NHTSA Complaint #10355241 — 2005 SUBARU FORESTER

WE PURCHASED A 2005 SUBARU FORESTER FROM A SUBARU DEALER IN AUGUST 2008 AT 60,000 MILES. SINCE AUGUST 2008, WE HAD FOUR EPISODES OF ENGINE STALLING WITH CHECK ENGINE LAMP COMING ON. WE HAD TO HAVE OUR CAR TOWED FOUR TIMES TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. THE FIRST AND THIRD TOWING RESULTED IN REPLACEMENT OF IGNITION COIL. THE SECOND TOWING RESULTED IN NO REPAIR SINCE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. BEFORE THE FOURTH TOWING, WE JUST GOT ON A FREEWAY AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHEN ENGINE LOST POWER SO WE QUICKLY GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND MANAGED TO PARK FORESTER IN AN EMPTY PARKING LOT. THE CAR WOULD NOT START SO WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FORESTER NOW NEEDS AN ENGINE REBUILD SINCE LOWER ENGINE MAIN BEARING HAD FAILED, CAUSING RESIDUAL SCORING DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER BLOCK AND BOTH CYLINDER HEADS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ASKED FOR $7000 IN REBUILDING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAD 72000 MILES AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER ALL OF A SUDDEN AND IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD WE BEEN DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT INSTEAD OF SLOWLY ACCELERATING TO GET ON THE FREEWAY. ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. *TR