2014 Subaru Forester

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V149000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BYERS SUBARU ALEXANDRIA (2301, 7416 RICHMOND HWY, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22306, (703) 768-5800) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THE RIGHT REAR SPRING RUSTED OUT, BROKE AND ULTIMATELY DROPPED DOWN SO IT WAS HANGING BELOW THE SUSPENSION MOUNT. THE VEHICLE WAS HANGING LOW ON THE RIGHT REAR QUADRANT. A BODY SHOP TECHNICIAN NOTICED THIS PROBLEM. I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE SPRING BROKE OR DROPPED DOWN. ONCE THIS WAS DETECTED, I TOOK IT DIRECTLY TO MY MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE IMMEDIATELY AT THE NON-SUBARU SHOP THAT I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS SUSPENSION SYSTEM WAS NEW TO THE 2014 FORESTER MODELS AND APPEARS TO BE FAULTY TO CAUSE THE SPRING TO RUST DUE TO THE DESIGN. HE INDICATED IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF IT HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, SO WE BELIEVE IT DROPPED WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. MY VEHICLE IS AT ONLY 72K MILES, AND IS 5 YEARS OLD. I HAVE POSSESSION OF THE RUSTED SPRING, BUT AM UNABLE TO UPLOAD PICTURES AT THIS TIME. I CAN EMAIL THEM IF YOU PROVIDE ME AN ADDRESS TO SEND TO.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER XT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER FRIEND WHO WAS DRIVING, PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, EXITED THE VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE INDEPENDENTLY ROLLING OVER THE DRIVER'S FOOT. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE AND DAMAGED THE HATCHBACK. UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE DRIVER REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THEIR INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LAKE FOREST SUBARU (23663 ROCKFIELD BLVD, LAKE FOREST, CA 92630 (949) 837-3500) WHERE IT REMAINED THERE FOR 6 WEEKS AND THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A SPECIALIST AND WAS ALSO UNABLE TO DETECT THE FAILURE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

THE STEERING WHEEL "LEATHER" COATING HAS BEEN DISINTEGRATING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. THE SUBARU SERVICE SAID IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH 2014 SUBARU FOREST. & SHOULD BE RECALLED. EVENTUALLY, THE UNDERCOAT FOAM MATERIAL WILL ALSO DISINTEGRATE, HE SAID. ALSO, BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BUSHINGS,BAND DRIVE, (SOMETHING LIKE A DRIVE SHAFT), STRUT & AXEL JOINT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 69K MILES. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT OR HIT ANYTHING. SUBARU PAID FOR FAILED CONTROL ARM REPLACEMENT. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CAR!

SUBARU ENGINES ARE USING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL EVEN WHEN NEW, UP TO 1 QUART PER 1500 MILES. A 2014 LAWSUIT REQUIRED THEM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, WHICH THEY ARE ONLY BARELY DOING. HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WITH THIS PROBLEM ARE BEING REQUIRED TO SIMPLY ADD MORE OIL AT $9 - $12/QUART 3-4 TIMES EACH OIL CHANGE. AS THE CAR AGES, THE CONSUMPTION CAUSES THE CAR ENGINE TO SEIZE WHEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CREATING THE POTENTIAL OF SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. AGAIN, SUBARU HAS OFFICIALLY ACTED TO NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IN THEIR TSB 02-157-14R, TITLED SURFACE TREATMENT CHANGE TO OIL CONTROL PISTON RINGS. PRIOR TO THIS, DEALERSHIPS WERE INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE OUT THE PISTON RINGS. THIS TSB STATES: "CONCERNS RELATED TO A POSSIBLE OIL CONSUMPTION CONDITION ARE GENERALLY INITIATED WHEN THE CUSTOMER BELIEVES THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL ON THE DIPSTICK HAS DROPPED SINCE THE LAST TIME IT WAS CHECKED OR WHEN THE LOW OIL LAMP ILLUMINATES. THESE TYPES OF COMPLAINTS BY THEMSELVES DO NOT DIRECTLY INDICATE A CONCERN WITH THE VEHICLE EXISTS."

ON MAY 13,2019 I PULLED THE CAR INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND PARKED THE CAR BEHIND THE HOUSE. AS I WAS GETTING OUT OF THE CAR THERE WAS A BANG ON THE RIGHT SIDE (PASSENGER SIDE) OF THE CAR. UPON INSPECTION ON THE GROUND WERE TWO PIECES OF THE COIL SPRING. THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE HEIGHT OF THE CAR. THE FOLLOWING DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO MY REPAIR SHOP. THEY ARE REPLACING BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS.

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 70 MPH, CAR ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, RPM'S WERE STILL UP AS IF CAR ON, COASTED OUT OF TRAFFIC, NO CHECK ENGINE, NO SPUTTERING, HAD GAS, BUT ACTED AS IF I HAD RUN OUT. TURNED IGNITION KEY TO OFF AND REMOVED IT, ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN AN HOURS TIME, IT ACTED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO START BUT DIDN'T. HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC, ON A FLAT BED TOW TRUCK. IT STARTED UP AND ALL SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE. DIAGNOSTICS WERE RUN WITH NO ACTIVE CODES, ELECTRICAL WAS CHECKED, NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE SAFETY EVENT, IF I HAD NOT BEEN IN AN OUTSIDE LANE AND WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD THREE MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND NO ISSUE FOUND, BUT IN FEAR OF DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. GUESSES HAVE BEEN FUEL PUMP FAULTY? CAM SHAFT SENSOR FAULTY? ELECTRICAL?