2010 Subaru Forester Subaru Forester 2010

We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

2010 Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (35%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (7%)

Brakes and Traction Control (12%)

Suspension and Steering (14%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (16%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (13%)

Other (4%)

Chart based on 214 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2010 Subaru Forester.

2010 Subaru Forester repair cost distribution

$2500+ (3%)

$1000 - $2499 (10%)

$500 - $999 (11%)

$100 - $499 (31%)

< $100 (45%)

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

Chart based on 185 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2010 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

Subaru Forester in Chile
Dec 2011 - Dec 2012
Oct 2012

19400 mi
Rattles on the roof, over the driver's head and in the back all over the cargo area. I had filled the space between metal sheet of roof and inner roof with pieces of cloth. 

Return to top

2010 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Oct 2010 - Jun 2017
Sep 2011

21080 mi
Malfunction with oil control valve. The dealer had to order the part - kept over weekend and fixed on 2nd business day. 
May 2012

27060 mi
Computer had to be reset as instruments were either wrong or not functioning - cause unknown. 
Subaru Forester in Minnesota, United States
Jun 2017 - Oct 2018
Oct 2017

89000 mi
90,000 mile service performed, transmission drain plug was over tightened and cracked the transmission case...transmission was then replaced by dealer. Newly installed transmission had leaky axle plug seals, dealer replaced those as well. 
Apr 2018

98000 mi

US $400
Wheel bearing was making whining noise, only left front, easy replacement. 
Oct 2018

105000 mi

US $1400
Sway bar links and bushings were bad, replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Belgium
Sep 2009 - Dec 2017
Nov 2017

69440 mi
rear central mirror oxydised all around , starting to go to the center. mirror replaced at no cost by dealer, on warranty (lifetime for such items) 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Jun 2009 - Feb 2014
Apr 2013

68000 mi

US $189
Intercooler Hose connecting to the Turbo engine 
Subaru Forester in Virginia, United States
Sep 2010 - Apr 2018
Oct 2011

26700 mi

US $225
Key fob ceased working due to faulty button. Not covered by CPO warranty. 
Jun 2014

60000 mi

US $296
Drive belts dry and cracking. Discovered during course of scheduled maintenance. Belts replaced. 
Apr 2018

80000 mi

US $504
Radiator cracked. Shop described failure as premature given mileage. 
Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States
Sep 2010 - Sep 2013
Nov 2011

22000 mi
OEM TPMS light on in cold weather while tire pressure was to OEM specs (known problem my Subaru); solved by increasing tire pressure. 

Return to top

2010 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

Subaru Forester in West Virginia, United States
Dec 2016 - Jun 2018
Jan 2017

70000 mi
OCV stuck code thrown for bank 2. Dealer first replaced OCV solenoid and it did not fix. OCV switch corrected problem. 
Feb 2017

73000 mi

US $150
Shudder in steering. Stuck brake caliper piston upon inspection. 
Aug 2017

81000 mi

US $285
Caliper pistons stuck again. 
Mar 2018

85000 mi

US $450
Both driver side calipers had pistons sticking. 
Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States
Apr 2016 - Sep 2019
Oct 2016

48300 mi

US $180
Replaced Battery 
Mar 2018

52960 mi

US $120
Replace fan belts 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Dec 2014 - Dec 2015
Nov 2015

56600 mi
Rattling heat shields. 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Oct 2014 - Apr 2015
Nov 2014

116200 mi

US $1300
Clutch replacement, high pitched whine, likely throw out bearing. 
Jan 2015

119500 mi

US $155
Check oil leak...currently minor. Diagnosis is a leaking head gasket. 
Apr 2015

122000 mi
Oil leak from head gasket. 
Subaru Forester in Missouri, United States
Jun 2014 - Jul 2016
Jun 2014

117000 mi

US $1000
Clutch Pressure plate and release bearing worn out. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Mar 2014 - Sep 2014
Apr 2014

54000 mi
Creaking coming from front of vehicle, especially at low speeds. Only seemed to occur warm, sunny days. Front sway bar bushings were dried out and rubbing. A little silicon grease in the bushings fixed the problem. 
Aug 2014

62000 mi

US $360
Electrical system for rear latch shorted out and hatchback would not close. Entire assembly was replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Maine, United States
Feb 2016 - Nov 2016
Nov 2016

71000 mi

US $35
Headlight replaced. 
Subaru Forester in New Mexico, United States
Mar 2011 - Jun 2012
Dec 2011

20000 mi
Dome light was not functioning properly, and was replaced by dealership under warranty. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Jul 2015 - Jan 2022
Jul 2017

89000 mi

US $150
Replaced left front wheel bearing due to continuous rumbling at specific speeds 
Aug 2017

98000 mi

US $240
Right front wheel bearings replaced. 
Dec 2017

102000 mi

US $430
Throwout bearing howling and replaced. 
Jun 2018

110000 mi

US $40
Rear pads rplaced 
Jan 2022

158500 mi

US $50
Failed exhaust connection at muffler 
Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada
Dec 2009 - Jun 2018
Dec 2015

72540 mi

C $50
Complained about excessive oil consumption. PCV valve replaced. 
Sep 2017

99200 mi

C $350
Ignition coil, had to go back one month later because a distribution cable unpluged. Missinstalled. Ignition coil. 
Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada
Jun 2021 - Jul 2022
Jun 2022

162440 mi

C $300
O2 sensor was faulty 
Subaru Forester in Iowa, United States
Apr 2018 - Jan 2022
Dec 2021

207000 mi

US $1000
Brakes worn. Replaced pads and rotors. 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Feb 2010 - Jul 2011
Feb 2011

11000 mi
Replacement of fuel tank pressure sensor after diagnostic for reason why check engine light came on. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Dec 2009 - Sep 2016
Jul 2011

41000 mi

US $60
Gas cap was loose, tripped Check Engine Light. Cost $60 at the dealer to diagnose and reset. Next time, I'm bringing it to my local guy. Only reason I brought it to the dealer was in case it was covered by a warranty, which it wasn't. 
Dec 2012

77000 mi
Battery went dead, just short of 3 years old. They don't make them like they used to. 
May 2013

89800 mi

US $175
Had car in to get all four brake pads and rotors replaced, also needed one brake caliper replaced. Brake stuck on the ride home, so I had to bring it back. 
Mar 2014

113000 mi

US $1500
Replaced clutch bearing, pressure plate, and flywheel. 
Jul 2014

120300 mi

US $640
Clunking sound when going over small bumps. Sway bars bad. 
Dec 2014

134000 mi

US $698
Replaced right front caliper, old one was sticking. Cost about $220, parts and labor. 
Jul 2015

151000 mi

US $500
Stuck caliper, replaced that, plus pads and rotors. 
Jun 2016

175000 mi

US $450
Stuck right front caliper, replaced that, plus discs and pads 

Return to top

2010 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Subaru Forester in Nebraska, United States
Nov 2016 - Jun 2022
Feb 2017

61300 mi

US $4200
Replaced with rebuilt transmission 
Apr 2017

62000 mi

US $395
Replaced sway bar on front axle. Dealer that sold me the car did not take care of it. 
Jun 2017

63000 mi

US $1340
AC Air Compressor had a seal leak and had to replace entire compressor to make AC functional again. May have been results of collission car was in as this was purchased salvage title. 
Jan 2022

87000 mi

US $2000
Head gasket replacement 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Jan 2017 - Feb 2017
Feb 2017

98000 mi

US $350
Head gasket needs replacing. Front wheel bearing went bad. Right front CV Axel went bad 
Subaru Forester in Iowa, United States
May 2014 - Apr 2019
Mar 2017

62000 mi

US $50
Weld on the exhaust pipe between converter and muffler failed, allowing pipe to drop away from the muffler. Shop welded it back into place. 
Jul 2017

67000 mi

US $325
Replace master cylinder, oil change ar same time 
Feb 2018

74000 mi

US $35
Passenger side headlight keeps burning out -- on the third one in three months 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Sep 2013 - Sep 2020
Jun 2019

88000 mi

US $600
Replace rear brake pads and rotors 
Subaru Forester in Texas, United States
May 2020 - Jun 2022
Jun 2020

91000 mi

US $350
power steering pump and pulleys and belt were replaced 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Nov 2022 - Nov 2022
Jul 2022

152000 mi

US $250
Rusted exhaust manifold with exhaust leaks 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Jul 2009 - Jan 2022
Jul 2018

68000 mi
Head Gasket replacement done on warranty due to low mileage and less than 10 years old. 
Subaru Forester in Texas, United States
May 2015 - Jun 2017
Sep 2016

83000 mi

US $150
Alternator belt snapped, causing the battery to lose power. Replaced alternator belt and battery. 
Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Nov 2017 - Aug 2019
Jun 2018

63813 mi

US $11
Passenger airbag replaced due to Takata recall Replaced alternator drive belt due to premature wear. 
Jul 2019

77809 mi

US $400
Replaced all 4 rotors and pads and both front calipers. Bleed fluid. 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Mar 2016 - Jun 2017
Jun 2016

92000 mi

US $200
Gasket failed around rear hatch. The new gasket was installed incorrectly the first time. On the second trip to the shop, the gasket was installed correctly. Failure of multiple Schraeder valves in the A/C system. The repair has yet to be successful. I will take the car to another shop after winter. 
May 2017

103000 mi

US $2900
Brakes replaced Condenser replaced Tie-rods replaced 
Subaru Forester in Kansas, United States
Apr 2017 - Jun 2017
Jun 2017

109500 mi

US $7
Check engine light came on and car would idle very low. After running diagnostic and searching online found that the MAF may become dirty. When inspected the MAF has what looked like a tiny hair touching the sensor element. After removal and cleaning with MAF cleaner car ran fine and symptoms have been gone for close to 1,000 miles now. 
Subaru Forester in South Carolina, United States
Apr 2014 - Sep 2021
Jun 2015

53000 mi

US $250
Replaced tie rods 
Sep 2016

64000 mi

US $400
Due to squeaking, replaced driver side strut and strut mount. 
Aug 2021

115000 mi

US $2400
Head gasket repair and timing belt 
Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada
Aug 2010 - Jun 2022
Oct 2016

44641 mi

C $200
Head lights had to be replaced 
Jun 2017

47120 mi

C $1500
Rotors, drums, pads. Jan/17 had reg. maint. done & Subaru (Edm.)said brakes, etc.were good. Jun/17 after problems with having new summer tires put on (at a local company), bolts kept loosening & front tire was almost falling off - extreme vibrating. The local tire company had to torque the bolts 3 times! There was loud screeching sound after all this & tire co. said its because of aluminum rims and its brakes, etc. 
Sep 2017

48980 mi

C $1023
rear pads, discs, rotors (nearly metal on metal) told about in June replaced in September. 
Nov 2021

64480 mi

C $1000
We were informed that the 'timing belt' required replacement 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Apr 2011 - Jul 2022
Jun 2017

60000 mi

US $520
gas tank vapor filter, diagnosed and replaced. 
Jul 2022

102000 mi

US $4300
Replaced head gaskets, timing belt, radiator and alternator. 
Subaru Forester in Nova Scotia, Canada
Sep 2014 - Jun 2020
Jun 2017

73160 mi

C $600
replace ac compressor 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Oct 2015 - Sep 2021
Jul 2017

61500 mi

US $360
Replace serpentine belt 
May 2018

70000 mi

US $300
move/replace spark plug wires 
Subaru Forester in Minnesota, United States
Oct 2010 - Jul 2022
May 2017

74000 mi

US $70
2300 miles after oil change at dealer, was told that oil dipstick was dry. Low Oil light did not illuminate. Added nearly about 1-1/2 quarts of oil. Subaru started an oil consumption test. They emptied the good oil and started over with synthetic oil. Charged me $70 for an oil change that I didn't need for about 5 months. Told to come back if the oil level is down to the add line, or after 1200 miles. I returned when the level was half way between full and add. They checked the oil and told me that it is completely up to the full line. The vehicle and oil was hot from driving 15 miles to get to the dealer. When I checked the oil level, the car was cool, and parked on a level garage surface. They are looking to see if the oil is consumed at or above a rate of 1 quart per 1200 miles. The car is definitely using oil at above that rate. But it will not register if they only check the car when it is hot. Useless. 
Aug 2017

80000 mi
Oil consumption test - checked oil level when car was cool. The oil level was not registering on the dipstick after 4000 miles since test began in April. I received a call that the oil consumption is deemed excessive, and Subaru is going to replace the engine. Then I get a call back an hour later to tell me that my model year is not included in the recall and that running out of oil after 2000 or 3000 miles is normal for a 2010 Forester, but excessive for a 2011 or 2012 Forester. It would have been nice to know that when the test was started and I was charged $70 for an oil change that my car was not even due to have changed. 
Sep 2017

80000 mi

US $400
Two welds on the power driver's seat broke around 74,000 miles with no accidents, no heavy occupants, nothing out of the ordinary. The seat would shift from side to side and not feel stable. The power seat controls were missing some options; felt like sitting a lot lower in the car, did not feel safe. Instead of re-welding the two front seat welds, or giving me the option of doing that, the power seat was replaced and an upholsterer hired to replace the cushion on the new power seat. The dealer and myself shared the cost equally. 
Jun 2018

89000 mi
Leaks after re-sealing windshield from interior. Glass company Should have just replaced windshield right away as dealer advised Glass company had replaced windshield April 2015. Leaking near gas pedal and passenger side. Glass sealed from interior. 2 days later rain infiltrating car in more places. Into gear shifter, passenger headliner near side window and onto passenger seat. Windshield being replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Wisconsin, United States
Mar 2015 - Oct 2017
Apr 2017

111000 mi

US $90
Steering Pump Pully Tensioner wasn't keeping enough tension on the accessory belt 
Oct 2017

117000 mi

US $830
Both front wheel bearings loud and needed to be replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Aug 2009 - Jul 2018
Nov 2017

206000 mi

US $270
Power steering pump replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Jan 2016 - Aug 2023
Jun 2017

123000 mi

US $1400
Catalytic converter rusting out, creating loud exhaust noise and causing fumes to enter car. Catalytic converter replaced. 
Jul 2018

127000 mi

US $300
Bent tie rod replaced 
Feb 2019

133000 mi

US $40
Replaced failed PCV valve. Found accessory belt starting to fail, replaced that as well. 
Mar 2021

164000 mi

US $360
Front-left wheel bearing replacement. 
Aug 2022

175000 mi

US $165
Transmission cooler lines rusted out, causing severe transmission fluid leak. Replaced hard lines, and two rubber lines connecting to the radiator. 
Dec 2022

178000 mi

US $50
Exhaust manifold gaskets leaking. 
Jun 2023

180000 mi

US $230
Exhaust flanges rotted out. Mechanic cut pipes around flanges and welded new pipe in place. 
Aug 2023

181000 mi

US $880
Previous exhaust repairs re-done by another shop due to poor workmanship. Mid pipe and flex pipes replaced, plus another couple leaks sealed up. One exhaust hanger replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Jun 2010 - Jun 2022
Oct 2017

46000 mi

US $37
changed front headlight 
Apr 2018

64000 mi

US $78
power steering belt was frayed. replaced belt 
Sep 2021

89000 mi

US $9
replaced the front headlight 
Apr 2022

98000 mi

US $1500
replaced al exhaust and catalytic convertor 
Subaru Forester in South Carolina, United States
Dec 2017 - Mar 2018
Jun 2017

39000 mi

US $900
Ac sys down Ac evaporator leaking another 1900 hundered! 
Subaru Forester in New Hampshire, United States
Sep 2011 - Mar 2018
Mar 2018

109000 mi

US $20
Head Gasket leak diagnosed but not fixed. Put a stop-leak product into the oil. Waiting to see if that does it. Update: stopped drip, but will probably have to replace gasket eventually. 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
Nov 2012 - Mar 2016
Jan 2016

38000 mi

US $40
Noise in exhaust system. Loose heat shield. Tightened. Cost $40 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Feb 2010 - Jan 2020
Nov 2010

11700 mi
In Oct. 2010 noticed a crack in pass. rear side stationary glass plastic trim. Turns out the trim cannot be replaced alone the entire glass panel must be which includes the little edge trim. Dealer replaced under warranty in Nov. 2010. 
Jun 2012

33000 mi
To correct warning lights on my dash from lighting up, it was determined that the Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor was faulty. It was replaced but the lights lit up again after leaving the dealer a few hours after. When the lights on the dash lit up again the car was returned to the dealer. They determined the problem to be a faulty "Fuel Tank Pressure Control Solenoid" Part had to be ordered. Returned on the third day to have it installed. 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Dec 2009 - Dec 2016
Oct 2016

43000 mi

US $40
heat shield under car vibration/rattling 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Feb 2010 - Jun 2015
Sep 2014

48000 mi

US $110
previous tire rotation crossthreaded lug bolt so I needed a new one installed. 
May 2015

51000 mi

US $425
Carrier/center bearing, upon which the driveshaft is supported, failed. Part is only replaced as full driveshaft unit. 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Mar 2010 - May 2014
Jun 2010

9920 mi
Switch in overhead passsenger dome light was intermitent.  
Jul 2010

10720 mi
Rattle inside driver door. The sound baffle inside the door was removed and two sided tape was inserted to prevent the rattle.  
Feb 2011

19840 mi
A service bulletin was issued since the last repair dealing with door rattle. This different dealer corrected the problem according to service bulletin. Had previously serviced driver door rattles fixed. A service bulletin was issued since the last repair dealing with door rattle. This different dealer corrected the problem according to service bulletin. 
May 2011

22480 mi
Driver heated car seat not working. Only the part that you sit on. Back part of seat still working. 
Aug 2011

29140 mi
Driver heated seat element no longer working. Part replaced on warantee. The windshield washer spray nozzle was cracked. Dealer advised that this was on warranty. To be ordered and fixed on next trip. 
Mar 2012

35960 mi

C $60
Brake inspection revealed that the brakes were sticking. Brake lubrication due at 64,000km. Dealer advised that insufficient amount of lubrication used by other dealer. 
Sep 2012

45880 mi

C $300
Leak in line from condenser to evaporator 
Nov 2012

47400 mi

C $600
Air conditioning hose replaced due leak and system recharged Front brakes sticking. Insufficient or ineffective lubrication. Brakes were not due for service for another 12,000KM. Brakes were cleaned and lubricated. 
Sep 2013

61380 mi
Clunking began in Late August. In the dealer shop mid Sep. Estimate front and rear passenger sway link will require replacement soon. 
Oct 2013

61880 mi

C $300
Driver front wheel bearing making loud hum. Diagnosed and replaced with OEM. Also fixed sway bar links. 
May 2014

67580 mi
Rear hanger bearing noisy. Diagnosed as needing replacement. Shaft and bearing one assembly piece replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Indiana, United States
Apr 2010 - Sep 2020
Dec 2011

13000 mi
Check engine light came on with flashing cruise indicator. Computer code indicated faulty fuel pressure sensor. Dealer replaced and repaired. Total shop time about 1.5 hr. Problem seems to be resolved. 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Apr 2010 - Sep 2011
Jun 2010

1000 mi
rear hatch seemed to rattle a lot, but it turned out that the spare tire was not properly installed (should have been caught at PDI) and the jack was loose in the carrier in the trunk. 
Oct 2010

7000 mi
all four doors had hideous rattles, like they were made of loose change and tin cans. All were fixed by dealer under warranty. Additionally, the roof bars were replaced because they noticed a screw missing, and all were stripped. WOW. 
Nov 2010

8000 mi
Hatchback rattle/shudder constantly, TSB fix made it worse. Fixed by owner with foam insulation. Subaru dealer seems to be totally clueless on this one. So far, this car (and it's dealers) does not live up to it's reputation. 
Dec 2010

10000 mi
dash rattle, a-pillar trim rattle, rear-view mirror rattle, headliner rattle... this car seems to be made of the cheapest plastic of all time. They were "unable to isolate" rattles. Will be trying new dealer. 
Feb 2011

12000 mi
STILL they cannot find the source of the rattles in the dash. Seriously, this car had to be assembled on a Monday after way too much sake in Japan! 
Mar 2011

14000 mi
Started carrying foam tape, attacking rattles myself as they come. The dash rattle was finally discovered to be the cowling panel on the exterior of windshield. Self repair, since the dealers are clueless. Forum members helped diagnose. 
Aug 2011

24000 mi
TSB software update 
Subaru Forester in Saskatchewan, Canada
Nov 2009 - Jul 2019
Jan 2012

15500 mi
door lock on rear driver's side door came unhooked. problem fixed under warrantee. 
Jun 2013

23560 mi
Coolant leak detected. Dealer found the power steering return line was leaking fluid. It was replaced under warrantee. 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Nov 2009 - Jun 2022
Mar 2010

4000 mi
Trim below door came loose after putting foot on it. 
Apr 2015

76500 mi
Seat back release lever had come unscrewed. 
Apr 2016

90500 mi

US $30
a high beam and a running light were out. no labor charge. 
Feb 2022

160783 mi

US $57
One normal headlight out and one bright headlight out. 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
May 2009 - Oct 2011
Apr 2010

9920 mi
Check engine and traction control lights on. Also cruise control light flashing. They replaced the ignition wiring to correct the problem. 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
May 2009 - Jul 2016
Nov 2009

9920 mi
Fogging occurring in the rear right tail light assembly. Looking closer, turns out to have cracks around the edges, letting moisture in. Found on forums to be a common defect, brought it in for warranty replacement. 
May 2010

19780 mi
Front windows were shifting left/right when moved up and down half way. Subaru adjusted the window regulators, problem solved. 
Jun 2010

21700 mi
Cat heat shield was rattling at 2000RPM with the engine running with a load. Insulation between cat and shield wasn't covering properly, causing contact thus the rattle. Subaru has ordered a replacement shield. 
Sep 2011

44640 mi

C $950
Driver seat front edge would not raise evenly. Dealer reports the seat frame needs replacement - $720 part. Not under warranty. 
Jan 2015

114700 mi

C $1000
Both rear control arms were noisy, the ball joints were wearing out. 
May 2016

131720 mi
Seat Heater on the driver side malfunctioning - sporadically turning on, even when the switch is off, and the seat heater worked at random. The lumbar heater always worked. Code P0420 - Cat Efficiency Low. 
Subaru Forester in Connecticut, United States
Jul 2009 - Mar 2016
Jan 2012

77200 mi
Driver seat heat pad went bad, delear replaced under warranty at 35,850 miles ;) 
Apr 2012

38700 mi
Seat came apart after seat heater was repaird, outside of warranty. 
Apr 2015

70000 mi

US $1000
Exhaust Cross pipe cracked needed replacement. 
Mar 2016

85000 mi
Head Gasket developed a leak. Car was traded in for a new one. 
Subaru Forester in Texas, United States
Jul 2009 - Nov 2017
Sep 2011

25000 mi
Power steering rack was leaking and was replaced. 
Mar 2016

83000 mi

US $138
Check engine light came on. Dealer replaced the gas cap with a new gas cap. That fixed the problem. 
Nov 2017

110000 mi

US $2100
Blown head gasket 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Oct 2009 - Oct 2011
Dec 2010

32000 mi
interior drivers door release lever 
Subaru Forester in Iowa, United States
Oct 2009 - Dec 2014
Nov 2010

6500 mi
Sunroof, and rear hatch had very obnoxious rattles.  Sunroof, and rear hatch had very obnoxious rattles.  
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Apr 2010 - Mar 2012
Apr 2011

16000 mi
replaced brake light bulbs 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Apr 2010 - Jun 2018
Sep 2013

40000 mi

US $500
bad tie rod end and alignment. 
Jun 2015

59000 mi

US $100
Rattle when driving, dealer tightened exhaust heat shields. Started rattling again. Car will be going back to the dealer. 
Feb 2018

96000 mi

US $500
whistling noise at speed. 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Jan 2012 - Mar 2014
Aug 2013

75000 mi
Catalytic converter needed to be replaced 
Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada
Oct 2011 - Jun 2016
Nov 2013

89560 mi

C $400
Engine flooded badly had to change plugs, cables and air filter. 
Mar 2014

94240 mi

C $650
Had to replace the thing that attaches the rear sway bar. 
May 2014

96940 mi

C $950
Oil leak in the timing belt cover. Had to replace timing belt before the planned replacement at 168 000 km 
Apr 2015

112000 mi

C $1200
The typical Subaru 2.5 l engine gasket change. There were oil and coolant leaks 
Jul 2015

115280 mi
Driveshaft bearing was grinding whole driveshaft replaced The parking brake was too tightly adjusted which resulted in overheating and warping of the rear brake disk. 
Nov 2015

123320 mi

C $1700
Head gaskets 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Apr 2012 - Jun 2018
Jun 2012

35000 mi
engine light came on need to replace oil flow control valve. 
May 2017

83000 mi

US $100
Replace rear brake pads. 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Jul 2012 - Oct 2020
Jan 2016

74000 mi

US $50
Headlight burned out. 
Nov 2016

87700 mi

US $20
Frequent burnout of headlight. 
Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
May 2013 - Sep 2017
Apr 2016

85000 mi

US $108
replace worn power steering belt replace ground straps 
Apr 2017

95000 mi

US $500
rattle on bumpy road, replaced 4 struts and strut mounts 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
May 2009 - Jan 2022
Jan 2015

115800 mi

US $120
Steering was squeaky. Belt was frayed. Replaced. 
Oct 2015

101500 mi

US $370
Drive belt 
Jan 2017

107700 mi

US $600
rear struts were leaking 
Mar 2017

125000 mi

US $120
Faulty wire from battery causing misfires Car was hesitating 
Dec 2017

130000 mi

US $400
Rotors replaced. Causing vibrations when braking. 
Subaru Forester in Iowa, United States
Jan 2014 - Jun 2018
Oct 2016

103000 mi

US $3000
Scheduled timing belt replacement, brakes,leaky head gasket seal 
Jul 2017

113000 mi

US $65
Shield over muffler needed reattaching 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Feb 2011 - Feb 2020
Mar 2014

21080 mi

C $70
recommended throttle maintenance as pedal a bit sticky - detected during inspection when in for 6 month maintenance 
Apr 2015

27280 mi

C $80
loose heat shield 
Jul 2015

28620 mi

C $100
cracked fan belt required replacement 
Dec 2016

37820 mi
overhead rear seat dome light not working - shop looked at and recommended not repairing as not worth the money to track down the electrical problem. 
Apr 2017

40300 mi

C $200
Battery required replacement. 
Jan 2020

49600 mi

C $500
brake repairs completed, however discovered leaking gaskets cost to repair around 4000 to 5000 so traded in car for a 2020 Outback 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Aug 2010 - Aug 2012
Sep 2011

13000 mi
Rattle in drivers side rear door and rear hatch area. Repaired under warranty by dealer. Good repair, no more rattle. 
Dec 2011

15000 mi
Rattle returned in driver side passenger door and passenger side around rear hatch. Not taking it back. 
Aug 2012

25000 mi
Rattle in driver side passenger door and passenger side around rear hatch. Had gotten worse. 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Jun 2010 - Aug 2015
Mar 2015

72000 mi

US $85
Battery stopped holding charge 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Nov 2010 - Jun 2018
May 2013

30340 mi
30 month old car has rust along the bottom lip of tailgate. Trim around rear side windows cracked and probably letting water in. I have now waited over 2 MONTHS for Subaru Canada to get back to me on warranty claim. First and LAST Subaru! 
Sep 2013

33480 mi

C $60
Brake calipers sticking, even though servied at Subaru recommended intervals by the dealer. Front wheel bearing started making noise at 50,000km. This is the second time this has happened with this vehicle. Rusted tailgate lip and cracked rear side window trims finally being repaired under "goodwill" warranty from Subaru Canada. They will NOT accept fault for rusting on a barely 2 and a half year old car still under full warranty. 
Feb 2014

38440 mi
Smelled burning oil and some smoke coming from the engine after a recent trip. No oil loss noted on dipstick. Diagnosed as a leaking front crankshaft seal. Replaced under major component warranty along with oil contaminated timing belt. 
Jun 2014

43400 mi
Began to smell burning oil, similar to 4 months ago. ANOTHER oil leak, this time oil pump and gasket had to be replaced...covered under powertrain warranty. 70,000km and this lemon is just falling apart. I don't trust it for long trips. SAD! 
Mar 2015

52700 mi
Clunking coming from front passenger side. Diagnosed as worn stabilizer bushings (at 85,000km?? I just did them on my 1996 BMW with 400,000km on it!). Repaired under major component 5yr/100k warranty. 
Jun 2015

57040 mi

C $350
Ignition coil pack and plug wires were replaced under warranty at 52,000km. Now only 40,000km later they BOTH needed replacement again, this time at my cost. This Subaru is a POS and a lemon. I would dump it if I could afford to. Do not buy! 
Sep 2015

58900 mi

C $350
After requiring new rear calipers last year, dealer service found that the front calipers were seized and now also needed replacing. These crappy factory parts corrode immediately, and regular brake service and lubrication does not help! 
Oct 2016

76880 mi

C $1100
Ticking from brakes at low speeds was reported for a second time. Dealer could not duplicate so did nothing. I suspect that rear rotors are shot...again. They corrode badly and then eat the pads. I spend $800/yr for brake work on this car! Dealer completely missed TWO sticking calipers when we had it inspected by them in early October. My local mechanic found the problem in minutes, sticking calipers ate pads and rotors, needed full brake parts all around. 
Mar 2017

83700 mi

C $1200
Second time the same wheel bearing has required replacement. The entire exhaust system had rusted so badly at all weld points that everything needed to be replaced from the catalytic back. Yet more badly designed metal parts on this car. 
Oct 2017

91140 mi

C $300
Car started to make a ticking sound when making sharp right turns at low speed. This become worse and vibration at highway speeds started under acceleration. My mechanic diagnosed this a bad inner CV. Cost to repair and reboot the front half-shaft is more money than the difference in parts cost to replace the entire half-shaft so I went that route. Mechanic suggested an aftermarket half-shaft which are known to cause vibration issues. This one was no different and I am now waiting on the Subaru OEM part which is on back order. Not impressed that Subaru Canada does not keep a known failure part like this in stock at all times. It's common to many different models and years of Subaru! 
Feb 2018

94240 mi

C $35
Exhaust rattle again...this is a yearly event! Maybe Subaru should investigate solving this issue that their cars have had for over a decade. 
Jun 2018

99200 mi

C $135
Heat shield rattle repaired with clamps. Vibration diagnosis revealed possible issue with recently replace front half-shaft. 
Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada
Aug 2010 - Mar 2014
Apr 2012

35340 mi

C $60
Front linkage and bushing repaired under warranty. Blown fuse for center console power socket. 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Sep 2010 - Jul 2011
Mar 2011

6000 mi
Rattle/buzz occurs behind headliner, near dome light. Dealer tightened light frame, which actually made issue worse. Taking back shortly for repair. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
May 2010 - Mar 2013
May 2012

14200 mi
Transmission temperature light kept coming on; transmission would not shift properly. Dealer had to order in, and replace a module. The transmission actually was not overheating. 
Nov 2012

15900 mi
The shift lever became hard to move. Parts were ordered in and replaced. 
Mar 2013

18000 mi

US $86
Right front seized caliper. Dealer serviced brakes, said they need yearly preventive service (dealer never told us that before). Infrared thermometer showed right front still running hot. Back to dealer, dealer had no explanation. Sold car. 

Return to top

2010 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada
Sep 2016 - Jan 2017
Oct 2016

105280 mi

C $3800
Heard a slight knocking noise on front passenger side for 6+ mo. Noise got slightly louder. Took it to Subaru dealership out of town; estimated replacing front CV or U joint. Home dealer recommended replacing entire transmission-so did it 

Return to top

See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs
See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.

2010 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 2010 Subaru Forester problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.