What 405 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester

YESTERDAY AM FOUND WINDSHIELD CRACK ON MY 2016 FORESTER. CAR HAD BEEN PARKED ALL NIGHT IN CLEAR WEATHER , AND NO DING OR CRACK WAS PRESENT DAY BEFORE. KNOWING THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN OTHER YEARS OF THIS AUTO, FELT IT NECESSARY TO REPORT. PHOTOS SHOW COMPLETE CRACK AND POSSIBLE PLACE OF ORIGIN WHERE WINDSHIELD MEETS BODY BY ROOF.

NHTSA ODI 11351098

PLEASE RECALL THE 2016 SUBARU FORESTER FOR FAILURE OF THE ACCELERATOR AT HIGH SPEEDS. OUR 21-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, A NURSING STUDENT, TOOK HER 2016 FORESTER INTO GRAYSON SUBARU IN KNOXVILLE, TN FOR A RECALL SERVICE ON REAR COIL SPRINGS, OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION. WITHIN AN HOUR OF LEAVING THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SHE WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN HER "LOW FUEL" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. ACCORDING TO THE SUBARU, THAT MEANS 2.6 GALLONS OF GAS REMAIN. ASSUMING 20 MPG, THAT MEANS SHE COULD DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 52 MILES BEFORE RUNNING OUT OF GAS. WITHIN A MINUTE OF THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMING ON, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO WORK AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH. WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, SHE HAD TO CROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER. VERY SHAKEN AND CRYING, SHE CALLED GRAYSON SUBARU AND THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK. AFTER STEVE KACHELRIE OF GRAYSON'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT ASSESSED THE CAR, HE CONCLUDED, "YOUR DAUGHTER JUST RAN OUT OF GAS. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO OTHER THAN PUT GAS IN THE TANK." WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT THE GAS METER SAID SHE HAD 50 MILES OF DRIVING TO GO BEFORE EMPTY, HE DISMISSED IT AND REPEATED THAT SHE "JUST RAN OUT OF GAS." I RESEARCHED THE 2016 SUBARU FORESTER ON NHTSA.GOV AND FOUND 20 REPORTS OF IDENTICAL INCIDENTS OF THE CAR SHOWING 50-70 MILES TO GO BEFORE EMPTY AND THE ACCELERATOR COMPLETELY FAILING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS LIGHTING UP. WHEN I TOLD GRAYSON SERVICE THAT WAS AN UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE, THEY REFERRED ME TO THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP, WALTER GRAYSON. HE AGREED TO FULFILL SUBARU'S GUARANTEE TO PAY US THE TRADE-IN VALUE OF THE CAR, $14,800. THE DEALERSHIP SENT US A CHECK FOR THE 2016 SUBARU FORESTER AND WE PURCHASED A NEW TOYOTA.

NHTSA ODI 11350630

2016 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A TREE. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11349491

THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION AFTER CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND CAR IS PARKED. THE FIRST TIME WAS SATURDAY,AUGUST 1. SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ABOUT ONCE EVERY OTHER DAY FOR FIVE DAYS. NOW IT IS HAPPENING AT LEAST ONCE EVERY DAY.

NHTSA ODI 11349216

AFTER PARKED THE 2016 SUBARU FORESTER, THE KEY WAS STUCK AND COULD NOT BE PULLED OUT OF THE KEY CYLINDER. IT HAPPENED EVERY OTHER DAYS.

NHTSA ODI 11348375

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AROUND 70 MPH. LOST POWER TO WHEELS/VEHICLE STALLED WITH NO WARNING. ENGINE REVVED TO HIGH RPM'S WHEN I HIT GAS, AS I COASTED INTO THE GRASSY MEDIAN. I TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED FOR A FEW MINUTES. TRIED TO START AGAIN, STARTER WOULD CRANK, BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT START. TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER THEY WERE ABLE TO START CAR NEXT DAY. NO ERROR CODES IN COMPUTER. HAVE NOTICED THIS ISSUE ON THE SUBARU MESSAGE BOARDS, DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE ISSUE NOW. VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11343912

THE KEY OCASIONALLY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SO THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE AND LOCK THE CAR. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A MONTH BEFORE I PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED.

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THERE IS A LEAK IN THE HEAD GASKET WHICH RUINED A TEMPERATURE GAUGE ($700 TO REPLACE). THE MECHANICS SAY IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND THERE IS NOTHING I COULD DO TO AVOID THE ISSUE AND IT WILL KEEP HAPPENING UNTIL I FIX THE LEAK.

NHTSA ODI 11339614

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CAMELBACK SUBARU LOCATED AT 1521 E CAMELBACK RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85014, (602) 680-2495 FOR THE 120,000 MILES VEHICLE INSPECTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED, THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEAT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SAME DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,953.

NHTSA ODI 11338218

IGNITION KEY WILL NOT DISENGAGE AFTER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF; VEHICLE HAS A CVT TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI 11337599

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE PARKING. ALL LOW SPEED <5 MPH. CAR WAS IN DRIVE, BRAKING, MADE A HARD LEFT TURN THEN STOPPED. CAR WAS SHIFTED TO REVERSE, MOVED 25 FEET, BRAKE AND STOPPED. CAR WAS SHIFTED TO DRIVE (LOW), APPLIED ACCELERATION (LIGHT), HARD RIGHT TURN, BRAKE APPLIED, CAR ACCELERATED, JUMPED CURB, SHIFTED CAR TO PARK, TURNED OFF IGNITION. RESTARTED CAR, STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ON, SHIFT WOULD NOT ENGAGE EVEN WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED. REMOVE SHIFT LOCK COVER (SMALL BUTTON NEAR SHIFT) DEPRESSED RELEASE AND MOVE SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND THEN REVERSE TO BACK OFF CURB. INCIDENT OVER, CAR FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED AT THIS POINT. FLOOR MATS WERE NOT ANY WHERE NEAR PEDALS, MATS WERE IN THE RETAINERS TO HOLD POSITION. I AM SURE THAT MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AT THE TIME THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED. IT REMAINED THERE EVEN AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF BECAUSE I LOOKED AT MY PASSENGER TO SEE IF SHE WAS OK AND THEN LOOKED AT THE POSITION OF MY FOOT, STILL ON BRAKE. THERE WERE NO CODES FLASHING. I BRAKE AND ACCELERATE WITH ONLY MY RIGHT FOOT. CHECKED TO SEE IF THIS IS A PROBLEM AND SAW SEVERAL REPORTS AND ISSUED THIS ONE. TAKING THIS TO MY DEALER WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME, THEY ALWAYS FIND NOTHING BUT THE MONEY IN MY WALLET. THIS IS SUBARU NUMBER 6 FOR ME.

NHTSA ODI 11337719

KEY IS STUCK IN IGNITION AFTER I COME TO A STOP AND PUT CAR IN PARK AND FIRMLY APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKE. I CAN SOMETIMES START THE CAR AGAIN, PUT IT IN PARK AND PULL THE BRAKE AND THE KEY WILL COME OUT. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION.

NHTSA ODI 11331930

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, 2016 FORESTER ENGINE REVVED WHILE ALSO LOSING POWER AND THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CAR STILL RUNNING, I SHUT THE CAR OFF. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE ENGINE STARTED FINE BUT THE CAR STILL HAD NO POWER. WAS TOWED TO THE SHOP AND THEY STATED THE CAR RAN OUT OF GAS. THE CAR STATED THERE WERE 30 MILES LEFT TO DRIVE AND THE GAS LIGHT CAME ON 18 MILES PRIOR (AT 50 MILES ESTIMATED LEFT TO DRIVE) . THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED, I RAN OUT OF GAS WITH 50 MILES LEFT TO DRIVE AND ONLY 5 MILES AFTER THE GAS LIGHT CAME ON. I HAVEN'T LET THE CAR GET BELOW 1/4 TANK DUE TO THIS ISSUE. SOMETHING IS NOT READING RIGHT WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE MANUAL SAYS THERE SHOULD BE ROUGHLY 2 GALLONS LEFT IN THE CAR WHEN THE GAS LIGHT COMES ON SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO AT LEAST GO 40 MILES AT THE BARE MINIMUM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11331207

IN 2016 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IT STARTED TO SLEET. THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME. I TURNED ON MY HEATER AND DEFROST AND THE WINDOW POPPED AND CRACKED FROM THE HEATING VENT TO ABOUT 1/2 UP THE WINDOW. OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS THE CRACK CONTINUED TO GROW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330062

I HAD DROPPED MY CAR OFF AT THE SHOP FOR A RECALL. ON THE DRIVE HOME, WHEN I WAS ABOUT 6 MILES FROM THE SHOP, I STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. SUDDENLY MY FRONT WINDOW CRACKED FROM RIGHT ABOVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR DOWN THE CENTER OF THE WINDOW AND THEN OVER TOWARDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I'VE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE CRACK. THE SHOP REVIEWED THEIR VIDEO OF THE WORK ON THE CAR AND SAID THEY DID NOT SEE ANYTHING THAT HAD STRUCK THE WINDOW. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY AND I HAD JUST TURNED MY AIR CONDITIONING UP ALL THE WAY RIGHT BEFORE THE WINDOW CRACKED. THE STREET I WAS ON WAS A 4-LANE COUNTY ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330068

KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. THIS STARTED ABOUT 4 MOS AGO. PARK CAR, TURN OFF, BUT KEY WON'T RELEASE AND COME OUT. HAVE TO SOMETIMES RESTART CAR, REVERSE, SLAM INTO PARK. USED TO HEAR A "CLICK" OR LIKE SOMETHING "LOCKED IN", BUT NO LONGER. IT'S GETTING WORSE; CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND COSTS SEEMS TO BE 500-600 REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326919

THE KEY HAS STARTED GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION INTERMITTENTLY AFTER TURNING THE MOTOR OFF. SOMETIMES IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS INVOLVING TURNING THE MOTOR BACK ON AND PULLING THE KEY OUT AS I'M TURNING THE MOTOR OFF. IT MAY GO A COUPLE OF DAYS AND BE FINE THEN DO IT SEVERAL TIMES IN A ROW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326779

MY FORESTER ACCELERATES WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHEN I STOP AT LIGHT AND ADVANCE IT SOMETIMES ACCELERATES MORE THAN I HAVE PRESSED ON GAS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11324790

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY, CAUSING CAR TO CRASH INTO GUARDRAIL ON MEDIAN, CAUSING EXTENSIVE BENT FRAME OF CAR AND EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE, CAUSING CAR TO BE DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS, AND CAUSING NERVE DAMAGE IN THE NECK OF DRIVER.

NHTSA ODI 11323214

WHEN I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK I CANT REMOVE MY KEY WITHOUT TURNING IT ON AND BACK OFF A COUPLE TIMES. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A MONTH NOW SINCE IF OWNED IT.

NHTSA ODI 11318532

SUBARU DEALER CHANGED TWO REAR COILS ON MY 2016 FORESTER, WITH 37K MILES, 2/20/2020. ON 2/26/2020 A LOUD BANGING NOISE AT REAR OF VEHICLE. NOTICED OIL SPOTS ON MY DRIVEWAY, AT REAR OF VEHICLE. ON 3/2/20, 11 DAYS AFTER THE COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED, I BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER ASKING THEM TO CHECK MY WORK. WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT STORE THE CAR AND I WOULD HAVE TO RERUN THE NEXT DAY. WORK COMMITMENTS MADE THIS IMPOSSIBLE. THE NEXT TWO DAYS, ON DRIVING TO THE TRAIN, THE BANGING BECAME EXTREMELY LOUD AND I LEFT IT AT A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT BOTH REAR STRUTS WERE LEAKING. IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT BOTH REAR STRUTS WOULD LEAK 11 DAYS AFTER THE COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THOSE BAD COIL SPRINGS, WHICH WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER, , CAUSED EXTRA STRESS TO THOSE TWO REAR STRUTS, ON A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 37K MILES, CAUSING BOTH TO FAIL. SHOCKS STRUTS USUALLY NEVER FAIL IN PAIRS. THE VEHICLES IS USED LOCALLY, WITH NO HEAVY OBJECTS IN THE REAR. DEALER SHOULD COMPENSATE THIS OWNER.

NHTSA ODI 11318332

SMALL CHIP IN WINDSHIELD ON HIGHWAY TURNED INTO LARGE CRACK REQUIRING WHOLE WINDSHIELD TO BE REPLACED AND VISION SYSTEM RECALIBRATED.

NHTSA ODI 11318154

SMALL CHIP IN WINDSHIELD ON HIGHWAY TURNED INTO LARGE CRACK REQUIRING WHOLE WINDSHIELD TO BE REPLACED AND VISION SYSTEM RECALIBRATED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD SINCE PURCHASING IT IN 2016

NHTSA ODI 11318155

WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVER NIGHT. DID SEE SMALL ROCK IMPACT BUT WEIRD WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL THE WAY UP OVER NIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 11318018

RUNNING IN MY 2016 SUBARU FORESTER AT 70 MPH ON CROWDED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN TEXAS AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. NO WARNING, NO WARNING LIGHTS, NOTHING...JUST LOST ALL POWER AND SHOT OFF WHILE DRIVING. . CAR ROLLED TO A STOP AND THEN I HAD IT TOWED. RESTARTED AFTER A WHILE AND DROVE FINE. SAW A LOT OF COMMENTS ONLINE FOR A CURRENT SUBARU RECALL THAT HAS EXACTLY THE SAME SYMPTOMS, BUT FOR THE 2019 YEAR FORESTER. SUBARU RECALL ITEM: WUW-08 AND ALSO NOTES AS RECALL #: 19V856000 - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV). DEALER DOEN'T WANT TO TOUCH IT SR INCE IT'S A DIFFERENT MODEL YEAR. COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS.

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