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Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

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  • app1mxcapp1mxc Member Posts: 1
    The tires on my 2001 Forester S have had excessive wear (completely bald with threads showing)- the outsides of all tires wear the first- to the point of having to replace 2 after 25,000 miles of highway driving, and the need to replace all 4 again at 34,000 miles.
    The car has gone through the recommended intervals on rotations and has had a wheel alignment, even though the alignment was within specs. The dealer is calling this "NORMAL wear".

    Has anyone had the same experience or know why this is happening?

    If this continues to happen, I am thinking about selling the car and buying a different make.

    Thanks,
    Mark
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The Yoko tires should last longer. The alignment must be off. Call 800-SUBARU3 to complain, and maybe try a different dealership.

    If the outsides are wearing, the tire pressure may be low. Make sure you have at least 26psi, and really I would recommend 29psi or higher.

    At that mileage you could even complain to Yokohama and get a partial reimbursement. The tires carry a seperate warranty.

    Another thought - you should replace all four tires at the same time. Uneven wear could make the AWD system think one axle is slipping. If so, the tires would have to scrub off any difference in diameter, and they sure wouldn't last very long. That may explain your 2nd set lasting only 9k miles.

    Bob: does this link work for you? If so I'll just share URLs so all can see them:

    http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid18/pfd5b46f8a703c9ee7ea0a8311f7b74d2/fdcfb348.jpg

    -juice
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Mark,

    Something sounds amiss. I went for 45K miles on my Geolandars with my 98 Forester before I replaced them. The tires were not bald at 45K either -- just down to the wear indicators. My wear was fairly even with just a hint of more wear on the outside edges.

    I've been to a very reputable alignment shop and the tech adjusted the alignment just a bit (but still within spec) to help counter some of the outside edge wear. My second set of Geolandars that I'm on (25K now) have been wearing perfectly even.

    I have a hunch that the outer edges on the tires wear out due to a couple factors:
    - Recommended tire pressures are low -- I use 34psi front, 32 psi back on a light load
    - The Forester is relatively tall for a wagon and will roll a little more on cornering. If you do drive aggressively, this would speed up wear on the outer edge.
    - Some new Subarus have come with the alignment off. Go to a good alignment shop to have them done right -- dealers don't always get their alignment right. A friend of mine who owns a 2000 Forester S was also getting the outside edge wear. He kept going back to the dealer and the dealer kept telling him that there was no problem with the alignment. He finally took my advice and went to an alignment specialty shop -- it turned out that the dealer's alignment machine was off and the toe setting on all four of his tires were off by an equal amount!

    Ken
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Yeah juice, that flying Forester link worked fine. I think Ross(?) put up some images from Image Station, and they worked fine on my computer too. Just not yours...

    Bob
  • rangerron7rangerron7 Member Posts: 317
    Does anyone remember the name of that special alignment machine (Norton??) for Mark?
    Ron
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    Juice's linked pictures worked fine here (both 5397 and 5403). I had forgotten about that flying Forester picture. Yeehaw!

    It could be the resolution perhaps? Doesn't AOL do some funky compression on images - that could affect it, no? At least you can get to the http: link.

    -Brian
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    It may be a combination of being on AOL and using a MAC?

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    OK Bob, I'll just share URL so everyone can see what I'm talking about. Gotta accomodate the regulars!

    Now that we can all see that photo, ground clearance appears to be about...8 feet! Is that enough for ya? ;-)

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Found that link!

    http://www.subaru-global.com/about/history/

    Check it out - September 1972 the 4WD Leone was introduced. Look at the photo of the wagon kicking up that sand and you'll see it actually was a spiritual predecessor to the Outback.

    -juice
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Fun link - "Leone 4WD Station Wagon followed in September 1972. Until then, four-wheel drives (4WD) was limited to off-road vehicles."

    So Subaru is entirely responsible for the existence of the I don't like SUVs, why do you? board. I just may have to have a little talk with Patti :-)

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    So Subaru is entirely responsible for the existence of the "I don't like SUVs, why do you?" board.

    That's a pretty serious charge! We might want to reconsider this before Subaru's lawyers contact us! ;-)

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    lol, no one wants to take responsibility for that discussion!

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • tincup47tincup47 Member Posts: 1,508
    Was arguably the first SUV, The Subaru can claim first crossover. So blame Jeep for the discussion.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Oops, I should have kept that a secret! ;-)

    Yeah, what tincup said!

    -juice
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    That's the CJ-5 with a hardtop? Friend of mine rolled one at low speed pulling into a drive-in in ~1973 (I never rolled my CJ-5). hmmm.

    Enough of this! Juice, please get us straying hosts back on Foresters :-)

    Steve
    Host
    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
  • nypaulnypaul Member Posts: 35
    This past weekend my wife and I took our first trip in our 6 week old Forester. We went from Long Island, New York through Conn. and into Mass. with the return trip the following day.
    We found the car to be comfortable and without a problem. The cruise control worked just fine and lessoned the work load. Hiway mileage was as advertised, 28.6mpg and we had no problem keeping up with traffic when I wanted to. With 2716 miles on the car I'd say we're off to a good start.

    Paul
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
  • phandy1phandy1 Member Posts: 3
    I have been driving minivans for 12 years (childless even!). So now I want something smaller, but still able to sit up higher than a car. I test drove 2 Foresters recently. Any former van owners out there to offer their opinions on how they liked switching? Also, why doesn't the Forester have tinted side and rear windows? Is it possible to have them tinted, with the defroster wires in the back window?
  • wyoming2wyoming2 Member Posts: 4
    ...phandy1...I drove a full sized Dodge van for some fifteen years; big blue booger the family called the Blue Whale. When "emptynesthood" descended upon us, along with the need for all those seats, we bought a new Forester L. Considering the size difference we named it "The Guppy."

    (Get to the point!) OK; what we found was that the Forester is a good half-way house for recovering van-a-holics. The high seat position and the outstanding field of view made us feel right at home. The first time you zip into a "too small" parking space, with room to spare, will make any longing for the old van evaporate in short order. No twelve-point program needed...just buy the Forester!
  • rsunicorsunico Member Posts: 82
    Thanks folks for helping out my buddy Mark with hints on how to resolve his alignment problems. He's the guy that got me sold on a Forester! And I told him about this great resource. There are 4 blue Foresters in the parking lot at work.. it would be a shame if Mark's frustration over the alignment issue would make the number of blue Foresters in our lot down to 3!
  • wyorebwyoreb Member Posts: 45
    hey folks...so there have been various posts around the '03 forester landing at dealers by may 1. when will base model and option pricing become available? and when will the subie website update their model comparison database to show how the '03 stacks up against the competition?
  • ninianninian Member Posts: 16
    We have one of each in our garage. The Sienna is terrific for what it is, but the Forester has become the vehicle of choice in our family; it's almost never home. You will immediately appreciate the shorter wheelbase when maneuvering into parking places, the much improved rear visibility, and the tighter handling. Not much difference in cargo handling either. My wife loves the van, but she's wondering whether we shouldn't sell the Subaru before our 14-year-old becomes old enough to drive, because the Forester is too much fun to drive. (Not a chance!)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Nice trip, Paul. That's a lot of miles in 2 days. What was your best tank? My record is 30.4 mpg.

    Patty: I had my windows tinted with aftermarket SolarGard film. It was $170 for 7 windows, and still looks great about 4 years later. We also tinted my wife's sedan for $140 (5 windows), and it too looks great.

    I'm now guessing the 2003 models will have only a tiny price increase. We've spotted 3 things that fell victim to cost cutting, so I'm hoping that's enough to keep prices flat. We'll see.

    -juice
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    Responding to someone's comments about the gated shifter being fun. I agree. I would like a nice gated shifter in my car. But I don't think the one in the Subaru Outback Sport and, now, the new Forester is a quality gated shifter. It felt like it would break if I didn't pay extra attention to making a shift -- even from Park to Reverse or Drive. Shifting an auto-tranny should be...well...automatic. Not that I'm buying a new Subaru soon (although the dent in my 2 month old Forester makes me pine for a new one), but if I were, I wouldn't buy the new model with that shifter. I'd just get a manual Forester or WRX.

    My two cents.

    burnsmr4
  • speterson1speterson1 Member Posts: 228
    Hey burnsmr4 --

    If a dent is bugging you and it's not major try a paintless dent removal service. I can't speak from experience, b/c we had a dent in our 2-month old Forester last year and it's still there (there goes any possible OCD membership). But I've heard they do a really great job for roughly $50-75, and they will even come to you in most cases.

    Steve
  • billwfriendbillwfriend Member Posts: 44
    I haven't test driven any yet, but I'm looking to spend about $17,000 on a used 4X4/AWD vehicle w/auto tranny. That would probably be a 99 or 2000 Forester right? Is the Forester a good/reliable/comfortable vehicle? I commute 60 miles/day and drive cross country once a year. Also will be driving in Wisconsin winters. Thanks for your input!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You can probably get a '99 for about $15 grand or so, maybe more if it's a well equipped S model.

    You should spring for an S, because the heated seats will likely come in handy on long trips and in that cold.

    Good? Absolutely. Reliable? Currently they sit at the #1 spot above the RAV4, see last month's Consumer Reports. Comfortable? The front seats, yes, especially when heated. They are firm but on a long trip that's probably what you want.

    The catch? The rear seat is a bit tight, OK for kids but not for 5 adults across the country.

    -juice
  • jeijei Member Posts: 143
    My '99 Forester "S" Automatic (bought new) has 95,000 miles and has held up well. One complete brake job was needed around 60K. Cruise control switch replaced then as well. My upstate NY commute is 75 miles round trip. This car is comfortable and fun to drive! I use separate 15" rims with winter tires and recommend that for anyone in an area that gets real winter. For Northern areas, I recommend the "S" which comes with heated mirrors, windshield wiper defroster and heated seats. Being able to clear up the mirrors with the flick of a switch is a real plus.

    Two maintenance tips:
    - Have alignment checked by a top suspension shop. Dealers do not always catch alignment problems, resulting in uneven/early tire wear.
    - Avoid getting brake rotors turned. Sacrifice an extra set or 2 of pads before replacing rotors. The dealer turned mine at around 55K and they immediately warped. I did the whole thing over again within 10K at an independent shop.

    Few complaints for a reliable, comfortable, practical vehicle that has character. Go for it.

    John
  • brick22brick22 Member Posts: 71
    We need new tires for our 2001 Forester L. We do a lot of highway driving and are frequently caught in heavy snow in the winter. Recommendations? I've been to TireRack and am trying to narrow the choices down.

    Plus-- a couple of weeks ago, took car to dealer for oil change and loud aircraft noise from the rear--service person replaced left rear wheel bearing under warranty. Noise stopped.

    We also asked dealer to rotate the tires. Next day on the interstate, huge vibration--steering wheel and vehicle at speeds over 55-60--took car to tire shop, had tires balanced--vibration stopped.

    Any recommendations on what else to check or do?

    Thanks!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sounds like you solved the noise and vibes.

    Tires? Hmm, that's a 205/70R15 size. I had trouble finding one I liked and went with new 16" rims. But I would not recommend my tires for snow (Nitto NT460).

    -juice
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    I've only tried the gated shifter on the Legacy and found those to feel fairly solid. Perhaps they're using a different one on the Imprezas?

    Paintless dent removal works great. I had one big fat nagging ding taken out from my door panel.

    I'm convinced that alignments are something that anyone can do, but few can do right. When in doubt, go to a specialty shop.

    Ken
  • nypaulnypaul Member Posts: 35
    -juice,
    This is only the second MPG i've figured since I've owned the car. The first was 2 weeks after I bought it with 100% around town driving the mileage was 22 per US gallon.
    This tank full consisted of about 80% hiway driving, and even some of that was speed up+slow down, speed up+slow down as we drove through the New York City area. So I figure that the 28.6 miles per US gallon was pretty good.

    Paul
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Paul: you must have a blue-printed model. By that I mean one where tolerances are very tight. That mileage is excellent for a car that wasn't even broken in.

    Good to go.

    -juice
  • bsvollerbsvoller Member Posts: 528
    We routinely get 28 mpg in Denver (burbs), just tooling around town. Technically it's not "city" driving (almost no stopngo), more 40-45 mph on secondary roads in 5th gear between stoplights. Shifting at or below 3000 rpm and keeping the tire pressure up makes a big difference.

    We do have oxygenated fuels here in the winter, but I've never really noticed a big difference in fuel economy.

    Best tank was 30.4 coming back from a camping trip in the mountains, loaded to the gills with a Rocketbox on top - go figure !

    I've also noticed mileage dives at 80+ on those cross-country trips (no Rocketbox either). We get more like 24 mpg cross-country... oh well, guess you can't have everything, heh ? :)
  • reeferreefer Member Posts: 37
    My wife has a 2002 Forester. The gas pedal acts like a hair trigger. When you depress it there is a sudden surge. It's not like any gas pedal I have ever encountered. I know when you press the gas pedal you expect the car to surge forward but the Forester's pedal feels like there is an initial resistance and then the surge to accelerate. My wife said she has gotten used to it. She asked the dealer about it and asked him if he could adjust it when she had it in for it's first servicing last week. The dealer said it could not be adjusted and that all the Forester gas pedal were like this. Is this true? We have never driven any other Foresters so we don't know. I'm concerned about my 16 year old daughter learning to drive on this car with the touchy gas pedal.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    It's because the forester has torque, most other cars probably had very little low end torque. It will be good for your daughter, she'll learn to treat the pedals gently.
    :)

    -mike
  • subiemansubieman Member Posts: 10
    I've always noticed the forester gas pedal to be abrupt....though the only adjustments I've heard of is for the spongy brake pedal.

    As far as the gas pedal is concerned, I've either got used to it, or its become less "tense" with time. The only thing that is distracting is the drivetrain lash. This may also magnify the surge feeling.
  • ckirk4ckirk4 Member Posts: 11
    Does anyone have information on how the 03 will compare to the 02 in price? Is there a website that has this type of information?
  • danielldaniell Member Posts: 128
    Mine does the same (automatic). I believe there are 2 factors causing this: power being shifted to the rear wheels (since the delay/surge are more pronounced starting from a dead stop on an incline), and the new, very aggresive emission systems most modern cars have (there is an archived board called "Nissan Maxima 5-speed problems" or something like that, that explains this type of problem.
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    Carroll: Sorry, but prices haven't been released. Cars get to dealers early in May, so it can't be much more than a matter of a week or two before prices are released. Informed speculation is that '03 prices will be flat or slightly ($200-$300) higher.
  • joseph50joseph50 Member Posts: 235
    Greetings.
    Two days of ninety degrees brings up again an awareness of a slight issue I have with the air conditioner in my 2001 Forester S. Its cooling effieciency is barely adequate. I can get almost comfortable with it churning away loudly on high (inside only circulation set), but can never reach that satisfying point of having to "back off" the controls to continue in peace and contentment.
    The dealer's service department checked it out and said it is fine, and that the 2001 AC unit just isn't as good as in the one used in previous model years. What is the experience of you others on this? Is there any tricks or super coolants I can employ as a remedy? Thank you.
    Joe
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    Joe: Others will probably chime in with tips on the AC itself, but the obvious suggestion is to tint your windows. You get privacy that way and it is like adding turbo power to the AC.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    My '01 Forester automatic is that way too.

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    reefer: add some slack to the throttle cable, in the engine bay. It's not drive-by-wire, so the dealer is wrong. You can adjust it.

    I did the opposite with my Miata (removed slack), and went too far. The idle was a tad high and the throttle becamse like a pistol (on/off). I let some slack out and it's better.

    My A/C cranks, but my windows are tinted. I usually have the vent set to "1" and still have to cycle the A/C on and off to prevent icicles on my nose.

    Maybe you're parking in the baking hot sun? I go from a car port to a garage, so my starting temps are cooler. Try a sun shade, and close the moonroof liner.

    -juice
  • goose15goose15 Member Posts: 6
    the door jam sticker in by 2001 forester days 29 lbs for front tires, the sticker on my 2002 forrester says 32 lbs-model and tires are identical-how come?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Did Subaru change their mind? I always felt their recommended pressure was on the low side.

    -juice
  • bsvollerbsvoller Member Posts: 528
    AC - Not sure where you guys are, but in Denver we get serious solar. AC works very well, though. We do let all the heat out before getting in (open all the doors and moonroof). Thought about tinted glass, but really don't need it. Maybe because it's so dry here ? (Never muggy). I'd get a second opinion on your AC.

    Tire pressure - That's really interesting. The general consensus seems to be that 32# give or take on all corners is just right. Better gas mileage, better handling and more even tire wear. Maybe Subaru has been quietly stealing our secrets ! lol :) FWIW, we run 32# on all four corners unless we're towing, then we bump the rears to 40# (41 - recommended - seems too close the max of 44 for my liking, and we never load the cargo bay when we tow - our stuff rides in the camper).

    Pedal - Haven't noticed anything unusual with my gas pedal. I'd have it adjusted per juice's suggestion.
  • kate5000kate5000 Member Posts: 1,271
    A/C in my Forester 2001 S+ works great. So I doubt the dealer's claim "it's just not as good as previous ones".
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I believe Ken was the first that suggested I use 32 psi in my tires, so maybe Subaru owes him a licensing fee? Maybe the first 2004 Forester turbo off the assembly line? I'm sure he'd be agreeable.

    -juice
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Can I make that a turbo? :-)

    Ken
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