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2009 Subaru Forester

3747 messages,  Last post on Oct 15, 2012 at 3:22 PM

You are in the Subaru Forester Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Forester, Future Vehicle, Wagon

Messages Page 374 of 375

#3730 of 3747 Re: merlinhorse1 [xwesx] by merlinhorse

Sep 17, 2012 (1:52 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Sep 17, 2012 10:07 am)
The Subaru was bought specifically for this job. The caravan is a two wheeler and was only used four times per year for journeys of less than 200 miles. Weight 1145kg.
Just for information here is my letter to Subaru M.D. 15/9/2012. I await a response. Thanks for your interest.
  
  Re: [Edmunds.com Forums] New message in 2009 Subaru Forester
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This album has 7 photos and will be available on SkyDrive until 16/12/2012.
      
          
 
  
Dear Sir,
 
               I am the owner of a Subaru Forrester MF09 GXJ which I purchased from M Kar SUBARU on the 5th August 2009 for the purpose of towing my caravan. This demo model had a mileage of 3500.
 
               On the 6th September 2010 without any warning on a four lane roundabout the clutch suddenly overheated and burnt out. It was agreed from the evidence that this was a mechanical failure and not due to misuse by the driver. The clutch plate and casing with photographs was returned to Subaru for examination by the franchise agent. - Mileage 10,600.
 
               I was repeatedly reassured that this situation would not reoccur A ECU Configuration was done on 14/6/11. This was after a routine service by the agent earlier on 7/2/11. A further service was done on 16/3/12.
 
On the 10th September 2012 whilst travelling on cruise control for the preceding 45 minutes on the M40 in Oxfordshire the clutch started to slip and the car came to a standstill. The AA rescue person remarked “oh its another Subaru” When I questioned him about this he said he had three such cases recently but there weren’t many on the road yet. The £500 rescue by the AA retuned us to the nearest possible place to home. Repairs revealed that the clutch and fly wheel had been completely destroyed. Mileage reading 22,800 – 12,000 miles and two years after the first repair.
 
I telephoned and spoke to Mr Adrian Hogg at your head office customer care centre, and he said that you had not had any cases of failed clutches at all so it was driver error. – It had to be a mechanical fault or faulty driving and there were no mechanical problems experienced. I mentioned my experience in 2010 which Subaru were aware of and the cars reported by the breakdown man but he simply replied that it would have to be proved it was mechanical failure by the agent and even then any recompense would be very unlikely as the car had just passed it’s three year warranty. Even so the repaired clutch had parts which had failed after two years and were still within the warranted three years!
 
  
 
In consideration of the nature of the failures I am convinced that there is a fundamental cause for these failures, and that the final collapse is the result of short periods of excessive wear of which the driver would not be aware. It is also apparent that a clutch failure will reoccur after a further 12,000 miles unless some fundamental cause is discovered and corrected. Without this I will inform all members of the caravan club of my experiences, and seek outside expert advice.
 
Having spent in excess of two thousand pounds in recoveries, repairs and parts in the duration of 12,000 miles of motoring I would enquire if you have a good will policy? I would also point out with all the available evidence this machine is without any doubt not fit for the purpose for which it was sold, unless it is subjected to a radicle clutch modification.
 
In conclusion I would very much appreciate your opinion on this situation.
 
  
 
  
From: Edmunds.com Forums
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2012 6:07 PM
To: keithashworthroute56.co.uk
Subject: [Edmunds.com Forums] New message in 2009 Subaru Forester
  
New message posted in 2009 Subaru Forester
#3729 Re: merlinhorse1 [merlinhorse] by xwesx Sep 17, 2012 (10:07 am)
Ah, yeah; we don't have that drivetrain on this side of the world, so I cannot help there. How heavy was the caravan? Sounds like the added weight and the engine torque combined to disappointing results....
 
View/reply at: Re: merlinhorse1 [merlinhorse]
 
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#3731 of 3747 Re: merlinhorse1 [merlinhorse] by xwesx

Sep 17, 2012 (2:26 pm)

Replying to: merlinhorse (Sep 17, 2012 1:52 pm)
Excellent approach. I am interested to know how it plays out. Perhaps we will be fortunate enough to have the diesel boxer added to the lineup here (sans issues like these, perhaps?).
 
Best of luck to you.

#3732 of 3747 Re: merlinhorse1 [merlinhorse] by ateixeira

Sep 19, 2012 (11:49 am)

Replying to: merlinhorse (Sep 17, 2012 1:52 pm)
Weight 1145kg
 
That's actually above the tow rating for here in the USA, but I believe they're higher in Europe, 1800kg IIRC?

#3733 of 3747 Re: merlinhorse1 [ateixeira] by merlinhorse1

Sep 19, 2012 (4:01 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Sep 19, 2012 11:49 am)
My Maximum Total Pay Load MTPL 1350 KG giving a user pay load of 205 Kg
Subaru acknowledged my letter - said it had been logged, they very much valued customer feedback and appreciated me bringing the matter to their attention, and would be in cotact shortly!
Good job my Nissen Primera 2litre diesal car with I used to pull the same caravan and others for five years has never had clutch problems, and was there to complete the journey this time!. This should help to eliminate the cause being "Driver Error" I think.

#3734 of 3747 Re: merlinhorse1 [merlinhorse1] by ateixeira

Sep 20, 2012 (9:08 am)

Replying to: merlinhorse1 (Sep 19, 2012 4:01 pm)
Yeah, it should be able to manage that load, then. Let's hope they assist. Keep us posted with updates?

#3735 of 3747 Just ordered the last of the 09-13 Foresters by p0926

Sep 28, 2012 (11:54 am)

Well after looking on and off at new cars for right about a year, I finally placed an order on a 2013 Forester on the last day possible. Subaru cut off factory orders a week ago in order for them to retool the assembly line for the 2014 redesigned Forester which goes on sale in November in Japan and in early 2014 in the US. Yes you read that correctly, the 2013s which only hit the lots in August, are already on the way out.
 
Based upon the early leaked info on the 2014s, I think I'm okay with getting the old model. While it never won any styling awards, I've always liked the utility-oriented body style and dislike the current trend towards swoopy and rounded with its associated loss of interior volume and driver visibility.
 
So anyway, this will be my 3rd Forester and will make it one from each generation. And who knows, maybe I'll get the next generation Forester in a few years when Subaru finally brings the STi version to the US
 
Frank P.

#3736 of 3747 Re: Just ordered the last of the 09-13 Foresters [p0926] by ateixeira

Sep 28, 2012 (12:20 pm)

Replying to: p0926 (Sep 28, 2012 11:54 am)
You and Bob both!
 
Now all 3 of us have the current gen in our fleets!

#3737 of 3747 Re: Just ordered the last of the 09-13 Foresters [p0926] by rsholland

Sep 28, 2012 (12:37 pm)

Replying to: p0926 (Sep 28, 2012 11:54 am)
Which one did you get Frank? We got the Premium w/AWP, 4EAT. The color is Sage Green. It's a real nice car. Just had the factory trailer hitch installed.
 
Almost now wished we had gotten one with the AWP Plus package (adds upgraded radio w/rear camera, fogs), but Deb didn't want to spend the money, and this is her ride.
 
Bob

#3738 of 3747 Re: Just ordered the last of the 09-13 Foresters [rsholland] by p0926

Sep 28, 2012 (1:24 pm)

Replying to: rsholland (Sep 28, 2012 12:37 pm)
Bob - Sweet!
 
I thought I had my choices of a new car narrowed down to the Audi Q5, Acura MDX or a BMW X3 and since the Acura was $5k less than the other 2, I was just about ready to buy one. But then I took one last look at the Forester.
 
Juice, you remember back when the X3s came out and there was the constant back and forth over whether it was worth the 50% more than the Forester? Well that all came back to me when I realized that a comparably equipped X3 is still almost exactly 50% more than a Forester. Of course I've come to appreciate the X3 more and realize that you do get a nicer car but I still kept asking myself if it was really THAT much nicer and did I really NEED those extra bells a whistles. The answer was of course, no I don't.
 
Anyway, since I was in the market for a luxury compact SUV, I decided to at least spoil myself with a loaded XT Touring: Nav, sport grill, puddle lights, interior footwell illumination, trailer hitch, etc.
 
Frank P.

#3739 of 3747 Re: Just ordered the last of the 09-13 Foresters [p0926] by ateixeira

Sep 28, 2012 (1:28 pm)

Replying to: p0926 (Sep 28, 2012 1:24 pm)
I do, it wasn't even a "vs." thread, just a general crossover one that focused on the better performing ones (CX7, RD-X, X3, Forester, Vue Redline).
 
Back then the X3 had a really harsh ride so I wasn't a huge fan, but they improved the ride over time. Haven't sampled the new one, but price has really crept up, especially with options. They start at $38k but it's closer to $50k equipped.
 
Yours is loaded up, you lucky duck! Our 09 is a Limited but not a turbo, no Navi. Touring didn't even exist back then.
 
We should all show up to the next gathering in Foresters, that would be a hoot!
 
When will it arrive? 6-8 weeks, I guess?

Messages Page 374 of 375

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