2018 Subaru Forester: lane keeping assist jerks the wheel

Filed Mar 8, 2023 · Driver assistance, Steering · NJ

Steering wheel locking intermittently, without warning. white car symbol appears between lanes, followed by green car symbol as the wheel locks. Took the car to Liberty Subaru, my dealer, Emerson, NJ. First two times garage unable to replicate the problem, no repairs done. Third time this happened to me, the car started rocking from side to side on the road as the wheel remained locked, terrifying. I called the dealer, they told me to turn off the safety system (lane assist) which I did. Back to the same garage, same outcome. Could not replicate the problem. 4th time this happened to me, I had not reset the lane assist and the same warning symbols appeared as the wheel locked. Back to garage, told me they were not going to give me a loaner car as they cannot replicate the problem. Reported to Subaru of America, no response to first email. Second email acknowledged receipt and gave me a case number: Case# 230306-0200125. Car remains at Liberty Subaru, it is dangerous to drive. I will end up in an accident as I cannot control the car when the wheel is locked, and I will endanger others on the road at the same time. Dates are approx, occurred 4 different days over two weeks approx. Speed ranged from 41 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour when it occurred,

Filed Jan 19, 2022 · Driver assistance, Visibility · IA

Temperature dropped to -20 and large crack randomly appeared on driver side windshield. This crack has caused the eyesight safety feature to not work meaning I don’t have lane departure warning or forward collision warning. Informed my warranty does not cover the windshield repair or required camera recalibration.

Filed Apr 14, 2021 · Suspension, Transmission · 2,000 miles · TX

I have AC problems, refrigerant leak, actuator problems, bad compressor. I have serious CVT surging and suspension problems that make vehicle unsafe to drive. The car literally begins to hop like you are stomping the gas and breaks back and forth and can easily make you lose control. It sometimes does nothing when pressing accelerator for way too long making it dangerous pulling into traffic. Windows roll down without pressing button and won't roll back up unless you roll them all the way down first and usually it just rolls right back down again. Aweful trying to drive while fighting with windows that won't stay up. Suspension is so destroyed from the surging and hopping that it cannot be aligned. The vehicle destroys tires rapidly and unevenly. Gas mpg is terrible, especially if you run AC. Steering assist is dangerous and will sometimes jerk wheel away for no reason causing you to scrape curbs and nearly hit a pole once.. Breaking assist is also dangerous as it will slam breaks for no reason. Lane departure beeps a lot for no reason. Wipers are garbage. Windshield glass is too soft and all dust scratches it making visibility poor the trunk often will not open no matter if you push button on key, inside car or on trunk. The door seals fell off, cheap clips fall off that are supposed to hold important things in place, glove box shock broke. I'm sure there are other issues too. Suspension is a big issue however, completely shot from surging. Far too expensive to get whole new suspension. Dealership ignored all complaints and purged all records of visits so I couldn't file lemon law. Subaru is very dishonest. So many things need recall that it is a lemon pure and simple.

Filed Jan 1, 2020 · Acceleration, Steering · 15,050 miles · NY

On several occasions while driving on the highway, my eyesight feature suddenly disengages and my cruise control ceases to work and no lane assist or other safety features contained with the "eyesight package" work for extended periods of time. This has occurred when it is raining or snowing.

Filed May 20, 2019 · Driver assistance, Steering · 11,200 miles · FL

[xxx] 05/19/2019 [xxx]- clear day @ 10am est. While in my lane and traveling straight and within the lane lines, two (2) vehicle safety systems activate at the same time: lane keep assist, lane departure warning. The lane keep assist was the strongest "pull" I've ever felt and pulled/steered the vehicle to right causing me nearly cross into the lane on my right. My hands were always on the steering wheel and was able to immediately correct it. The departure warning also activated at the initial 'lane keep assist' feature activation. Attached is a picture of the road from the inside of the vehicle. The windshield has dried insect residue but nothing I considered visually impairing. If my hands were not on the steering wheel or otherwise was distracted, I have no doubt I would have steered completely into the lane next to me. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Dec 21, 2017 · Driver assistance · 160 miles · NC

Brand new vehicle. Driving on an interstate at 55mph and made a slight left turn at a bend in the road, well within the clearly painted lane markers. Clear weather, temp about 50 degrees f. Heard one beep and lost control of the steering for a second while the car steered itself slightly left. My hands were on the steering wheel and I was active operating the vehicle. Startling! Happened two more times. Took it to a dealer and he explained that I might not be used to electronic steering. The same day, on a two lane road at 35 MPH, at a slight left bend in the road, one beep and lost steering for about a second but enough to take the vehicle to the edge of the shoulder. I was startled again and turned sharp left, crossing the double yellow line into the oncoming lane. Fortunately, there were no vehicles in the lane. The culprit seems to be the "lane keep assist" feature of the eyesight system where the vehicle's computer takes over control if it detects a lane departure under certain conditions. Obviously, it is not functioning correctly and could have caused an accident or worse. Turned lka off.

Filed Sep 21, 2017 · Driver assistance · 100 miles · NJ

While driving at 60 miles an hour on a 4 lane highway, I was going around a slight curve when the lane assist came on. I was in the left lane and not near the left line in road, but centered in the middle of lane. I heard one beep and then the steering wheel became very loose in my hand and it took me a few seconds to gain control of the steering wheel. This also happened while going on a slightly curved city street going about 40 miles an hour. It scared the dickens out of me as it was not what I expected the lane assist to do. I went back to dealership and told them about the steering and they said I just needed to get used to how the electric steering worked. After it happened a couple more time I made appointment for someone to take a test drive. The technician felt a slight swaying but said it was the type of steering of the lane assist. He suggested I turn it off and not use it for a while and see how car then handled. The technician filed case # 26296330423, no problem found with vehicle, system is operating as designed, no repair attempt performed. (eqmr was also filled out and submitted.) I have not driven my forester with the assist on since this happened. I have not had this loose wheel steering happen again. I am convinced it is the lane assist and feel it is not working properly in my vehicle. I will probably never use it again. Lane departure is fine, does what it's supposed to do. I have no complaints with the dealership or their technician, they were very thorough and kind. This lane assist is just an aspect of this safety technology that I don not like how it works. Or is there something wrong with it in my car that this has not happened to others yet? I do understand how lane assist works, I did test drives having it on and it would bring me back to my lane if I went over the line without a blinker on.