2004 Subaru Forester Suspension Problems

Your lower control arm broke while you were driving, which caused you to crash and damage other suspension and body parts including the fender. Even though a recall repair was previously done on this part, the repair apparently wasn't done correctly. You'll need to have the suspension system thoroughly inspected and repaired, likely including replacement of the lower control arms, suspension components, and any damaged body panels.

While reversing your 2004 Subaru Forester in the driveway, you heard an unusual noise and noticed the front driver's side tire pointing outward, causing you to lose steering control. Your vehicle became undrivable. You replaced the axle shaft, lower control arm, and bolt joint yourself to fix the problem, which may have been related to a previous suspension recall your vehicle had undergone in 2012.

While driving at 40 mph on a highway, your right control arm snapped, causing your right tire to bounce and almost making you lose control of the car. The dealer found that the right control arm was broken and separated, the front axle assembly was damaged, the stabilizer link was damaged, and the left control arm was severely rusted. Subaru covered the parts but you had to pay labor costs, even though a previous recall in 2012 involved rust-proofing this same area. A repair might involve replacing the control arms, stabilizer link, and inspecting or replacing the front axle assembly.

Your car's right front lower control arm broke in half due to rust and corrosion while being driven in reverse out of your driveway. The left control arm was also severely rusted. Your Forester had a recall completed in 2011 for this exact issue where the control arms received rust prevention treatment, but this treatment only lasted about 7 years before the arm failed. Replacing both front lower control arms will be necessary to restore safe steering control.

While driving at 35 mph, your front passenger-side lower control arm fractured and jammed into the wheel, causing the wheel to seize and your vehicle to slide to a stop. A mechanic found the lower control arm was severely damaged due to corrosion and rust, and the CV axle and rotor were also damaged. This happened even though a related recall repair had been performed previously on the vehicle. Fixing this will require replacing the lower control arm, CV axle, and rotor.

The bracket that holds your sway bar bushing has fallen off. This component helps keep your car stable during turns, so losing it could affect how your vehicle handles on the road. You should have this bracket and bushing inspected and reattached or replaced as soon as possible.

During a routine safety check, you learned that your lower control arm was completely rusted. While Subaru offers special coverage for this issue under a recall campaign, your vehicle isn't eligible because it wasn't registered in one of the covered states. Subaru confirmed your vehicle isn't included in the recall (Campaign 11V464000), so the repair isn't covered for free. Repairing a rusted lower control arm typically involves replacing the part and may require wheel alignment afterward.

Your front control arms are rusting and deteriorating, and the front crash bars are also rotting due to AC refrigerant leaking onto them. This is an expensive repair, as control arms cost around $200 each plus labor, and finding replacement crash bars can be difficult since they're prone to the same rust problem. The issue stems from AC fluid dripping directly onto these suspension components.

THE CONTROL ARM FELL OFF. THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE OTHER ONE IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE RECALL ON THIS PART ALLOWED THE DEALER TO USE THEIR DISCRETION TO EITHER REPLACE THE CONTROL ARMS, OR SPRAY RUST PROOFING OVER CORROSION, WHICH THEY DID. THIS OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT STOP THE RUSTING, AND IT EVENTUALLY RUSTED THROUGH. I LUCKILY WAS NOT INJURED. I AM QUESTIONING THE ADEQUACY OF THE EXISTING SAFETY RECALL. TO ALLOW THE DEALER TO DECIDE IF THE CORROSION IS LIGHT ENOUGH TO SIMPLY SPRAY RUST PROOFING OVER IT SEEMS LUDICROUS. RUST PROOFING DOES NOT STOP CORROSION FROM CONTINUING WHEN IT HAS ALREADY BEGUN. I CALLED SUBARU USA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE CONTROL ARMS. THEY WOULD NOT, AND WOULD PROVIDE NO COMPENSATION, AS THEY FEEL THEIR RUSTPROOFING SATISFIED THE RECALL. THE SAFETY RECALL IS FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. IF THEIR RUSTPROOFING DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, WHICH IT OBVIOUSLY DID NOT, WHY SHOULDN'T THEY BE REQUIRED TO FIX IT CORRECTLY? CONTROL ARMS SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO RUST AWAY AND FALL OFF A CAR! HOW DANGEROUS! I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE OWNER WHOSE CONTROL ARMS EVENTUALLY ROTTED AWAY AFTER THE CORROSION WAS 'RUSTPROOFED' OVER BY SUBARU. SO DANGEROUS! I AM ASKING THAT SUBARU BE REQUIRED TO COVER THE COSTS OF THESE CONTROL ARMS! AND ALSO, I AM REQUESTING THE NHTSA TO AGREE AND ADVISE SUBARU THAT A SAFETY RECALL ACTION THAT DOES NOT ULTIMATELY FIX THE SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED CLOSED/COMPLETED.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STATE HIGHWAY(RTE. 195), I EXPERIENCED A SEVERE VIBRATION AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED LIMIT IN THE LEFT FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL. I PULLED OVER TO A BREAKDOWN LANE AND GOT OUT TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE WHEEL AND SURROUNDING AREA FOR ANY SIGN OF TROUBLE AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE DRIVING THE SAME HIGHWAY THE VIBRATION AGAIN OCCURRED BUT ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS. I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION AND DID MY BUSINESS. WHILE REVERSING AND TURNING THE VIBRATION HAPPENED AGAIN BUT MORE INTENSELY AT THIS TIME. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE DOWN A SMALLER STATE HIGHWAY(RTE. 6) WHERE I COULD GO A SLOWER SPEED AND FOUND THAT THE VIBRATION HAD GOTTEN EXTREME TO A POINT OF WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE THE WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I PROCEEDED TO A FAMILY MEMBERS HOUSE, PARKED AND JACKED THE VEHICLE UP AND REMOVED THE WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD IN FACT ROTTED TO A POINT OF IT SNAPPING AT THE MIDPOINT AND THUS DISCOVERED THE MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. A SAFETY RECALL WAS ISSUED BY SUBARU DEALERS OF AMERICA AND AS PER THE VIN MY VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE CONTROL ARM NEITHER APPEARS RUSTPROOFED NOR REPLACED AS PER THE RECALL.

DRIVING APPR. 35MPH ON STATE HIGHWAY 6 IN EASTHAM, MA WHEN STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKED OUT OF MY HANDS, CAR ABRUPTLY MOVED TO THE RIGHT AND INTO GRANITE CURB BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. UPON EXITING CAR I FOUND RIGHT FRONT TIRE TURNED TO THE RIGHT WHILE OTHER TIRES WERE FACING FORWARD. RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN CAUSING CV AXLE TO BREAK AT INNER JOINT. THIS WAS A CROWDED HIGHWAY ON A SUMMER WEEKEND IN A RESORT AREA. I AM EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE BEEN INJURED OR CAUSED INJURY TO OTHERS. REPAIRS TOTALED $929.95

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL TURNED IN THE OPPOSITE POSITION AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE LOT WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS CORRODED AND CAUSED BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND AXLE TO DETACH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, AN UNUSUALLY LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE CORROSION; HOWEVER, THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE NOT AS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

HAVING RECENTLY BOUGHT MY 2004 SUBARU FORESTER XT, IT RAN GREAT FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS. THEN, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY, ALMOST LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE. HAVING TAKEN IT TO SUBARU A MONTH BEFORE, I MENTIONED THAT IT WAS DOING THIS A LITTLE, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT IT DID ON THE HIGHWAY. HE SAID IT WOULD BE $150 TO LOOK AT IT. TAKING IT IN TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. LOOKING TODAY ONLINE FOR RECALLS ON ANOTHER ISSUE I'M EXPERIENCING, I SEE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS EXACT ISSUE, BUT ONLY FOR CARS SOLD IN CERTAIN STATES. THIS IS THE EXACT ISSUE THAT WAS WRONG WITH MY SUBARU, AND I BELIEVE THAT OWNERS IN OTHER STATES ARE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE AS WELL. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL LOOK AT THIS BEFORE THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ON THE INTERSTATE AND THEY LOSE CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLE.

I WILL LIKE TO KNOW IF WHEN MY CAR WAS RECALL AND FIX THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM IN 2013 HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY WHEEL ALIGNMENT, SINCE IT SEEMS THAT THE DEALER AND TOWN FAIR TIRE CAN NOT GET IT RIGHT BECAUSE EVERY TIME I COMPLAINT AND GET IT FIX AND GO HOME AFTER A FEW MILES THE STEERING WHEEL GOES OFF CENTER AND START MAKING NOISE AT THE FRONT END ABOUT 55-65 MPH AND THIS BEGAN AFTER FIXING THE RECALL AND I CAN NOT DRIVE IN PEACE AND I WONDER IF AM NOT TAKING A CHANCE DRIVING A CAR THAT WAS STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW BEFORE THE PART REPLACEMENT,PLEASE HELP,THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING INTO A RESIDENTIAL THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN REVERSE, THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND SUDDENLY THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V464000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER ARM). THE VEHICLE WAS INELIGIBLE UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING ORIGINALLY SOLD OR REGISTERED IN THE STATES MENTIONED IN THE RECALL DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000. UPDATED 6/12/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FOUND NOTHING WRONG. UPDATED 06/25/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM) AND MADE AN ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS NEEDED FOR REPAIRS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 03/14/12 *BF THE DEALER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM ON 02/22/12. UPDATED 03/19/12

BACKING OUT OF DRIVE WAY, LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED, TEARING THE CV JOINT OUT. UPON INSPECTION THE CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED THROUGH AT IT'S JOINT. *TR

RUSTING FAILURE OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM. NO INJURIES, IT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE THE ITEM FAILED. *TR

A REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED ON OUR 2004 SUBARU FORRESTER XT. WE HAVE HEARD A SOUND ON AGAIN AND OFF AGAIN A FEW MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR, AS WELL AS IN RECENT MONTHS. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED BY A SUBARU DEALER AND WE HAVE HAD ALL REQUIRED SERVICES MADE OVER THE YEARS OF OWNING THE CAR. WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM SUBARU OF WAKEFILED, MA WHEN WE LIVED IN SALEM, MA. THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS TERRIFIC. WE NOW HAVE IT SERVICED AT PENCE SUBARU IN RICHMOND. THE LAST TIME WE WERE AT THE DEALER WE HAD AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE AND I WAS RETICENT TO RETURN. THE SOUND GOT REALLY BAD ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO MECHANIC AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR BEARINGS HAD FAILED. WE HAVE HEARD A SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR ON AGAIN AND OFF AGAIN FOR YEARS AND HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED AND WORKED ON NUMEROUS TIMES THINKING THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. RECENT RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG IN THE DESIGN OF THE BEARINGS OR THE HUB AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED MULTIPLE FAILURES WHILE OWNING THEIR CARS. IT SEEMS AS IF A RECALL IS IN ORDER HERE AND THE PARTS SHOULD BE REPLACED AT THE MANUFACTURERS EXPENSE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INVESTIGATING THE MATTER AND ANY GUIDANCE THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE. *TR

BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED AT 51,000 MILES. *TR

BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 51,000 MILES. *TR

RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 31000 MILESIN NOVEMBER 2005, AND WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. AT 67000 MILESIN JUNE 2007, BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. CAR RECEIVED ALL RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES AND SERVICES. IS ONLY USED FOR HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING.*AK