2004 Subaru Forester

MY 2004 FORESTER 2.5XT SUSTAINED A SIGNIFICANT MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON 10/25/11 DAMAGING THE FRONT & REAR END AT A REPAIR COST APPROACHING 9K. MY SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD ME IN PLACE -- NO OTHER VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. SUBARU CORP IN NJ, USA WAS NOTIFIED. I BELIEVE THE 'EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR' (ELR) FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED; MY CHEST SLAMMED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL TWICE WHEN I WAS HIT IN THE REAR AND WHEN I SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THIS HAPPENED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND 10MPH WAS ESTIMATED WHEN TRAVELING FROM A STOPPED POSITION INTO THE VAN IN FRONT. I WAS INJURED WITH A BLACK & BLUE MARK ON MY CHEST WITH SOME DISCOMFORT FOR 2 WEEKS. MY BODY BENT AT THE WAIST AND MY NECK WAS NOT EFFECTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CABIN AREA WHERE THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES ARE LOCATED WERE NOT DAMAGED BY THE CRASH. WITHIN 1 WEEK SUBARU REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM ME AND RESOLVED THE CASE. I APPRECIATE THE COMPANY'S QUICK RESPONSE, BUT I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RESOLUTION. I REQUESTED THAT THE SEAT BELTS BE EVALUATED BY SUBARU EXPERTS ALONG WITH OTHER ASSOCIATED SAFETY COMPONENTS, AND TO HAVE MY SEAT BELT (AT A MINIMUM) REPLACED BY MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AT NO COST TO ME. MANUAL STATES TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT IF IN AN ACCIDENT. THE COMPANY RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, THAT SUBARU CORPORATION WILL NOT DO ANYTHING, WILL NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND WILL NOT PAY FOR NEW SEAT BELTS. THE COMPANY ALSO DID NOT REQUEST ANY PHOTOS FROM THE COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY TO VALIDATE THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT PHYSICALLY ALTERED BY THE IMPACT. IT WAS THE CRASH THAT REVEALED THAT THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT OPERATE AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, TO HOLD ME BACK IN MY SEAT. BECAUSE I CONTACTED SUBARU CORP WITH NO VISUAL DAMAGE TO MY SEAT BELT, THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT REPLACE THE SEAT BELT. MY COST IS OVER $500. *TR

GAS LINES LEAK ON 2004 SUBARU FORESTER XT WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES FALL BELOW 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF FUEL LEAK INTO THE ENGINE AREA, AND STRONG FUMES ENTER THE PASSENGER AREA. NHTSA HAS ALREADY ISSUED A TSB ON THE SUBARU WXT REGARDING THE SAME PROBLEM. CONCERNED ABOUT FIRE HAZARD AND INHALATION OF GASOLINE VAPORS. VERY STRONG ODOR. COULD NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE. *TT

FOR THREE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS LIGHT STAYING ILLUMINATED. ACCORDING TO SUBARU SERVICE, THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. ON THE LAST VISIT TO THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THAT THE UNDER-SEAT CONNECTIONS FOR THE AIRBAGS WERE CORRODED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. SINCE THESE CONNECTIONS ARE NOT EXPOSED TO THE OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT THEY SHOULD NOT CORRODE UNLESS THE EQUIPMENT IS DEFECTIVE. SINCE THIS DEFECT REPRESENTS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, THERE SHOULD BE A CORRECTIVE RECALL. *TR

FUEL ODOR NOTED IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT STARTING 4/9/11, (137218 MI) 55 DEGREE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, VEHICLE RUNNING FOR 10+ MINUTES AND UP TO TEMPERATURE. AT STOP LIGHT WHEN ODOR BEGAN. CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE BECAME NAUSEATED AND BEGAN RETCHING. WINDOWS DOWN TO VENT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ODOR IDENTIFIED IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND ENGINE BAY ONLY, NO RAW FUEL ODOR IN EXHAUST OR SURROUNDING THE VEHICLE. 4/11/11, 52 DEGREES, 137463 MI 4/13/11, TIGHTENED ACCESSIBLE FUEL LINE CLAMPS IN ENGINE BAY 4/27/11, 40 DEGREES, 138113 MI 4/28/11, 53 DEGREES, 138215 MI 4/30/11, ISOLATED LEAK TO AREA IMMEDIATELY BELOW MANIFOLD, NEAR AIR FILTER ON LEFT SIDE (PASSENGER SIDE) OF ENGINE; ABLE TO VISUALIZE FUEL LEAKING ONTO ENGINE AT RATE OF 5 DROPS/10 SECONDS. 5/1/11 45 DEGREES, 138511 MI CONCERNS OVER SAFETY OF EXPOSED FUEL IN ENGINE BAY (EXPLOSION HAZARD), AS WELL AS EFFECT OF FUMES ON ADULTS/CHILDREN (TOXICITY), AND NON-COMPLIANCE WITH EPA STANDARDS. TO CONTACT SUBARU OF AMERICA TO DISCUSS OPTIONS FOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF AFFECTED PARTS

ACCELERATOR TOOK OFF AT HIGH RPM AND CONTINUED AT HIGH RPM EVEN IN PARK. FORTUNATELY, I NOTICED THAT LIFTING MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR DID NOT SLOW THE CAR WHEN DRIVING IN LOW TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AT LESS THAN 40 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME ACCELERATION WITH BRAKING WITH SUFFICIENT CONTROL TO GET TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 1 MILE AWAY. MOST DEFINITELY NOT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL; THE MAT WAS NO WHERE NEAR THE PEDAL. HAD AN OIL CHANGE TWO DAYS PRIOR, BOTH OTHERWISE NOTHING TO REPORT CONCERNING THE CAR.

IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES (BELOW FREEZING), THE FUEL LINE UNDER THE INTAKE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL OCCASIONALLY LEAK AT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RUBBER HOSE AND STEEL LINE. IT WILL DRIP FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK UNTIL IT WARMS UP. THE SMELL OF GASOLINE CAN BE DETECTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND AROUND THE ENGINE AREA. THE FUEL DRIPS AT A RATE OF ABOUT 1 DRIP PER 1-3 SECONDS UNTIL THE HOSE WARMS UP AND SEALS AGAINST THE STEEL LINE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY OFFERED TO TIGHTEN THE FUEL LINE FITTINGS. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE LIFTED AND THE COST WAS ABOUT $150, BUT THEY COULDN'T GUARANTEE A FIX. IT WILL HAVE TO BE RECHECKED IN COLDER WEATHER. THIS 2004 FORESTER XT HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS ADJUSTED, ( THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW, & SOMETIMES STAYING ON FOR WEEKS AT A TIME). WHEN ASK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AT THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WANTED OVER $170 TO REPAIR THIS SAFETY ISSUE AS WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON,THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT WORKING ACCORDING TO THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN AUBURN, WA. SINCE WE STILL OWN THIS CAR, WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT, WE THINK THAT SUBARU SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM.