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.

2015 SUBARU FORESTER. THE PASSENGER SEAT FRONT AIRBAG SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYS 'PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF' WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO A MALFUNCTION OF THE SEAT PRESSURE SENSOR. WHEN NO PERSON IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT SAYS IT IS ON. ON THE DASHBOARD A RED WARNING LIGHT INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG IS CONSTANTLY LIT.

YESTERDAY 9/5/19 THE TAILGATE STRUT ON OUR 2015 SUBARU FORRESTER SUDDENLY FAILED CAUSING THE REAR GATE WHICH WAS OPEN TO ABRUPTLY FALL ONTO MY SPOUSE'S HEAD WHILE SHE WAS UNLOADING GROCERIES. THE METAL BOLT WITH THE ROUND BALL THAT FITS INTO THE END OF THE STRUT CRACKED OFF AND APPEARED RUSTED AT THE EDGES. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME/SIMILAR ISSUE AS NHTSA RECALL NO. 08V-135 FOR THE SUBARU IMPREZA. AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS ON THE 2015 FORRESTER FOR THIS ISSUE. I WILL BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SUBARU DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT IT. MY WIFE HAS NOT SEEN A DOCTOR FOR THIS (YET) BUT HER HEAD STILL HURTS THE NEXT DAY AND SHE WAS DIZZY AFTERWARDS.

'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. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO APPLY A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,500-2,000 MILES BEFORE HER NEXT SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT OF MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: TSB0215714R; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO PAY HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH MARK MILLER SUBARU SOUTH TOWNE (10920 STATE ST, SANDY, UT 84070, 801-553-5200) WHO WAS WORKING ON HER BEHALF WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND A RESOLUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.