2014 Subaru Forester

AT APPROXIMATELY 57,000 MILES, ON MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER, I HAVE EXPERIENCED MY SECOND REAR COIL SPRING FAILURE. THE FIRST, ON THE RIGHT REAR, OCCURRED AS I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE A PIECE OF THIS COIL SPRING IN MY POSSESSION AND CLEARLY SHOWS METAL FATIGUE/STRESS FAILURE. THE SECOND, ON THE LEFT REAR, I BELIEVE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. AS I NOTICE THE CAR TILTING AGAIN AS I WENT TO REENTER IT AND LOOKED UNDER AND COULD SEE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SPRING. IT WAS TOWED TO STOHLMAN SUBARU OF TYSONS AT 8435 LEESBURG PIKE, VIENNA, VA AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THE LEFT REAR SPRING IS BROKEN AND THEY ARE REPLACING IT. I HAVE CALLED SUBARU AND UP RECEIVING DOCUMENTATION OF REPAIRS, THEY WILL REIMBURSE ME. HOWEVER, I NOTICE FROM DOING A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM AND OFTEN LEADS TO FAILED REAR STRUTS. THEREFORE, I BELIEVE THAT SUBARU SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THE FORESTERS TO REPLACE THE COIL SPRINGS, REIMBURSE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS, AND PROVIDE US WITH EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR THE FULL REAR SUSPENSION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "SYSTEM OFF" WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED WHEN A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MESSAGE INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT ACTIVATED. IN ORDER FOR THE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE AND PERFORM AS NEEDED, AN OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH WITHIN THE SEAT AND RESTART THE VEHICLE FOR THE "SYSTEM ON" WARNING MESSAGE TO ILLUMINATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. LESTER GLENN SUBARU (1501 NJ-37, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08755, (888) 785-0675) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MATTER AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

2014 SUBARU FORESTER WITH DEFECTIVE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR WITH WARNING SIGN "SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED". THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL SHOW THAT IT IS "OFF" WITH A PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK AND IN MOTION. SOMETIMES, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL SHOW THAT IT IS "ON" WITH NO ONE OR NOTHING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST MONTH, BUT HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM FOR THE PAST WEEK. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEIR SCAN TOOL SHOWS A CODE FOR "OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR MATT" FAILURE. THEY RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE SEAT BOTTOM FOR $900. THEY REPORTED THAT "A LOT OF FORESTERS" HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY A RECALL FOR THIS, BUT IS CLEARLY A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. ALL OTHER SAFETY RECALLS ARE UP TO DATE WITH MY VEHICLE, AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS OR ISSUES WITH MY CAR. THE AIRBAG LIGHT CONCERN JUST RANDOMLY BEGAN RECENTLY.

ACCORDING TO MEDIA REPORTS "THERE'S AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT MAY LOOSEN OVER TIME, ACCORDING TO SUBARU. THAT CONNECTION IS NECESSARY FOR THE DETECTION SYSTEM TO FUNCTION. SUBARU SAYS THAT ONLY CARS EQUIPPED WITH HEATED FRONT SEATS ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL, AS THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES EQUIPPED WITH THE SPECIFIC HARNESS WHERE THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE." THE RECALL IN QUESTION APPLIES TO 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. HOWEVER,MY 2014 FORESTER IA A MID YEAR MODEL THAT HAS FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS AND SEAT HEATERS.THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDEDED TO THE 2014 MODEL.

FIRST NOTICE THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BUT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY NOW. STARTED WHEN YOU WOULD HAVE A LOW SPEED HARD LEFT TURN SUCH AS IN A PARKING LOT A/C WOULD STOP WORKING, POWER STEERING WOULD SHUT DOWN AND THEN EVERYTHING WOULD COME BACK TO NORMAL. MORE RECENTLY IT'S BEEN HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE ENGINE QUITS AND USUALLY AFTER A FEW SECONDS EVERYTHING COMES BACK ON. THE OTHER DAY I HAD 4 OR 5 OCCURRENCES WITH IN 7 MILES, THE LAST TIME WAS TURNING ONTO THE STREET I LIVE ON AND IT WAS MID LEFT TURN ALMOST RAN INTO THE STREET SIGN POLE WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I STOP BY A SUBURU DEALER AND THE SERVICE WRITER ACTED AS THOUGH HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND I HAVE HAD TO MANY ISSUES WITH MY SUBURU.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE DISCOVERED A PIECE OF METAL ON GARAGE FLOOR WHICH LOOKED LIKE A PIECE OF A COIL SPRING. LATER FOUND VEHICLE TO HANDLE POORLY. FELT UNSTABLE AND SLAMMED HARD OVER SMALL BUMPS. LATER FIGURED OUT WHAT HAPPENED - REAR PASSENGER SIDE SPRING FAILED. THAT CORNER NOW SITS 2+ INCHES LOWER THAN OPPOSITE SIDE. NOW SITTING ON STRUT BUMP STOPS WITH NO SUSPENSION. VEHICLE FEELS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THEY OFFERED TO HELP WITH REPAIRS ON A "GOOD WILL" BASIS BUT REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AS A KNOWN ISSUE. FOUND INTERNET FORUM WITH DOZENS OF REPORTS FROM PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SEE: HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T61866_DS789686