NHTSA Complaint #11131162 — 2015 SUBARU FORESTER

THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 2 WEEKS AND 600 MILES OF DRIVING AFTER I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE ECM FLASH UPDATES INSTALLED TO ADDRESS SURGING AND LOSS OF POWER DURING LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. WE WERE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT, WE HEARD AND FELT A VERY LOUD 'KNOCK' FROM THE ENGINE AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE WOULD REV AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF POWER AND THEN LOSE ALL POWER AGAIN. ESSENTIALLY WE WERE COASTING. FORTUNATELY WE WERE NEAR A FREEWAY EXIT AND WERE ABLE TO STOP AT A SHOULDER ON THAT EXIT. WE TRIED TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, WAITING AND TURNING IT BACK ON. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE TURNED OVER, IT HAD A VERY ROUGH IDLE AND SHUT OFF AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS. IF WE TURNED IT ON AND PUT THE CAR IN GEAR AND TRIED TO DRIVE FORWARD IT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THE AIR INTAKE HOSE DISCONNECTED FROM THE INTERCOOLER. THEY RECONNECTED THE HOSE, CLEARED FAULT CODES AND IT IS RUNNING NORMALLY NOW. I AM SKEPTICAL THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE PROBLEM, I HAVE A FEELING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE CARS FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND THAT SUBARU IS ATTEMPTING TO COVER THINGS UP TO AVOID MORE EXPENSIVE RECALLS. THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT PUT OUR LIVES IN DANGER AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR.