2003 Subaru Forester Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

“THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATED AT THE WELD SEAM WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE SWUNG REARWARD AND OUTWARD BECAUSE THE FRONT PORTION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE CONTROL ARM. THIS PULLED THE”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE”

“VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY RECALLED IN 2011/2012 FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V464000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11011. AT TIME, DEALER CONDUCTED PUNCH TEST AND DETERMINED LOWER CONTROL ARM TO "PASS" AND USED SOME TYPE OF ANTI-CORROSION SPRAY. FAST FORWARD TO 2017 AND LOWER CONTROL”

“FUEL LINE LEAKING UNDER 20 DEGREE TEMPS, SMELLS STRONGLY OF GAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IDOLING AS WELL AS DRIVING”

“STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE UNDER HOOD WHEN STARTING CAR COLD. AUTO REPAIR CENTER FOUND LEAKING FUEL LINE. TIGHTENED CLAMPS. THEN THE FOLLOWING WINTER, 1.24.14 AGAIN SMELLED RAW FUEL SMELL WHEN STARTED ENGINE COLD. AUTO REPAIR DID A PRESSURE TEST OF FUEL SYSTEM AND TRACED LEAKS TO”

“ON WINTER DAYS, WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE NOT UNUSUALLY LOW FOR A NORTHERN STATE, THE FUEL LINES ON THE FORESTER WILL SHRINK AND CONTRACT. THE RESULT IS THAT FUEL WILL LEAK OUT OF THE LINE RESULTING IN TWO THINGS, FUEL VAPORS IN THE CABIN AND FUEL PUDDLING ON THE ENGINE. FUEL”

“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”

“MANUAL TRANSMISSION. CLUTCH SHUDDERS (CHATTERS) IN 1ST AND SOMETIMES 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM OCCURS AFTER CAR HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR A WHILE (SUCH AS OVERNIGHT), AND ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING. CAR WAS BOUGHT USED WITH 14,000 MILES, AND HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT. DEALER”

“CLUTCH CHATTER, 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. 18000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *AK”

“FRONT SUBFRAME ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE RUSTS AWAY CAUSING FAILURE. COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND COULD INJURE PASSENGERS. TURNING OR HITTING BUMPS COULD CAUSE IT TO SNAP DUE TO EXTRA FORCE”

“WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE”

“WE TOOK OUR 2003 SUBARU FORESTER IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME OF THE CAR WAS IN "SERIOUS" CONDITION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A PHOTO WAS TAKEN AND SENT TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER FOR HIS REVIEW. WE REPLACED THE CONTROL ARMS ON OUR OWN IN”

“LAST WEEK, ON THE TURNPIKE, THE RPM NEEDLE STARTED SWINGING WILDLY AND I LOST POWER. I MANAGED TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE TURNPIKE AND SHUT DOWN AND BY THAT TIME SMOKE WAS POURING OUT FROM THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED IS THAT THE COOLANT HAD LEAKED AT THE HEAD GASKETS -”

“I HAD REGULAR SERVICE DONE TO MY CAR AT CLAY SUBARU OF NORWOOD MASSACHUSETTS. THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE MECHANIC NOTICED SOME OIL SEEPAGE FROM THE HEAD GASKET. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I GET THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED WITHIN A YEAR. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE MONITORED THE OIL”

“TOOK FORESTER INTO SUBARU DEALER FOR 3K OIL CHANGE; WAS TOLD THAT ALMOST ALL OF MY ANTI-FREEZE WAS GONE AND THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING, NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT $1500. MILES ON VEHICLE: 78K, PURCHASED 6/02 NEW, ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AT DEALER PER SCHEDULE. AT THIS”

“AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN GO OFF. THIS CONDITION WOULD OCCUR AT RANDOM, WITH NO WARNING. FINALLY THE LIGHT STAYED ON LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO GET IT TO THE DEALER. SUBARU DEALER INDICATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT FOR THE”

“2003 FORESTER FOR PAST 2 YEARS THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTING ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. SUBARU TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT THE AIR BAG CONNECTOR UNDER DRIVERS SEAT WAS LOOSE AND HE PLUGGED IT BACK IN. THAT FIXED IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH. SINCE THEN WHEN LIGHT COMES ON I HAVE TO REACH”

“WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS RECLINED THE CAR SEAT PINCHES THE CABLE THAT CONNECTS THE VOLTAGE THAT OPERATES THE AIR BAGS. WHEN THE CABLE IS PINCHED IT DEACTIVATES THE AIR BAGS, PREVENTING THEM FROM DEPLOYING. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS ASKING $600.00 FOR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT HIM DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE”

“ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010, I HAD AN INCIDENT OF "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" ON POOKS HILL ROAD AND WISCONSIN AVENUE. I WAS STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF SLOWING AND STOPPING. TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, I”

“THE VEHICLE SHOT FORWARD WHEN PUT IN REVERSE CAUSING IT TO HIT THE FRONT DOOR OF A STORE. THE OWNER THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE SHOT IN REVERSE, WHILE ACCELERATING FORWARD, THE CONSUMER ALMOST HIT A HOUSE. OWNER WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. *JB CAUSE NOT”