NHTSA Complaint #11309279 — 2016 SUBARU FORESTER

CAR SUFFERED 10 UNEXPLAINED ORIGINAL BATTERY DISCHARGES IN YEARS 2-3 OF OWNERSHIP. UPON JUMP START, AUTO WOULD START AND OPERATE NORMALLY FOR 2-5 MONTHS BEFORE NEXT DISCHARGE. SUBARU AUTHORIZED WARRANTY REPLACEMENT THROUGH DEALERSHIP WITH NEW LARGER POWERED BATTERY AT END OF YEAR 3 OF OWNERSHIP. REPAIR STATED FAILURE DUE TO BATTERY LEAKAGE ALTHOUGH NONE WAS OBSERVED BY OWNERS. 13 MONTHS AFTER REPLACEMENT BATTERY WAS INSTALLED, IT DISCHARGED TWICE IN SAME DAY AND WAS TAKEN TO ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP (SUBARU OF PORTLAND). SERVICE TECHNICIAN CHECK DETERMINED BATTERY COULD NOT BE RECHARGED, COULD NOT DETERMINE REASON FOR ITS FAILURE, COULD NOT FIND ANY ELECTRICAL PARASITIC DRAWS AND FOUND ALL SOFTWARE WAS UP TO DATE. OWNER WAS CHARGED FOR NEW BATTERY AND INSTALLATION AS FAILED BATTERY WAS NOW OUT OF 1-YEAR SUBARU REPLACEMENT POLICY. BRIEF INTERNET REVIEW SHOWS THIS HAS BECOME A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2016-2017 SUBARU'S. SUBARU U.S. CORPORATE CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT DEMONSTRATED NO INTEREST IN TAKING COMPLAINT OR LOGGING IN ANY DETAIL INFORMATION, DIRECTING OWNER BACK TO REPAIRING DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILED BATTERIES.