2014 Subaru Forester

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MILES LEFT BEFORE THE NEXT OIL CHANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOHN HINE TEMECULA SUBARU (4050 DLR DR, TEMECULA, CA 92591, 951-553-2000) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER (DCH SUBARU OF RIVERSIDE, 8069 INDIANA AVE, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504, 951-428-2314) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD PAY A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,412.

THE PROBLEM I AM ENCOUNTERING HAS TO DO WITH THE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. SINCE I HAVE OWNED MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER, I HAVE HAD THE LOW OIL LEVEL DETECTED FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE. IN EARLY 2015 I HAD A OIL CONSUMPTION TEXT PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. THEY HAD ME BRING THE CAR BACK IN AFTER 1200 MILES. THEY SAID I DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST THAT WOULD HAVE MADE MY ENGINE BE REPLACED. I NOW HAVE TO ADD OIL EVERY 2,500 MILES, AT A COST OF $9.00-10.00 A QUART. THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE NORM FOR THIS MODEL CAR. I INDICATED THAT I HAVE A VW PASSAT THAT GOES 10,000 MILES BETWEEN OIL CHANGES AND NEVER LOSSES A DROP. I AM VERY DISSAPOINTED THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WAS ONLY FOR 1200 MILES. THAT DID NOT PROVE THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM. WHY DID SUBARU ONLY HAVE OIT FOR 1200 MILES. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FOCUS ON OFFSETTING CUSTOMERS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FOR THE REST OF THE TIME THEY OWN THERE CAR. AS I DO DRIVE A LOT OF MILES FOR MY BUSINESS, I SPEND ON AVERAGE $140 A YEAR JUST ON BUYING OIL FOR BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. IT IS ALSO INCONVENIENT IF I AM TRAVELING AND I AM SOMEWHERE WERE I CAN NOT FIND FULL SYNTHETIC OIL IN THE PROPER WEIGHT WHICH CONCERNS ME AS I MY FAMILY AND I LIKE TO VACATION IN THE MANY DIFFERENT CAMP GROUNDS AROUND MARYLAND AND THE SURROUNDING STATES.

I GOT MY REGULAR OIL CHANGE. ONE MONTH LATER MY INDICATOR CAME IN READING 'SYSTEM DETECTS LOW OIL'. TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP WHERE I GOT MY OIL CHANGED, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS BONE DRY AND THAT MY CAR IS BURNING OIL. THEY SAID THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY SUBARU OWNER WHO HAS THAT PROBLEM. THEY JUST TOP THEIR OIL OFF EVERY MONTH. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS. FOUND OUT IT'S A DEFECTIVE PISTON RING THAT SUBARU KNEW THEY WERE SELLING. I WAS DRIVING FOR 6 HOURS ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THIS INDICATOR. THE CAR COULD HAVE EXPLODED. BUT I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST REACTING TO MY LONG DRIVE. I HONESTLY COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HURT OR KILLED. I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SELL THE CAR OR PAY TO TAKE THE ENTIRE ENGINE APART.

MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER 2.0 XT HAS HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT. WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT THE SEATBELT WARNING WILL CHIME THE ENTIRE TIME I'M DRIVING, THEN EVENTUALLY THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WILL COME ON AND I'LL RECEIVE AN INDICATOR TO HAVE IT CHECKED. UPON TAKING IT TO THE SUBARU DEALER THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NEED AN ENTIRE BOTTOM SEAT AT THE COST OF $1,000 PLUS $400 FOR INSTALL. I WAS TOLD THE PART WOULD TAKE A MONTH TO COME IN AS IT HAS TO BE CUSTOM MADE. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON NONE OF MY AIRBAGS WOULD FUNCTION ON THE VEHICLE. WITH TWO CHILDREN I CAN'T BE DRIVING A CAR THAT DOESN'T HAVE WORKING AIR BAGS. I'VE BEEN BORROWING A FAMILY VEHICLE FOR THE LAST WEEK WHILE I TRY AND WORK WITH SUBARU CORPORATE TO GET THE COST OF THE REPAIR FIXED. IT SEEMS TO ME THERE SHOULD BE A CHEAPER OPTION TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER SENSOR THAT'S UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. I'VE ALSO READ ON SOME ONLINE FORUMS THAT APPLE PRODUCTS, IN PARTICULAR IPHONES LAID IN THE SEAT CAN IMPACT THIS SENSOR. THAT SEEMS LIKE AN ISSUE AS WELL. I'M HOPING SUBARU ENDS UP PAYING FOR MY SEAT OR COVERING PART OF THE REPAIR SINCE IT SOUNDS LIKE A MALFUNCTION THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN EASY FIX, AND THE IMPACT OF THE MALFUNCTION IS TO NOT HAVE ANY FUNCTIONING AIRBAGS.

I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT ON AUGUST 19, 2018 -COMPLAINT NUMBER 1120961. I HAD SUV TOWED THE FOLLOWING DAY TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT BRAND-NEW. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT IS TRYING TO TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SUV, BUT THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. THE DEALER HAS ARRANGED FOR SUBARU OF AMERICA FROM NJ TO CONTACT ME, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP TO GET THIS RESOLVED. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE IT. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN MY DAUGHTER'S DRIVEWAY WHEN I PLACED IT IN REVERSE AND IT ACCLERATED AT SUCH A HIGH RATE IN REVERSE WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED AND I COULD NOT STOP IT WHEN MY FOOT WAS DEPRESSING THE BRAKE, I HAD MY ACCIDENT RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF MY DAUGHTER'S SUV IN WHICH WAS PARKED IN HER DRIVEWAY - CAUSING OVER $2,000 DAMAGE TO HER SUV - MY SUV WAS DAMAGED IN THE REAR BUMPER BUT DEALER HAS NOT TOLD ME THE ESTIMATE OF DAMAGE. SUBARU IS HAVING ACCIDENT REP CONTACT ME WITHIN NEXT 48 HOURS. THIS SUV IS SO DANGEROUS THAT I COULD BE KILLED AND SO COULD OTHERS IN MY CAR OR OTHER VEHICLE PASSENGERS. PLEASE PLEASE TAKE THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE REFER TO MY INITIAL COMPLAINT.. THANK YOU *TR

I NOTICED THAT (WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE) THE SYSTEM DOES NOT ACCOUNT OR COMPENSATE FOR DOWNHILL TRAVEL AT ALL. WHILE SET TO ~60MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN A MODERATE DOWNHILL INCLINE TO REACH 70MPH. AS I BEGAN TO NOTICE AND CORRECT THIS TECHNICAL ERROR, I WAS STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER AND WRITTEN A TICKET FOR SPEEDING 70MPH IN A 55MPH ZONE.

JULY 6, 2018 DRIVING ON CITY STREET WHEN MY FOOT HAD THE BRAKE DEPRESSED AND THE AUTO SUDDENLY ACCELERATED SO MUCH THAT I HAD TO TURN INTO A CURB TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE - I HIT A CURB WITH ONE TIRE TO AVOID ACCIDENT AND HAD TO GET FOUR NEW TIRES BECAUSE IT IS AWD. TODAY MY BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED AND IT ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS IN REVERSE THEN ATTEMPTING TO GET SUV INTO DRIVE - DRIVING DOWN MY DAUGHTER'S DRIVEWAY TODAY, IT ACCELERATED SO RAPIDLY UNINTENDED THAT PRESSING THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE - ENGAGED EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT STILL DID NOT STOP IT - PLACED IT INTO PARK AND PRESSING BRAKE CONTINUOUSLY AND EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, FINALLY STOPPED THE CAR AT ROADSIDE AFTER TURNING OFF IGNITION - VERY HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUE - LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT OR KILLED - THIS SUV IS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE - HAVING IT TOWED BY AAA TOMORROW MORNING TO DEALER. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS? IT HAS ONLY 41,870 MILES ON IT - BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALER IN MAY 2014 AND I AM ONLY DRIVER. HELP!

TRANSMISSION/COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. INITIALLY DRIVING THROUGH MOUNTAINS, USING SPORT # MODE IN LOW SPEED CURVES ON OLD ROAD. HAD ONE 'SURPRISE' EPISODE WHERE IN A STRAIGHT SECTION OF HIGHWAY, TRANSMISSION DOWSHIFTED SUDDENLY, WITH RPMS RACING UP TO NEARLY 5000RPM, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T TOUCH THE PADDLES, AND DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MY HANDS ON THEM. AFTER REACHING A NORMAL STRAIGHT HIGHWAY OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS, AN HOUR LATER, WHILE SIMPLY DRIVING AT 75MPH, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, RPMS FELL, VEHICLE WAS COASTING DOWN FROM HIGHWAY SPEED, AND TRANSMISSION DID SEVERAL ODD SHIFTS WITH VARYING RPMS, AND DECELERATIONS. COASTED TO A STOP, FLASHERS ON, OFF THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. STARTER MOTOR WORKED. ENGINE WOULD NOT START. FLASHING LIGHTS ON CRUISE CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE, AND "AT TEMP", AND POSSIBLY OTHERS NOT RECALLED. CALLED SPOUSE. CONTACTED TOWING SERVICE. OPENED HOOD: FLUIDS, OIL LEVEL, ETC ALL APPEARED NORMAL WHEN CHECKED. TEMP DISPLAY IN VEHICLE SHOWED NORMAL (219 DEGREES RADIATOR TEMP). TRIED TURNING KEY ON/OFF REPEATEDLY TO SEE IF COMPUTER WOULD RESET: NO LUCK. SPOUSE CALLED 30 MIN LATER: ONLINE RESEARCH FOUND REMOVING PLUG NEXT TO TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IN CENTER CONSOLE, AND USING LONG SCREWDRIVER TO PRESS SWITCH AT BOTTOM MIGHT RESET SOME DEVICE. TRIED IT DIFFERENT TIMES: KEY 'ON', KEY 'OFF', ETC, RESET APPEARED TO TAKE EFFECT WITH KEY 'OFF', THEN TURNED ON. VEHICLE NOW COOLING DOWN (45 MINUTES ON ROADSIDE, NOT RUNNING). NOW RESTARTS WHEN CRANKED. VARIOUS LIGHTS "CHECK ENGINE', 'AT TEMP', CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT NO LONGER FLASHING. WARNING ON PANEL STATING "VEHICLE HILL START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE" NO LONGER SHOWING. CAR APPEARS TO RUN. DROVE ~ 5 MILES TO ROADSIDE BUSINESS. CANCELLED TOW. CHECKED CAR AGAIN. DROVE GENTLY TO HOME CITY. RESCHEDULED FLIGHT TO ALASKA VACATION BECAUSE OF THE DELAY.