2006 Subaru Forester Steering Problems

Your front driver's side control arm broke at the bracket, causing you to lose steering control and hit a post. The vehicle was already supposed to have been repaired under a recall for this control arm issue, but it failed anyway. You need to contact Subaru to confirm whether the control arm was actually replaced during the recall service or if only rust treatment was applied.

While turning at about 15 mph, your front passenger side control arm broke completely in half, causing you to lose control of the vehicle and come to an abrupt stop. The failure happened without warning, and at higher speeds could have resulted in a head-on collision or accident with another vehicle. This appears to be a known issue with this year, make, and model that the manufacturer hasn't properly addressed. Repair will likely require replacing the damaged control arm and possibly having the suspension system inspected for related damage.

Your control arm has rusted completely through and needs to be fully replaced. This is urgent because the wheel and steering mechanism could potentially fail or separate while driving, creating a serious safety hazard.

Your front control arm broke, which caused your front axle and sway bar link on the right side to snap as well. This was a known issue that your dealer has apparently addressed before on other vehicles. You're waiting to find out if the dealer will cover the cost of repairs.

After bringing your Forester to the dealer for a recall service, you noticed the power steering stopped working when you picked up the car. Your steering wheel became very hard to turn in either direction, and a warning light appeared on your dashboard. You were able to get the vehicle repaired, and Subaru offered to cover the cost of the fix.

Your steering wheel vibrates severely whenever you drive at 80 mph on the freeway. This vibration makes the steering difficult to control at highway speeds. The issue likely involves wheel balance, tire condition, or suspension alignment and will need professional inspection and correction.

While driving on the highway, you hit a pothole and your lower control arm broke due to rust — a known issue with this model year. You felt the problem immediately through the steering wheel as the wheel alignment became misaligned. Even though Subaru's recall (WVX-34) was supposed to address this safety issue and was completed on your vehicle in January 2012, the rust-proofing treatment didn't prevent the failure from happening again.

THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS ON MY 2006 SUBARU FORESTER FAILED ON MAY 15, 2015. THERE WAS NO WARNING (NO SOUND, NO SHIMMYING, NO STEERING ISSUES) TO SUGGEST THAT SOMETHING WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. THE MAIN SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT IN 2012, SUBARU ISSUED A RECALL FOR FORESTERS AND IMPREZAS, RUSTPROOFING THE CONTROL ARMS. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN AT THAT TIME, AND HAVE THE PAPERWORK THAT INDICATES THAT THIS SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. I THEREFORE ASSUMED THE CAR WAS SAFE. THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER RECALL. MY CAR HAD 118,000 MILES ON IT, AND IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I AM NOT AN AGGRESSIVE, POOR OR OFF-ROAD DRIVER. MY HUSBAND IS EXPERIENCED WITH CARS AND CAR REPAIRS, AND HE ALSO HEARD AND FELT NOTHING TO SUGGEST MY CAR MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN HE DROVE THE CAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS EXITING A ROTARY ONTO A HIGHWAY, SO HADN'T YET REACHED FULL SPEED. THE CAR GLIDED ACROSS ANOTHER LANE AS I HIT THE BRAKE, AND A RAISED DIVIDER KEPT THE CAR FROM CONTINUING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS FAILURE COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE WITH A SIMILAR CAR HISTORY. THAT PERSON COULD BE DRIVING AT FULL SPEED, AND MIGHT NOT BE AS LUCKY AS I WAS IN BEING ABLE TO STOP SAFELY. A DEPUTY SHERIFF CALLED AAA FOR ME, AND I WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED BOTH CONTROL ARMS, SWAY BARS, AND THE AXLE. SUBARU PAID FOR ALL THE REPAIRS, AND OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE TOWING. IN 2014, THE REAR CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED; I BROUGHT THE CAR IN BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING A NOISE AND THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONDING CORRECTLY. SUBARU DIDN'T COVER THAT EXPENSE, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED THAT THEY DO SO. THE EXPERIENCE SUGGESTED TO ME, HOWEVER, THAT I WOULD HAVE PLENTY OF WARNING SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN TO THE OTHER CONTROL ARMS. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE IN MY SITUATION, AND OTHERS SHOULD BE MADE OF AWARE OF THE EXTREME DANGER THEY FACE.

2006 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WHEEL BEARING MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE SOME UNUSUAL SOUNDS. SHE PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE TIRES, BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE A FLAT TIRE. HOWEVER, EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL, SO SHE CONTINUED DRIVING. AS SHE DROVE A LITTLE FURTHER AND MADE A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKES WENT OUT. SHE SLOWLY EASED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE THE REAR TIRE FELL OFF THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE WHEEL BEARING BROKE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAME BEARING WAS REPLACED ON APRIL 29, 2011. ALSO, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. *JB