Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Subaru Forester submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Front drivers side control arm broke at bracket point and lost control of vehicle steering. And car was damaged hitting a post. Vehicle per recall for control arm had already been “fixed” contacted Subaru if control arms were replaced under recall or the “rust proofing” applied.
The contact owns a 2006 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that upon purchase of the vehicle, he discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The contact then took the vehicle a dealer where he was informed that the recall was serviced. Less than two months later, the contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel began to shake as he began to lose control of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact used excessive force to steer the vehicle off to the highway shoulder. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the front driver’s side lower control arm was fractured. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the contact discovered that no work was performed on the vehicle. The contact purchased the parts and replaced the control arm himself. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 189,000.
Front control arm failed on car. Which snapped the front axle and sway bar link on right side. Found out it was a known issue that was taken care of by dealer. Waiting to see if they will cover repairs.
I was made a turn at roughly 15mph and the front passenger side control arm sheared in half causing me to lose control of the vehicle and then abruptly come to an immediate stop. My family was in the car and at a higher speed this could have been fatal. Had there been any vehicles behind me that could have caused an accident with unknown results. Had this been moments early I would have been in a head on collision. This is a known issue for this year, make, and model that was not properly resolved in the past by the manufacturer. The part should not fail in that manner. There were no warnings. The failure was inspected by the tow truck driver.
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR THE PASSENGER CONTROL ARM FAILED, SNAPPING IN HALF AND I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. UPON LOOKIN UNDER MY CAR I COULD SEE THE SNAPPED CONTROL ARM, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I ALSO OBSERVE THE DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM IS ALSO VERY RUSTY. BOTH CONTROL ARMS ARE THE ONLY ISOLATED RUSTED PARTS UNDER MY CAR, THE REST OF MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE ANY RUST. IT WAS ALARMING TO ME THAT BOTH CONTROL ARMS ARE THE ONLY COMPLETELY RUSTED PARTS UNDER MY CAR, SO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CARE FROM TO INQUIRE ABOUT RECALLED PARTS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE CONTROL ARM HAD BEEN RECALLED, AND MY CAR HAD BEEN "SERVICED" FOR THIS RECALL IN 2012 THROUGH RUST-PROOF SPAYING. THE CONTROL ARMS WERE NOT REPLACED AT THE TIME OF SERVICE FOR THE RECALL. UPON CALLING SUBARU OF AMERICAN TO HAVE THESE RECALLED PARTS REPLACED NOW BECAUSE THEY FAILED IN A KNOWN LOCATION. I WAS ALARMED THAT RUST-PROOF SPRAY WAS USED TO TREAT A RECALLED PART THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED TO RUST AT ACCELERATED RATES AND THE PARTS WERE NOT AUTOMATICALLY REPLACED. THE RUST PROOF SPRAY SEEMS LIKE A TEMPORARY FIX THAT WILL EVENTUALLY WHERE AWAY AND THEN THE PART WILL FAIL IN THE FUTURE (WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING). SUBARU REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RECALLED CONTROL ARMS IN MY CAR BECAUSE THE PARTS HAS BEEN SPRAYED IN 2012.THE ATTEMPT AT SERVICING THE RECALL DID NOT WORK, AND THESE PARTS HAVE STILL RUSTED AT AN ACCELERATED RATE, ULTIMATELY FAILING. THE CONTROL ARMS ARE THE ONLY RUSTED PARTS OF MY CAR, AND THE PASSENGER ARM FAILED CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS RUSTED AGAIN. THE CONTACT CALLED THOMAS SUBARU AT 814-623-813 (LOCATED AT 4003 BUSINESS 220, BEDFORD, PA 15522) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION); THEREFORE, THE REPAIR WOULD NEED TO BE DONE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY, I DROVE OVER A POTHOLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND MY LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE DUE TO A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CORROSION IN THIS MODEL YEAR. THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE PROBLEM WITH WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHICH WAS ABLE TO BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. SUBARU RECALL WVX-34 WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THE 'REPAIR' WAS COMPLETED ON MY VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 2012. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTOS, THE RUST PROOFING DID NOT HELP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE SHOP TO PURCHASE A SET OF NEW TIRES. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT THERE WAS NO POINT OF REPLACING THE TIRES BECAUSE BOTH FRONTAL CONTROL ARMS WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS ON MY 2006 SUBARU FORESTER FAILED ON MAY 15, 2015. THERE WAS NO WARNING (NO SOUND, NO SHIMMYING, NO STEERING ISSUES) TO SUGGEST THAT SOMETHING WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. THE MAIN SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT IN 2012, SUBARU ISSUED A RECALL FOR FORESTERS AND IMPREZAS, RUSTPROOFING THE CONTROL ARMS. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN AT THAT TIME, AND HAVE THE PAPERWORK THAT INDICATES THAT THIS SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. I THEREFORE ASSUMED THE CAR WAS SAFE. THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER RECALL. MY CAR HAD 118,000 MILES ON IT, AND IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I AM NOT AN AGGRESSIVE, POOR OR OFF-ROAD DRIVER. MY HUSBAND IS EXPERIENCED WITH CARS AND CAR REPAIRS, AND HE ALSO HEARD AND FELT NOTHING TO SUGGEST MY CAR MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN HE DROVE THE CAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS EXITING A ROTARY ONTO A HIGHWAY, SO HADN'T YET REACHED FULL SPEED. THE CAR GLIDED ACROSS ANOTHER LANE AS I HIT THE BRAKE, AND A RAISED DIVIDER KEPT THE CAR FROM CONTINUING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS FAILURE COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE WITH A SIMILAR CAR HISTORY. THAT PERSON COULD BE DRIVING AT FULL SPEED, AND MIGHT NOT BE AS LUCKY AS I WAS IN BEING ABLE TO STOP SAFELY. A DEPUTY SHERIFF CALLED AAA FOR ME, AND I WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED BOTH CONTROL ARMS, SWAY BARS, AND THE AXLE. SUBARU PAID FOR ALL THE REPAIRS, AND OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE TOWING. IN 2014, THE REAR CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED; I BROUGHT THE CAR IN BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING A NOISE AND THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONDING CORRECTLY. SUBARU DIDN'T COVER THAT EXPENSE, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED THAT THEY DO SO. THE EXPERIENCE SUGGESTED TO ME, HOWEVER, THAT I WOULD HAVE PLENTY OF WARNING SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN TO THE OTHER CONTROL ARMS. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE IN MY SITUATION, AND OTHERS SHOULD BE MADE OF AWARE OF THE EXTREME DANGER THEY FACE.
2006 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WHEEL BEARING MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE SOME UNUSUAL SOUNDS. SHE PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE TIRES, BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE A FLAT TIRE. HOWEVER, EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL, SO SHE CONTINUED DRIVING. AS SHE DROVE A LITTLE FURTHER AND MADE A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKES WENT OUT. SHE SLOWLY EASED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE THE REAR TIRE FELL OFF THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE WHEEL BEARING BROKE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAME BEARING WAS REPLACED ON APRIL 29, 2011. ALSO, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V464000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM). THE CONTACT NOTIFIED AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HIS APPOINTMENT WAS RESCHEDULED BECAUSE THE PARTS NECESSARY TO REMEDY THE FAILURE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115,000.
I PURCHASED MY 2006 SUBARU FORESTER BRAND NEW FROM THE SUBARU DEALER IN CATONSVILLE, MD; RUSSELL SUBARU. THERE WERE NO MILES ON THE VEHICLE WHEN I BOUGHT IT. BOTH REAR BEARINGS WORE OUT ON MY CAR AT ALMOST THE SAME EXACT TIME. EVERY MECHANIC WITH WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN SAYS THIS IS COMMON ON THESE VEHICLES. MY BEARINGS WORE OUT AT ABOUT 70K MILES. THE SUBARU DEALER CHARGED ME APPROXIMATELY $800 TO REPLACE ONE OF THEM. THE OTHER COST ABOUT $600 AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANICS WON'T REPLACE THE BEARINGS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T WARRANTY THE WORK SO YOU END UP REPLACING THE HUB ASSEMBLY. THAT IS WHY IT COST SO MUCH. WHEN IT WEARS OUT IT FIRST STARTS TO SQUEAL AND MAKE A NOISE THAT GETS PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER AS YOU ACCELERATE TO MODERATE SPEED. MY CAR NOW HAS 140K MILES AND MY WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEGUN MAKING NOISE AGAIN. AT A COST OF ($600 - $800) X 2, THIS CLEARLY SEEMS LIKE A POOR DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY FOR THE SAME PART IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. THE PART WORE OUT ALMOST PRECISELY AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. EVERY PERSON I KNOW WITH A SUBARU FORESTER HAS THE SAME COMPLAINT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS FORUMS ON THE WEB FROM OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. SUBARU SHOULD PAY THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS AND LABOR TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, WHICH IS NOT TYPICAL OF WHAT A BUYER WOULD EXPECT WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE FOR A NEARLY $30K VEHICLE. ASIDE FROM THE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR WHEEL/HUB ASSEMBLY, I HAVE BASICALLY BEEN PLEASED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF MY SUBARU. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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