2002 Subaru Forester Steering Problems

Shortly after purchasing your 2002 Subaru Forester, you noticed the front end felt loose and unstable, and the vehicle pulled to one side during acceleration and braking. While driving at 45 mph, the right front lower control arm suddenly broke due to a weld failure between the hanger bracket and the main control arm — causing the tire to lock up and skid. The owner notes that newer model years (2003-2008) were recalled for this exact issue, but Subaru refused to cover the repair under that recall for their 2002 model. The fix will likely require replacement of the front lower control arm and inspection of the suspension system.