2016 SUBARU FORESTER Steering Problems

19 NHTSA complaints on file

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Steering Issues in the 2016 SUBARU FORESTER

19 steering complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. Of these, 3 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 3 resulted in injury.

19
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

All Steering Complaints

#11532772 |
The Horn stopped working in the vehicle. This is a known issue with many Subarus. The horn is essential for safety reasons due to this the vehicle cannot pass a safety inspection. The culprit of this issue is the electrical coil spring component in the steering wheel behind the air bag. The component has multiple connections going to it including an airbag connection. In the event of accident it is not guaranteed that the spring coil component would deliver the signal for the air bag to deploy. This component is defective in many Subarus and is a very costly repair due to all the electrical and safety components connected to cloak spring. This component has been an issue in previous Subaru models but has not been extended to newer models that clearly have the same issue. please see document attached.
#11524409 |
Steering Rattle Sound / Steering Wheel Vibration This is a potential safety issue especially when driving free way at 60 or 65K mph. I would like to request if the lower control arm bushing can be part of a recall for subaru forester. Please see attached service bulletin.
#11496547 |
Aug. 12, 2022. Milage 124,028. Dealer (Serra Auto Park, in Akron, OH) had to replace faulty right front axelshaft. Parts and labor $812. Left axelshaft has already started making the same noises and we can expect it to be replaced soon as well. ARE WE THE ONLY ONES WITH THIS PROBLEM???
#11468250 |
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while reversing out the driveway at approximately 2 MPH, the vehicle lost electric power steering assist and became difficult to steer. The electric power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V065000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
#11441193 |
November 8/21, temperature 41 F. Started the car and started to move and steering wheel was stiff. Steering warning light came on. Shut off and started car two more times and steering went back to normal and warning light went off. A code of C2532 was stored. This issue was identified as a problem as far back as 2016, but no recall has been issued. The part has been updated, supposedly, as the original had what they called a frozen relay. It is an obvious safety issue that was identified long before warranty expired. I realize your organization is for American's but our vehicles are the same and unfortunately we do not have a player with the clout that yours brings to these issues. The salt in the wound for us was the close to $1000 Cdn. bill for the updated part to be replaced. Close to $800 for the...
#11435166 |
When I stop the vehicle and put in park, I cannot not turn car off or pull out key. I put car back in drive and drive a few feet forward or back. After putting in park again, I can then turn car off and pull key out. It is now happening more frequently, like every time I drive it. Also sometimes have trouble turning the key to start the car. Have had problems periodically for several years. Now its getting to be a regular problem. Very dangerous when you cannot turn the car off. And it will probably get worse with snowy weather. A safety issue. I see there is a NHTSA Safety Bulletin #10155220 that lists this problem. It looks like an existing problem with Subarus. Not sure why there is no recall?
#11428706 |
The ignition key has started getting stuck in the ignition after turning the motor off. It takes several tries, involving turning the motor back on and pulling the key out as I’m turning the motor off and pushing the stick back into PARK really hard per Subaru.... Subaru has acknowledged it’s a faulty part and lots of complaints online...they even did a tech bulletin # 16-112-18R but say its a customers problem....
#11377388 |
HAVE LESS THEN 10,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT TODAY, THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED LOCKED AND THE ERROR MESSAGE CAME ON. IT'S PARKED IN A SEMI-HEATED GARAGE AT HOME.
#11353339 |
POWER STEERING FAILED WITH NO WARNING. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED. WHEN RESTARTING THE VEHICLE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT WORK. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF POWER STEERING LOCKING UP OR JUST NOT WORKING WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING.
#11323214 | Crash
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY, CAUSING CAR TO CRASH INTO GUARDRAIL ON MEDIAN, CAUSING EXTENSIVE BENT FRAME OF CAR AND EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE, CAUSING CAR TO BE DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS, AND CAUSING NERVE DAMAGE IN THE NECK OF DRIVER.
#11257494 |
THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. I WAS TOLD IF WAS THE ELECTRONIC / ELECTRICAL "CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM?" IN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND JUST AILED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED.
#11252433 | Crash
I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN A CVS PARKING LOT ON SUNRISE BLVD FT. LAUDERDALE. I MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO THE LOT AND ANOTHER RIGHT TURN INTO THE SPACE ON THE RIGHT. IT WAS A LARGE SPACE AND THE ROW OF PARKING SLOTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY SO I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO ONE OF THOSE. I MADE THE TURN INTO THE SPACE, DRIVING VERY SLOWLY, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD NOISE AND SHOT FORWARD. I HAD DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS. THE CAR RAN OVER THE CURB AND INTO A CLUSTER OF SHRUBBERY - ABOUT 7 FEET WIDE. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP INSIDE THE SHRUBBERY BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL GOING. IT WAS THE SHRUBBERY THAT STOPPED THE CAR. 08/ I WAS NOT INJURED AT ALL. I TRIED TO BACK UP THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT BACK UP....
#11232866 |
KEY STUCK IN IGNITION CARMUST BE LEFT UNLOCKED WITH KEY IN IT WHEN PARKED - THIS CREATES A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE CAR CAN BE STOLEN OR INTRUDER CAN COME INTO CAR. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND HAD A REVISED PART 35122FJ033 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. DESPITE BEING A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT WITH SAFETY IMPLICATIONS THERE IS NO RECALL AND THE CONSUMER MUST PAY THE $400 FOR THE REPAIR.
#11186271 |
ON SEMI-SLICK PATCHES OF ROAD, THE 2016 FORESTER DRIVETRAIN WREAKS HAVOC ON THE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND STEERING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIOLENTLY BREAK RIGHT OR LEFT REQUIRING HARD STEERING TO STEER FORWARD. PASSENGERS SUFFER MOTION SICKNESS; IT IS THAT BAD. WHILE OTHER TRAFFIC (E.G., SEMI-TRUCKS, GRAVEL HAULERS, 20+ FOOT TRAILED VEHICLES) CAN PASS THE FORESTER WITH NO PROBLEM AT MUCH HIGHER SPEEDS, THE 2016 FORESTER CANNOT BE DRIVEN OVER 40MPH OR SEVER LOSS OF CONTROL (E.G., EXPRESSWAY); MUCH LIKE LUG NUTS LOOSE ON ONE OR MORE WHEELS. THE 2016 FORESTER IS A DEATH TRAP EVEN AT 40MPH BECAUSE UNKNOWN WHEN IT WILL JUST BREAK TO RIGHT OR LEFT. PUT NEW TIRES ON; SAME PROBLEM (FACTORY SPEC ALIGNMENT OKAY). TOOK TO DEALER, AND REAR WHEELS WERE ADJUSTED WITH IRREGULAR ALIGNMENT TO TRY TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM TRACKING IN A FASHION TO TRY TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM. A LITTLE BETTER WITH IRREGULAR...
#11170583 |
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS THE REAR-END SHIFTS TO THE LEFT WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP (DRY OR WET PAVEMENT). IT ALSO SHIFTS TO THE LEFT WHEN DRIVING ON ICE. I KNOW CARS PERFORM POORLY ON ICE, BUT I'VE HAD MANY DRIVING CAREERS AND THIS PROBLEM IS UNIQUE AND NOT NORMAL FOR ANY CAR. ALSO IT HYDROPLANES EASILY. THE REAR TIRES (ESPECIALLY THE RIGHT REAR TIRE) WEAR UNNATURALLY. I HAVE TO REPLACE TIRES APPROXIMATELY EVERY 18000 MILES. THIS IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND I RARELY HIT THE BRAKES. I DON'T ACCELERATE AGGRESSIVELY AND NEVER SLAM ON THE BRAKES. I USUALLY GET 60000+ MILES FROM MY TIRES. THE FRONT TIRES BY COMPARISON LAST 5-10 TIMES LONGER THAN THE REAR TIRES BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF TREAD WEAR AS COMPARED TO THE REAR TIRES OVER THE SAME AMOUNT OF MILES AS I DO ROTATE THEM REGULARLY. THIS...
#10983206 |
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE IN GARAGE, ON LEVEL WITH WHEELS STRAIGHT. TOWED TO WAGNER DEALERSHIP WHO AGREED IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING. EXTENDED MANIPULATION FREED IT. HOW DO I FIX THIS?
#10945743 |
WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 25 MPH IN MILD TO MODERATE WINTER CONDITIONS, THE REAR END IS FISHTAILING AND PUSHING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. MY FAMILY AND I WERE NEARLY THROWN INTO A DITCH SEVERAL TIMES IN A 2 MILE EXCURSION ON THE INTERSTATE ON CHRISTMAS DAY. EVEN AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, THE STEERING IS UNRESPONSIVE TO THE FORCE THAT FEELS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE REAR END. THE MAXIMUM SPEED AT WHICH WE COULD KEEP THE VEHICLE SOMEWHAT UNDER CONTROL WAS AROUND 25-30 MPH WHICH CAUSED US TO BE ANOTHER TYPE HAZARD ON THE INTERSTATE. DURING CITY DRIVING, THIS VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SINGLE LANE PRESENCE IN MILD TO MODERATE WINTER CONDITIONS. TIRE PRESSURE WAS EQUAL ON ALL 4 WHEELS. VEHICLE WAS WITHIN ALIGNMENT SPECS. THE DEALER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THERE IS A PROBLEM (4 OTHER CARS IN THE SAME DEALERSHIP WITH THE...
#10903443 |
WE GOT OUR 2016 SUBARU FORESTER PREMIUM 2.5I FROM BAY RIDGE DEALER IN BROOKLYN ON JUNE 7,2016.
#10810175 | Crash
THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE DRIVER STOPPED TO MAKE A U-TURN THEN SLOWLY STARTED TO TAKE HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE WHILE MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO THE RIGHT (OPPOSITE DIRECTION). THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ONLY AFTER COLLIDING INTO A STREET POLE.

Other 2016 SUBARU FORESTER Problem Areas

Air Bags 88 complaints Electrical System 87 complaints Unknown Or Other 66 complaints Engine 60 complaints Power Train 47 complaints Vehicle Speed Control 36 complaints Service Brakes 28 complaints Fuelpropulsion System 24 complaints Visibilitywiper 20 complaints Seats 18 complaints Suspension 12 complaints Wheels 12 complaints Air Bagssensoroccupant Classification 11 complaints Structurebody 9 complaints Electronic Stability Control Esc 8 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Warnings 7 complaints Exterior Lighting 6 complaints Seat Belts 6 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control 4 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking 3 complaints Air Bagssensoroccupant Classificationfront Passenger 2 complaints Electrical System12v24v48v Battery 2 complaints Tires 2 complaints Visibility 2 complaints Air Bagsfrontaldriver Clockspringspiral Cassette 1 complaint Air Bagsfrontalsensorcontrol Module 1 complaint Air Bagssrs Malfunction Warning Lamplight 1 complaint Back Over Prevention Warnings 1 complaint Electrical Systemignitionswitch 1 complaint Electrical Systeminstrument Panelspeedometerodometer 1 complaint Lane Departure Warning 1 complaint Power Trainmanual Transmissioncolumn Shift Assembly 1 complaint Structure 1 complaint Structurebodyhatchbackliftgate 1 complaint Vehicle Speed Controlaccelerator Pedal 1 complaint Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac System 1 complaint Visibilitywindshield 1 complaint Wheelshub 1 complaint Wheelslugsnutsboltsstuds 1 complaint
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