10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,233 miles

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problem #3

Sep 202016

Forester

  • 20,500 miles
I parked in my driveway, which has a slight incline, put car in park but left ignition running and headlights on. I have parked in this space seven years and was not in habit of pulling the parking brake. I had a visitor who needed to see deck steps as it was nighttime. We both got out, went up the steps and I returned to turn off car. When I leave keys in ignition I keep driver's door ajar to prevent unwanted locking. I open door, lean in to turn off key. Before I can reach the key, the car starts rolling backwards. I throw myself sideways to avoid car rolling over me. Because of incline, car gathers slight speed as it rolls about 40-50 feet down driveway (I live on a hill and driveway incline is more pronounced farther down). It veers slightly to left and I hear a "thud." Engine stops, headlights go out, as best I recall. Car was stopped by a six-inch diameter tree. When I get back in, I have to rock the steering wheel back and forth to get the ignition started and drive car back to parking spot. Odd thing is that when I get in the car to move it from tree, the gear is in "park." Damage is substantial, nearly $10,000 because of where it hit in the back and involved the expensive emissions system. I have tried to recreate this, putting gear in both neutral and reverse at same parking spot. I strongly believe if I had unknowingly left it in reverse, it would have immediately started rolling backward; if I'd left it in neutral, the weight shift of getting out of the car and slamming closed one of the doors would have started it rolling backward at that time, not later. Ussa told me Subaru has not owned up to any rollback problems when the car is in park and on a slight incline but I found a similar rollback in a Subaru forum for a car that was same year, same model and low mileage, as mine is. I now use parking break all the time, no longer trusting the car.

- Barboursville, VA, USA

problem #2

Mar 302013

Forester

  • 4,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not shift into any up gears without warning. The contact stated that the floormat on the front driver side would catch on the clutch while the vehicle was in motion. The failures recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Davie, FL, USA

problem #1

Aug 272013

Forester 4-cyl

  • 3,200 miles
I had a side impact on the driver's side that crushed the driver and passenger doors and blew out the driver's window. The impact nearly caused the vehicle to roll over and again the side air bag did not deploy. I was slightly injured but there were serious injuries in the other vehicles involved. I am concerned this may be a defect in the sensor system. The driver's door was crushed all the way in to the seat.

- Coeur D Alene, ID, USA