2009 Subaru Forester Other Problems

Your car's headlights are extremely bright and may blind oncoming drivers, especially in hilly terrain when their vehicle is at a higher elevation than yours. You've noticed that other drivers aren't dimming their lights when approaching, which might indicate an automatic high-beam system that isn't working properly. The brightness of your low-beam headlights creates a significant safety hazard that could cause accidents. Addressing this may require headlight beam adjustment, replacement with properly-aimed units, or checking/disabling any automatic beam-leveling system.

THIS VEHICLE HAS A TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) THAT IS FAULTY AND UNNECESSARY. WHEN THE TIRES ARE AT THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE THE TPMS LIGHT APPEARS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING COLD WEATHER AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. IF YOU WANT IT TO GO AWAY YOU HAVE TO PAY A TECHNICIAN TO RESET IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER MADE IT SO IT CANNOT BE DISABLED. AS I STATED IT IS FAULTY AND UNNECESSARY AND PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CONTINUALLY PAY TO HAVE IT RESET OR REPLACED. AS WELL I OWN A 2008 IMPREZA WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE WINDSHIELD DEFROST/WIPER SITUATION IS ALSO A SERIOUS ISSUE! EITHER THE DEFROST DOES NOT HEAT THE WINDSHIELD ENOUGH FOR THE WIPERS TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OR THE WIPER ARMS ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO APPLY ENOUGH PRESSURE TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. IN RAIN AND SNOW CONDITIONS THE WINDSHIELD IS VERY HARD TO SEE THROUGH AND QUITE FRANKLY DANGEROUS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE COVERING MANY GENERATIONS WITH VERY FEW TO VERY HIGH MILES AND THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH ALL GENERATIONS OF THIS MODEL.

I PURCHASED A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER THROUGH THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WEST CHESTER, PA. I PAID $5,600 FOR THIS USED CAR, BELIEVING IT WAS A GOOD DEAL BASED ON THE SALESMAN'S RECOMMENDATION. DURING THE PROCESS, THEY TOLD ME OF THE REPAIRS THAT MAY BE NEEDED, BUT WITH NO MENTION OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY. FIVE WEEKS LATER, I WAS DRIVING HOME ON BACK ROADS AND HEARD A LOUD SOUND. I DISCOVERED THE CAR'S EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD BROKEN OFF, DUE TO SEVERE RUST. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WAS RUSTED OUT AND FALLING APART. MY MECHANIC LATER INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOLD GIVEN THIS DANGEROUS, TERMINAL ISSUE AND THAT IT WAS NOT AT ALL SAFE TO OPERATE. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THIS OUT. I WAS DISTINCTLY TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE A VERY SAFE AND RELIABLE CAR FOR MY FAMILY TO OWN. THE SALES PERSON EXPRESSED HOW THOROUGH THE UPKEEP OF THE CAR HAD BEEN OVER ITS LIFETIME AND EXPRESSED THAT IT COULD GO ANOTHER 50,000 TO 100,000 MILES. I COULD NOT PICK IT UP UNTIL THE NEXT DAY, SO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD PERFORM A THOROUGH VISUAL AND MECHANICAL INSPECTION. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A THOROUGH INSPECTION GIVEN THE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS CONDITION OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE SALESPERSON I DEALT WITH IS NO LONGER EMPLOYED AND THERE WAS A NEW GENERAL SALES MANAGER WHO WAS VERY RUDE, UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNWILLING TO HELP ME. IN ADDITION, I SUBSEQUENTLY NOTICED THAT THERE ARE MAJOR DISCREPANCIES WITH THE DATES ON THE INSPECTION/EMISSION STICKERS ON THE CAR. THE DATES INDICATED ARE 2017, 2018, AND 2019. IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT INSPECTIONS WERE ACTUALLY COMPLETED ON THIS VEHICLE. AS A CONSUMER, I WAS RELYING ON THE EXPERTISE OF THE DEALERSHIP TO FULLY DISCLOSE ANY AND ALL SAFETY CONDITIONS CONCERNING A USED VEHICLE. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT SEEKING HELP. (PICTURES ATTACHED)

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN OUR CAR NEEDS REPLACED AND IS COMPLETELY FAILING THAT WE CAN NO LONGER EVEN GO UP HILLS WELL. ACCORDING TO SUBARU, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS THAT WAS ALREADY COMPLETED IN 2013 BUT THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING PROOF THAT IT WAS COMPLETED OTHER THAN JUST THE YEAR. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO MULTIPLE MECHANICS THAT ALL SAY THAT THIS SHOULD NOT NEED REPLACED AGAIN 5 YEARS LATER IF IT WAS REPLACED CORRECTLY IN THE FIRST PLACE. EITHER SUBARU IS LYING AND IT WAS NOT COMPLETED OR THEY DID NOT FIX IT PROPERLY WHEN IT WAS REPLACED.

OUR SON BOUGHT A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER ON 7/13/18 FROM THE DAN PERKINS SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN MILFORD, CT. HE WAS DRIVING IT HOME AT NOON ON 8/16/18 WHEN HIS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN SECONDS THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE, AND WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE ENTIRE CAR WAS LOST.

CAR RAN OUT OF OIL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT, UNTIL CAR DIED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN LOW OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD BEEN MOSTLY KEEPING UP WITH MY OIL CHANGES, AND WAS ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES OVER RECOMMENDED LIMITS. ENGINE SEIZED AND HAD TO BE TOWED. MY MECHANIC TRIED TO REBUILD IT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO. HE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE, AT A COST OF $6,000, AND SIX WEEKS OF A RENTAL CAR. I REACHED OUT TO SUBARU FOR HELP, BUT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING UNLESS MY CAR WAS IN THEIR SHOP, AT WHICH POINT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PAY FOR A PORTION OF IT. THEY ASKED IF I HAD BEEN GETTING MY MAINTENANCE DONE AT THEIR SHOP, AND I HADN'T BECAUSE THEY WANT $1500 FOR EVERY 20,000 MILE SERVICE WORK DONE, OR WHATEVER, WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD. SO I ASSUMED AT THAT POINT IT WOULD BE POINTLESS, AND MORE COSTLY, TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED THERE AND THEN HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE, OR HAVE THEM TRY TO SELL ME A NEW CAR. I WILL NEVER BUY A SUBARU AGAIN AND WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYONE EVER GET ONE. I GOOGLED INCIDENCE OF REPAIR AND FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHERS, AND SCADS OF LAWSUITS AGAINST SUBARU FOR THIS. I TRIED TO JOIN A CLASS ACTION, BUT HAVE HEARD NOTHING. TO MY MIND, A CAR ENGINE SHOULD NOT RUN OUT OF OIL AND SEIZE AFTER ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES OVER THE LIMIT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OIL LEAKS IN MY GARAGE OR UNDER MY CAR.

THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP IN FORESTER/WRX AND OTHER SUBARU, TURBO MODELS ACCUMULATES MOISTURE, AS A RESULT OF WHICH, IN MANY VEHICLES THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM BECOMES INOPERATIVE WITH ENGINE MALFUNCTION CODES P2444, P2444B, P0410, P2440 AND OTHER SUCH CODES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING AND AN ENGINEERING DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF SUBARU TURBO MODELS WHICH REQUIRES EXPENSIVE FIX (UPTO $1500) AND WITHOUT WHICH, THE AFOREMENTIONED SUBARU VEHICLES WILL NOT PASS EMISSION CONTROLS. MOST OWNERS ARE FORCED TO RESORT TO WORK AROUNDS SUCH AS GETTING RID OF THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM ALTOGETHER, BUT THIS INCREASES EMISSIONS ABOVE EPA NORMS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE INTO THIS ISSUE. *TR

AFTER A DAY OF HEAVY RAIN WE FOUND A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR, WITH ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS CLOSED. NO SUNROOF. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE WITH HEAVY RAIN AUGUST 2011. *TT