2008 Subaru FORESTER: complaints, problems and recalls

I PARKED FACING DOWNWARDS ON A STEEP HILL . AFTER ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS. RETURNED TO MY NEW 2008 SUBARU FORESTER LL BEAN WITH LESS THAN 610 MILES AND FELT SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKE--IT WAS FLAT ON THE FLOOR. THE CAR PICKED UP SPEED (TWO SUCCESSIVE 15% GRADE HILLS); I BRAKED, DOWN SHIFTED AND COULD NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN. TO AVOID HITTING A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I DROVE INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER A TERRIFYING RIDE FOR OVER HALF A MILE, ENDED UP HITTING TWO CURBS, STREET SIGN, FIRE HYDRANT & E…

Owner-reported narrative. 608 miles reported. Look up ODI 10218920 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A KEY HOLE ON THE LIFTGATE OR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE VIN AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10224601 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE PROBLEM WITH MY 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN I QUICKLY TURN STEER WHEEL FOR CHANGING LANE, THE CAR SEEMS LOST CONTROL AND CAN ONLY GO ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. THEN WHEN YOU HAVE TO TURN THE STEER WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO RETURN STRAIGHT, THE CAR WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE TO KEEP THIS BALANCE UNTIL THE CAR TURN ITSELF OFF. IT HAPPENS TO ME TWICE. ONE TIME IS ON A BRIDGE, ONE TIME IS ON THE BUSIEST INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 95. I FEEL EXTREMLY LUCKY EITHER TIME. I AM STILL ALIVE AND DID NOT KILL ANYBODY. BUT IS THAT NORMAL FOR A SUBURA…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10282835 at NHTSA ↗

BEARINGS AND HUB ASSEMBLY - ROAD NOISE FROM REAR OF AUTO 65K MILES, CHANGED TO NEW TIRES 70.5K ROAD NOISE CONTINUED FROM REAR, HAD THE CAR EXAMINE BY SUBARU TECHNICIAN 71K AND ESTIMATE BEARINGS AND HUB ASSEMBLY LIKELY PITTED OR SCORNED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10284208 at NHTSA ↗

"FLOATING AROUND" FLOOR MAT PROBLEM ON MY 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. I BOUGHT MY FORESTER IN DECEMBER OF 2007. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE MATS STARTED TO SLIDE AROUND THE FLOOR AND HAVE BUNCHED-UP UNDER THE PEDAL CLUSTER. I AM CAREFUL TO REPOSITION THEM. WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE HUNDREDS OF RUBBER TABS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE 4 MATS STARTED TO FALL OFF. THIS IS ON ALL FOUR MATS. SUBARU TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I READ ABOUT A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA AND I UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA HAS AN OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN SUBARU. PER…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10288826 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE BACKING INTO A DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE POLICE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, AFTER A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A CLAIM WAS FILED WITH THE SUBARU MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND A FIELD AGENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,83…

Owner-reported narrative. 13,838 miles reported. Look up ODI 10299881 at NHTSA ↗

2008 SUBARU FORESTER THE DRIVE BY WIRE ACCELERATOR SYSTEM SURGES BETWEEN ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION WHEN ONE TRIES TO HOLD A STEADY HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS IS TRUE WHETHER IT IS BEING CONTROLLED MANUALLY OR IF CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED. IT ALSO ACCELERATES IN CRUISE CONTROL WHEN GOING DOWNHILL. SUBARU HAS MADE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE COMPUTER ENGINE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE LEGACY MODEL BUT HAVE IGNORED THE FORESTER CUSTOMERS. ALL DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FROM CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS BUT DO NOT HAVE A REMEDY FROM SUBARU. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 6,966 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305487 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 37959. UPDATED 03/10/10. *LJ UPDATED 07/07/10

Owner-reported narrative. 37,959 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306523 at NHTSA ↗

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.