2005 Subaru Forester Subaru Forester 2005

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2005 Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (49%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (10%)

Brakes and Traction Control (4%)

Suspension and Steering (12%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (18%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (6%)

Other (1%)

Chart based on 183 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2005 Subaru Forester.

2005 Subaru Forester repair cost distribution

$2500+ (7%)

$1000 - $2499 (8%)

$500 - $999 (16%)

$100 - $499 (35%)

< $100 (34%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 153 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2005 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Sep 2011 - Oct 2011
Oct 2011

71000 mi
Check Engine Light was coming on, suspected O2 sensor 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Sep 2011 - Dec 2011
Dec 2011

103000 mi
condenser replaced 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 210hp 2.5L I4 5-speed manual AWD

Subaru Forester in Texas, United States
Oct 2010 - Jun 2013
Dec 2010

73000 mi

US $1000
Replaced springs and struts, struts still functional but showing signs of looming failure, springs replaced to improve handling. 
Jul 2011

80500 mi

US $1500
Cylinder number 4 misfire and rough idle. Cylinder #4 exhaust valve was stuck open. Repair involved removing head, replacing valve bucket, lifters, seats, and readjusting valves. 
Mar 2013

95000 mi

US $2500
Front O2 sensor and mass air flow sensor were replaced. Valve cover gaskets replaced to repair oil leak Thermostat was leaking coolant. Thermostat replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Oct 2012 - Apr 2016
Feb 2013

111480 mi

C $700
Radiator cracked and evap leak. 
Jun 2013

114080 mi

C $700
Blown turbo, installed a used turbo. 
Feb 2014

117800 mi

C $500
PCV valve replaced, AC belt replaced 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Jul 2009 - Feb 2022
Sep 2009

41540 mi
Motor for the moonroof had to be replaced. 
Dec 2009

45260 mi

C $400
Ball joint was found to be damaged due to wear during a brake replacement job. This was replaced during the brake service 
Sep 2011

71300 mi

C $4000
End link failure. Upgraded parts as replacement. 
Jul 2012

81840 mi

C $10
Intermittent failure of AC. Due to AC compressor clutch wear. Solution was obtained through searching in forums. 
Jan 2017

91380 mi

C $163
Idler pulley was worn at the bearing. I was hearing a faint fluctuating squealing sound. It was replaced. 
Feb 2017

115940 mi

C $7
Torn rear windshield wiper fluid line. Torn at the rubber boot that transitions the line from the body to the rear door. Symptoms included leaking fluid at rear wheel well, stains. Fixed by installing a hose connector between the torn piece 
Nov 2017

122760 mi

C $900
leaking rear strut. had to replace both rear struts 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Oct 2010 - Apr 2015
Aug 2013

93000 mi

US $250
Radiator cracked by top main hose outlet. Oil seal on one camshaft seeping into cam belt area. Replaced Crankshaft Seal, 3 of 4 Camshaft Seals. Both accessory belts cracking and worn, due for replacement. 
Sep 2013

93000 mi

US $170
Misfire on one cylinder, followed fuel injector - fuel injector replacement. Not entirely fixed, need to continue investigating. Seems like just doesn't like idling at the afr that it is set to stock, or that for some reason the O2 sensor reading wrong. 
Nov 2014

100000 mi

US $70
Sway Bar Endlink was clunking. replaced both with MOOG joints. 
Subaru Forester in Alabama, United States
Jul 2009 - Jun 2018
Jun 2012

105000 mi
Cracked radiator was discovered during oil change. Took it to my go-to mechanic and had them make repairs and give it an overall tuneup as it had just hit 100,000 miles. (Car had been running fine,no overheating despite 90 degree weather). 
Jul 2012

105300 mi

US $53
A rear window switch needed replacing. Driver could roll window up and down but passenger in rear couldn't roll window up. Mechanic replaced it in under ten minutes so he didn't even bother to charge me for labor. (Part ordered prior) 
Apr 2014

117300 mi
Oil gasket leaking; gasket replaced 
Feb 2015

125000 mi

US $3200
replaced front and rear struts as front struts were shot and rear had enough wear to need replacing in future. difficult to find first and reverse gears. Flywheel was removed and retooled as it was damaged. replaced clutch. Clutch was worn out and beginning to slip. 
Dec 2015

130000 mi

US $115
Broken turbo intake hose cause engine stalling. Engine warning light never came on. Shop replaced hose, but due to holidays, shipping from supplier took 3 days. 
Mar 2016

131000 mi

US $1500
Front left brake pad locked down. Shop said it was rusty calipers and replaced front calipers, rotors, lines, pads, everything. Said it wasn't related to prior repair nor hillholder. Wrong. 3 days after complete front brake system replacement, back right rear brake locked down. I took it to diff. repair shop.replaced entire back brake system but brakes remained locked. They suspected ABS but I towed it back to Subaru to complan Dealer shop finally found faulty hill holder was problem-it was locking down the brakes.That was it the whole time. Had to fight dealer to make them cover repairs. They had it on record that I had thought it the hill holder in DEC. 
May 2017

136000 mi

US $400
Cracked boot replaced and another boot that was about to go replaced 
Feb 2018

144000 mi

US $900
A/C not cooling. Recharging revealed a leak in a/c compressor which was replaced, freon added There was a squeak while running. It was a drive belt that needed replacing. It was replaced 
Jun 2018

147000 mi

US $100
I could smell a strong coolant odor and a/c didn't seem as cool. Even on max, fan seemed weak. Shop said that O rings that had been previously replaced were loose. The clamps were tightened and system recharged. I shouldn't have been charged for this as the shop warranties its work for a year but the owner was on vacation and acting manager didn't pass info on to front counter. I'm going to return to shop to get payment back and show them the problem hasn't been resolved completely as I still smell coolant but now only sporadically and fan power is still reduced by half when I turn on a/c. 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 210hp 2.5L I4 4-speed automatic AWD

Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Jun 2011 - Jul 2018
Jul 2012

91000 mi

US $800
Radiator 
Jun 2013

102000 mi

US $450
Drivers side front-window motor replacement. 
Jan 2018

113000 mi

US $700
MAF sensor 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Sep 2010 - Dec 2012
Nov 2011

66000 mi

US $700
Radiator leaking badly--sudden onset Deteriorated handling over last 5000 miles. Went to aftermarket upgraded struts and mounts 
Subaru Forester in Minnesota, United States
Jun 2010 - Jan 2012
Apr 2011

79300 mi

US $189
Slight rattle in front suspension so had the sway bar link ends replaced, problem solved. 
Nov 2011

83300 mi

US $750
Replaced timing belt & idler pulleys because the bearings in the idlers were starting to make noise 
Subaru Forester in Alabama, United States
Feb 2015 - Feb 2015
Feb 2015

123000 mi
Diagnostic done: needs: new ball joints, new tires, new steering pump, new transmission. Door latch doesn't work anymore either. No repairs done. 
Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Feb 2012 - Feb 2012
Feb 2012 Local dealer suggested to my wife the cleaning of the oil system with a solvent. Turbo went out. Complained to Subaru national, supplied service records and they pick up repairs and "dinged" the local shop. 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
Dec 2014 - Dec 2017
Sep 2017

132000 mi

US $400
One faulty fuel injector was diagnosed. I replaced the faulty one and the other three as preventative maintenance. 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Jul 2011 - Jan 2013
Aug 2011

45500 mi
Turbo failing intermittently - most recent "code" was camshaft overadvanced. Following smoke streaming from tailpipe, brought to the dealer. Out of warranty - waiting for good will from Subaru of America. estimate: $2400 Turbo failing intermittently - most recent "code" was camshaft overadvanced. Following smoke streaming from tailpipe, brought to the dealer. Out of warranty - waiting for good will from Subaru of America. estimate: $2400 
Sep 2011

47000 mi

US $1400
$1000 from Subaru of America, after I escalated it from the first offer of $750. Had to do a lot of fighting for the money. Turbo had to be completely replaced: $2400, $1400 out of pocket. Engine still burns oil. 
Oct 2011

48000 mi
Sunroof cables have broken. Estimate is $1200-$1500. Will not repair this until next spring. 
Mar 2012

57000 mi

US $1000
o2 sensors on engine 
Jan 2013

52000 mi
We just discovered the seat heaters are not working. Trying to diagnose ourselves:switch vs. element before visit to the dealership 
Subaru Forester in Kansas, United States
Jul 2009 - Aug 2014
Sep 2009

59000 mi

US $5
Engine misses while under load at highway speeds. MPG is half of normal. Drove car with service writer and mechanic. "Yes there is a problem. We dont know what it is and we cant just throw parts at a car. Drive it till the CEL comes on." I brought the car home from dealer and after consulting the internet for 3-4hrs, I pulled the ground loops and cleaned them on the wiring harness. (there are 6 grounds on this car) The ground wire for the MAF was corroded. Fixed problem.  
Sep 2013

117000 mi

US $800
Windshield area was rusting out requiring replacement of metal to stop leaks of water. 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Sep 2010 - Jun 2018
Mar 2010

34237 mi
Replaced failed turbocharger 
Mar 2011

38984 mi

US $1691
Replaced failed turbocharger (2nd time @ only 38K miles) 
Mar 2015

66000 mi

US $1000
Turbo failure 
Aug 2016

87000 mi

US $500
Radiator developed a crack. 
Apr 2017

95000 mi

US $800
Turbo failure. The 4th turbo failed on the car! 
Jun 2017

97500 mi

US $100
Valve leak which caused engine light to come ON. 
Dec 2017

106500 mi

US $55
Check oil burned smell. Tighten valve cover gasket. Issue not solved. Will need to take car back to mechanic for cover gasket replacement. 
Feb 2018

106500 mi

US $1300
Turbo replacement. Gasket valve. Timing belt 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Oct 2009 - Jun 2011
Jul 2010

94000 mi

US $89
LED light switch for fog light repair was $89.00 p/l 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States
Jan 2014 - Oct 2014
Oct 2014

82000 mi

US $500
Engine idled extremely low and would stall during turns. Cleaned dirty throttle body and replaced battery. Engine running rough and misfiring. Tune up with spark plug replacement. 
Subaru Forester in Finland
- Jan 2007
Oct 2006

18786 mi

€80
20000mls service (oil change, oil filter, spark plugs, air filter, compartment air filter) 
Jan 2007

23250 mi

€30
25000mls / oil and filter change 
Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Sep 2015 - Aug 2018
Jun 2017

83000 mi

US $100
Rust build up behind rotor backing plate. Replaced rear pads and rotors and heard a metallic rubbing noise when turning. Backing plate expanded from rust and rubbing inside of rotor. Per research on subaru forums, needed to grind backing plate down on bottom, under the parking brake to prevent rubbing. Had to disassemble, grind, and reassemble 3 times until I got it right. $100 for rear brakes, 6-8 hours of my time to fix this issue. 
Apr 2018

88000 mi

US $100
Left rear caliper seized an was dragging. Replaced both rear calipers and bled the brakes. Might need new rotors again from the dragging before I noticed and stopped driving. 
Subaru Forester in Wisconsin, United States
Sep 2005 - Jun 2011
Dec 2005

12000 mi
Squeak in dashboard, fixed under warranty 
Feb 2007

28000 mi
driver seat became loose, fixed under warranty 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Mar 2013 - Nov 2016
Aug 2013

48900 mi

US $284
drivers side window motor replaced 
Jan 2014

US $128
Coolant leak at thermostat 
Dec 2014

55000 mi
Gear shift stuck and wheels locked-mysteriously fixed after towed to mechanic. 
Jul 2015

59200 mi

US $130
Replaced failed drivers window regulator 
Nov 2015

60000 mi

US $190
Fog light brackets totally rusted out and had to be replaced with Subaru parts. I live near the ocean. 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Oct 2012 - Apr 2013
Nov 2012

73800 mi

US $1100
Transmission seal damaged during head gasket repair that occurred just before I bought the car. Seller paid half. Total was $1,100. 
Apr 2013

78000 mi
Now, according to a dealer, pistons two and four need to be replaced. They sound dry upon start-up. Only 75,000 miles! 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Mar 2013 - Apr 2015
Jul 2013

107500 mi
Air sensor and air intake path. 
Aug 2013

109000 mi
Window failed to create a seal due to bad gusset. 
Mar 2015

117000 mi

US $740
Dealership cannot stop the throttle from opening unexpectedly, especially when the heat is on and the engine is warm. 
Apr 2015

117000 mi

US $500
Accelerator pedal assembly replaced to stop unexpected throttle. 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
May 2012 - Aug 2013
May 2012

120000 mi
Temperature rose rapidly after driving 1.5 hours, coolant leak. Diagnosed as head gasket by out of town shop. Towed home, local shop unable to duplicate. Short trips ok but still overheats on long trips. Head gaskets replaced 6 months ago. 
Jul 2012

122300 mi
Independent shop replaced water pump and timing belt tensioner under warranty to correct overheating problem. Conducted 5 hour test drive to verify fix. 
Jan 2013

US $289
Suspension noise, front stabilizer links were bad 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Apr 2010 - Apr 2011
Jun 2010

90000 mi

US $470
ac condensor leak 
Subaru Forester in Nova Scotia, Canada
Dec 2009 - Apr 2014
Oct 2011

91120 mi

C $300
Replaced faulty sensor 
Sep 2013

119660 mi

C $800
Replaced fuel filler neck as it was rusted through. Replaced oil pan 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Jul 2016 - Dec 2016
Jul 2016

78000 mi

US $800
rear wheel bearings 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Apr 2016 - Jun 2016
Apr 2016

140000 mi

US $75
Oil change + replacee radiator hose clamps 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Dec 2015 - Mar 2017
Dec 2015

86000 mi

US $450
Car wouldn't start. Battery did not hold a charge and alternator wasn't charging well. Battery and alternator were replaced. Car starts and runs well now. 
Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada
Aug 2015 - Oct 2015
Sep 2015

156860 mi

C $320
Oxygen sensors failed, replaced both 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Oct 2009 - Jun 2011
Nov 2009

67000 mi

US $550
Wheel Bearings on Driver rear side failed 
Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada
Mar 2015 - Jun 2015
Jun 2015

93620 mi
Burning oil one liter + between oil changes 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Sep 2015 - Jul 2016
Sep 2015

129000 mi

US $90
Power steering pump and belt replaced with used pump. 
Subaru Forester in Florida, United States
Aug 2007 - Jun 2012
Jan 2007

17000 mi

US $24000
sunroof 
Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Aug 2009 - Jun 2016
Dec 2009

92000 mi
Coolant was being pushed out of surge tank. Suspected blown head gasket. Further investigation showed no blown head gasket and it is surmised an air bubble in coolant system might have been problem. 90,000 mile service included flush. 
Apr 2010

97000 mi

US $120
A/C had loss of refrigerant. System was topped off. No leak found this time. Probably very small leak. 
Feb 2013

153000 mi

US $175
Ambient temperature sensor inoperative. Not only did I not have a reading of outside temperature, but it also affected the control of the level of heat (or lack thereof) in the car. 
Jul 2013

163800 mi

US $220
Problem: A/C not making cold air. Solution: Recharge refrigerant. Check for leaks. No leaks found. 
Dec 2013

172000 mi

US $200
Engine was running warmer than normal according to the temp gauge. Gauge never reached the "red" zone. Replaced thermostat and problem was solved. 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Jul 2007 - Dec 2012
Mar 2007

28500 mi
Replaced spark plug wires. Car idled rough, sputtered, misfired. Check engine light illuminated 
Sep 2007

34000 mi
Warranty repair. Catalytic Converter. Clutch fork was damaged. Both replaced under warranty. 
Jan 2008

46500 mi

US $100
Replaced ignition coil. Car idled very rough until completely warmed up--check engine light illuminated. 
Feb 2010

76000 mi

US $100
Oxygen sensor. Warranty covered. Head gasket beginning to leak. Warranty replaced. 
Aug 2010

80800 mi

US $450
Freon leak. Repaired, parts replaced, system recharged. 
Mar 2011

86000 mi

US $8000
Car engine sputtered and ran rough. The ignition coils, spark plugs, and spark plug wires were replaced.  
Jul 2012

95300 mi

US $600
A/C did not blow cold air. No leak discovered, recharge of a/c suggested. water pump seized as belt harmonizer cracked and stopped working. 
Dec 2012

97000 mi
Catalytic converter failing Exhaust shield rusted through, began to come loose, and rattle. 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Jun 2014 - Mar 2018
Jan 2018

141 mi

US $10
replaced downstream o2 sensor - took 20 minutes 
Subaru Forester in Missouri, United States
Oct 2016 - Jun 2022
Apr 2017

135000 mi

US $900
Replaced LL Bean Model load-leveling shocks (expensive only available from Subaru $$$) and had a 4-wheel alignment. 
Oct 2017

140000 mi

US $230
AWD clutch was binding when turning left or right. Shop drained and flushed the transmission to resolve the problem. Tires grab when turning sharply in either direction. I suspected the sealed silicone awd clutch but mechanic flushed trans fluid and freed up internal clutches to resolve the problem. 
Oct 2018

152000 mi

US $93
Check over car complete: brakes, suspension, transmission, engine ... 
Oct 2019

163000 mi

US $281
Rpl Right rear wheel bearing 
Jun 2020

164000 mi

US $10
Replaced left headlight with no low beam. 
Jun 2022

160000 mi

US $120
AC weak 
Subaru Forester in Texas, United States
Aug 2009 - Oct 2010
Aug 2009

41000 mi
Vehicle needed rubber mirror/glass junction covering replaced. Due to an error at dealership from the rotor issue, got them to cover the part for free. 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Jul 2009 - Apr 2014
Sep 2009

70000 mi

US $100
Sunroof would not close. It was due to the inside screen being off of the track. 
Feb 2010

75000 mi

US $400
CD changer in radio unit would not eject CDs. Unit required replacement for CD function to continue to work. 
Mar 2011

88000 mi

US $3700
both rear struts replaced 
Jun 2013

115000 mi

US $129
Refrigerant recharge. 
Oct 2013

116500 mi

US $475
Starter motor failed and was replaced. 
Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada
Jul 2009 - Feb 2017
Oct 2013

97940 mi

C $2200
Head gasket had leak and was replaced. 
Aug 2014

109120 mi

C $600
Oil was leaking and a burning smell was coming from the engine. There was a small crack in an enclosure where oil was coming from. A sealant was applied to prevent leaking. 
Dec 2014

112220 mi

C $20
Replaced fog light and two marker lights. It took about 30 minutes to change all the lights. Getting access to the bulbs required removing quite a few parts. 
Apr 2015

115300 mi

C $550
Replaced brake pads. Machined rotors. Replaced leaking cylinders. 
Dec 2016

135780 mi
The engine was still running, but the accelerator was not responding. I pulled over and turned off the car. I was able to restart it and drive to a parking lot. It was towed to a shop. Noting was found to be wrong with the accelerator. 
Jan 2017

112220 mi

C $340
Computer detected a misfire condition. Mechanic did a tune up to replace plugs and wiring. 
Feb 2017

135780 mi
The parking brake light sometimes stayed on while driving. It would turn off by itself after driving several kms. 
Subaru Forester in Connecticut, United States
Sep 2014 - Aug 2019
Jun 2016

114000 mi

US $110
Replace transmission cooling tube because of a pinhole leak. 
May 2017

155000 mi

US $1500
Head gasket repair 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
Sep 2014 - Jul 2016
Oct 2014

131700 mi

US $100
Both end links broken. Replaced with no name brand. 
Apr 2016

152200 mi
Catalytic Converter 
Jul 2016

158000 mi

US $60
freon 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Nov 2012 - Jan 2017
Dec 2012

74400 mi

C $4200
Head gasket replacement and engine overhaul 
Subaru Forester in Nebraska, United States
Jan 2013 - Jul 2017
Mar 2013

67000 mi

US $2050
Replaced driver's side rear wheel bearing. Both head gaskets where leaking, car was overheating. Replaced both head gaskets, and timing belt/timing components. 
Jan 2014

92800 mi

US $470
Driver's side spark plug tube seals and valve cover gasket leaking. Replaced spark plug tube seals and valve cover gaskets on both sides. 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Mar 2011 - Jun 2022
Apr 2011

50000 mi

US $250
replaced head gaskets, timing belts, water pump, spark plugs...mechanic noticed my head gaskets were failing during routine oil change...called Subaru, they got the dealer to repair under a "goodwill repair" paid only $200 for repair 
Nov 2013

69000 mi

US $360
Boot was broken, changed driver side front axle 
Nov 2015

79600 mi

US $150
Rough idle when rainy. Changed the plug wires. 
Aug 2016

85000 mi

US $110
Hood latch would not close, needed to replace 
Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States
Nov 2009 - Dec 2010
Jan 2010

90000 mi

US $250
Trim - well in door loose Light bulb in clock - cost $175, includes time to remove dashboard to replace -- did not repair Light bulb in gear shift - cost $250, includes time to replace -- did not repair  Exhaust pipe leaking - welder fixed it  
Apr 2010

95500 mi
Faulty fuel tank sensor - internal failure. check engine light came on the next week, but just needed to be cleared out. 
Subaru Forester in New Hampshire, United States
Sep 2011 - Jan 2022
May 2014

37000 mi

US $485
Muffler, catalytic converter, flange and assorted parts rusted and replaced. valve covers leaking 
Mar 2016

59000 mi
Every driving rain storm now causes the "check engine" and "cruse control" lights to illuminate. Goes away by itself in a day or two. Each time the analyzer indicates a different problem. Usually a faulty ignition harness, spark plug or lose gas cap. It also pops on when driving down a straight dry road at speed when the gas pedal is depressed slightly to pass another vehicle. Now I just carry a wrench in the glove box to remove the battery ground for a 10min , replace it and start the car to see if the lights are out. If so it wasn't a real problem so I reset the clock and radio channels and wait for the next inconvenient event. Replacing catalytic converter and sensors fixed it. The drivers side window regulator failed so now I get to push the glass down or pull it up by hand while the motor whirls away uselessly. 
Jun 2016

62000 mi

US $325
Replaced motor and regulator for driver's side window 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Oct 2011 - Dec 2011
Dec 2011

85000 mi

US $20
noise from belts / pulleys / generator 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Aug 2010 - Jun 2018
May 2010

59975 mi
Replaced transmission. Cracked gears. Warranty replacement. 
Sep 2010

73500 mi

US $435
Right rear wheel bearing replaced.  Right rear wheel bearing replaced. 
Oct 2012

100534 mi

US $2551
Head gaskets leaked at both heads. Changed all the seals I could. Replaced with STI head gaskets to prevent future need to replace (multi-layer gasket). 
Aug 2014

153075 mi

US $3887
Solenoids in the transmission went bad during high speed freeway travel. Resulted in CEL and lack of gears at operating temperature. As a result, had to replace the solenoids, the torque converter, and all the fluid. 3rd transmission now... Solenoids in the transmission went bad during high speed freeway travel. Resulted in CEL and lack of gears at operating temperature. As a result, had to replace the solenoids, the torque converter, and all the fluid. 3rd transmission now... 
Subaru Forester in Alabama, United States
Mar 2011 - Mar 2012
Feb 2012

85000 mi

US $278
Could smell gas fumes coming from the rear left wheel well. Repair shop removed back seat and tested various items using 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
Mar 2014 - Jun 2014
Jun 2014

183000 mi

US $3700
Internal engine damage. Rebuild required. 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Jul 2011 - Jun 2018
Sep 2011

75020 mi
Power seat assembly was changed Transmission shifting hard 
Feb 2014

75640 mi
car battery was chenged 
Oct 2017

76880 mi

C $200
After years of low driving milage car battery become week and cannot start the engine 
Subaru Forester in Alaska, United States
Oct 2013 - Dec 2013
Dec 2013

113000 mi

US $100
Dead battery 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Jan 2016 - Jan 2017
Mar 2016

87420 mi

C $430
rusted brake line 
Subaru Forester in Connecticut, United States
Apr 2014 - Aug 2015
Aug 2015

68000 mi
failing rear transaxle 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder manual 4WD

Subaru Forester in India
Jan 2010 - Feb 2012
Jun 2010

55180 mi

$50000
Car was burning too much engine oil. Engine opened to replace piston rings and cylinder damage was discovered. New oversize pistons and rings were ordered and installed. Clutch was also replaced. Clutch disc was found slightly damaged when the car was in the repair shop for new pistons and rings. It was replaced. The timing belt was damaged by mistake during the engine rebuild. This belt had been installed only 15k kilometeres earlier in April 2009. The original belt that had been replaced then (preventive maintenance) was put back in. The thermo valve was found to be not functioning properly. It has been taken out for now and bypassed. When the part becomes available, it will be installed. 
Sep 2010

56420 mi
The exhaust system had a leak and was also rattling. 
May 2011

61880 mi

$1800
Front wheel bearings replaced 
Jun 2011

62000 mi
Front ball joints replaced 
Sep 2011

63240 mi
Error code showing one bank of air fuel sensor malfunctioning. The sensor was replaced. 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder automatic AWD

Subaru Forester in Finland
Jul 2011 - Apr 2012
Sep 2011

86800 mi

€330
sec. airflow pump and valves replaced. Errorcodes 2441, 1440 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4-door

2-cylinder automatic AWD

Subaru Forester in Wisconsin, United States
Oct 2013 - Apr 2014
Apr 2014

85000 mi

US $500
Suspension was off and the stabilizer sway bar link was broken on the right side. Suspension still a little off - seems to drag something when I go over a speed bump or small incline. Mechanic said its likely due to suspension - pot holes 

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2005 Subaru Forester Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2005 Subaru Forester problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.