2018 SUBARU FORESTER Electrical System Problems

The defect presents itself when the equipped data communications module (DCM) attempts to communicate with 3G cellular networks. As 3G networks within the U.S. are no longer functioning, the call will continuously fail even after the vehicle has been turned off, draining the battery and resulting in a no-start safety risk for drivers. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Yesterday 6/19/25 I was driving out the driveway when the vehicle accelerated on its own, and not slowly, but like it had been punched. I was actually coasting at the time since I didn't want to stir up dust. My foot was not on the gas pedal. And it was not the floor mat. It happened on its own, the first time in 87,000 miles. It probably cannot easily be replicated as it was completely random, although now that it's happened once, it very well could happen again if there's a faulty or aging part or sensor. Neither the local dealer nor Subaru has acknowledged the problem (I called both today) but it's a SERIOUS safety issue. No check engine light or other means of warning. It just happened out of nowhere. Glad I was in the driveway and not in town waiting while a pedestrian was crossing the street.

I’ve experienced recurrent failures with my Subaru’s AC system, and it’s become more than just an inconvenience—it’s a real safety concern. In hot weather, the cabin can become unbearably warm, making it difficult to concentrate and increasing the risk of fatigue or even heat-related illness, especially for passengers who are older, very young, or have medical conditions. What’s even more frustrating is the poor quality of the system and Subaru’s lack of communication about what appears to be a known defect. Despite numerous complaints from other owners and repeated service visits, there’s been no clear explanation or long-term fix offered. The situation is not only uncomfortable—it’s unsafe, and the lack of transparency and accountability from Subaru has been incredibly disappointing.

Blind Spot Detection goes on an off. Safety is impacted by the system going on and off. Took care to Subaru dealership

I bought the car certified used from a Grand Prix Subaru in Hicksville, NY. They did not mention this issue. I’ve had the car for 2 years, drive it 1-2x a week, have it serviced regularly, etc. all of a sudden in the past week it’s needed a jump 2x, maybe a few days apart. My lights are on auto, always, & shut off when the car turns off after a few seconds. My interior lights are all set to off, after the first jump. Doors & cargo door are all closed well. Battery has been tested & they say it’s not bad & doesn’t need replacing. So what is draining the battery then? When the battery is dead, it’s completely dead. No turnover at all & the cargo door won’t open until it’s running & charged enough again. I’m shocked the cargo door can’t open without the battery!

My 2018 Subaru Forester has a faulty passenger air bag sensor, which has been diagnosed by my local Subaru dealer, with a repair cost of $1,500+ for labor and parts. It has intermittently turned on and off again, but after getting a separate issue fixed by my dealer, they diagnosed this problem, and every time the car is turned on, the warning light is constantly displayed, and the passenger seat airbag light shows "OFF" even when someone is in the passenger seat. Upon research, this is a known and common issue with other Subaru Foresters with heated seats in the same model year (my Forester does have heated seats), but my VIN is not included in the Subaru recall for this specific repair. This greatly puts the passenger in my car at risk, as the sensor does not recognize that a person is in the seat while they are riding, and if we were to be in an accident, their airbag would not deploy. I am frustrated that this is a known, common safety issue that affects my model and year of car, but my VIN is not included on the recall list. I would expect that my car should also be included in the recall and fixed by the dealer at their expense as it is clearly documented many times on other 2018 Subaru Foresters.

Starting up the car in the morning after a long day stuck in traffic (over 100 degree F weather), moved about 5 feet then the eyesight system stopped working, rear braking stopped, and power steering gave out - the car started and the engine ran normally. The car was abandoned as unsafe until diagnostics could be performed and a different car was used to get around . That evening the car started up fine, also the next morning to reproduce conditions. Tested the battery, which showed "good" (93% charge/40%healthy). I suspect that, in the morning the A/C, headlights, radio, backup lights, etc... put a large draw on the electrical system resulting in a system wide shutdown of adaptive features - However loss of power steering is insane and can easily result in death if it happens while driving especially while making a turn if the driver is not prepared/strong enough to force it. The linking of non-critical system to help the driver to an essential system is just asking for trouble.

Starlink screen has failed - the screen will either only show the initial agreement screen and freeze or it will freeze with the back up camera activated. I can’t access Bluetooth capabilities, camera function, etc

I purchased the car CPO June 2021 Battery replaced December 2022 Battery replaced January 2023 Between these replacements, car was consistently dying/would not start, required frequent jumps. Left me stranded numerous times. Each time the car was serviced (at different dealer locations), no mention was made of known issues with batteries being drained. This issue was known by Subaru, as evidenced by class action suits filed and won. At this time, the car engine is dead and will not respond to a jump. This has cost me thousands in car rentals/ride shares.

I have had multiple instances where I am unable to remove the key from the ignition switch when the vehicle is in Park. Subaru's technical bulletin 16-112-18R states this is caused by contamination of the Park-Range switch internal components. I'm concerned I will be unable to remove the key and will have to leave the vehicle unlocked with the key in the ignition. I am also concerned I'll be stranded somewhere the next time this happens. I found information online that states Subaru dealers are charging $500 to $800 to repair this issue, which should be a recall or extended warranty situation and not a cost to the vehicle owner.

I'm unsure why this 2018 Forester wasn't one of the many manufactured that year recalled for an intermittent passenger seat air bag sensor malfunction since the focus of that recall remains the problem with this particular Forester: it has heated seats and displays an intermittent on/off passenger seat air bag light while a passenger is seated in that seat. The malfunction has been occurring for the past several years, however, our attempts to document and diagnose it have occurred much more recently. We took it to a dealership on 5/9/23; despite keeping it overnight and making numerous attempts to duplicate the problem (at a cost to us of $142) they were unable to do so. However, on 6/27/23, as I drove my wife a distance of approximately 150 miles and she sat in the front passenger seat, the airbag light displayed “off” almost the entire trip. Also, she and our son traveled about 400 miles between 16-19 June; he drove, she sat “front right”. During that trip the sensor light showed intermittently on and off and my wife was able to take time and date stamped photos of the sensor light from her point of view in the passenger seat; both when it was on and when it was off. I reported "all of the above" to the dealership and received a reply referring me to the "apparent" minimum weight limit needed for a passenger to trigger the sensor (100 lbs; I've seen 75), together with the explanation that "electronics" could interfere with operation of that sensor. Although my wife at times weighs just under 100 lbs, that weight limit doesn't explain why the sensor light is INTERMITTENTLY on and off on the same trip. At the very least, since she's now always concerned about failure of the airbag to inflate in the event of an accident, a recall/replacement/addition to the previously issued recall applicable to the exact same malfunction should be required. Based on dealership response, it will take an order from you before any additional repairs/replacements are made.

My 2018 Subaru Forester should be included in a recall and subaru is denying that this recall exists. My SRS air bag light is on. The dealership wants to charge $1216.73 to replace the passenger side seat occupant detection sensor mat Information from https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/SUBARU/FORESTER/SUV/AWD#recalls October 3, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V701000 Occupant Detection System May Deactivate Airbag If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash. NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V701000 Manufacturer Subaru of America, Inc. Components AIR BAGS Potential Number of Units Affected 366,282 Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen. Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.

My srs airbag system has just started going on and off. What I read is there is recall for this. 2018 with heated seats caused by faulty wiring. Yet when I put in my vin shows no recalls. Filed complaint with Subaru they stated basically go get it fixed and will notify you if there is a recall.

Purchased NEW , after 5 years battery died ..OK time for a replacement, Les Schwab installed a New Higher Capacity battery. 3 weeks later dead Battery, had it jumbled, Les Schwab replaced new battery. 4-5 weeks later DEAD battery. Made appointment with Dealership (Lithia Subaru) 3-17-2023 in Reno Nv. A hour + away. I waited a few hours for their service department to check out the charging/battery issues. Came back said NOTHING WRONG, need to drive it more ! Drove it a couple days ago , this morning DEAD Battery AGAIN ! I’m almost 70 / Disabled and live in a very Rural mountainous area and need a dependable vehicle… especially in the SNOW. HELP Please!

This is the third time my car has completely drained my battery. I have replaced the battery twice since I purchased it in 2018. I drove it less than 24 hrs ago and it’s completely dead off a 8 month old battery. Nothing was left on any of the times it has died.

Battery has drained drastically twice to the point of the car dying while just waiting for some takeout

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that she was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after 5 minutes she was able to start the vehicle and to drive to her destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,978.

Mileage: 77,978

My car is a 2018 with only 28100 miles on it. I have now had to replace the battery three times. Subaru tells me I need to drive it every two days in order to keep it from discharging the battery. This is unacceptable. Clearly there is a parasitic drain. My issue is very common, and affects many late model subarus. I have already been stranded several times by this issue.

We keep replacing batteries and they keep failing. We wonder if this is related to the class action lawsuit concerning the CAN bus system.

new battery that is only 14 months since installation (at subaru dealer) and 5,000 miles on the car is flat. I did not use my car for about 1 1/2 weeks in the garage and it is totally flat. This is not normal and my friend with an outback has similar problems so I think my issue is not unique.

Just had my battery replaced and it’s already dead.

We have discovered that our 2019 Forester has a parasitic battery drain of almost 1 amp when the car is off and the hatchback is open. This resulted in full battery drain several times until we did several tests to determine the root cause of the problem (Subaru was of no help). This led to replacement of the OEM battery at about 52,000 miles.

Car battery died within 4 months of purchasing, had to purchase a replacement

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, the battery had been replaced three times. On each occasion, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer had been notified of the failure and informed her that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Environmental and safety issue. The AC System has failed three times now. SUBARU dealer checked the system for leaks at in November 2021 (mileage about 22,000 miles) and could not locate any leak but added freon. AC System stopped working again in August 2022 at 24,000 miles. Mechanic checked system, found a loose connector and tightened it, then recharged Freon in system. After 4 days, system again is not cooling the car. Compressor and blower work but no cold air and return line from compressor is not cool. This problem is widespread across Subaru Forrester models 2017 & 2018. Checking for leaks and adding freon costs $200. Most likely a repair of the system will cost at around $1,500 - 3,000. For a less than 4-year-old, very well-maintained, garaged and little driven car, components should not be failing. Having no working AC is a safety hazard to be in while driving in 100+ degree weather and also the windshield will fog over because moisture is not being taken out of the air now. Environmental issue due to loss of Freon to atmosphere.

Twice now the battery has died without any obvious reason. We did not leave the lights on nor any other electrical devices known to us. We had to cal AAA who could not find an issue for the drained battery.

Battery, electrical system was doing funny things I noticed then a day or two later my wife and daughter got stranded at a gas station and I had to go jump the car to get them home in the middle of the night we called the dealership a few times and they said that all battery's die they just said to go buy a new battery no warning light nothing

Multiple episodes of car not starting, most similar to dead battery scenario. These incidents have occurred after car was parked in my driveway for 24-48hours. However, AAA responded on three separate occasions and tested battery which always was “green” or “good” and alternator was also “fine, not a problem”. On fourth occasion, I went ahead and replaced battery as recent Subaru scheduled service at a Subaru dealer yielded “no problems” on electrical survey when I told them of these incidents. Now, one month after having purchased a completely new battery, my car again will not start and AAA says battery is “good” and alternator is also fine.

Repeatedly I have not been able to remove the key from the ignition. It appears as though the car is not sensing that the gear is in Park. It has taken me up to 10 minutes of turning the ignition on and off and putting the car in reverse and forward to be able to remove the key from the ignition. This has been happening for 3 weeks now, on a daily basis.

The battery drains quickly when the car is switched off, potentially causing the driver to be stranded in dangerous situations without a functional car.

The radio/touch screen unit has lost its contrast. In bright sunlight I can see an underlying circuit pattern on the screen that makes it hard or sometimes impossible to see the back up camera. Instead of seeing the image from the backup camera all I see are lines. I can no longer rely on the camera for safety support.

The battery went dead on Jan 14th 2022. This isn't totally unexpected as this was the first time the battery needed replacing since the car was purchased new. However, after the battery was replaced the same day, three days later Jan 17th the battery was again dead. Since then, the battery has been replaced once more and again died on both March 27th and April 1st. The car is driven weekly at least and has no warning lights on. After the most recent incident it was researched more heavily and found that there is a potential class action lawsuit against Subaru for this exact problem. Though it hasn't been dangerous for us it could be potentially dangerous should the car decided to fully shut off in the middle of traffic.

1. The car battery failed on six separate occasions within a 12 month time frame. First on May 8, 2021, August 21, 2021, September 9, 2021, November 5, 2021, February 5, 2022, and on March 28, 2022 2. The drivers safety was placed at minimal risk on one occasion since cars were lined up behind in a parking lot when the car would not start. 3. Yes, the problem has been reproduced due to the number of different times the battery died and the car would not start. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. 4. No, to date the vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. 5. No, there were not any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to failure. They first appeared on May 8, 2021.

This is the latest time in a series of incidents where the SUV would not start due to a problem with the main battery. New batteries drain very quickly after a series of electrical problems. So far, we have noticed keyless entry FOB says battery in the FOB is low and stops connecting (but then connects if we remove the key from it without us holding it to the button that turns the car on and off), we replace this battery but continue to have the same issues, front passenger side window is not able to be rolled down or up from driver side, as the battery continues to drain, gas gauges stop correctly registering amount of gas in the car, different warning lights light up on control panel without any sense of rhyme or reason, and overhead lighting gets dim. For a few weeks, the SUV blames the problems on the battery in the key FOB being low, even though it was replaced on December 15, 2021. When replacing the FOB battery did not work, we learned it was the actual main SUV battery that had been drained. It is now March 19, 2022, and we are having the same issues despite having only a moderate amount of miles put on the SUV and only 3 months of time passing since we purchased and installed a brand new car battery. We will have to spend money on batteries again.

Battery continues to drain when car is parked/off causing a required jump start and then recharging of the battery. Dealer replaced battery one time in 2019 (with expense to owner) and recommended driving car every couple of days to ensure it does not draw down. This is not normal. Battery continues to drain down. Owner purchased aftermarket AGM battery (May 2021) of higher voltage/capacity to attempt to reduce number of issues yet vehicle continues to exhibit parasitic drain and battery dies after 3-4 days (faster when it's cold). Dealer has looked at car two more times and claims this is normal and need to not leave car for multiple days without starting. There are multiple class action lawsuits claiming this issue so I am registering this VIN as an affected vehicle.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start-up. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that rodents had eaten through the engine wiring harness. The contact was informed that the wiring harness was made of a soy-based material that was attractive to rodents. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact indicated that 2 weeks prior the windshield wiper fluid spray mechanism was inoperable due to a similar failure with rodents eating the soy-based tubing. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 27,000.

Mileage: 27,000

There is a parasitic drain on the electrical system, including when the vehicle is turned off and nothing is left running. As a result the vehicle will not start. aI replaced the battery and experienced the same problem with a month. This is most problematic when the vehicle has not been used for at least 2 days or it's very cold outside. It's happened at least 10 times in the last 2 years. The most recent incident was yesterday. When I called dealership they denied any electric so issues with the 2018 Forester and want to charge me $75:to check the electrical system even though there's a lawsuit in Canada due to this same exact issue. Everytime this happens aI and my passenger s are put at a safety risk by stranding us because until help arrives.

I'm filing a complaint regarding a battery drain issue in the 2018 Forester Limited. After sitting idle and not being started for 1.5-2 weeks the battery is fully drained. Fully drained is defined as the car won't start with a portable jumper. The power source car needs to be running and connected to the battery of the dead Forester for upwards of 20mins to give it a partial charge prior to the battery dead Forester being able to start. I've been told various reasons from various dealers and cannot get a straight answer. [A] one subaru dealersip said it's normal to have a dead battery in 3days. [B] another subaru dealership said it was because I had a bad battery, but after replacing it the issue still persisted. I have made sure to manually shut off all lights including making sure the running lights are in the off position, not the automatic on/off position. This incident has occurred multiple times when traveling for week at a time and upon returning to the car to try and start it and it won't start. The same dealership [B] claimed that the parasitic draw was because I kept a cigarette lighter car charging adapter plugged in even though the car was off. I have read several other complaints about this issue regarding this car and hope there can be a recall/legal claim filed against subaru for this issue so they resolve it.

Bought vehicle June 2021. Battery failed multiple times. Sometimes it will start with a jump, but on 12/2/21 it was completely dead and required tow to Michael's Subaru dealer in Bellevue, WA. Battery was replaced twice within 6 week period.

Purchased this certified pre-owned, with warranty on 4/30/21. Required jumpstarts for dead battery five + times over the first 4 months, in moderate weather. Dealership confirmed that a new battery was installed at the time of my purchase. The vehicle has been towed to the dealership several times, they can find no issues. They then replaced the battery on 8/4/21 as the 3-month old battery failed testing per fail code JRGKF50-328J0D1. The car required a jump start on 11/21, again on 11/26, and I am currently waiting (12/2/21) for Subaru Roadside assistance, for yet another jump start. The car was last driven (commute home from work) yesterday. External temperatures have not been overly cold - yet. It should be noted that I turn off the radio and heat/air before shutting off the ignition. I have also disconnected my phone from the car's system in order to prevent any further battery drain. This is completely unacceptable. Roadside assistance takes a minimum of 60-90 minutes to respond. I work in Trenton NJ, where it is dangerous to be with a disabled vehicle for possibly hours awaiting service. I've owned over a dozen cars through the years, and have never experienced battery drain issues.

My battery keeps draining for some unknown reason. It's parked in the garage and locked but it is always dead when I need to use it. I need a reliable transportation and I have never had this problem before. I have had 4 - 5 jumps from my insurance company in the last few weeks. And it's dead again today after a jump a few days ago.

I left my car for 19 days while on vacation in my garage and the battery was dead when I returned. I charged the battery after jumping it with our other car. Now, 14 days later, the car would not start again and needed to be jumped. I have read about the battery drain. My care only has 21K miles.

There seems to be a fast battery drain on my car. After using the car and letting it stay parked (with all the interior lights off and checked to make sure everything was completely off) for 36hours, the car would not start. This has happened multiple times. It was not dead winter cold, it was approx 70º or hotter.

With car in park key will not turn to the off position and can not be removed.

Battery was dead when we tried to leave, no reason as the car had been fully turned off. Left myself and my daughter stranded for 90 minutes in the heat without viable cell service, until I was able to find someone with jumper cables. Went to car parts store and bought a new $176 battery- as I wasn’t able to make it the 45 minutes to the dealer. Want reimbursement for battery and repair/explanation so it doesn’t occur again.

Multiple times, I've had the car parked for several days and when I try to start it, the battery is dead. I've had the dealer check the battery twice, and the entire charging system once. They couldn't find a problem. This doesn't happen every time consistently, but it's happened enough that I wanted to report the issue.

Battery keeps dying without daily use. I drove my vehicle less than a week ago, no lights left on, nothing in the charging ports, no doors open, and still the battery didn't have enough power to start. I've had to call AAA and have neighbors jump start my vehicle a few times but when I get my battery tested I'm told that my battery is fine and that I do not need a new one. Something is draining my battery and I don't know what.

I have had numerous times that my car would not start because the battery was dead. I upgraded my battery at purchase because I had the dealer install a remote start. Within a few months my car was completely dead and had to be towed to the dealer, 2.5 hrs away. Subaru replaced the battery with the biggest battery that would fit. The next winter, the same dead battery issues happened. It was suggested that I get a car starter jump pack, to keep on hand, which I used often. Then the battery stopped holding charge for even four days. So they recommended that I get a Trickle charge battery tender, so I did. The dealer thought it might be the remote starter, and replaced that. So far, it has been okay, but it is warmer weather now too. They also recommended that I keep the battery tender plugged in all time, year round, which seems crazy for a new car. I tried several times and ways to download my invoices showing these repairs. All failed.

BATTERY DRAINS FOR SEEMINGLY NO REASON. THE RADIO OR LIGHTS ARE NOT LEFT ON THAT WOULD MAKE THE CAR DRAIN WHILE THE CAR OFF. I HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY ON 5/14/2021.

Mileage: 100,000

The battery died. Subaru battery drain related

WHILE GETTING A 2 HR DENTAL PROCEDURE, THERE WAS AN UNEXPLAINED BATTERY DRAIN, LEAVING THE CAR DEAD. I PAID AAA TO GIVE ME A ROADSIDE EMERGENCY JUMP. I HAD HAD NO PREVIOUS ISSUES.

Mileage: 34,000

WENT TO START MY CAR AND BATTERY WAS DEAD. GOT A JUMP FROM AAA BUT SINCE NONE OF THE EYESIGHT SAFETY FEATURES WORKED, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SUBARU AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. I WAS TOLD I'D NEED TO DRIVE IT EVERY DAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED. THAT'S ABSURD. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, REMOTE START WILL ONLY WORK FOR 2 STARTS. ON THE 3RD START, IT WON'T START UNLESS YOU START THE CAR MANUALLY. WHAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING A REMOTE START IF YOU HAVE TO START THE CAR MANUALLY EVERY 3 DAYS?

Mileage: 2,909

WOULD GO TO START CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. MULTIPLE DAYS THOUGHT I WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG G LEAVING SOMETHING ON, GOT BATTERY CHECKED THEY SAID IT WAS OK JUST LOW. IT KEPT DOING IT, WENT ON FOR LIKE 2-3 MONTHS . FINALLY I HAD ENOUGH AND BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY. SINCE IT HAPPENED AND REPLACED BATTERY VEHICLE IDLES HIGH LIKE 1-2 IN PARK.

Mileage: 35,000

BATTERY DIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED

Mileage: 54,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE PARKED AND UNDRIVEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SMITH CAIRNS SUBARU - YONKERS (900 CENTRAL PARK AVE, YONKERS, NY 10704, (914) 377-8100) WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

Mileage: 4,000

IKEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED, PUT IN PARK, BRAKE [PEDDLE DEPRESSED.

Mileage: 49,000

WINDOWS GET LOCKED AND I'M NOT ABLE TO USE THE SWITCH TO UNLOCK THE WINDOWS AND EITHER SIDE. ISSUE WAS REPORTED. SUBARU CORRECTED THE ISSUE BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. ONCE SUBARU DEALER HELPED VIA PHONE CONVERSATION TO RESET BUT THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUE. I FEEL TRAPPED IN MY CAR AND I HAVE TO OPEN MY DOOR TO REACH FOR A TICKET WHILE AT A PARKING LOT. CAN'T ROLE DOWN MY WINDOW AT THE GAS STATION. THIS CAN HAPPEN STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING THE MUSIC GOES TO A HIGH TO LOW VOLUME AND VISE VERSA EITHER ON IT'S OWN OR WHEN I HIT A BUMP. VERY DISTURBING AND SCARY AT TIMES ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY.

FORESTER WAS PARKED IN UNDER GROUND PARKING GARAGE FOR BETWEEN ONE AND TWO WEEKS. THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD, NO SOUND AT ALL WHEN I TRIED TO START IT. THE ONLY DOOR THAT WAS LOCKED WAS THE REAR HATCH DOOR. NEIGHBOR BROUGHT A BATTERY CHARGER AND GOT THE FORESTER STARTED. FOLLOWING THAT, I DROVE IT TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND ASK THEM TO CHECK AND SEE IF ANYTHING WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. THEY CHECK EVERYTHING AND DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE FELLOW AT THE SERVICE DESK SAID THAT STARTING A CAR IS THE BIGGEST DRAIN ON A BATTERY AND IF THE CAR ISN'T DRIVEN ENOUGH BETWEEN STARTUPS, IT TENDS TO BRING THE BATTERY DOWN. HE RECOMMENDED PARTICULAR BATTERY CHARGER WHICH HE SAID I COULD PURCHASE AT WALMART. SINCE I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER ELEVEN THOUSAND MILES ON MY FORESTER, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS SITUATION OCCUR WITH ANY OF MY OTHER AUTOMOBILES IN THE PAST. I DO WORRY ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN SHOULD I LEAVE MY CAR PARKED AT THE AIRPORT FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AND THERE IS NO PLACE TO PLUG IN A CHARGER. I STILL LOVE MY FORESTER.

Mileage: 11,735

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE CAR WILL NOT LOCK DUE TO A TYPE OF TRIP OR WIRING WITH THE LOCKING SYSTEM. WHILE THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND STATIONARY, RIGHT BEFORE LOCKING THE DOOR, THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LIGHT FLASHES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS CLOSED, EVEN IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ACTS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THIS PREVENTS THE CAR FROM LOCKING, DUE TO SOME TYPE OF TRIP IN THE DOOR SENSOR. IT MIGHT BE A TRIP BETWEEN THE KARR ALARM SYSTEM AND THE DOOR SENSOR INSTALLED IN THE CAR. I'VE ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR OR RESOLVE THIS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND IT IS HAS YET TO BE REPAIRED.

THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BECAME DISARMED AND SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN SMARTPHONE WEIGHING 3LBS WAS ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SENSOR IS SUPPOSED TO BECOME ARMED WHEN A 40LB PASSENGER SITS IN PASSENGER FRONT SEAT ONLY. READING THROUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY WHICH PUTS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AT RISK FOR INJURY.

Mileage: 6,500

OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE READINGS ARE BETWEEN 3-7 DEGREES OFF. DEALER SAYS THAT IS NORMAL. AN I TO ASSUME THE TIRE PRESSURE, ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND OIL PRESSURE GAUGES ARE ALSO OFF ?

Mileage: 2,000

WHILE IN REVERSE, AUDIO CONTROL IS LOST. ALTERATION TO CHANNEL OR VOLUME OR TURNING OFF AUDIO IS DISABLED - WHICH CAN BE HIGHLY DISTRACTING IF THE SETTING WERE LEFT EXTREMELY LOUD SINCE THE AUDIO WILL INITIALIZE SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING AND REVERSING IS ALREADY IN PROGRESS AT THAT TIME.

Mileage: 2,000

THE EYESIGHT HAD BEEN MANIPULATED TO A WARNING EVEN WHEN THERE'S NO OBSTRUCTION WHILE DRIVING FORWARD, WHILE BACKING UP IT GIVES A WARNING THAT SOMEONE OR A VEHICLE IS ADJACENT TO MY CAR. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE PROBLEMS I ENCOUNTER. I HAVE AN IDEA WHO'S BEHIND THIS. BUT I CANNOT PROVE IT. SOMEONE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN COMPUTER SECURITY WITHIN MY VICINITY. IT COMPROMISES THE SAFETY FEATURE OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING AND EVEN BACKING UP IN MY GARAGE.

Mileage: 7,100

IT SEEMS THAT MY CAR HAS A POORLY DESIGNED/NOT-CURRENT-LIMITED USB JACK, WHICH FAILS TO PREVENT A PHONE CHARGING CABLE WITH SHORTED OR SHORTING-INTERMITTENTLY INTERVAL POWER WIRES FROM BURNING UP AND POSSIBLY CAUSING A FIRE. THE DETAILS OF MY BURNT-CABLE EVENT: ON TUESDAY EVENING OCT. 9, 2018, I GOT INTO MY CAR IN MY GARAGE. I THEN STARTED THE CAR. THE USB PART OF MY IPHONE CABLE WAS ALREADY IN THE CAR'S USB PORT, I BELIEVE. WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL IDLING IN PLACE, I THEN PLUGGED THE LIGHTENING END OF THE CABLE INTO MY IPHONE'S PORT TO CHARGE IT. I WAS STILL IDLING IN PLACE WHEN I HEARD A SOUND SIMILAR TO A PLASTIC BOTTLE POPPING INWARD OR OUTWARD AND STARTED TO LOOK AROUND IN MY CAR FOR WHAT'S GOING ON. I THEN, WITHIN SECONDS, I BELIEVE, STARTED TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL. I OPENED MY CENTER CONSOLE, SINCE THAT WAS THE MOST RECENT THING I HAD HANDLED, AND HAD PORTS IN IT, AND I SMELLED THE BURNING SMELL MORE. I QUICKLY PULLED OUT THE CABLE FROM THE USB PORT AND THE IPHONE ITSELF. I WENT ONWARD WITH THE NIGHT'S ACTIVITIES, AND THEN LATER THAT NIGHT, BACK AT THE CAR, INSPECTED THE CABLE AND SAW THAT THE LIGHTENING END (IPHONE END) WAS DISTORTED, WITH A WIRE PROTRUDING, AND A BROWN BURNT SPOT. I BELIEVE THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A FIRE IF I HADN'T QUICKLY REMOVED THE CABLE FROM THE USB PORT.

Mileage: 800

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO AN EXIT RAMP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL IDLING EXTREMELY LOW AND THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. RIMROCK SUBARU (324 S 24TH ST W, BILLINGS, MT 59102, (406) 651-5200) REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE DEALER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND OFFERED A TRADE-IN FOR A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,200. **TR *JB

Mileage: 4,200