2013 Subaru Forester Subaru Forester 2013

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2013 Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (38%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (13%)

Brakes and Traction Control (15%)

Suspension and Steering (5%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (10%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (8%)

Other (10%)

Chart based on 39 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2013 Subaru Forester.

2013 Subaru Forester repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (10%)

$500 - $999 (17%)

$100 - $499 (23%)

< $100 (50%)

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

Chart based on 30 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2013 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

Subaru Forester in Western Australia, Australia
Jun 2014 - Jun 2015
Feb 2015

9260 mi
Air con system flooding the cabin with poisonous fumes. 
Subaru Forester in Newfoundland / Lab., Canada
Jun 2015 - Oct 2015
Oct 2015

32240 mi

C $125
Caliper pin was stuck, had to take out and loosen it. Also had rear light out and needed be air filter 

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2013 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

Subaru Forester in Arkansas, United States
Nov 2012 - Nov 2019
May 2017

56957 mi
Because of excessive oil consumption, Subaru replaced the short block and all associated gaskets. 
Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States
Nov 2013 - Jul 2022
Oct 2021

97000 mi

US $2450
My complaint was a tough (manual) shift from 2nd gear into 3rd. They rebuilt the transmission. It's still not great. Rear wheel bearing was wearing fast (no failure yet) 

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2013 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Oct 2015 - Mar 2018
Mar 2018

97332 mi

US $550
One headlight bulb 1 rear wheel bearing ( buzzing sound from rear at speed) 
Subaru Forester in Maine, United States
Mar 2013 - Aug 2021
Jan 2019

103000 mi

US $660
Had to replace two mufflers due to corrosion and rust damage 
Jan 2020

114100 mi

US $450
Had to replace rear pads and rotors, needed for safety inspaection 
Nov 2020

116000 mi

US $400
needed front brakes replaced for state inspection 
Subaru Forester in Virginia, United States
Feb 2015 - Jun 2022
Jul 2021

2 mi

US $996
Replaced oxygen sensor, EGR valve, and mass air flow sensor. 
Apr 2022

99500 mi

US $2200
Catalytic converter replaced.  EGR valve replaced. Wiper blades replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
Feb 2021 - Jun 2022
Jul 2021

81200 mi
Replaced gas cap after tether broke. 
Sep 2021

82000 mi

US $400
Missing trim parts 
Nov 2021

82000 mi

US $250
molded pieces needed to be refitted 
Jun 2022

100000 mi

US $25
Gas tank cap. Replaced earlier with non-OEM when tether broke. Non-OEM cap faulty. 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
Jul 2015 - Jun 2018
Jul 2015

69000 mi
The front axle was bad, it was making a clunking noise when turning. They replaced the axle and then that one was defective so they had to replace it again. The dealer was not at fault the original issue was just a bad axle from 60000 miles 
Jun 2017

91000 mi

US $390
axle seal was leaking, I also had a recall hard starts changed spark plugs and cleaned throttle body 
Dec 2017

99000 mi
Engine failed the oil consumption test need a short block basically got a rebuild 
Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Feb 2013 - Apr 2015
Jan 2015 Leak on Passenger side cam-carrier. Had to drop the entire engine to get to it. 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Jan 2013 - Dec 2016
Feb 2014

10000 mi
Rearview mirror shaking when driving. Some mounting assembly was replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Aug 2013 - Jul 2022
Oct 2013

2980 mi
ECU and PCM reset 
Aug 2014

11780 mi
Bluetooth drops occasionally, sometimes dials by itself 
Sep 2014

12400 mi
Transmission fluid was over FULL level (from factory). Dealer adjusted it. 
Apr 2015

18900 mi
A few times engine took long to crank in normal weather. Dealer diagnosed low noise threshold at ignition and performed a ECU reprogramming. 
Dec 2015

26660 mi

C $1000
Had to replace rotors and brake pads on all wheels as they had been stuck (calipers were not moving freely) and worn out the rotors. 
Jan 2016

18320 mi
Engine burns oil. Dealer started oil consumption test. 
Aug 2016

32860 mi
Engine short block replaced after undergoing oil consumption test. 
Aug 2017

40920 mi

C $187
AC compressor had failed and it was replaced. 
Mar 2018

45880 mi
start oil consumption test 
May 2019

55800 mi
new front & rear brake discs & pads 
Apr 2021

67580 mi
new front & rear brake rotors & rear pads 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Jan 2013 - Jan 2015
Jan 2015

19000 mi
rear view mirror fell off 
Subaru Forester in Tennessee, United States
Dec 2012 - Sep 2016
Feb 2013 tailgate rattle 
Subaru Forester in Saskatchewan, Canada
Oct 2012 - May 2014
Feb 2014

18600 mi
Engine lite, traction control and cruise light came on. Dealer cleared codes. Moisture in evap system after 45 miles in 5-inch-deep snow. Dealer never saw before. Light returned after repair. Replaced canister. 

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2013 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

Subaru Forester in Slovak Republic
Oct 2016 - Nov 2018
May 2017

40300 mi

€800
Engine died - main bearings gone, during fast highway driving. Known issue on Subaru 2.0DiT engine - petrol gets into oil during short winter trips (direct injection ONLY engine..., what a foolish idea Subaru) making it too thin to protect bearings under heavy load. Engine changed under extended warranty, but it took 40 working days (!!!) and I had to pay something. 
Sep 2017

41540 mi

€500
New engine died again after 2.000km - rod bearing gone, during cruising. Engine changed under extended warranty for the second time, but it took way over 40 working days (!!!) and I had to pay something again. 

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See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.

2013 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 2013 Subaru Forester problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.