NHTSA Complaint #10979833 — 2010 SUBARU FORESTER

I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE SUBARU FORESTER 2010 BE INVESTIGATED FOR DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS AS THEY APPEAR TO BLOW SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE FOR DRIVING. MY VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 74000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND NEARLY EXCLUSIVELY BY THE DEALER. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, I NOTICED THE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO AN OIL CHANGE SERVICE STATION TO HAVE THEM CHECK ON AND REPLACE THE COOLANT AND CHANGE THE OIL. AFTERWARD, I DROVE THE CAR HOME BUT NOTICED THAT WHEN I WAS NEARLY HOME THE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I COULD HEAR A LOW WHISTLING NOISE. IT WAS TOO LATE THAT EVENING TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE NEXT MORNING, ON MY WAY TO GET THE CAR CHECKED/SERVICED, THE LIGHTS FOR COOLANT, CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL AND CRUISE CONTROL BEGAN FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY. WAS ADVISED OF BLOWN HEAD GASKET(S) AND THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER DID REPAIRS, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE BLOCK, WHICH TOOK APPROX 6 WEEKS. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, IN A CAR THAT HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND HAS RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE. THIS ISSUE RENDERED THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT THE TIME IT OCCURRED. I AM UNSURE IF THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN FULLY RESOLVED YET AS I GOT THE CAR BACK AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON 2 DAYS LATER. IT IS CURRENTLY BACK AT THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. HOWEVER, I WANTED TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE I AM HOPING OTHER CAR OWNERS MIGHT BE PROTECTED FROM ANY POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS/SAFETY INCIDENTS DUE TO FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. THANK YOU AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME WITH ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.