2007 Subaru Forester that rides rough and shimmies on the road.?

Question

I just bought a brand new car and it's been HELL. First they balanced the tires. THen they let air out of the tires (they were overfilled!) but it still rides very rough and shimmies a bit at high speeds. I feel every bump on the road even driving 20 miles an hour. Any suggestions as I go back to the dealership for the THIRD time???!!!

Answer 1

Did you drive this particular car when first test drove before you bought it?
These types of problems were always the hardest for us to diagnose. I would suggest go back the the service department if the dealer and go for a test drive with a technician. Drive it the same way and over the same route were these problems occur. That is the best way to get to the bottom of this. I would also have them check the balancing again and check the alignment of all 4 wheels since it is an AWD. Have them check the tires and suspension system as well when you go on that test drive with a technician. Not to worry it's all warranty if they find a problem. Remember it's a forester the ride is smoother than most SUV's in it's class but it's not an outback. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 2

We have a 2005 Forester and at 56,000 miles it still rides perfectly. The Forester is the top rated small SUV 3-years in a row by Consumer Reports and by Car & Driver. They are excellent vehicles.

By chance, was your previous car or SUV a large one? Remember that the smaller, lighter Subie will not feel the same way as a larger, heavier vehicle. The Subie will float less and have a noticeably stiffer, more responsive ride, similar to a sports car. You will get much more road feel on a Subie than on say a Chevy Tahoe or Expedition. This isn't a fault with the vehicle - that's the way they're designed. Try test driving a couple other 07 Foresters and see if they all feel the same way as yours. If they do, then it's not a fault - that's simply the way the stiffer, sportier Subaru's suspension works.

As for a shimmy (wheel vibration at speed), that's a warranty issue your dealer should be able to track down quickly. Take the service manager with you on a test ride and make sure he hears and sees the problem himself. A true shimmy can be several things, but it's most likely a faulty tire. When I worked as a mechanic, we occasionally did get brand new cars with a faulty tire. It may not always show up with a wheel balancer, even a dynamic computer spin balancer. Other causes could be faulty wheel bearings (unlikely on the AWD Subaru), steering play, air pressure, alignment, wheel damage or bent drive axle. When cars are shipped, occasionally a nimrod will use the axle to tie the car down, instead of the factory attaching points. This can cause major damage and will need to be fixed immediately.

I know it can be frustrating, but resist the temptation to blame Subaru and see if you can score a nice loaner car from the dealer while they take their time to fix this right. Don't rush them. As Miracle Max said in the Princess Bride: "Do you know what you get when you rush a miracle worker? You get rotten miracles."

Answer 3

Firstly, like someone suggested go out with a test drive to show the service manager the issue with the ride.

Secondly, have them re-balance the wheels as you may have thrown a weight off one of your rims. Also, other issues you should look at.

1) Any of the rims damaged or faulty
2) Ensure they tightened the lug nuts to the correct torque.
"after 50km of driving you should always have the wheels re-torqued"
3) Check all the tires to see if they are damaged or faulty.

Question: may not pertain to the question but:
Did your 07 Subie come with aftermarket wheels/rims?
As I sometimes see dealerships place nicer aftermarket wheels on new cars today on there lots. This could be an issue as they may not have gotten the correct bolt pattern and offset and just placed hub-centric rings.

Hope they find the issue for you!

Answer 4

Foremost, make them go out on a test drive with you under the same conditions that result in the symptoms you are experiencing. It's not just tire balance or even the amount of air in them that will make a car shake & shimmy. There is something wrong elsewhere in the assembly.

Answer 5

Foresters have car type axles vs beefy live axles like, for example a full size Ford truck. They have limited slip type transfer cases providing power to the front wheels when speed between front and back differentiates - vs a lock in transfer case like a truck. Non lockable hubs unlike a big truck. The upside is that these things make for a much more civilized ride on the road, better tire wear, better fuel economy, etc. Downside is that they don't rock climb and mud bog like more pure bread 4WD vehicles. But a Forester does ok in snow and basic off road. But then again, 98% of AWD vehicles never see dirt.

Answer 6

In the 21st century, I hope I don't have to say this, but be sure that they are using a dynamic tire balancer and not just a static bubble balancer. Check wheel alignment and toe, too. If you put a lot of miles onthe car with this problem, you may have already worn the tires in a weird way that will just perpetuate the problem, also.

Answer 7

Well you should take it to the dealer to get that checked out. I think either the tires aren't balanced, or the shocks are worn out or something. There's also something with Foresters where they are NOT the best cars. my mom has one and we hate it. The best Subaru is the Outback or the wrx sti. The Forester isnt the best one.

Answer 8

Tires may have shifted belts. Have someone drive the car and follow behind and look at the tires as they rotate. That's how I found out my Honda had bad tires, and they were brand new!

Answer 9

Tell them you want four new tires. Call the Subaru area rep if you have to.

Answer 10

Have they checked the front end alignment yet? Could be a toe-in or caster mis-alignment. Does it pull to one side or other? that could indicate a camber misalignment.