2003 Subaru FORESTER: complaints, problems and recalls

HEATER AND DEFROSTER FAILURE

Owner-reported narrative. 3,190 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005753 at NHTSA ↗

MANUAL CLUTCH CHATTERS. MAINLY 1ST AND 2ND GEAR, ONLY AFTER SITTING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME (6-12 HRS). STARTED EARLY, AROUND 7,000 MILES. FIRST TIME I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT, SUBARU SAID THAT I WASN'T DRIVING IT PROPERLY. 3RD TIME I REPORTED IT (AT 15,000 MI), SUBARU ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE NOW GOING TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT WITH A HEAVIER DUTY CLUTCH SO THE PROBLEM MAY OCCUR AGAIN. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008519 at NHTSA ↗

2002 SUBARU FORESTER FRONT DOOR LOCK MECHANISMS ARE DEFECTIVE. JANUARY, 2003 - PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH AND HAD TO TIE IT SHUT. DEALER REPAIRED IT PROMPTLY. MARCH 2003 - DRIVERS DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN - HAD TO CRAWL ACROSS THE SHIFTER TO GET OUT. MANIPULATED INSIDE LOCK LEVER AND EVENTUALLY FREED UP MECHANISM. THIS WOULD NOT BE SAFE IN AN EMERGENCY.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 19,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010778 at NHTSA ↗

INTERMITTENT STALLING. *JB. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011889 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT LOOSE WHEN BRAKING, SEAT MOVES FORWARD. WHEN STEPPING ON GAS PEDAL SEAT TRAVELS BACKWARD. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016975 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02V282000. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR 4 DIFFERENT REPAIR APPOINTMENTS. ON 3 DIFFERENT INSTANCES THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN WAS NOT AVAILABLE ONCE CONSUMER ARRIVED FOR APPOINTMENT. ONE 1 OCCASION, CONSUMER CAME IN FOR SATURDAY APPOINTMENT AND WAS TOLD RECALL REMEDY COULD NOT BEEN PERFORMED ON SATURDAY. NOW, CONSUMER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE BACK FOR ANOTHER 3 MONTHS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017140 at NHTSA ↗

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE, AND BURNED OTHER PART OF THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. DEALER REPLACED DRUM AND WHEEL CYLINDER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022861 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, THE ENGINE FUMBLES THEN STALLS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029067 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-10-30 (October 30, 2002)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM, THAT IS INTENDED TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE, MAY NOT ENGAGE.

Consequence: THE VEHICLE COULD THEN MOVE/ROLL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION JANUARY 8, 2003. AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT DURING NOVEMBER 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Reported: 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES." THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE/LATCH ASSEMBLIES WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE FRONT SEAT BELTS COULD UNLATCH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE/LATCH ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Reported: 2011-09-06 (September 6, 2011)

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.

Consequence: A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: SUBARU WILL HANDLE THEIR VEHICLES AND SAAB WILL HANDLE THEIRS. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.