2003 Subaru Forester: ball joint or control arm failure

Filed Dec 7, 2023 · Suspension · 117,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle and the contact became aware that the power steering was not functioning properly. After a visual inspection of the exterior of the vehicle, the contact observed that the passenger’s side wheel appeared to have detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the frame rail, stabilizer, and lower control arm. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the lower control arm had fractured from the frame. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The VIN was included, and the vehicle was repaired in 2018. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

Filed Aug 18, 2022 · Suspension · 105,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact referenced the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where an inspection was performed but nothing was replaced. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speed, the lower control arm cracked. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lower control arm was rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000.

Filed Dec 31, 2021 · Steering, Suspension · MI

Safety Recall: WVX34 the federal safety agency Campaign: 11V464000 The front lower passenger side control arm completely rusted in half. It occurred while parking vehicle, fortunately not driving at high speed. The recall was previously completed by Subaru dealership in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2011. According to service records, they had been treated with anti-corrosion coating... I purchased the vehicle from a family member of the original owner, weeks ago, December 2021. It had been serviced regularly by the dealership and now has 162,000 miles. This structural failure of the lower control arm could have been extremely disastrous if driving at speed on the road or highway! I contacted my local dealership in Traverse City, MI, and was told by the service advisor the recall had been completed and would not be covered again for subsequent replacement. My vehicle is undrivable and Subaru is not standing behind their parts or workmanship.

Filed Nov 9, 2020 · Suspension · 190,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact's daughter owns a 2003 subaru forester. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 30 MPH, the vehicle began to sway from side to side without warning while making an abnormal metallic grinding sound. His daughter pulled over and called him for assistance upon arrival, he noticed that the passenger's side front tire was not facing forward. The contact then inspected the vehicle and discovered that the front passenger's side tire was detached from the control arm. The contact also discovered that the cv shaft was also detached from the transmission, which resulted in oil leaking onto the cross member. Due to the failure, the contact slowly drove the vehicle to his residence. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency campaign number: 11v464000 (suspension) which he linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the recall remedy was already performed on the vehicle. The contact was referred to a local dealer and no further assistance was offered. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.*dt*jb*dt the consumer provided photos and documents. *tr

Filed Nov 1, 2018 · Suspension · 122,000 miles · NJ · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru forester. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 65 MPH, there was an abnormal noise which emitted from the passenger's side front suspension of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle became uncontrollable, going from the right lane to the extreme left lane, down an embankment into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that there was no other vehicle involved. No injuries were sustained. The contact stated on inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the passenger's side front lower control arm fractured which caused the separation of the wheel from the suspension. The fracture caused damage to the inside wheel well of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. Miller subaru (1592 nj-38, lumberton, nj 08048, (609) 267-4000) was contacted and notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 11v464000 (suspension). The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired but was not given proof that the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

Filed Aug 17, 2018 · Body, Suspension · MA

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru forester. The contact noticed extensive rust, corrosion, and holes around the front frame of the vehicle. An independent mechanic replaced the front frame, and the passenger and driver side control arms. In addition, the rear frame and driver and passenger side control arms were also inspected with the expectation that those parts had also deteriorated and may need to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. The contact was uncertain if the vehicle was included or excluded from the federal safety agency campaign number: 11v464000 (suspension) and was not included in the federal safety agency action number: pe11011 (suspension). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN and failure mileage were not available.

Filed Mar 23, 2018 · Suspension · 190,000 miles · MO

The passenger side front lower control arm separated at the weld seam while my daughter was driving the car. The passenger side front tire swung rearward and outward because the front portion of the lower control arm separated from the rest of the control arm. This pulled the car off the road but luckily she was traveling at a slow speed on a side road on her way to get on the interstate and was able to get the car stopped before crashing. Had this happened at any normal road speed she would likely have died from a complete loss of control of the car at a high rate of speed. There was a recall in 2011 on these cars for this very condition. My car shows "complete" in their system for this recall but it was either not actually completed or the replacement parts are equally as dangerous and need to be recalled again. I notified subaru of america and took the car to a subaru dealership for them to review but subaru of america was not concerned saying it showed complete so there was nothing they could do. Since this has happened to me I have found others online who had subaru dealers complete the recall without changing severely corroded lower control arms just like mine. I am afraid that other people or their children are in danger of losing their lives due to subaru's negligence. Manufacturer: subaru of america, inc. Mfr's report date: sep 06, 2011 the federal safety agency campaign id number: 11v464000 the federal safety agency action number: pe11011 component: suspension:front:control arm:lower arm potential number of units affected: 295,123 this is subaru's safety recall number wvx-34.

Filed Jun 3, 2017 · Suspension · 115,000 miles · CT

Vehicle was originally recalled in 2011/2012 for the federal safety agency campaign id number: 11v464000 the federal safety agency action number: pe11011. At time, dealer conducted punch test and determined lower control arm to "pass" and used some type of anti-corrosion spray. Fast forward to 2017 and lower control arms have "failed" punch test with significant corrosion. I only detected this failed, and potentially life threatening condition of vehicle, by personally inspecting under carriage prior to giving vehicle to 16 year-old son as first car. I can only imagine how many of these subaru foresters that were previously, and quite conveniently determined to pass by punch test, are out there on the streets and highways with potential serious consequences to the unknowing owners of these vehicles. I respectfully submit that subaru should never have been given the option to "punch" test these lower control arms and should have been made to replace these critical parts. I would like to see subaru address the issue. To date, I have contacted subaru of america and have been denied any remedy, nor allowed to talk to a supervisor.

Filed May 1, 2017 · Steering · 189,000 miles · OH · crash

Driving down the road and left front wheel locked up car went out of control and ended up in a ditch. Lucky was only driving 35 MPH and not out on the freeway. This happened on a rural road with limited traffic. Left front lower control arm broke and wheel came up against the inner fender and causing loss of control. This broke the cv axle in half and also broke the tie rod ends. Both wheels pointed outward found a recall 11464000 and it was never completed on the car. Just bought the car in pa 2 weeks ago.

Filed Mar 14, 2017 · Suspension · 162,000 miles · CT

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru forester. While driving at a low speed, a loud noise was heard coming from the front of the vehicle. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact found no damage. Upon re-entering the vehicle and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front lower control arm was fractured. In addition, the front passenger side lower control arm and sway bar link were severely rusted. The vehicle was repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 11v464000 (suspension). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 162,000. ..updated 05/09/17 *bf updated 05/17/2017

Filed Oct 12, 2016 · Suspension · 170,000 miles · CT

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru forester. While attempting to reverse at 5 MPH, the vehicle failed to move. The contact discovered that the front lower control arm was fractured. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Feb 11, 2016 · Body · 162,000 miles · NY

I was getting new tires placed on my vehicle when my mechanic noticed that my control arms as well as the subframe was rusted out. I contacted subaru who stated there was a recall on the control arms for rusting out but not on the subframe. When the vehicle was brought to subaru dealership to get control arms place on a mechanic from the dealer ship contacted me. He stated that the subframe was in bad shape and that if they were inspecting the vehicle they could not pass the inspection per the level of rust and corrosion of the subframe. They stated that both the front and rear subframe would have to be replaced/fixed. My mechanic has never seen a subframe corrode so badly in such a short period of time. The last thing on a car to go should be the subframe and frame of the vehicle. There is obviously a safety issue with this and I am really surprised there is no recall in ref to this. I am not sure how they don't know this is an issue when they know there was an issue with the control arms.