NHTSA Complaint #10197938 — 2000 SUBARU FORESTER

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM CAR WAS OVERHEATING AT 117000 MILES. THERMOSTAT REPLACED BY DEALER, BUT FOUR WEEKS LATER, SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. PROBLEM IS BLOWN HEAD GASKETS, WHICH ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. LOOKED ON INTERNET, AND FOUND ALL SORTS OF COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS, SAYING THEY'D HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR SUBARU'S ALSO. "CONDITIONER' WAS APPARENTLY PUT INTO THE ENGINE IN 2004, BY DEALER, BECAUSE OF KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS ON SUBARU. IT SEEMS THIS CONDITIONER JUST HELD THE PROBLEM OFF LONG ENOUGH THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND NOW I HAVE A MULTIPLE THOUSAND DOLLAR REPAIR ON MY HANDS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE GASKET DESIGN IS THE PROBLEM. THEY NOW USE A MUCH STRONGER GASKET. THAT DOESN'T REALLY HELP ME, SINCE I HAVE TO PAY ALL THAT MONEY TO HAVE THE FAULTY GASKET REPLACED. INSTEAD OF USING THE 'CONDITIONER' CHEAP FIX IN 2004, THE POORLY DESIGNED GASKET SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS A RECALL. *JB