MY 2004 FORESTER 2.5XT SUSTAINED A SIGNIFICANT MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON 10/25/11 DAMAGING THE FRONT & REAR END AT A REPAIR COST APPROACHING 9K. MY SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD ME IN PLACE -- NO OTHER VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. SUBARU CORP IN NJ, USA WAS NOTIFIED. I BELIEVE THE 'EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR' (ELR) FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED; MY CHEST SLAMMED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL TWICE WHEN I WAS HIT IN THE REAR AND WHEN I SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THIS HAPPENED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND 10MPH WAS ESTIMATED WHEN TRAVELING FROM A STOPPED POSITION INTO THE VAN IN FRONT. I WAS INJURED WITH A BLACK & BLUE MARK ON MY CHEST WITH SOME DISCOMFORT FOR 2 WEEKS. MY BODY BENT AT THE WAIST AND MY NECK WAS NOT EFFECTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CABIN AREA WHERE THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES ARE LOCATED WERE NOT DAMAGED BY THE CRASH. WITHIN 1 WEEK SUBARU REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM ME AND RESOLVED THE CASE. I APPRECIATE THE COMPANY'S QUICK RESPONSE, BUT I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RESOLUTION. I REQUESTED THAT THE SEAT BELTS BE EVALUATED BY SUBARU EXPERTS ALONG WITH OTHER ASSOCIATED SAFETY COMPONENTS, AND TO HAVE MY SEAT BELT (AT A MINIMUM) REPLACED BY MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AT NO COST TO ME. MANUAL STATES TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT IF IN AN ACCIDENT. THE COMPANY RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, THAT SUBARU CORPORATION WILL NOT DO ANYTHING, WILL NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND WILL NOT PAY FOR NEW SEAT BELTS. THE COMPANY ALSO DID NOT REQUEST ANY PHOTOS FROM THE COLLISION REPAIR FACILITY TO VALIDATE THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT PHYSICALLY ALTERED BY THE IMPACT. IT WAS THE CRASH THAT REVEALED THAT THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT OPERATE AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, TO HOLD ME BACK IN MY SEAT. BECAUSE I CONTACTED SUBARU CORP WITH NO VISUAL DAMAGE TO MY SEAT BELT, THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT REPLACE THE SEAT BELT. MY COST IS OVER $500. *TR
2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY NEW SUBARU FORESTER HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT 45,000 MILES. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS WHATSOEVER THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS DRIVING NORMALLY AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON TO ALERT ME THAT MY ENGINE WOULD SEIZE. I WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I PULLED OVER ONLY BECAUSE I HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HAD I NOT PULLED OVER, I WOULD HAVE BROKEN DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. SUBARU HAS HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME CAR WITH THE TURBO ENGINE. THEY DISREGARD THIS FACT WHEN I BRING IT UP AS MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE THE TURBO OPTION. HOWEVER, IT DOES HAVE THE SAME ENGINE. I SEARCHED ON LINE AND IT APPEARS THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY SUBARU FORESTER OWNER WITH THIS COMPLAINT. THEY WILL NOT FIX THE CAR NOR DO THEY FEEL IT IS A SUBARU ISSUE. THEY ARE BLAMING THE FAILURE ON ME. I WOULD LIKE TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHERS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME. *TR