What 405 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER.THE CONTACT STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD ,THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS LIGHTS ON HIS VEHICLE ARE NOT PROPERLY WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR REPAIR AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING .THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE STOPS ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION

NHTSA ODI 11383888

THIS CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER WHEN UNDERWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR PREDICTABILITY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF ENTERING TRAFFIC OR EVEN WHEN MOVING ON CONGESTED ROADS. NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AT ALL, THE CAR JUST DIES WITHOUT WARNING. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS HAPPENED MONTHS AND EVEN YEARS APART. ALL ATTEMPTS BY THE SUBARU SERVICE TEAM HAVE FAILED TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND FIXING GUESSES AT TO WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG HAVE FAILED. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THE FIRST OWNER RETURNED THIS AS A LEMON FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. NOW SUBARU OF AMERICA IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WON'T AGREE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK AND GET IT OFF THE ROAD PERMANENTLY BEFORE SOMEONE DIES OR GETS KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT AND THE SERVICE PEOPLE CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM IT MUST NOT EXIST AND YET THREE DRIVERS IN MY FAMILY HAVE EXPERIENCED IT AND A PRIOR OWNER (I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THIS IS) RETURNED THE CAR WITH THE SAME INDEPENDENT EXPERIENCE. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. I AM SURE WHEN THIS CAR WAS FIRST RETURNED AS A LEMON THEY COULDN'T ISOLATE THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY COULDN'T RECREATE IT. I SUSPECT THAT THEY FIXED WHAT THEY 'THOUGHT' WAS THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT A TEST DRIVE OF EVEN A THOUSAND MILES MIGHT NOT REVEAL THE PROBLEM. THEY PUT IT BACK OUT THERE AS FIXED AND LIKE NEW. NOW THAT THE SAME PROBLEM HAS RECURRED IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO NOT TAKE THIS CAR BACK AS A TWO TIME LEMON AND DESTROY IT BEFORE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OCCURS.

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VEHICLE STALLED IN INTERSECTION. CAR HAS A ROUGH IDLE, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS STALLED. DEALERSHIP HAS LOOKED AT THE CAR BUT NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DEPRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE ANY INJURIES OR SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER GRAYSON HYUNDAI ( 8729 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 37923; (865) 693-4550) AND HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE AS OF YET. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000.

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2016 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5 PREMIUM WHILE DRIVING THERE ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH WITH 80 MILES LEFT PER THE VEHICLE THE CAR 'STALLED' ACTING LIKE IT WENT TO NEUTRAL AND PROVIDED NO RESPONSE TO THE ACCELERATOR BEING PUSHED. *BF CONSUMER STATED HAPPENED TWICE MORE WHILE DRIVING APPROX 70 MPH AND HAD TO PULL OVER, VEHICLE STARTED SHUTTING DOWN. CAR RESTARTED APPROX 30 MINUTES LATER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO ISSUES.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11377671

HAVE LESS THEN 10,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT TODAY, THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED LOCKED AND THE ERROR MESSAGE CAME ON. IT'S PARKED IN A SEMI-HEATED GARAGE AT HOME.

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2ND OCCURRENCE NOW OF A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE ON HIGHWAY AT 80MPH WITH NO WARNING (SEE NHTSA ID# 1131777). LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT HAD JUST COME ON A FEW MINUTES EARLIER...SAME AS LAST TIME. THANKFULLY HAD A SHOULDER TO COST ONTO AND LET THE VEHICLE SIT. TIRED TO TART A COUPLE TIMES, BUT WAS LIKE IT WAS FLOODED WITH FUEL. AFTER :45 MINUTES OF SITTING...IT RESET ITSELF AND STARTED AGAIN AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR JOURNEY. THIS TIME ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND CLEAR.

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TRANSMISSION FAILURE

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INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT TO RH DOOR AND FENDE. CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED, SEAT BELT TRIGGERED, NO OTHER AIRBAG SYSTEM ISSUES. AFTER REPAIR INCLUDING CURTAIN AIR BAG REPLACEMENT AND MODULE RESET AS WELL AS ALL SENSORS REPLACED, AIR BAG LIGHT STILL ON. ISSUE TRACED TO RH SEAT BACK AIR BAG. APPARENTLY WHILE IT WAS TRIGGERED BUT IT DID NOT DEPLOY. QUESTION IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THE AIR BAG WAS TRIGGERED BUT DID NOT DEPLOY BUT NEVER THE LESS IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CANNOT TELL IF VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AS IT WAS PURCHASED AT AN AUCTION.

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WHEN STOPPING/STOPPED IT WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE/SURGE FORWARD AND I NEED TO SLAM ON BRAKES

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I TOOK MY 2016 SUBARU FORESTER IN FOR SERVICE AND MENTIONED A STICKY IGNITION. I WAS TOLD THE SHIFTER PLATE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A REPAIR OF $600.00. THE CAR HAS 45,000 MILES. I QUESTIONED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT HOW OFTEN THIS HAPPENS WITH IT BEING A RELATIVELY LOW MILES CAR AND HE STATED THAT HE IS REPAIRING 3 OTHERS IN THE DEALERSHIP JUST TODAY. I ALSO READ THAT SUBARU REPLACED THE ASSEMBLY DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LAST ITERATION. I AM CONCERNED THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THIS ASSEMBLY AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.

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MY 2016 SUBARU FORESTER HAS TWICE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ENGINE STALL WHILE CRUISING AT APPROX. 70 MPH WHEN THE FUEL WAS LOW. IN BOTH CASES THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND THE VEHICLE SHOWED FUEL IN THE TANK WITH FUEL RANGE OF 70-100 MILES. IN BOTH CASES ONCE THE CAR WAS STOPPED IT STARTED AGAIN AND RAN NORMALLY UNTIL AND AFTER REFUELING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY AT HIGH SPEED WHICH MAKES THE CONDITION ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT (@ 42,000 MI.) I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SUBARU DEALER WHO CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO EXPLANATION. OF COURSE THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCE OF THE POWER FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY UNDER EXAMINATION FROM THE SECOND INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED YESTERDAY (@ 50,000 MI.). I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM BUT I HAVE SEEN OTHER POSTS THAT SUGGEST THAT MAY BE THE CAUSE.

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WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN PARK AFTER A TRIP, THE KEY BECOMES STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE IS ABLE TO BE TURNED OFF BUT THE KEY IS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. CYCLING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND PLACING THE CAR BACK IN PARK MULTIPLE TIMES ALLOWS THE KEY TO EVENTUALLY BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. ONLINE SEARCH SHOWED MANY COMPLAINTS FROM THE SAME YEAR VEHICLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BEFORE THE KEY RELEASED AND WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. COLONIAL SUBARU (761 E CHESTER ST, KINGSTON, NY 12401, (845) 339-3330) ACKNOWLEDGED THE THAT FAILURE HAD OCCURRED IN OTHER VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO TAP THE SHIFT COLUMN TO DISLODGE THE KEY HOWEVER, THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.*DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE BUT CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO SUBARU ABOUT HAVING TO COVER THE COSTS AND SUBARU REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

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THE VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED REGULARLY IN DEALER'S SERVICE CENTER. IT IS A LOCAL COMMUTE VEHICLE AND HAS LESS THAN 40000 MILES. IN NOV 2019, THE VEHICLE WAS FOUND OUT OF ALIGNMENT, FOUR TIRES WERE WORN OUT AND TWO BREAKS WERE OUT TOO. ALL FOUR TIRES AND TWO BREAKS WERE REPLACED. IN JUNE 2020, I REPORTED BAD SMELL TO THE SERVICE CENTER BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND. IN SEP 2020, BAD SMELL WAS NOTICED AGAIN. THE SERVICE CENTER FOUND OIL LEAK IN THE ENGINE FRONT AND BACK. THE ENGINE WAS OPENED AND SOME PARTS WERE REPLACED. SERVICE CENTER ALSO FOUND THE CONDENSER WAS LEAKING AND REPLACED IT. IN LESS THAN A YEAR, THREE DEFECTS HAPPENED AND TWO WERE RARE BUT MAJOR DEFECTS. DURING THIS TIME, THE CAR WAS ONLY DRIVEN AROUND 2000 MILES. I REPORTED TO SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY JUST TOLD ME TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT.

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MY 2016 FORESTER WILL ACCELERATES WITH NO WARNING .THE VERY FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I CANNOT REMEMBER EXACT DATE , I WOULD GUESS IT WAS AROUND OCT. OR NOV. OF 2015. I BOUGHT THE CAR MAY 2015. TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, I WAS PARKING SPACE CAR AND AS I PUT THE CAR IN PARK THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD , BARELY MISSED HITTING THE FENCE IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT TIME I BLAMED UGG BOOTS .NEVER WORE THEM AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME DO NOT REMEMBER WHEN BUT IT HAD TO BE SOMETIME AFTER MARCH 2017 BECAUSE I HAD WAS PURCHASED A PUPPY AND WENT TO PETCO AND I WAS IN THAT PARKING LOT WHEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND AS I PUT CAR IN IT JETTED BACKWARD WITH SUCH FORCE AND I HIT A CEMENT POLE THAT WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND ME . THE POLE WAS DESIGNATED FOR A HANDICAPPED SPACE .AND CAR . LUCKILY THERE WERE NO PEDESTRIANS THERE OR I COULD HAVE HURT OR KILLED THEM. NO DAMAGE TO CAR . I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN. I CHECKED MATS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE NOT UNDER GAS BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT COULD HAPPEN BUT NO ALL WAS GOOD . GOING FORWARD JUST KEPT WATCH AND SEE IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN CAUSE THEN I WOULD KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. ONE, TWO, THREE TIMES, NO DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH CAR. THE MOST RECENT SEPT. 8, 2020, I WAS ON SIDE STREET STOPPED AT LIGHT. TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKE TO INCH UP TO MAKE TURN ALL OF SUDDEN CAR LUNGED FORWARD TO INTERSECTION I QUICKLY MADE TURN. LUCKILY AVOIDING ACCIDENT. WHEN I TOOK CAR IN TO BE CHECKED WAS TOLD BY REPRESENTATIVE AT THE DEALERSHIP SHE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT'S USUALLY DUE TO HUMAN ERROR AND THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY ACCELERATION ISSUES WITH THEIR CARS. SHE THEN PRECEDED TO ASK IF I HAD AIR CONDITIONER ON WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I SAID I DON'T REMEMBER BUT I'M ASSUMING I DID. LEFT CAR TO BE CHECKED.R DEALERSHIP SAID THE MECHANIC DROVE CAR FOR 3 MILE , COULD NOT DUPLICATE MY COMPLAINT.

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KEY DOES NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION WHEN CAR IS STOPPED, TRANSMISSION IS IN PARK AND FOOT BRAKE IS APPLIED.

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IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK AND CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM CAR AFTER DRIVING AND THE CAR IS TURNED OFF

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WHEN TURNING OFF THE CAR, THE KEY WILL NOT COMPLETELY TURN COUNTERCLOCKWISE BUT WILL GET STUCK AT ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY TOWARDS OFF (NEAR THE "ACC" POINT). CANNOT TAKE THE KEY OUT. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TO RELEASE IS TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN. SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES ARE NEEDED. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BUT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THERE IS A NEED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE QUICKLY OR SECURE THE VEHICLE IN A PUBLIC PARKING AREA. LEAVING THE CAR WITH THE BATTERY ENGAGED AND THE KEY STUCK IS NOT AN OPTION. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY STOPPED, IN PARK, AND I AM READY TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH (STARTED IN AUG 2020) AND INITIALLY I THOUGHT I WAS NOT PUTTING IT IN PARK, OR THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TURNED OR SOME OTHER ISSUE I COULD CORRECT. SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT GO AWAY. UNFORTUNATELY IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND IS DISCONCERTING.

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2016 SUBARU FORESTER. KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION. CAN NOT BE REMOVED. ALL ELECTRICAL POWER STILL ON. THIS HAPPENED AFTER I PULLED MY SUV INTO A PARKING SPOT. PLACE IN PARK. TURNED OFF AND KEY WAS STUCK IN IGNITION. THIS IS THE 5TH TIME IN 2 WEEKS THIS HAS HAPPENED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW IMPLODED WITH A LOUD NOISE, WITHOUT IMPACT, LEAVING PIECES OF GLASS, LARGE ENOUGH TO CAUSE SEVERE INJURIES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE CONTACT CALLED KOEPPEL SUBARU LOCATED AT 42-01 NORTHERN BLVD, QUEENS, NY 11101, (347) 846-0660, AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. *LN *TR

NHTSA ODI 11353749

POWER STEERING FAILED WITH NO WARNING. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED. WHEN RESTARTING THE VEHICLE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT WORK. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF POWER STEERING LOCKING UP OR JUST NOT WORKING WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING.

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WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE CAR OFF. THE MOTOR SHUTS DOWN, BUT THE KEY WILL NOT TURN COMPLETELY TO THE REMOVAL LOCATION. I OFTEN HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND THEN QUICKLY OFF IN ORDER TO GET THE KEY TO REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION. SOMETIMES PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO GEAR (REVERSE OR DRIVE) BEFORE RETURNING THE TRANSMISSION TO PARK IS ALSO REQUIRED. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS MAY BE NECESSARY BEFORE SUCCESSFULLY REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THIS PROBLEM STARTED SUDDENLY IN THE LAST MONTH AND OCCURS AT LEAST 50% OF THE TIME WHEN THE VEHICLE IS USED.

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KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION OR AUX POSITION AND WOULD NOT COME OVER AFTER SHIFTING THE LEVER TO PARK POSITION.

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WHILE STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT AND SMALL OBJECT (NOT A ROCK OR METAL) IMPACTED THE WINDSHIELD. WHICH CREATED A 3IN CRACK TOP OF WINDSHIELD (DRIVER SIDE). IN THE FOLLOWING 30 MINUTES, THE CRACK GREW TO OVER 10 INCHES.

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