2015 Subaru Forester

I BROUGHT MY 2015 SUBARU FORRESTER INTO SHEEHY SUBARU FOR A VA SAFETY INSPECTION AND OTHER WORK. I WAS ADVISED THAT MY RIGHT, REAR COIL HAD A CRACK IN IT. WHEN I SAW IT, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT ABOUT ONE HALF COIL TURN ON THE BOTTOM WAS TOTALLY DETACHED (PHOTO). SHEEHY PROVIDED AN INITIAL ESTIMATE OF $1,900 TO REPLACE BOTH OF THE BACK COILS/STRUTS AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE 3-4 DAYS. I DID SOME INTERNET SEARCHING AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OVER THE LAST YEAR-SOME PICS WERE IDENTICAL TO MINE. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY COILS THAT HAVE BROKEN, THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF COILS NATIONWIDE. BASED ON WHAT I SAW ON-LINE, I POINTED OUT TO THE SHEEHY SERVICE PERSON THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND I ASKED IF SUBARU WOULD COVER THE COST. HE ASKED AND HEARD BACK WITHIN AN HOUR THAT SUBARU WOULD PAY FOR THE RIGHT BROKEN COIL AS A GOOD WILL GESTURE, BUT I'D HAVE TO PAY FOR THE OTHER ONE, ESTIMATED AT $920. SINCE SHEEHY ADVISED ME THAT MY CAR WAS 'NOT SAFE TO DRIVE' (SEE P. 3 OF ATT. RECEIPT) BECAUSE OF THE BROKEN COIL, I AUTHORIZED SHEEHY'S TO MAKE THE REPAIR AND WAS GIVEN A LOANER. 5 DAYS LATER, I HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING SO I CALLED AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM GETTING REPLACEMENT COILS. IN THE END, IT TOOK 2 AND WEEKS FOR SHEEHY TO OBTAIN THE COILS AND REPAIR MY VEHICLE ON JULY 15, 2019. WHILE I'M NOT AN EXPERT, GIVEN HOW COMMON THIS DEFECT OCCURS, IT'S FAIRLY CLEAR TO ME TO THAT THERE IS EITHER A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN A LARGE NUMBER OF COILS, OR THE COIL HAS A DESIGN DEFECT. I'M NOT SURE WHICH IT IS BUT IT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH ON A BROADER BASIS. THE NEW COIL DOES HAVE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DESIGN WITH A PROTECTIVE SLEEVE ON THE BOTTOM FEW TURNS OF THE COIL, WHICH MAY INDICATE A DESIGN DEFECT. FRANKLY, I'M SURPRISED THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL, GIVEN HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS AND THE SAFETY RISK THAT IT PRESENTS.

THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SUSPENSION COIL BROKE WHILE ON A TRIP. IT DIDN'T BREAK WHILE DRIVING BUT IN THE EVENING I HEARD A LOUD POP THINKING SOMETHING HIT THE CAR FROM ABOVE. HOWEVER, THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WHEEL WELL AND TIRE WERE ALMOST TOUCHING. MY MECHANIC SAID I SHOULD REPLACE BOTH AND THE DRIVER SIDE SUSPENSION COIL BROKE IN HIS HANDS WHILE HE WAS TAKING IT OFF. MY CAR HAD 23,000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT BROKE AND IS GARAGE KEPT. I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME OVER 700 MILES ON A BROKEN COIL SINCE THERE IS STILL A SHORTAGE ON THE PART. NOW MY TIRE NEEDS REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE WEAR FROM THE DRIVE HOME AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO REAR SUSPENSION COILS.

'SPRINGS' I HAD THE UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING A BROKEN SPRING THAT JUST SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING ON A REGULAR STRAIGHT ROAD. THE FIRST DEALER I BROUGHT THE CAR TO TRIED TO BLAME ME AND CHARGE ME A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT TO FIX. I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND AFTER A FEW BACK AND FORTH EMAILS AND CALLS ANOTHER DEALER FIXED THE ONE THAT WAS BROKEN. THE MOST DISTURBING THING IS THE WERE RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE AND COATING WAS FULLY INTACT. I HAD POSTED ON CARGURUS TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE . AND I HAVE CONTINUED TO RECEIVE HUNDREDS OF RESPONSES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SUBARU NEEDS TO MAKE THIS A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. THESE CAN BRAKE AT HIGHER SPEED DRIVING AND PUNCTURE A TIRE WHICH CAN MAKE A DRIVER LOSE CONTROL.

MY CAR STARTED TO LOOK LOW IN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR. IT HAS ONLY 26,000 MILES ON IT, IS NOT RUSTED AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, POTHOLE OR OFF ROAD DRIVING. THE SUSPENSION COIL OR SPRING BROKE RIGHT OFF. I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED. SINCE I DIDN'T HEAR IT I CAN'T GUESS. CHECKING ONLINE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO LOTS OF 2014 AND 2015 FORESTER OWNERS. SUBARU SAID IT WAS OK TO DRIVE TO THE SHOP, BUT WHEN I GOT THERE AND INSISTED ON AN ESTIMATE FIRST, THEY TOLD ME IF I DROVE IT, THE REMAINING COIL COULD PUNCTURE MY TIRE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT'S SON NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEANING. WHEN THE CONTACT LOOK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS WERE DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GANLEY SUBARU OF BEDFORD (123 BROADWAY AVE, BEDFORD, OH 44146, (440) 439-3444) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH SPRINGS AND STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

REAR COIL SPRING BROKE CAUSING SPRING TO SLOWING WORK ITS WAY DOWN TO CONTROL ARM AND CAR TO SAG. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE VEHICLE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, BUT IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT COULD BE NOTICED, UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS OUT ON THE ROAD. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE COIL STARTED WORKING ITS WAY DOWN THE STRUT, CAUSING THE CAR TO HANDLE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT, AND FIGURED OUT THE ISSUE AFTER DRIVING 30 MILES, RETURNING HOME, SEEING THE CAR BOTTOMED OUT ON ONE CORNER, AND FINDING THE BROKEN PIECE OF COIL IN MY DRIVEWAY, WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED BEFORE I DROVE THE CAR FOR THE DAY. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO LOSE CONTROL. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH ONLINE AND SPEAKING WITH THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THIS SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT AND A COMMON PROBLEM OF 2014 AND 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES ON IT, AND OTHERS HAD THE PROBLEM AROUND SIMILAR MILEAGE. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR OFF ROAD, TOWED WITH IT, NOR OVERLOADED IT. FROM THE IMAGE I UPLOADED OF THE BROKEN PART OF THE SPRING AND OTHER PHOTOS I HAVE SEEN FROM OTHER WITH THE SAME ISSUE, IT LOOKS LIKE THESE SPRINGS ARE PRONE TO CRACKING, RUSTING A LITTLE, THEN SNAPPING. I HAVE SEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. SUBARU SHOULD HAVE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS BEFORE MANY MORE OF THESE PROBLEM START TO ARISE, CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON A CLEAR, WARM DAY, MY DAUGHTER DROVE OVER A SPEED BUMP AND THE REAR SPRINGS BOTH BROKE LEAVING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. AT FIRST, I WAS ANGRY WITH HER, THINKING THAT SHE HAD HIT THE SPEED BUMP TOO HARD, BUT UPON DOING RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN REGARD TO THE SAME SITUATION. TALKING WITH A SERVICE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE (KENNY ROSS SUBARU), HE STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE 2014-2015 FORRESTERS, BUT THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL RECALL AND QUOTED A PRICE OF $925.00 FOR THE REPAIR. I FEEL THAT WITH A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT UNIQUE TO ONLY ME AND WITH THIS MANY OTHER OCCURRENCES, SUBARU SHOULD STEP UP AND ISSUE A RECALL AND REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD THE REPAIR MADE.

HAD JUST GOT DONE REGISTERING MY 2015 FORESTER WITH 69K MILES. HAD REPLACED MY TIRES SINCE THEY WERE NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR INSPECTION AND AS I WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE SHOP IT FELT LIKE I HAD POPPED MY TIRE. GOT OUT AND SAW THE WHOLE REAR DRIVERSIDE SPRING SHOT DOWN THROUGH THE STRUT. LUCKILY IT ALL HAPPENED IN THE PARKING LOT, NOT WITH ME DRIVING DOWN TO MY MECHANIC GET GET MY INSPECTION DONE. ALSO HAD BOTH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME SO I WAS PRETTY UPSET WITH THIS HAPPENING. BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY DEALERSHIP (PRIME SUBARU OF MANCHESTER) WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. TO MY SURPRISE NOT ONLY DID THE DRIVERSIDE SNAPPED, BUT ALSO THE OTHER REAR TOO. WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $550 FOR THE REPAIR. FROM WHAT I SAW BOTH SPRINGS SNAPPED DUE TO RUST. PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE SO I DIDNT HAVE TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS LIKE THIS BEING THAT I AM A YOUNG FATHER OF 2 AND CANNOT REALLY AFFORD NOR SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR STUFF LIKE THIS. WITH A VEHICLE BEING ONLY 5 YEARS I DO NOT FIND THIS ACCEPTABLE. SUBARU OF AMERICA REALLY NEED TO TAKE ACTION TOWARDS THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED.