1999 Subaru Forester complaints

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE CONSUMER HEARD A RUBBING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE REAR STRUT SPRING PLATE CORRODED AND WAS PUSHED DOWN ONTO THE TIRES. *AK THE REAR STRUTS WERE REPLACED. *TT *JB

CLUTCH PREMATURELY BURNED OUT. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE CLUTCH WOULD CHATTER OR DISENGAGE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED, BUT FAILED AGAIN. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. THERE WAS NO SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM.*AK THE REPLACEMENT CLUTCH HADN'T FAILED COMPLETELY . IT STARTED EXHIBITING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE FIRST ONE BUT AT AN ACCELERATED PACE. CONSUMER NOTED MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS IN THE BAY AREA EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AND ARE NOT RIDING THE CLUTCH. *PH *NLM

UNSAFE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT JACK PROVIDED WITH 1999 SUBARU FORESTER L AND IN ALL LIKELHOOD WITH SUBSEQUENT MODELS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A FLAT ON A LEVEL STREET, THE JACK BENT AND COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO RETURN TO THE PAVEMENT. FORTUNATELY, NO HARM WAS DONE, BUT THIS JACK MIGHT CAUSE BODILY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE IN THE FUTURE, IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY DONE SO IN THE PAST. *AK

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, IT BURNS WELL OVER A QUART OF OIL WHEN IT TRAVELED 1000 MILES. HENCE HAVING TO REPLACE 3 TO 4 QTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. THE DEALER INSISTS THAT THIS IS ?NORMAL.? I THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PUT THIS ON THE STICKER INFORMATION OF ALL NEW CARS WHILE OTHERS ARE DOCUMENTING THE SAME INFORMATION. *LA

THE CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD WITH 24100 MILES. AT 16000 MILES, RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 22000 MILES, RIGHT REAR BEARING NOISE RETURNED AND THE DEALER 'ADJUSTED' THE BEARING FOR 'FREE', EVEN THOUGH THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY HAD PASSED. AT 24100 MILES, THE BEARING FAILED WITH GRINDING AND SMOKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE EVENT UNDER WARRANTY.A TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT OTHER FORESTERS WERE HAVING SIMILAR BEARING PROBLEMS,AND THAT THEY WE RETOLD TO STOP USING THE OEM BALL BEARINGS, AND GO TO A ROLLER BEARING.*AK

VEHICLE CONTINUES TO RUN HOT. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

1999 SUBARU FORESTER S. AT 40,000 NEW TRANSMISSION. AT 45,000 SPEED ODOMETER STICKING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOW AT 96,000 MILES LEAKING HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALL MAJOR PROBLEMS REQUIRING MAJOR MONEY TO BE REPLACED.*AK

CHRONIC ENGINE AND OIL LEAKAGE OF A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER. NO SATISFACTION FROM 2 DEALERSHIPS (BALD HILL SUBARU AND PILGRIM SUBARU). I HAVE NOTED THE LAST DATE OF SERVICE, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CONSTANT AND CHRONIC. I HAVE LOST TIME FROM WORK, HAD BREAKDOWNS ON 2 VACATIONS, AND HAVE CONSTANT ANXIETY ABOUT THE SITUATION. *NLM

THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD 29000 MILES. *NLM

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER THREE (3) TIMES. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE BEFORE 35K MILES AND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING JUST FAILED AT 50K MILES. CLEARLY SUBARU HAS A DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 SUBARU REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BUT HAVING A WHEEL BEARING FAIL COMPLETELY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD SEEM LIKE A BAD THING.[I FOUND OUT ABOUT YOUR SITE ON CARTALK.COM]. NLM

VEHICLE INVOLVED IS A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER L. WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 50 MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND ROAD WAS SMOOTH (NO POTHOLES). HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY CAME TO A STOP AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I OBSERVED THAT MY TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. IT WAS JUST FLAT. TIRE IS A BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/T 684 P20570R15. THE TIRE IS APPROXIMATELY. 5 MONTHS OLD WITH APPROXIMATELY. 9K ON IT. *NLM

99 SUBARU FORESTER L AFTER 50,000 MILES REAR AXLE BEARINGS AND HUB BROKE. STEERING ON CORNERS WAS AFFECTED.

ESPECIALLY DURING COLD OR DAMP WEATHER MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER'S CLUTCH SHUDDERS STRONGLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THIS OCCURS PRIMARILY WHEN STARTING IN FIRST GEAR AND IN THE UPSHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. IT ALSO OCCASIONALLY OCURRS IN THE UPSHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. IT DOES NOT OCURR ON THE DOWNSHIFTS. THIS PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW CLUTCH. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS SINCE 1969 AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CLUTCH BEFORE 100,000 MILES, AND ON MY 1986 HONDA ACCORD I SOLD IT AT 260,000 MILES AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH. I DID NOT REPLACE THE CLUTCH ON MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER. IT NOW HAS 83,000 MILES, COLD WEATHER HAS RETURNED, AND SO HAS THE CLUTCH SHUDDER

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THREE (3) WHEEL BEARINGS ON THIS AUTOMOBILE. WHEEL BEARING FAILURE COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF A WHEEL AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. A SEARCH OF THE WEB INDICATES THIS MODEL HAS A HISTORY OF THESE PROBLEMS. DT

PAINT PEELING OFF RIGHT REAR SIDE AND REAR BUMPER. *PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED 12/12/02 AFTER CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**769762

BLOWER SWITCH WAS ON HIGH, NUMBER 4 WHEN ELECTRICAL SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL. BLOWER WOULD NOT RUN ON NUMBER 4, (HIGH). THE SWITCH HAD BURNED CONTACTS AT THE WIRE CONNECTOR. REPLACEMENT SWITCH COST $60.07 PLUS TAX. MR

VEHICLE WAS ON EXPRESSWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60MPH. VEHICLE MALFUCTIONED, AND WOULDN'T DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. VEHICLE WAS GOING AROUND A SLIGHT CURB, AND AND WAS STOPPED DUE TO CRASING INTO A MEDIAN. SUBARU WAS NOTIFIED FOR SECOND TIME, AND FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE.*AK

CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION SWITCH ,AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STARTVEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

DEALER REPLACED WHEEL BEARING AT 29,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY. WENT BAD AGAIN 30,000 MILES LATER, EVEN THOUGH OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT IT DOESN'T NEED SERVICED UNTIL 60,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THAT WE DROVE ON IT TOO LONG AND DAMAGED THE HUB AND HOUSING, $700 REPAIR BILL. DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE BEARINGS AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH A LEGACY BEARING. SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT WE WERE 'LUCKY' TO ONLY HAVE HAD BEARING FAIL TWICE. WE FEEL, AFTER RESEARCH, THAT IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BY SUBARU TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR OUR EXPENSE.*JB

YOKOHAMA GEOLANDER H/T RADIAL P215/60R16. ALL 4 TIRES FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIR. AIR WOULD LEAK OUT BETWEEN TIRE AND WHEEL. HAD NOTICED THAT TIRES WERE ALMOST FLAT, AND TOOK THEM TO MECHANIC. NOTHING IN TIRES WERE FOUND. TOOK TO DEALER, AND TIRE SEALS WERE REPLACED.*AK

I TOOK MY SUBARU IN FOR AN OIL LEAK PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY RIGHT BEARING WAS BAD. THE OIL SEAL WAS UNDER WARRENTY, HOWEVER THE BEARING COST NEARLY 500.00. DROVE IT A MONTH AND STARTED HEARING A ROARING NOISE. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THE BEARING HAD CAUSED THE HUB TO GO BAD. I WAS NOT CHARGED THIS SECOND TIME. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD OTHER ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES IN WITH THIS PROBLEM.

THERE WAS A HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. IT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. *YH

REAR BEARING SHOULD FAIL AT 40000 MILES. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, AS MANY FORESTERS HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****760613

REAR BEARINGS FAILING; WHEELS MAKE DULL ROAR ABOVE 30 MPH. FROM NUMBER OF SIMILAR REPORTS IN THIS DATABASE, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT WITH THE 1999 FORESTER, YET SUBARU WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE (1) VEHICLE HAS OVER 36,000 MILES ON IT, AND (2) WE DIDN'T HAVE THE 30,000 MILE SERVICE PERFORMED. A DEFECT IS A DEFECT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED -- WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF I HAD THE 30K MAINTENANCE PERFORMED OR NOT???? I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS KIND OF REACTION FROM A "QUALITY" CAR COMPANY.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THE REAR BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME WITHIN SIX MONTHS, DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. NLM *YD

THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED THREE TIMES SO FAR, AND I NEED TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 60000 MILES AND THEN AT 65000 AND NOW AT 74000 MILES. I CAN NOT BELIEVE SUBARU HAS DONE NOTHING FOR US UP TO THIS POINT. I FEEL FORTUNATE WE HAVE NOT HURT SOMEONE AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. NLM

THE ORIGINAL FAILURE WAS DUE TO A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE NEXT 3 REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS ALSO DEVELOPED LEAKS. THE 4TH REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION IS OK TO DATE.*AK

PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT WHEEL BEARING. DEALER OR MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

UPON ENTERING THE HIGHWAY RAMP, BRAKES FAILED, PEDAL WAS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH THE CAR IN FRONT, 2 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *JG

AT SLOW SPEEDS OR WHEN COMING TO A STOP BRAKE PEDAL FEELS MUSHY, THEN, IT GOES TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET.

CONSUMER HEARD A ROARING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE, BEGINNING AT 4000 MILES. DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. AFTER THIRD VISIT DEALER SUGGESTED IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM. CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES, BUT NOISE KEPT GETTING LOUDER. ON FOURTH VISIT DEALER REPLACED ALL WHEEL BEARINGS, WHICH TOOK CARE OF NOISE, SEPTEMBER 25, 2001. *AK

THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED 4 TIMES, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED ONCE. NLM

OIL PUMP SEAL OIL LEAK, FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. STILL LOOSING OIL FOUND HEAD GASKET LEAK, WILL FIX UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER SAID ENGINE STILL USING OIL, BUT THEY WILL NOT FIX IT AS THEY SAY 1 QUART EVERY 1000 MILES IS NORMAL. BUT DEALER WANT TO CHECK THE VEHICLE EVERY 2000 MILES. *YH

AUGUST 2000. RIGHT REAR BEARINGS BROKE APART WHILE DRIVING OFF ROAD. SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND I WAS ON VACATION, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST PRIVATE GARAGE. I SUBMITTED THE BILL FOR THE REPAIRS AND RENTAL CAR TO SUBARU WHICH THEY PAID. AUGUST 13, 2001: RIGHT REAR BEARINGS WENT OUT AGAIN ON CITY STREETS NEAR HOME. MY SON TOOK THE CAR TO STEVENS CREEK SUBARU. THEY TOLD ME WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR ON 8/15 THAT FORESTERS OF ALL YEARS HAVE THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. FURTHER, ONCE A CAR HAS THE PROBLEM, IT WILL CONTINUE TO RECUR. THE WARRANTY COVERED ALL COSTS. LESS THAN ONE WEEK LATER, 8/20, THE BEARINGS WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME WE WERE ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD GOING AROUND A LEFT BEND WHEN THEY BROKE. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AS IT STARTED TO SLIDE TOWARDS THE CLIFF, BUT MANAGED TO GET IT TO A SMALL TURNOUT SAFELY. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT 49ER SUBARU IN ANGELS CAMP, CA, TOLD ME THAT THE AXLE "EXPLODED" AS A RESULT OF THE BEARINGS GOING OUT, WHICH IS WHY THE CAR HAD STARTED TO SLIDE. THEY USED ALL FORESTER PARTS TO REPLACE THE BROKEN ONES, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THEY USED LEGACY BEARINGS INSTEAD OF FORESTER BEARINGS. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FACTORY APPROVED CHANGE, BUT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A TSB OR ANYTHING IN WRITING STATING THAT THIS WAS AN APPROVED SUBSTITUTION. SUBARU PAID FOR ALL REPAIRS AND THE HOTEL, AND THEY EXTENDED MY WARRANTY TO 6 YEARS 100,000 MILES. DENE WITT, SUBARU CENTRAL REGION OFFICE, 15000 E. 39TH AVE, AURORA, CO 80011 WAS VER

FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF THE LETTER TO SUBARU SENT AUGUST 26, 2001: DEAR SUBARU CUSTOMER RESPONSE STAFFMEMBER:NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN ONE YEAR. DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE.*AK

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH APPLIED BRAKE, BRAKING DISTANCE WAS NORMAL. BRAKE PEDAL STAYED ON FLOOR, HAD TO BE PULLED UP. DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM.*AK

THE FAILURE PROBABLY OCCURRED THOUSANDS OF MILES EARLIER SINCE I HEARD A NOISE THAT I THOUGH WAS TIRE NOISE BUT NO LONGER HEAR SINCE THE WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED. THE NOISE KEPT GETTING WORSE SO I FINALLY REALIZED THAT IT MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE. THE DEALER TOOK MY CAR IMMEDIATELY AND FIXED THE PROBLEM THE SAME DAY. I WOULD NOT BE REPORTING THIS EXCEPT THAT ON THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM THAT OFTEN REOCCURS INCLUDING MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE SAME CAR. THIS IS ALSO A PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT NORMALLY HAPPEN ON LOW-MILEAGE CARS. *AK

WAS WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REARENDED FORESTER. SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED TO RESTRAIN. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. SEAT BELT WAS STILL LOCKED. ER TREATMENT AND RELEASED.*AK

REAR SEAT BELT ANCHORS/ASSEMBLY ON 1999 SUBARU FORESTER DO NOT ALLOW FOR ACCEPTABLE SECURE INSTALLATION OF CHILD SEAT (HAVE TRIED APPROX 7 DIFFERENT MODELS/SEAT MAKES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE MAY 1999). RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE REAR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF ELR/ALR CONTINUOUS LOOP LAP/SHOULDER BELT WITH SLIDING LATCH PLATE. SEAT BELT LOCKS (THE FEMALE PART) FOR RIGHT, LEFT AND EVEN CENTER (WHICH IS LAP ONLY) ARE ANCHORED FORWARD OF SEAT CREASE SO THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROPERLY SECURE CHILD SEATS. THE CHILD SEAT MANUALS/INSTRUCTIONS SUGGEST THAT VEHICLES WITH SUCH SEAT BELT PLACEMENT MIGHT NOT BE COMPATIBLE, ETC. THEY SUGGEST "MOVING THE CHILD SEAT TO A DIFFERENT POSITION." AGAIN, HOWEVER, IN 1999 FORESTER, NONE OF THE THREE REAR POSITIONS FUNCTION. SUBARU 1999 FORESTER OWNER'S MANUAL HAS SECTION ON CHILD SEAT INSTALLATION, OF COURSE. THEY SUGGEST/IMPLY SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY AND REAR SEATS ARE SAFE FOR USE WITH CHILD SEAT(S). THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE MANUAL, HOWEVER, ARE OF SEAT BELTS ANCHORED/PLACED AT SEAT CREASE, NOT AS ASSEMBLY ACTUALLY EXISTS ON 1999 FORESTER. WHAT CAN WE DO? WE ARE SCARED. POLICE OFFICER TRIED TO HELP INSTALL ONE OF TWO SEATS WE BOUGHT TODAY (NO. SIX OF SEVEN, SEVENTH PURCHASED AFTER FAILED INSTALL OF SIXTH). RE: BRAKES -- RIGHT REAR DISC BRAKES HAVE SQUEEKED SINCE PURCHASE IN 1999 (NEW) . DEALER MAINTENANCE IN AUGUST 2000 NOTED THE PROBLEM AND LUBED BRAKES BUT DID NOT CURE PROBLEM WHICH PERSISTS. *AK

VEHICLE IS LOSING APROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE "BURNING" OIL NOR IS IT LEAKING. THIS AMOUNT OF OIL LOSS APPEARS HIGH TO ME. I CALLED SUBARU INTERNATIONAL IN NEW JERSEY AND THEY SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR A SUBARU. I FIND THIS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE CAN LOSE 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. I ASKED THE DEALER (MARZOLF SUBARU) TO FIX IT, AND THEY SAID NO AS IT WAS NOT UN-NORMAL FOR A SUBARU TO LOSE THIS MUCH OIL. THANKYOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM.*AK

ALL WHEEL DRIVE REBULIT 2/00,AFTER COMPLAING TO SERVICE CENTER THE WHEELS FEEL AS IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING IN UNISON.YTHE CAR DOES THIS ON DRY ROAD (NOT A MUCH),ON WET ROADS MORE FREQUENTLY,IN SONW NOT AT ALL THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO CHANGE IN ROAD CONDITIONS AND DOES NOT STOP IN NORMAL TIME,EVEN AFTER APPLYING BRAKES HARD.THE CAR DOES INTERMITTEN STOPPING BEFOREE IT CAME TO A FULL STOP.THIS HAAPENED IN 1/00 AND AGAIN 2/01.THE CAR IS PRESENTLY IN FOR REPAIRS,BUT I AM NOT CONFIDENT WITH THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN. I MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY IF IT OCCURS AGAIN.WHEN I FIRST INQUIRED IF ANY ONE ELSE HAS REPORTED DIFFICULTY WITH THE BRAKES RESPONDING 10/99 AND WAS TOLD NO.THEN WHEN THE CAR DID NOT REPOND TO STOPPING IN 1/00 I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ANTILOCKING BRAKES WORKING BECAUE I WAS ON SNO,BUT WHEN THE CAR SLIPPED DOWN AND COULD NOT MAKE IT UP A SMALL INCLINE THEY TOLD " I FIND THAT HAD TO BELEIVE.THAT WAS WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN AND IT WAS FOUND THE VEHICLE HAD NO ALL WHEEL DIRVE.I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AGAIN FOR THEM TO CHECK THE BRAKES AND WAS TOLD THEY WORKED FINE ACCORDING TO THE SPECIFICATION FOR THIS VEHICLE.THIS CAR IS STATED TO HAVE ALL WHEEL DRIVE ALL THE TIME THIS IS NOT TRUE. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS AS TO MY SAFETY WHICH HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY.I DID COMPLAIN AGAIN AND THEY CHECK THE CAR IN 3/01 AND TOLD ME THE TIRE PRESSURE IN THE REAR WAS LOW,BUT I TRIED TO EXPLAIN I HAVE MY TIRE ROTATED AND CHECK BY SEARS EVERY 6000 MILE AND I CHECK THE TIRES MYSELF BEC

BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING TO FLOOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, USED TOE OF SHOE TO LIFT PEDAL BACK UP BEFORE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. THIS WAS A MOMENTARY INCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED ON THREE OCCASIONS CAUSING A MILD ROARING SOUND, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARINGS, HUB, AND HOUSING. NLM

BEARINGS HAVE FAILED FOUR TIMES. INCREASING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE AND VIBRATION PROCEEDED FAILURE EACH TIME.

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE UNDER MANY CONDITIONS WILL TEND TO ACCELERATE, THIS ALSO HAPPENS ON A 2001 VERSION OF THE SABRU FORESTER S WE ALSO HAVE. THE DEALER HAS NO EXPLAINATION

GAS NOZZLE THROWN FROM TANK AFRAID OF EXPLOSION DUE TO SPARK. *AK

VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE QUICKLY IN FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS AND WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH HAS ALREADY CAUSED ONE CRASH. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TWICE, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEFECT.*AK

06/27/00 AT 39787 MILES, NOISE GRADUALLY GETTING LOUDER IN REAR, VIBRATION. RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING AND AXLE REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP. 09/14/00 AT 46801 MILES, SAME WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AGAIN. 09/25/00 AT 47660 MILES, BEARING FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH IN RAIN ON I-66, GRINDING AND SCREECHING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY AND EXIT FREEWAY. DEALER AGAIN REPLACED BEARING. 10/25/00 AT 49750, DEALER AGAIN REPLACES BEARING AND HOUSING ALSO THIS TIME. CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF VIBRATION ON TIRES, I ALSO ASK FOR AN ALIGNMENT. 12/19/00, PROBLEM RETURNS. CAR IS SCHEDULED FOR SERVICE 12/27/00. I TRAVEL ROUGHLY 500 MILES PER WEEK, MOSTLY ON VERY RURAL ROADS. I CHOSE SUBARU VERY CAREFULLY AND NEED TO KNOW I CAN RELY ON MY VEHICLE TO AVOID BEING STRANDED ALONE ON THE MOST DESERTED OF ROADS. THIS IS THE 2ND SUBARU I HAVE OWNED (NO PROBLEMS WITH THE FIRST ONE), PURCHASED BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THE AWD SYSTEM; HOWEVER, I AM LOSING CONFIDENCE IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR. I LOVE THE FORESTER, AND WOULD BUY ANOTHER ONE! I AM SO DISAPPOINTED.