Subaru Problems

I totally agree with you. This is an area that car companies have generally fallen short of the mark on and there should be free map upgrades for a period of time, perhaps the length of the warranty as you suggest. We've contacted Subaru on your behalf and they have told us they will be in contact with you to sort the problem out.

It is normal for some water to flow through the doors. Doors on all makes and models have drains to allow it to get out. It does seem unusual that the water accumulates in the doors to the extent that it takes up to 40 seconds to drain away. I would be making sure that there is nothing impeding the drainage. I would be seeking a meeting with the dealer to review the issue, if that doesn't solve the problem go directly to Subaru, and if that fails call in a body expert and have an independent assessment made. One possible expert you could consult is Graeme Cuthbert on 0422 444 335.

It doesn't appear to be a safety recall as it doesn't show up on the government recall list, but it could be a Subaru service alert, in which case owners with this issue should approach their dealer and request it be fixed.

The Forester with CVT transmission is rated to tow 1500kg, but you also need to make sure you stay within the maximum weight limit for the car. Provided you are within those limits you shouldn't have any trouble with the CVT.

Check the shock absorbers and the bushes and you could try swapping the shocks from side to side to see if the rattle goes with them. It's really a case of trial and error when trying to find the cause of a rattle.

If it is still doing it having been worked on by the dealer it's a fair bet that it is an electronics issue as you suspect. It could be a faulty sensor or a bad connection.

I have had reports in the past from owners of other vehicles, different brands, complaining about a clunk at low speed and that their dealers have told them that it was the ABS self-checking. Now, I have never experienced the clunk myself on any of the many cars I have driven in the course of my work in testing vehicles, and I have always dismissed it as BS from the dealer. But I have asked Subaru to tell me if it the dealer is correct or not.

I would be asking the service centre to explain why the nuts are seizing when they service the car. I would suspect the nuts are being over-tightened and their wheel guns need re-setting so they don't over-tighten.

You don't say what the fuel additives were. They could have been so-called fuel system cleaners or perhaps, given that your car is turbocharged GT they could have been octane boosters. If you detect any pinging you could try an octane booster, but otherwise I would go along with your mechanic.

Sorry that you haven't been contacted about your concern. I will pass your latest e-mail on to the people involved at Subaru.