2014 Subaru Forester: jerking or lurching

Filed Feb 20, 2024 · Fuel system · CA

This morning 2/20/2024 I was driving up a main commercial street in traffic, going about 10 -15 mph. I did not have my foot in the accelerator or brake as I was on a very slight incline. Suddenly, the car accelerated, made a roaring sound as if the accelerator had been stepped on strongly and started to jerk forward. I jammed on the brake and stopped the car. I did not hit the car in front of me. This happened once before, several years ago, but not to the extent of this time. The car has 45, 400 miles on it and was just serviced at the Subaru dealer 2 weeks ago. There were no problems noted at that time. There were no warning lights, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to this incident. It was probably the accelerator and fuel systems that failed. I have made an appointment with the Subaru dealer, but can't get in for a week. It was a dangerous and frightening incident. Fortunately, I was quick to respond and had a safe distance from the car in front of me. It could have been a very serious event had I not been quick to respond and had read in the past about this problem with the Subaru Forester. I tend to be a very alert, focused, and aware driver.

Filed Dec 25, 2023 · Brakes · PA · crash · 1 injury

I had 2 accidents with this car. The first was on October 10, 2023. I pulled into a parking space and braked. I move forward a little more and braked again. The car suddenly accelerated and hit 2 vehicles parking across from me. My car was damaged, and one of the cars I hit was badly damaged, and the other had less damage. My 93 year old father was not injured. I had an injury on my hand, where the skin split between my right hand and forefinger. Fortunately there was no one in either of the other cars. I do not know if the vehicle was inspected by anyone. There was no warning light. It all happened in seconds. I had no idea what happened, so I thought my foot must have slipped and hit the gas pedal. I had my car repaired at the Apple Subaru's body shop in York, PA. It was in the shop for about a month. I drove it aroung for a few weeks then started noticing some lurching forward after braking. I still assumed my foot my foot must be slipping. On December 1, 1923, I decided to go to our local farmer's market for apples. The car lurched a few times causing me to run a stop sign. I decided it was unfit to go on to the market and decided to take it to my service station. The service station is located on a ridge. There office and some of the garage bays are on the upper level on the ridge. The property goes downhill around that. There is an entry next to the office that is marked as a handicapped space. I was not thinking clearly when I decided to park there. I pulled partway into the space, braked, and then moved forward a bit. When I braked the car took off at a high speed, through a railing, over the edge, and landed sideways on the ground below. I was trapped in the car and had to be removed by firefighters. When they pulled me out I was taken to the ER. My car was totalled. My son did some research and sent me some links. I am now sure that the cause was the sudden acceleration problem with Subaru. I have reported this to Subaru.

Filed Feb 6, 2023 · Transmission · IL

2014 Forester @ 150k miles, CVT Failure. Check Engine Lights, AT Oil Temp Warning, Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0700 (Transmission Control Module) & P2764 - (Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Circuit Low) Sect 11-16 of Owners Manual states: "It is not necessary to check the transmission fluid level." But Subaru Warranty & Maintenance guide recommends inspection of CVT fluid @ 30/60/90/120k miles. Mine was never low or bad. There is no owner serviceable parts to the CVT. No dipstick to check fluid level. Page 37 of Warr & Maint guide Notes 4 & 9 state: "4. When the vehicle is frequently operated under severe driving conditions**...CVT fluid replacement should be performed every 24,855 miles." and "9. The ATF filter is a maintenance free part." Under "Examples of severe driving conditions" only item "g. Repeated trailer towing." applies to Note #4. I do not even have a trailer hitch, therefore, no extreme driving conditions. I noticed hesitation, slipping, lull in forward movement, shaking at idle, lurching. Because of this, I requested CVT fluid change at 138k miles even though service technician had previously said fluid was ok. No noticeable improvement after this fluid service. At 150k miles, dashboard warning lights came on for Check Engine, AT Oil Temp, Traction Control Light, Hill Assist, Cruise Control, AntiLock Brake System. Took vehicle to Subaru dealership service immediately. First they recommended CVT fluid change, which I agreed to. Upon completion, all warning lights came back on. They now recommend replacing CVT valve body unit for $2200. SoA has issued a recall (Dec 2019) only on Subaru Ascent vehicles for faulty CVT transmissions, but not for other vehicles with the same problems. CVT failure can lead to safety issues such as vehicle stalling, lurching forward, going in reverse, and shifting unexpectedly while driving. Subaru of America should issue a recall for all vehicles with faulty CVT transmissions.

Filed Apr 15, 2021 · Steering · 78,000 miles · NY

The 12-16 impreza, 13-17 crosstrek, and 14-18 forester have a known issue of the electric steering rack becoming compromised, leading to steering issues. The issue is described in the issue bulletin as just "uneven steering effort" and that it is not unsafe and so is not a recall item, however I came to learn about this issue with my car after it suddenly starting this problem while driving, causing me to jerk wildly to the other side of the road with only the slightest left turn of the steering wheel, which could have very definitely caused an accident (this all being in front of a police officer, of course). I am 8 months pregnant and now all of a sudden have a possible dangerous issue with my car but cannot afford the fix immediately- I am hoping this can become a recall item in order to feel safe in my car again.

Filed Nov 17, 2019 · Acceleration, Fuel system · 68,000 miles · NE · crash

At/about 1230 central time on 31 oct 2019, my wife [xxx] experienced an uncommanded acceleration event in our 2014 subaru forester and narrowly escaped being killed. Context: my wife was taking the car through an automated carwash at the caseys gas station at 9911 s. 71st st in papillion ne. When she reached the end of the conveyor belt and when signalled by the attendant to move forward, she stepped on the brake and attempted to move the automatic transmission from n (neutral) to d (drive). She encountered resistance moving the gear lever but was able to move it to d. Upon doing so, the car abruptly accelerated and lurched forward despite her foot remaining on the brake. The car rapidly accelerated and tore through the closed garage door at the end of the carwash and continued outside, across an access road and up a small hill, before losing power and rolling backwards down the hill to stop in the access road. No other vehicles or persons were involved or injured. My wife was uninjured other than being sprayed by glass fragments from the windshield as it was punctured by the garage door as the car tore through it. Our insurance company (usaa) declared the car a total loss. Neither my wife nor I had ever experienced anything like this incident before; we both have excellent driving records. Weather at the time of this incident was clear, dry and sunny. The car to the best of our knowledge was in excellent mechanical condition. The papillion ne police dept responded and filed a report, and we filed a drivers motor vehicle accident report. Both are on file with the papillion ne police dept. There were also several witnesses to this incident per the police report. *ln*jb information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Aug 30, 2019 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 100,000 miles · WY

January 2019. The issue started as cel came on. Rough idle, surge of power and then cam timing became issue. Was at a stop sign idling when surge occurred lurching vehicle forward. Took to dealer waited weeks for a technical representative to give advice to dealership. Took to other dealer to confirm. They replaced timing chain., cam phasers and other required. Didnt solve issue. Next step was internal oil filters that supply avsc timing. No fix. Replaced ECM as final step in subaru matrix. Ran for 3 weeks and several thousand dollars. Again cel, rough idle, cam issues. Subaru points to dealer. Dealer points to subaru. And I have a inoperable vehicle. I replaced all required parts and have ongoing issue. Soa has been involved but not resolution. It has been 8 months of disappointment. Great car but this is too much to continue to deal with. The xt has been known to have issues, recall on possible cyclinder cracking and issues relating to engine performance.

Filed Sep 8, 2016 · Acceleration, Engine · CA

Vehicle is unstable due to stalling and lurching forward under all throttle ranges. Vehicle may "chug" at variable driving speeds. The failure is intermittent and varies from subtle to heavy effects. Severe effects causes vehicle to shudder and/or stall then abruptly accelerate. Issue does not appear to be related to "turbo lag" as it occurs under low boost conditions. Transmission also produces "clicking" sound when engaging from neutral or under changes in speed. Condition occurs throughout all driving modes (I, s, s#). Condition occurs mostly under acceleration from dead stop, but may also occur under "pick up" acceleration, ie off throttle to decelerate (55mph-45mph) then light throttle to resume driving speed. Vehicle may also backfire under acceleration. Vehicle may hesitate for several seconds before acceleration from stop or at highway speed than upon resuming acceleration vehicle may have a flat/slow acceleration in spite of heavy throttle. Factory authorized repairs attempted to remedy condition by cleaning throttle body and "upper engine" cleanse and states unable to replicate failure. Condition has been on-going from purchase with approximately 30k mile to current with 74k miles.

Filed Jul 27, 2015 · Body, Transmission · 11,335 miles · NY

I had just gassed up at bj's in farmingdale and was pulling into a parking spot adjacent to and facing the pump area I had just left. Separating my parking space and the pump I just left was a curb and a short uphill embankment of about 45 degrees , and 20 feet to the roadwaway in front of the pump I had just left. As I "stopped" the car, it instead lurched forward , up and over the embankment, ripping out the undercarriage protective shield. This was all a distance of about 30 feet. With my braking it, the car stopped and I was able to drive to a safe area and inspect the damage. There was no leakage, but scraping on the underside of the front bumper, and I then realized the protective plastic shroud had remained at the embankment scene, so I retrieved it. The speed I noted is a guess, but the car had to climb a height of perhaps 8 feet in a 20 foot distance! Very fortunately, there were no injuries, but, my "landing spot" was 20 feet in front of the car gassing up in the spot I had just left, adjacent to 6 double rows of gas pumps! Had I selected 1 or 2 parking spots adjacent, my car would have crashed into them all! I have brought the car to hicksville ny suburu this am and they found no problem with the car, other than to reattach the shroud. I and they have no explanation, other than possibly the driver floor mat, which had a recall but appears to be in its proper place, and I have pictures of same which I took upon retiring home after the incident.

Filed Jun 5, 2014 · Acceleration, Body · 3,500 miles · OH · crash

I was driving up my driveway. I was braking when the car jerked forward and hit the garage door. I was able to stop the car by applying the brakes. The garage door was damaged as was the front bumper and grill of the car.