NHTSA Complaint #11202996 — 2014 SUBARU FORESTER

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019 AROUND 7:00PM. I MADE A LEFT RUN AND HEARD A POP. THE CAR BECAME SQUIRRELLY. I PULLED OVER AT NAPA AND CALLED OUR MECHANIC AND DESCRIBED WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE ASKED ME IF THE CAR WAS LEANING TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. I SAID YES. HE SAID IT WAS LIKELY A BAD SPRING OR STRUT. WHEN I GOT HOME, I JACKED UP THE CAR AND REMOVED THE TIRE. THE RIGHT SPRING WAS BROKEN AND FELL OFF OF THE STRUT. SATURDAY APRIL 20, 2019 I GOT 4 QUOTES FROM TOM WOOD SUBARU. ONE FOR SPRINGS ($120 X2). ONE FOR THE STRUTS ($191). ONE FOR ALL THE HARDWARE NEEDED ($770). LASTLY, WHAT TOM WOOD SUBARU WOULD CHARGE TO DO THE JOB (AROUND $1100). THE SAID THEY WERE BOOKED FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS WITH AIRBAG RECALLS. I WASN'T SURE IF I LOST ANY PARTS SO I LOOKED AT THE LEFT REAR SIDES A REFERENCE. TO MY SURPRISE, THAT SPRING WAS ALSO COMPLETELY BROKEN BUT HADN'T SNAPPED OFF THE STRUT YET. THIS SEEMS LIKE DEFECTIVE SPRINGS. THE CAR HAS 54,448 MILES AND HAS NOT CARRIED A LOT OF WEIGHT OR BEEN DRIVEN HARD. IN MY 30+ YEARS OF DRIVING, I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR BREAK A SPRING, LET ALONE HAVE 2 BROKEN SPRINGS. I WAS REALLY GLAD I WASN'T IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE BACK END WAS VERY UNSTABLE. IT DRIFTED FROM SIDE TO SIDE ERRATICALLY. THIS DEFECT RISKED MY SAFETY AND THOSE AROUND ME. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, I DIDN'T HAVE A CAR AND HAD TO HAVE MY FATHER-IN-LAW HAD TO PICK ME UP TO GO TO EASTER SERVICE. THIS ORDEAL HAS BEEN VERY STRESSFUL.