2008 Subaru Forester
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Suspension is the leading concern among 50 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 25th highest complaint count among 26 Forester model years with reports.
Of the 2008 reports, 5 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Suspension, front, control arm, lower armSep 6, 2011
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.
A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
SUBARU WILL HANDLE THEIR VEHICLES AND SAAB WILL HANDLE THEIRS. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.
Campaign 11V464000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: vehicle speed control
6 reports, newest first. Show all
Fuel system, Gasoline, Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Mar 2, 2018, crash
I OWN A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5X, VIN. [XXX], WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW AT BROWN'S SUBARU, 960 HILTON HEIGHTS ROAD, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. ALL FACTORY RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES WERE METICULOUSLY UPHELD. VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONS EXPERIENCED DURING ACCIDENT: 1. RAPID RPM SURGE WITHOUT OPERATOR ACTIVATION FROM IDLE TO APPROXIMATELY 5,000+ RPMS 2. RAPID UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE ACCELERATION, PLOWING THE VEHICLE THROUGH MULTIPLE LOAD-BEARING STRUCTURES 3. FAILURE OF DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS AFTER MULTIPLE HEAVY IMPACTS, LAST OF WHICH AN EXTREMELY HARD IMPACT WHICH COMPLETELY STOPPED AND DISABLED VEHICLE, RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION: I HAD A MAJOR MALFUNCTION OF MY SUBARU FORESTER, WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY SEVERE AND POTENTIALLY LETHAL CAR ACCIDENT. IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING SLOWLY INTO A HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE, WITH ONE FOOT APPLIED TO THE BRAKE ALMOST TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE'S RPMS SURGED AHEAD RACING OUT OF CONTROL. AT THAT TIME, I APPLIED BOTH FEET TO THE BRAKES. THE CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED INTO A BUSINESS, THROWING US BACK IN OUR SEATS AND COMPLETELY DEMOLISHING MULTIPLE EXTERIOR LOAD BEARING STRUCTURES AS WELL AS INTERIOR STRUCTURES. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE CAR BECAME LODGED AGAINST A KIOSK COMPLETELY INSIDE THE BUILDING, THAT IT STOPPED, ALTHOUGH BRAKES WERE APPLIED FIRMLY FOR THE DURATION OF THE ACCIDENT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER, AS THIS WAS A SERIOUS INCIDENT COMPLETELY OUT OF MY CONTROL, THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THIS WAS A TERRIFYING UNCONTROLLABLE EVENT THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN TRAGEDY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICES. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NEEDED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Traction control system, Mar 27, 2012
I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY OF 2008. ON FEB. 29, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, AS WELL AS THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I THOUGHT, WHY? I'VE ONLY HAD IT FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS AND LESS THAN 50K MILES. I CHECKED MY OWNER'S MANUAL, AND THE COVERED WARRANTY IS 5 YRS/ 50K MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND AN EMPLOYEE SAID THAT IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY COVERED BY WARRANTY. ON MARCH 7TH, 2012, I LEFT MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THEY CALLED ME BACK, AND INFORMED ME THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BECAUSE CA EMISSION WARRANTY IS 3 YRS/50K MILES WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. I TOLD THEM THAT THE OWNER'S MANUAL SUGGESTS THAT THE WARRANTY IS 5 YRS/50K MILES. THE DIAGNOSIS CODES WERE P2441 AND THAT NOT ONLY I SPENT $138 ON DIAGNOSIS, THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR IT IS $1305. I DECLINED THE REPAIR, BECAUSE I, FOR ONE CANNOT AFFORD IT AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE I AM ON DISABILITY. I THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD HONOR SUBARU'S WARRANTY. I CHECKED VARIOUS SUBARU MESSAGE BOARDS, AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. A KNOWN SUBARU SPECIALIST IN OUR AREA ALSO POSTED ON A MESSAGE BOARD THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY TOOK PICTURES AND SENT IT TO SUBARU. AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM SUBARU ABOUT ANY RECALLS. I THINK IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Apr 1, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 7 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. HE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND ALTHOUGH THE RPMS INCREASED, IT EVENTUALLY IDLED BACK TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES FOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. HE STATED THAT THE DEALER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER LATER FOUND THAT THE FLOOR MATS WERE NOT ANCHORED TO THE HOOKS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 16,228. UPDATED 06/03/10*BF THE CONSUMER HE WAS STARTING TO TRAVEL A STEEP, NARROW ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. HE PUT THE GEAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT RACED FOR A WHILE, THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL. UPDATED 06/09/10.*JB
Vehicle speed control, Feb 5, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 37959. UPDATED 03/10/10. *LJ UPDATED 07/07/10
Vehicle speed control, Feb 4, 2010
2008 SUBARU FORESTER THE DRIVE BY WIRE ACCELERATOR SYSTEM SURGES BETWEEN ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION WHEN ONE TRIES TO HOLD A STEADY HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS IS TRUE WHETHER IT IS BEING CONTROLLED MANUALLY OR IF CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED. IT ALSO ACCELERATES IN CRUISE CONTROL WHEN GOING DOWNHILL. SUBARU HAS MADE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE COMPUTER ENGINE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE LEGACY MODEL BUT HAVE IGNORED THE FORESTER CUSTOMERS. ALL DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FROM CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS BUT DO NOT HAVE A REMEDY FROM SUBARU. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Jan 15, 2010, crash
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE BACKING INTO A DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE POLICE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, AFTER A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A CLAIM WAS FILED WITH THE SUBARU MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND A FIELD AGENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,838. UPDATED 2/17/10 *CN UPDATED 02/22/10.