2001 Subaru Forester Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABS MALFUNCTIONED AND ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED, WHICH PREVENTED THE BRAKES FROM STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE MEDIAN, WHICH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FAILED TO INDICATE IF ANY INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED OR IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,503.

NHTSA ID

10750361

Incident

Aug 20, 2015

Mileage

194,503 mi

BRAKES JUST DO NOT WORK ON SNOW, ICE (ABS DOES NOT KICK IN), AND THE WHEELS DO NOT TURN. HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, RAN INTO AN INTERSECTION ON RED AT LEAST 4 TIMES. ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN; NOTICED OTHER COMPLAINTS OF ACCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563597

Incident

Feb 5, 2005

Mileage

20,000 mi

ON MONDAY AT 4:50 PM I WAS DRIVING N A SCHOOL ZONE AND REALIZED THAT I WAS HAVING TO RIDE MY BRAKES I ALSO THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME FUNNY NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOW AND COULDN'T HEAR ANY THING. AS I APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND I PRESSED MY BRAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE RPMS WENT ALL THE WAY INTO THE RED AND MY CAR CONTINUED ABOUT 4 TO 6 FEET WITH BRAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN. WHEN CAR FINELY CAME TO A STOP I PLACED IT IN PARK BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS MY STOP MY CAR FROM GOING INTO GEAR AGAIN AND THE RPMS CONTINUED TO RISE MORE INTO THE RED. I WAS AFRAID AND PLACED IT IN DRIVE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE TO GET IT INTO THE PARKING LOT I TOOK A RIGHT. WHEN I HAD TO STOP IN THE LOT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND THE RPMS WENT UP ALL THE WAY AS MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE IT WENT ABOUT 3 EXTRA FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. I PLACED IT IN PARK AND QUICKLY TURNED THE CAR OFF. I TURNED THE CAR ON TO SEE IF IT WOULD RESET BUT THE RPM WENT ALL THE WAY UP AGAIN. A MAN CLAIMING TO BE A MECHANIC LOOKED AT MY THROTTLES TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE NOT STUCK AND TOOK ONE FINGER AND TAPPED ON THE THROTTLE SENSOR. I STARTED THE CARE AGAIN AND THE RPMS WERE BACK TO A NORMAL AMOUNT. THE DEALERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE AND HAVE FOUND NO FAULT IN THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10519550

Incident

Jun 10, 2013

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE IN A TIMELY MANNER WHEN THE TWO RIGHT TIRES WERE ON ICE ,AND THE TWO LEFT TIRES WERE ON DRY PAVEMENT. WHEN THIS OCCURRED IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10057624

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

40,000 mi

WHEEL LUGS BOLTS: AT 40720 MILES (4/9/03) CAR WAS IN SUBARU DEALER FOR REAR BRAKES. TWO LUG BOLTS FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WERE FOUND TO BE SNAPPED AND FELL OFF IN THE MECHANICS HAND. THAT WAS A WEEK AGO. TODAY AFTER ABOUT 900 MILES TWO LUG BOLTS ON THE SAME WHEEL HAD SNAPPED OFF. DEALER TOWED THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10016371

Incident

Apr 22, 2003

Mileage

40,720 mi

BRAKE ROTORS WERE PACKED WITH LEAVES AND STONES. CAR NEEDED TO BE PLACED ON LIFT TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS. COULD NOT DRIVE DUE TO HIGH PITCHED SQUEAL AND CONCERN ABOUT CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE. SUBARU TOOK FOUR HOURS TO PICK UP CAR. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER FINALLY, WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A SUBARU PROBLEM AND THEY INDICATED I SHOULD BE CHARGED FOR A HALF HOUR LABOR AND WOULD NOT PAY FOR TOW. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING ON DIRT ROADS (ISN'T THAT WHAT SUV'S ARE DESIGNED FOR?) I THINK THERE MUST BE A FLAW IN DESIGN OF FORESTER SUV. SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME IT HAPPENS TO HIS WIFE FREQUENTLY, AND HE CORRECTS PROBLEM HIMSELF. SEEMED TO BE SUGGESTING I DO THE SAME WHICH SOUNDS UNREASONABLE FOR A CAR UNDER WARRANTY COVERAGE AND ONLY 11,000 MILES. I RECEIVED VERY POOR SERVICE FROM SUBARU. HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN BASED ON SYMPTOMS AND ADVISE OF DRIVER TO GO AHEAD WITH TOW THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE A SUBARU PROBLEM ,AND WHY DID THEY MAKE ME WAIT FOUR HOURS AND CHASE THEM BY TELEPHONE BEFORE THEY FINALLY PICKED UP CAR?*JB

NHTSA ID

10008211

Incident

Feb 27, 2003

Mileage

11,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE STARTED MAKING NOISES FROM THE BRAKES. DEALER AND SUBURU MANUFACTORY WERE NOTIFIED. *MR

NHTSA ID

8019712

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

THE TRIGGERRING MECHANISM FOR THE ABS SEEMS TOO DELICATE. THE CAR STARTS SKIDDING EVEN IN VERY LIGHT SNOW. THIS HAS CAUSED 3 INCIDENTS OF RUN-OFF-ROAD CRASHES ONTO THE CURB WITH MINIMAL PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE CAR GETS OUT OF CONTROL VERY EASILY IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS WHICH DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF A 4WD VEHICLE WITH ABS.*AK

NHTSA ID

759635

Incident

Mar 20, 2002

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO PARK, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPING A CURB AND HITTING TWO PARKED VEHICLES. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. SUBARU WAS CONTACTED TO INSPECT VEHICLE.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8003769

Incident

Feb 7, 2002

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS, ON ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER PUT HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, HOWEVER VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, VEHICLE GLAZED AGAINST ANOTHER CAR CAUSING DAMAGE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

563855

Incident

Mar 9, 2001

VEHICLE WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE JUMPED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES ALREADY.*AK

NHTSA ID

898344

Incident

Oct 15, 2001

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 25 MPH. THEN, BRAKES LOCKED UP. PEDAL FELT SOFT.*AK DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHT BULB BURNED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

894536

Incident

Aug 14, 2001

PARKING WITH FOOT ON BRAKES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OVER CEMENT BLOCK. HAD HIT A FEW BUSHES AND THEN A BUILDING. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC BASED ON REFERRAL FROM DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID

885315

Incident

Mar 29, 2001

THERE MAY HAVE OTHER FACTORS TO THE CAR SKIDDING (SNOWY). *AK

NHTSA ID

740555

Incident

Dec 24, 2000

BRAKES LIGHTLY APPLIED DUE TO SLUSH ON ROADWAY,BRAKES DID NOT WORK VEHICLE CRASHED, DRIVER SUFFERED CONCUSION AS HEAD HIT WINDSHIELD AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPOLY. SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD DRIVER FIRMLY. SUBARU HOME OFFICE NOTIFIED, CHRIS, CUSTOMER SERVICE REP APPEARS NOT VERY CONCERNED AND ALMOST CALLOUS IN RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS. INS CO HAS ELECTED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

739891

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED FOOT TOUCHING BOTH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME, DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED THE BRAKE PEDAL HEIGHT AS STATED IN SERVICE BULLETIN 6-29-00 OPERATION #A543-008, HOWEVER CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS INADEQUATE AND THEY SHOULD BE SEPARATED APART. *MJS

NHTSA ID

557664