11 of the 238 complaints about the 2003 Subaru Forester are about the transmission — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 8,000 miles.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
WHEN AT A STOP BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT AXLES BROKE. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. WHEN TAKEN TO GET SERVICED CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE SNAP RINGS.*AK CONSUMER HAS BOTH AXLE ASSEMBLIES.
NHTSA complaint #10108982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2002 SUBARU FORESTER - MANUAL TRANSMISSION. PERIODIC CLUTCH SHUDDER WHEN DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10080671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH JITTER; STARTED IMMEDIATELY: CLUTCH WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 11,900 MILES. SPOKE WITH COUSIN IN CANADA WHO BOUGHT THE SAME CAR THE SAME DAY. ALREADY HAS REPLACED CLUTCH ONCE AND IS HAVING TROUBLE AGAIN WITH JITTER. VEHICLE STALLS FREQUENTLY UPON COLD START. COMPUTER WAS REMOVED FROM VEHICLE AND SENT BACK TO FACTORY TO BE RECALIBRATED AT 11,900.
NHTSA complaint #10047507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL IT SHUT DOWN, THEN VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS.
NHTSA complaint #10040509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
MANUAL TRANSMISSION. CLUTCH SHUDDERS (CHATTERS) IN 1ST AND SOMETIMES 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM OCCURS AFTER CAR HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR A WHILE (SUCH AS OVERNIGHT), AND ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING. CAR WAS BOUGHT USED WITH 14,000 MILES, AND HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT. DEALER REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10033278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANSMISSION. CLUTCH SHUDDERS (CHATTERS) IN 1ST AND SOMETIMES 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM OCCURS AFTER CAR HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR A WHILE (SUCH AS OVERNIGHT), AND ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING. CAR WAS BOUGHT USED WITH 14,000 MILES, AND HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT. DEALER REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10033278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH CHATTER, 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. 18000 MILES ON VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10030465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
CLUTCH CHATTER, 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. 18000 MILES ON VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10030465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02V282000. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR 4 DIFFERENT REPAIR APPOINTMENTS. ON 3 DIFFERENT INSTANCES THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN WAS NOT AVAILABLE ONCE CONSUMER ARRIVED FOR APPOINTMENT. ONE 1 OCCASION, CONSUMER CAME IN FOR SATURDAY APPOINTMENT AND WAS TOLD RECALL REMEDY COULD NOT BEEN PERFORMED ON SATURDAY. NOW, CONSUMER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE BACK FOR ANOTHER 3 MONTHS. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10017140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
MANUAL CLUTCH CHATTERS. MAINLY 1ST AND 2ND GEAR, ONLY AFTER SITTING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME (6-12 HRS). STARTED EARLY, AROUND 7,000 MILES. FIRST TIME I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT, SUBARU SAID THAT I WASN'T DRIVING IT PROPERLY. 3RD TIME I REPORTED IT (AT 15,000 MI), SUBARU ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE NOW GOING TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT WITH A HEAVIER DUTY CLUTCH SO THE PROBLEM MAY OCCUR AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10008519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE HILL-HOLDER FEATURE ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSIO ACTIVATES WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND UTILIZING THE FOOT BRAKE--AS A RESULT IN ORDER TO RESUME BACKING UP TOO MUCH FORCE ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MUST BE USED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH BACKWARD
NHTSA complaint #566337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.