NHTSA Complaint #10897232 — 2010 SUBARU FORESTER

I WAS HEADING TO WORK ON RT 80 W IN NJ WHEN MY CAR'S ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A KNOCKING SOUND. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I GOT INTO THE RIGHT-HAND LANE AND EXITED RT 80 VIA EXIT 34B, RT 15N TOWARDS SPARTA NJ. I KNEW THERE WAS A GAS STATION AT THE EXIT AND WAS JUST BARELY ABLE TO PULL IN WHEN THE CAR DIED. AT THAT POINT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL AND THE CAR DIED. THE AAA DRIVER TOLD ME THE CAR HAD BURNED THROUGH ALL THE OIL (HE CHECKED THE OIL TANK; IT WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY.) I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MILFORD PA WHERE MY PLACE OF BUSINESS IS AS I HAD PERISHABLES I HAD JUST BOUGHT FOR MY CAFE WITH ME THAT NEEDED TO BE REFRIGERATED. MY MECHANIC SAID EXACTLY WHAT THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD SAID. THE ENGINE BLEW DUE TO THE CAR BURNING UP ALL THE OIL. NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. SINCE BUYING THIS CAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS TWICE, BOTH TIMES BEFORE THE CAR HAD REACHED 50,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE IGNITION COIL REPLACED 3 TIMES IN UNDER 3 YEARS. THE CAR IS A LEMON, BUT NO SIGNS WERE EVIDENT UNTIL I HIT 34,000 MILES OR SO. IT IS A MIRACLE THAT I DIDN'T HIT OR HARM ANYONE ON RT 80 WHEN THE ENGINE DIED, OR THAT I WASN'T HARMED. SUBARU OF AMERICA IS VERY UNHELPFUL; THEY KEEP TELLING ME MY CAR NEEDS TO BE AT A SUBARU DEALER FOR THEM TO "OPEN A CASE", EVEN THOUGH I EXPLAINED I HAD PERISHABLES WITH ME AND HAD TO KEEP THEM COLD. I ASKED IF SUBARU WOULD TOW THE CAR FOR ME, BUT THEY SAID NO, AS IT HAS TOO MANY MILES ON IT. WHEN I ASKED THEM ABOUT WHY THE WARNING LIGHTS NEVER CAME ON, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE IS "NOT EQUIPPED" WITH THOSE LIGHTS, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT IS AS THEY CAME ON WHEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS MELTED AND THE DRIVER'S MANUAL FOR MY CAR INSTRUCTS THE DRIVER AS TO WHAT TO DO IF THE LIGHTS COME ON.