NHTSA Complaint #744488 — 1999 SUBARU FORESTER

ALL WHEEL DRIVE REBULIT 2/00,AFTER COMPLAING TO SERVICE CENTER THE WHEELS FEEL AS IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING IN UNISON.YTHE CAR DOES THIS ON DRY ROAD (NOT A MUCH),ON WET ROADS MORE FREQUENTLY,IN SONW NOT AT ALL THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO CHANGE IN ROAD CONDITIONS AND DOES NOT STOP IN NORMAL TIME,EVEN AFTER APPLYING BRAKES HARD.THE CAR DOES INTERMITTEN STOPPING BEFOREE IT CAME TO A FULL STOP.THIS HAAPENED IN 1/00 AND AGAIN 2/01.THE CAR IS PRESENTLY IN FOR REPAIRS,BUT I AM NOT CONFIDENT WITH THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN. I MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY IF IT OCCURS AGAIN.WHEN I FIRST INQUIRED IF ANY ONE ELSE HAS REPORTED DIFFICULTY WITH THE BRAKES RESPONDING 10/99 AND WAS TOLD NO.THEN WHEN THE CAR DID NOT REPOND TO STOPPING IN 1/00 I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ANTILOCKING BRAKES WORKING BECAUE I WAS ON SNO,BUT WHEN THE CAR SLIPPED DOWN AND COULD NOT MAKE IT UP A SMALL INCLINE THEY TOLD " I FIND THAT HAD TO BELEIVE.THAT WAS WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN AND IT WAS FOUND THE VEHICLE HAD NO ALL WHEEL DIRVE.I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AGAIN FOR THEM TO CHECK THE BRAKES AND WAS TOLD THEY WORKED FINE ACCORDING TO THE SPECIFICATION FOR THIS VEHICLE.THIS CAR IS STATED TO HAVE ALL WHEEL DRIVE ALL THE TIME THIS IS NOT TRUE. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS AS TO MY SAFETY WHICH HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY.I DID COMPLAIN AGAIN AND THEY CHECK THE CAR IN 3/01 AND TOLD ME THE TIRE PRESSURE IN THE REAR WAS LOW,BUT I TRIED TO EXPLAIN I HAVE MY TIRE ROTATED AND CHECK BY SEARS EVERY 6000 MILE AND I CHECK THE TIRES MYSELF BECAUSE I KNOW THIS WILL AFFECT THE RIDE & MILAGE.WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS TAKING THE CAR TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHANGED THE OIL TEMP LIGHT STARTED TO FALSH WHICH INDICATRES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION.THE DIAGNOSTIC READ CODE;38 TORQUE CONTROL SINGNAL; THE SERVICE TECH THEN PERFORMED TRAN SERVICE,PUT 4 QUARTS OF TRANMISSION FLUID IN THE CAR AND REPLACED THE GASKET(CHARGING ME FOR THIS). I CALLED THEM BACK TO INQUIRE WHY THIS WAS DONE WHEN I HAD THIS SAME SERVICE PERFORMED WHEN THEY DID THIS.