSTEM? 2) IF KNOWN (AND THE MANAGER SAID HE HAD HEARD OF SEVERAL CASES) WHY IS THERE NOT SOME DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE SIMPLE SOLUTION. *JB

2003 FORESTER FOR PAST 2 YEARS THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTING ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. SUBARU TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT THE AIR BAG CONNECTOR UNDER DRIVERS SEAT WAS LOOSE AND HE PLUGGED IT BACK IN. THAT FIXED IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH. SINCE THEN WHEN LIGHT COMES ON I HAVE TO REACH UNDER SEAT FROM REAR FOOT AREA AND WIGGLE BOTH PLUGS, AIR BAG LIGHT GOES OUT AND WORKS FOR ABOUT A MONTH THEN I HAVE TO REPEAT THE PROCEDURE. I DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF MY AIRBAG BEING DISABLED BY A LOOSE PLUG. WHAT IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AFTER THE PLUG LOOSENED BUT BEFORE I RESTARTED MOTOR (APPARENTLY COMPUTER ONLY CHECKS AIR BAG CIRCUIT EACH TIME CAR IS STARTED AND LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN CONNECTOR BECOMES LOOSE). *JB

MARCH 16TH 2006. 5:00 PM. IT HAD SNOWED EARLIER THAT DAY. WITNESS CLAIMS THE 2003 SUBARU FORESTER SLID IN A CURVE INTO AN ON COMING LANE. UNIT SPUN AROUND AND WAS HIT IN THE LEFT REAR CORNER(TAIL LIGHT SECTION) SHOVING THE REAR BODY PANEL AND QUARTER PANEL INSIDE THE UNIT BEHIND THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT. LEFT REAR TIRE WAS TORN FROM THE UNIT. THE REAR SHADE COVER (CARGO AREA) FLEW OUT OF IT'S HOLDERS NOW BENT IS A (V-SHAPE) AND HIT MY WIFE IN HER RIGHT TEMPLE, ADDING TO THE HEAD TRAUMA SHE RECEIVED WHEN THE SEAT BELTS FAILED AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED. HER FOREHEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, THE LEFT BACK PART OF THE HEAD WAS CRUSHED HITTING THE HINGE PILLAR AND RIGHT TEMPLE WAS BRUISED FROM THE REAR CARGO COVER. IN SECONDS, LEFT HER BLEEDING TO DEATH IN THIS UNIT. I CALLED SUBARU CORP. IN MARCH TO INFORM THEM OF THE ACCIDENT (JUST) IN CASE THEY WANTED TO INVESTIGATE. (NOT INTERESTED) (VERY RUDE) I STILL HAVE THE UNIT HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHECK IT OUT. IT'S (SUPPOSE) TO BE THE SAFEST UNIT ON THE ROAD? *JB

2003 SUBARU FORESTER PURCHASED MAY 2003 1. BRAKES DID NOT FEEL CORRECT - LOW BRAKE PEDAL 2. MADE APPOINTMENT AT AAA AUTO MARK CAR CARE CENTER FOR BRAKES TO BE CHECKED 3. AAA AUTO MARK CAR CARE CENTER PERSON SAID THAT OUR MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OUR VEHICLE MILEAGE - 18046 - AND EVEN THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (36 MONTHS MAXIMUM), THEY CONTACTED THE LOCAL SUBARU BUT SUBARU SAID SEEING THE CAR WAS OUT OF THE 36 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD, SUBARU WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE PART OR REPAIR. 4. WE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED SO AAA AUTO MARK CAR CARE CENTER PURCHASED THE PARTS NEEDED (1- MASTER CYLINDER, 2 WHEEL CYLINDERS) AND REPLACED THEM. WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED THE OLD PARTS. 5. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE HAD MANY CARS OVER MANY YEARS AND NEVER HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A MASTER CYLINDER EVEN THOUGH THE MILEAGE DRIVEN ON THE CARS WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN 18046 ON THE SUBARU. *NM