Subaru Forester Complaints (1998)

101 consumer complaints on file.

#704648March 19, 1999
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE WINSHIELD GLASS CHIPS VERY EASILY FROM MINOR STONE HITS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I ENCOUNTERED 3 CHIPS IN A PERIOD OF 3 MONTHS, DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 65 MILES PER HOUR. I THINK THE GLASS IS TOO VULNERABLE TO BREAKAGE WHICH COMPROMISES THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#702936February 4, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
OIL LEAKS FROM DRIVE AXLES. DRIPS ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. TWO ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR HAVE FAILED. OWNERS CONCERNED OF POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#606739February 1, 1999
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
UNABLE TO FIT CHILD CAR SEAT IN TO BACK SEAT BECAUSE OF SEAT BELT POSITIONING/DESIGN. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#834271January 29, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ONCE HAD NO BRAKING ABILITY AT ALL WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NEVER REPLACED ANY PARTS, JUST REMOVED A PEBBLE FROM THE BRAKE PADS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#827921January 12, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE THEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#542960December 9, 1998
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
REAR MAIN SEAL LEAKED ON TWO OCCASIONS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#700927November 26, 1998
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAD A CRACK APPEAR IN MY WINDSHIELD. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN LATE MAY 1998 WHEN I WAS WASHING THE CAR AND SPRAYED COLD WATER ON IT I HEARD A CRACK. I TOOK IT TO THE SUBARU DEALER IN RENO AND THEY SAID IT WAS REALLY CAUSED BY A SLIGHT PEBBLE THAT HIT THE WINDSHEILD. THEN ON 23 NOV 98 AFTER DRIVING THAT DAY I NOTICED THE NEXT DAY THAT ANOTHER CRACK AGAIN IN THE LOWER LEFT HAND (FROM DRIVERS POSITION) PART OF THE WINDSHEILD ANOTHER (YET SMALLER THAN THE FIRST) CRACK. IT APPEARS THAT A PEBBLE MAY HAVE CAUSED IT. IF THIS IS ALL IT TAKES TO CRACK THESE WINDSHEILDS THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANY YEARS A LOT OF THEM OVERSEAS IN EUROPE WHERE THERE ARE MORE GRAVEL ROADS THAN IN THE US AND NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN. NOW TWICE IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS! SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OR THE MATERIAL USED IN THE MANUFGACTURE OF THE WINDSHEILD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#542177October 22, 1998
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, DRIVER LOSE CONTROL RESULTING IN DRIVER HITTING A MAN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
1
#829293October 21, 1998
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
VEHICLE DRIPPING OIL/GREASE ONTO THE CATALYTIC COVERTER, CAUSING A BURNING SMELL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#780610October 1, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKES MALFUNCTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#541483September 15, 1998
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SECURITY SYSTEM GOES OFF WHEN HAZARD LIGHTS ARE ENGAGED/ABS BRAKES SQUEAK. IN ADDITION, WHILE PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPOT, VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#539809August 13, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES ARE SO WEAK THE ABS CAN BE ACTIVATED ON DRY PAVEMENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#826556August 11, 1998
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
GREASE AND OIL DRIPPING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER STARTS SMELLING. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AKTHEY DOUBLED THE VISCOSITY OF THE DRIVELINE GREASE. FROM 90 TO 150 WEIGHT. TTHERE ONLY ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS.THE FUMES COMING OFF THE EXHAUST WERE MAKING ME SICK.THE LAEKAGE WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS STARTING ON FIRE- FIRE HAZARD. *ADJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#539927July 26, 1998
SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR
OWNER DRIVING ALONG WHEN VEHICLE JERKED TO THE RIGHT, DRIVER LOSS CONTROL AND RAN INTO DITCH. THE INBOARD WELD BEAD NEVER CONTACTED THE STEERING STABALIZER BRACKET CAUSING UNDO STRESS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#538321July 14, 1998
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND STARTED SLIDING SIDEWAYS ON DRY PAVEMENT. TURNED AT 180 DEGREE SLIDE AND WENT THROUGH 10 FEET OF SHOULDER GRAVEL, 10 MORE FEET OF GRASS BEFORE FLIPPING OVER TWICE AND LANDING ON ITS WHEELS IN A MARSHY AREA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#825101July 7, 1998
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
DRIVING 40 MPH ANOTHER DRIVER POINTED OUT PROBLEM. PULLED OVER & NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FLAMES STARTED SHOOTING OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED & PUT OUT FLAMES. FIRE CHIEF SAID FIRE ORIGNATED FROM FUEL LINES. FLAMES HAD ENGULFED VEHICLE IN MINUTES. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#822752May 14, 1998
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DEALER SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#823012May 1, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT THE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#822638April 21, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#530912February 17, 1998
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE SURGED WHEN BRAKING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND CRASHED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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