NHTSA Complaint #11024931 — 2018 SUBARU FORESTER

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MILES AN HOUR ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, I WAS GOING AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE WHEN THE LANE ASSIST CAME ON. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND NOT NEAR THE LEFT LINE IN ROAD, BUT CENTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF LANE. I HEARD ONE BEEP AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY LOOSE IN MY HAND AND IT TOOK ME A FEW SECONDS TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE GOING ON A SLIGHTLY CURVED CITY STREET GOING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. IT SCARED THE DICKENS OUT OF ME AS IT WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED THE LANE ASSIST TO DO. I WENT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE STEERING AND THEY SAID I JUST NEEDED TO GET USED TO HOW THE ELECTRIC STEERING WORKED. AFTER IT HAPPENED A COUPLE MORE TIME I MADE APPOINTMENT FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE A TEST DRIVE. THE TECHNICIAN FELT A SLIGHT SWAYING BUT SAID IT WAS THE TYPE OF STEERING OF THE LANE ASSIST. HE SUGGESTED I TURN IT OFF AND NOT USE IT FOR A WHILE AND SEE HOW CAR THEN HANDLED. THE TECHNICIAN FILED CASE # 26296330423, NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH VEHICLE, SYSTEM IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED, NO REPAIR ATTEMPT PERFORMED. (EQMR WAS ALSO FILLED OUT AND SUBMITTED.) I HAVE NOT DRIVEN MY FORESTER WITH THE ASSIST ON SINCE THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS LOOSE WHEEL STEERING HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM CONVINCED IT IS THE LANE ASSIST AND FEEL IT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN MY VEHICLE. I WILL PROBABLY NEVER USE IT AGAIN. LANE DEPARTURE IS FINE, DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO. I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS WITH THE DEALERSHIP OR THEIR TECHNICIAN, THEY WERE VERY THOROUGH AND KIND. THIS LANE ASSIST IS JUST AN ASPECT OF THIS SAFETY TECHNOLOGY THAT I DON NOT LIKE HOW IT WORKS. OR IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT IN MY CAR THAT THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO OTHERS YET? I DO UNDERSTAND HOW LANE ASSIST WORKS, I DID TEST DRIVES HAVING IT ON AND IT WOULD BRING ME BACK TO MY LANE IF I WENT OVER THE LINE WITHOUT A BLINKER ON.