2016 Subaru Forester Steering Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

11532772

Incident

Jul 10, 2023

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.

NHTSA ID

11524409

Incident

May 14, 2023

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???

NHTSA ID

11496547

Incident

Aug 12, 2022

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.

NHTSA ID

11468250

Incident

Jun 7, 2022

Mileage

83,000 mi

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 part alone! Thank you people.

NHTSA ID

11441193

Incident

Nov 21, 2021

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?

NHTSA ID

11435166

Incident

Oct 1, 2021

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....

NHTSA ID

11428706

Incident

Aug 11, 2021

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.

NHTSA ID

11377388

Incident

Dec 1, 2020

Mileage

8,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11353339

Incident

Sep 4, 2020

Mileage

51,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11323214

Incident

Mar 25, 2020

Mileage

38,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11257494

Incident

Aug 1, 2019

Mileage

51,500 mi

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. ANOTHER DRIVER WHO SAW THE INCIDENT CAME OVER TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY AND HELPED ME OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SINCE THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS JAMMED UP AGAINST THE SHRUBBERY. HE COULD NOT BACK UP THE CAR EITHER AND INSTEAD DRIVE THE CAR FORWARD THROUGH THE SHRUBS AND CAME AROUND BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT. WE CALLED AAA AND I WAITED FOR THEM.

NHTSA ID

11252433

Incident

Aug 29, 2019

Mileage

15,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11232866

Incident

Sep 18, 2018

Mileage

45,000 mi

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 ALIGNMENT BUT NOW 5% TO 10% LOSS MPG AND GREATER TIRE WEAR. I STILL DO NOT TRUST THE VEHICLE. JUST A TERRIBLE RIDE. EVEN ON DRY ROADS, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE WIND; BUT NO WIND; JUST DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE ENGINEERING BETWEEN STEERING-DRIVETRAIN-WHEELS-VEHICLE SYSTEMS. I HAVE PAID OVER $700 ON THIS PROBLEM PLUS LOSS OF MPG. LOOKING TO TRADE IN BUT I AM NOT COMFORTABLE PASSING ALONG A DEATH TRAP TO SOMEONE ELSE; SO I AM STUCK WITH A $33,000 PIECE OF JUNK.

NHTSA ID

11186271

Incident

Nov 29, 2018

Mileage

45,000 mi

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 CAR MAKES ME FEEL UNSAFE ON ICE AT ANY SPEED AND IS A LITTLE BIT HAIR RAISING JUST ON WET PAVEMENT. WHY IT WOULD SHIFT TO THE LEFT ON THE SMALLEST OF BUMPS AND EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT (WORSE ON WET PAVEMENT) IS BEYOND ME. RECENTLY THE CONTROL ARMS AND TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 102K MILES. AFTER THAT REPAIR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AIR SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR SEEMS LIKE A LEMON TO ME. I BOUGHT THIS NEW CAR FIGURING I WOULDN'T HAVE ISSUES I'VE HAD WITH USED CARS. I ENTERED A DATE OF 2016 WHEN THIS HAPPENED SINCE IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR ALTHOUGH IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I'M ON ICE.

NHTSA ID

11170583

Incident

Feb 3, 2016

Mileage

1,000 mi

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?

NHTSA ID

10983206

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

14,000 mi

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 SAME ISSUE) AND STATES THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO MAKE A DIAGNOSIS. THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THEIR POSSESSION FOR 3 WEEKS AS IT IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE. THE SUBARU CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE HAS SUGGESTED THAT WE "TRY" SEVERAL PROPOSED SOLUTIONS (TO A PROBLEM WHICH THEY CANNOT IDENTIFY) AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. IT IS EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR SUBARU TO INSIST THAT MY FAMILY AND I BE USED AS AN EXPERIMENT IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIGURE OUT WHY THEIR PRODUCT PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN GRAVE DANGER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10945743

Incident

Dec 25, 2016

Mileage

11,500 mi

WE GOT OUR 2016 SUBARU FORESTER PREMIUM 2.5I FROM BAY RIDGE DEALER IN BROOKLYN ON JUNE 7,2016.

NHTSA ID

10903443

Incident

Jul 14, 2016

Mileage

300 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10810175

Incident

Dec 13, 2015

Mileage

70 mi