Manufacturer: FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES U.S.A., INC. (C/O SUBARU OF AMERICA)
Manufacturer Id: 1075
Model: Forester
Model Year: 2000
Other Restraint System Info: SRS Airbag
Plant City: Ota
Plant Company Name: FHI
Plant Country: Japan
Plant State: Gunma
Seat Belts All: Manual
Transmission Speeds: 4
Transmission Style: Automatic
Trim: S, Sport Wagon
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN TO 3RD GEAR AT ANY SPEED IF THE DRIVER TOUCHES THE BRAKE PEDAL. AT SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH THIS SHARPLY REDUCES THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. THE TRANSMISSION SUBSEQUENTLY DOES NOT SHIFT UP TO 4TH GEAR AGAIN. IT MUST BE SHIFTED UP MANUALLY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC ON HILLY HIGHWAYS AND FREEWAYS. I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE PROBLEMS TO A DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. A SUBARU REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IN A TELEPHONE CALL THAT SUBARU HAS CORRECTED THE HIGH SPEED DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM IN LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS BUT WILL NOT REPAIR THE SAME PROBLEM IN FORESTER MODELS.
2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I WAS ATTEMTING TO PARK BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE WAS A SURGE OF ACCELERATION AND I COULD DO NOTHING BUT RUN INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE SECOND OCCASION WAS SIMILAR, BUT, THIS TIME I WAS TRYING TO COME TO A STOP AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED, THERE WAS A SURGE OF ACCELERATION AND I HAD TO FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO AVOID STRIKING AN ONCOMING CAR. *AK