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Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (40%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (9%)

Brakes and Traction Control (6%)

Suspension and Steering (13%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (21%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (7%)

Other (4%)

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Chart based on 2788 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the Subaru Forester.

Subaru Forester electrical repair cost distribution

$2500+ (1%)

$1000 - $2499 (6%)

$500 - $999 (10%)

$100 - $499 (33%)

< $100 (50%)

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Chart based on 412 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2020 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

182-horsepower 2.5L H4 7-speed shiftable CVT AWD

18000 mi Radio no audio 
24000 mi 12 volt accessory outlet had a blown fuse. 

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2019 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

182-horsepower 2.5L H4 7-speed shiftable CVT AWD

24800 mi A/C system seals were leaking. system was purged and recharged with new seals 
5000 mi Rear [power] lift gate not functioning. 
29760 mi Battery replaced. Failed after 2 1/2 years. Stop/Start model Expansion Valve replaced 

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2018 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 250hp 2.0L H4 8-speed shiftable CVT AWD

4340 mi The Harmon Kardon amplifier blew out after only a few months. It took about 4 weeks to get a replacement. Only one speaker was working 
8060 mi

C $259
And had stereo amp changed out. Original one blew out after a month, then took a while to get the part. 
45440 mi

US $100
Window chatter on rolling up and rolling down. 

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2018 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD

20000 mi Passenger airbag error. Parts needed, not repaired. 
32000 mi Mirror and overhead light stays on after closing doors. happens when opening door and closing without starting engine. The car still blinks that door is ajar. If not noticed will fully drain the battery overnight. 

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2018 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

18000 mi SiriusXM radio does not work fully. Radio will not display all stations. XM said headunit is bad or malfunctioning. Dealer tried a programming update but it did not resolve the XM radion functions being missing. 

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2017 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 250hp 2.0L H4 8-speed shiftable CVT AWD

72000 mi Unknown battery drain. Replaced battery. Successful. 
72000 mi Condenser recall 
8000 mi Window would not go down on driverside 
12020 mi Keyfob quit working, Battery was found to be okay, had to replace keyfob and reprogram to vehicle. 
12000 mi rear hatch control no longer working as expected (hatch no longer opens automatically when hatch button pressed). Technician claimed hatch was working properly. No parts replaced. 
45000 mi

US $160
During windshield replacement the eyesight went bad and cost $2500. The majority was covered by insurance, but unbelievable expense and difficulties getting it done. 

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2017 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD

36000 mi battery was leaking acid!!! 
5580 mi Air conditioner stop working. It was checked and repair under guarantee. 
25200 mi Blue tooth was virtually disfunctional. Could hardly hear other party and other party couldn't hear driver. Dealer said they "downloaded an upgrade" for the system. It helped very slightly, but it is still not acceptable. 
15000 mi pax seat airbag sensor needed replacement 
6820 mi "Enter" key for middle console is dimmer on one side of the key. Internal LED so nothing I could fix. 
16740 mi AC compressor leaked, no cold air blowing. Took 3 weeks to get a new compressor in. Under warranty. 
16120 mi

C $150
lights etc 
400 mi dealer installed remote start was not functional at time of delivery, took it back the following week and they discovered someone had cut a wire when reassembling the dash at the time of install, repaired the wire, and system is now functional 
3000 mi navigation head unit was locking up randomly, dealer replaced head unit under warranty 
6000 mi Integrated electronics unit was not activating windshield wiper de-icers. Replaced BIU. Had to take car back because fog lights quit working. Technician was not aware he needed to explicitly enable the feature in the new BIU's configuration. 
11000 mi

US $120
After sitting four days, the car had no power whatsoever. AAA tested it and zero voltage was seen. No lights were left on. The OEM battery was replaced by AAA with a higher CCA battery. 
11000 mi This car costing 35K, has the worst heat in cold weather out of 7 Subarus I have owned, very disappointed. Also the CVT when it is cold out causes the engine to stay at high revolutions for a long time, resulting in a huge MPG loss. 
42000 mi A/C condenser leak 
22100 mi sideview mirrors did not heat to remove frost as part of winter package 
13000 mi Leak in AC condenser 
9000 mi Passenger air bag sensor replaced. 
25000 mi

US $100
All sorts of electrical problems related to battery going dead. All were re-settable after replacing the battery. 
72000 mi

US $25
Headlight replaced 
37000 mi WUM98 - "Forester Passenger-side Front Airbag ODS" Type: Recall Service Campaign: WUM98 | NHTSA Campaign: 19V-701000 
8500 mi Replaced O Rings on compressor. Replaced O Rings on compressor. Lll 
9600 mi Occupancy sensor for front passenger seat replaced 
6000 mi The AC stopped cooling and the dealership checked it and said that the AC condenser needed to be replaced, repair took 2 hours and this included washing the vehicle before it was returned. This is a problem with faulty AC Condensers on 2017 model Subaru Foresters. 
17500 mi Passenger Window wouldn't go all the way down - was told it was a computer programming error that was fixed 
14000 mi AC was blowing hot air. Condenser replaced under warranty. 

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2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 250hp 2.0L H4 8-speed shiftable CVT AWD

1860 mi Voice entry on address entry for nav system didn't work. Doesn't reconcile any address I speak to it. 
12 volt outlet repaired at dealership. 

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2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD

16000 mi Battery needed replaced 
22000 mi Replaced display and electronics displaying backup camera and sound system.. 
3000 mi Software update required on the BCM. 
17000 mi Car was parked for 2 hours, battery was dead. Jump stated and car ran fine. Unsure if we need a new battry or what caused it, will be investigating further.e 
19000 mi Replaced TPMS sensor under warranty. 
13000 mi

US $40
Battery went dead. Power lift gate Information system update 
15000 mi Power lift gate kept jamming and programming gets locked up. 
21500 mi Car would not start. Interior lights came on but would not start. Car towed to dealer. Replaced battery. 
33000 mi Dashboard warning lights for Eyesight, lift assist, and check engine came on. Code check resulted in technical bulletin issue previously issued in August/2016. Alternator needed to be ordered. 
8300 mi Rear hatch opening problems. 
11200 mi Rear hatch locks up sometimes. 
17000 mi Rear Hatch jams, sticks, fails to work at times. Nothing was done to fix it--It is a design defect of this car. 
17000 mi Rear hatch still not working reliably (same as since day #1 new). Also cruise control & eyesight have quit both at the same time randomly. 
18000 mi Rear Hatch does not function at times. Still they are unable to fix. THIS IOSM A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR AND WILL NEVER BE FIXED. 
27000 mi

US $82
Even though the car was under 36 month 36 thousand mIle warranty, I replaced the battery myself. Subaru would have required the car being towed in to a dealer, and the car being left over the weekend util they could work on it the following week. We needed the car to go to work. Real shame they would not replace the battery over the counter-I TRIED. 
26390 mi

US $191
Replaced dead battery with Interstate MT35 60 Month battery. 
28465 mi

US $3
Replaced passenger rear stop light bulb Phillips # 7443 @ $2.50. 
34000 mi Transmission/parking brake interlock failed preventing removal of ignition key. Was not covered under warranty at time of incident but was later reimbursed by Subaru. 
26000 mi Blower fan resistor 
8000 mi Problem with rear car gate auto mechanism, caused short, ran down battery, called AAA who replaced battery. Went to dealer to check out car after failing to understand how rear gate system worked. 
20000 mi Alternator Replaced 

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2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

9000 mi blower resistor failed so no air from a/c vents on 1,2,3 but air on 4 which supplies a full 12v to blower motor 
24000 mi blower resistor failed again so no air from a/c vents. settings 1 through 4 did not work 

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2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

62000 mi

$350
The air conditioning gas keeps leaking. 
63860 mi The A/C gas keeps leaking leading to reduced or no cooling in a few weeks. 
70680 mi

$35
Entire Flushing of Air Conditioning system and replenishment of Compressor oil plus the recharge. 

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2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 250hp 2.0L H4 8-speed shiftable CVT AWD

37820 mi

C $10
Burned out tail lights. The dealership I took it to changed it in about 15 minutes and didn't charge me for it. They said they could do it under warranty. 
21080 mi Traction control, ABC, EyeSight all disabled at once. Car went into limp mode. Intermittent, and codes aren't stored, so shop can't diagnose. 
31620 mi The brake has a sensor that detects when the pedal is pressed so that for push-button start versions of the Forester, it will let you start the car. This sensor failed and checking the forums, it has failed on almost ever push-button start 2014-2015 Forester in the world. 
37820 mi Radio and amplifier died. Took 3 trips to sort and fix. Battery died after just 2 years and 9 months. Subaru tried to say it was a custom turn signal relay I had installed, but no. It was just a crap OEM battery. 
84320 mi

C $700
Compressor failed. Condenser was also weeping oil. 
17000 mi Fan would only operate on highest setting (4). On setting 1-3, fan did not blow at all. 
18000 mi Head unit displayed a service error and lost bluetooth connection intermittently. Dealer replaced head unit under warranty. 
25000 mi Bluetooth unit died for the second time. Dealer replaced unit for the second time. Known issue. 
29000 mi Bluetooth connection drops multiple times each day. Known issue. Dealer unable to repair. 
29760 mi

C $287
Low battery charge caused the computer/electronics to turn on the 'Check Engine' and 'Hill Assist' lights. Prior to that I had the battery/car jump started, because I had left the interior map light on for 2 weeks causing the battery to drain. I had the battery replaced - out of warranty, so I paid for it myself. 
27900 mi Alternator Abnormal output 
6200 mi Sometimes power liftgate cannot be opened by the button at the liftgate. Power reset was done. 
17360 mi

C $20
Remote was not working even though after changing battery on the key fob. But it works sometimes. Not sure the root cause. 
24700 mi Brake switch malfunction - would not illuminate rear brake lights and caused difficulty starting. Brake switch was replaced. 
18000 mi Radio failed. Dealer replaced "audio module".One trip for diagnosis and one trip for repair. Took about 10 days to get parts.No $$ amounts on service order. 
43580 mi Audio system failure and battery died. Both replaced. Audio would freeze and then crash when pairing Bluetooth device 
34000 mi Infotainment Bluetooth issues. Performed 16 software updates. 

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2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 237hp 2.0L H4 8-speed shiftable CVT AWD

16000 mi Rear gate opener switch 

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2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 145hp 2.0L H4 Diesel 6-speed manual AWD

16120 mi Rear door malfunction 

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2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD

17000 mi Bluetooth sync problems. 
8700 mi Battery died within 18 months of purchase. Replaced under warranty. 
23000 mi

US $120
Radio ordered, needs to be replaced, Bluetooth does not work 
39985 mi

US $80
Battery Replaced 
41000 mi Fuel sensor read as having 70 miles left but vehicle ran out of gas with no low fuel warning. Subaru roadside service determined tank was completely empty. Dealer was unable to find a repairable problem with the sensor or fuel system. 
61000 mi

US $55
Brake sensor malfunctioned and would not reliably allow the vehicle to be shifted out of park because it didn't detect your foot pushing on the pedal. Replaced by dealer, cost partially covered under warranty. 
71000 mi

US $50
A/C selector switch failed to route air through dash vents and required replacement. 
7000 mi Defective battery replaced under warranty 
9700 mi

US $800
Replace power rear gate motor 
41500 mi Had the radio head unit replaced due to ongoing issues related to bluetooth and phone performance. The system frequently dropped calls, no incoming or outgoing voice during the call and locked up occasionally. 
70000 mi

US $95
HID low beam bulb replacement 
7000 mi Air coming from vents smelled like manure, and A/C eventually stopped blowing cold air. Dealer sprayed cleaner, manure smell has faded a week later. Waited several days for compressor to come in. Compressor replaced, so far so good. 
7000 mi Smell returned, air was still not cold. Tech used cleaning kit for A/C, checked charge in system--needed O-rings not installed when compressor installed. Put in aftermarket rings, which seem to have failed. Taking it back soon. 
16500 mi TPMS light wouldn't go out. Bad sensor 
23000 mi Diode for heater/AC fan went out. Repaired under warranty. 
52000 mi Air bag sensor light came on. Dealer checked system, no problem found. Reset light 
88000 mi Bluetooth quit working. Radio unit was replaced 
9000 mi USB port in center storage comartment does not work. 
21000 mi ABS, Traction and Stability Control lights illuminated on dash after starting. Drove home, shut engine off. Engine wouldn't start with normal brake pedal pressure for green light on starter button to illuminate. Had to press extremely hard on brake pedal to allow starting. Warnings lights stayed off. No reoccurrence. 
25484 mi Brake Switch was bad causing ABS, Traction Control and Hill Assist lights to be on. Also caused no start situations with start button and could not shift trans out of Park. 
63000 mi Air cold but never comes out of vents very well even with fan on high since brand new. Electronic gremlins. Sometimes the hatch button works, sometimes not. This is both on hatchback switch and button on instrument cluster. Key fob always works to lift hatch. Another gremlin is door doesn't always unlock when you touch door handle (keyless entry). Nothing wrong with fob battery and fob in pocket. Have to use fob to unlock door and shouldn't be that way. USB never worked since new so never use it! Bluetooth works great with Android phone, but sound cuts in and out using an iPhone. Electronics in general on this Subaru is garbage. Last Subaru we'll buy. 
18000 mi rear hatch auto open was not working properly 
40000 mi Apple did an update to the iPhone and now the bluetooth is working! 
44000 mi Rear deck would not open with touch pad. Dealership reprogrammed the lift gate 
17000 mi

US $150
Brake sensor malfunction locking the transmission in Park. Dealer replaced the Brake sensor under warranty. 
71000 mi

US $65
Routine battery replacement 
19000 mi Bluetooth intermittent failures required replacement of audio system 
44000 mi Recall on brake light switch 
83000 mi

US $25
replaced brake light burnt out bulb 
15700 mi bluetooth disconnects repeadly 
20000 mi Bluetooth disconnection problem. 
119000 mi

US $599
No hi beams. Bulbs replaced. 
71111 mi

US $62
Cleaned out debris blocking AC condensate drain hose. Symptom was water dripping into passenger foot well when AC was running on hot days. 
22500 mi At 35,000km- factory battery failed load test. Subaru honoured warranty & replaced battery.  
24000 mi Some electrical malfunction that was causing brake lights to turn on intermittently when the brake was pressed. This caused the eyesight system to disable while driving. It was something like a capacitor or a fuse that needed to be replaced. 
31000 mi Brake light switch replaced. 
20000 mi brake light replacement 
5000 mi

US $135
Replaced the battery. 
17000 mi Replaced alternator and tensioner; under warranty. 
6000 mi No audio, amp was blown. Dealer ordered new amp and installed. 
26000 mi Vehicle wouldn't start (would go into accessory mode only). Replaced Faulty Brake Light Sensor and battery. 
41000 mi Alternator mounting bracket caused alternator to briefly run backwards when starting engine causing traction control to turn off and warning light to stay on. Dealer immediately replaced the entire assembly including the alternator under extended warranty. 
34000 mi

US $20
Brake light switch under pedal was intermittently failing. This caused ABS, stability control, and hill assist lights to come on. More insidiously, the car would not shift out of park while these lights were on. 
19000 mi Key fob to open door was working intermittently. Dealer replaced core of key fob. After I left the dealer, the fob was still only working intermittently. Subsequent to that, I needed to replace my battery. That's a whole other story, because I would think a battery on a 2015 model that was put on the road in December 2014 should last past 2017. Nevertheless, I replaced the battery and it seems that the key fob performance is a little more consistent. Perhaps the key fob problem was related to a poor flow of power to the receiver unit. But I can't say that the fob works 100 percent of the time. 
59000 mi

US $135
The battery would discharge when I sat listening to the radio for less than 30 minutes on the ACC mode. It also would discharge when we parked it in an air port storage lost for a two week trip. My service provider thought it might be the battery or a "vampire draw" on the electrical system. He checked the battery, it had a bad cell. I had him order a deep cycle battery for this car. It cost $135 and the shop's policy is that maintenance items are installed for free! If you live in the Holland Michigan Area go to the Christian Brothers Shop for great service. 

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2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

23400 mi ABS, traction control, and hill descent control lights were on. Dealer pulled codes and replaced bare light switch under warranty. 
38500 mi

US $125
Replaced dysfunctional brake light switch. It didn’t effect the drivability of the car at all. I only knew there was a problem because it tripped three different warning lights. 
19700 mi Driver side window regulator 
27000 mi Bluetooth connectivity trouble. BT would intermittently disconnect from my phone during the middle of a phone call, and say BT Not Available on screen. Dealer replaced radio under warranty 
28200 mi SRS Sensor. Passenger Airbag would be off when sensor came on, despite adult in seat. At first was intermittent, and code was not stored. Drove to dealership with it on, and they diagnosed it as faulty sensor in seat. Replacing seat/sensor 
81000 mi

US $15
Neutral switch wire was chewed in half by a rat. Wire would occasionally short against the transmission and cause the engine to die at idle. Cruise control stopped working. Spliced wire to repair. 
121000 mi

US $250
Clockspring broke resulting in no horn when button pressed on steering wheel. Worked when alarm activated. All other steering wheel buttons functional. 
128000 mi

US $62
HVAC blower motor beginning to fail. Erratic fan speed output (surging) especially when hot outside and on high fan speed setting. Replaced blower motor. Ordered blower motor resistor but did not replace. Blower motor replacement fixed the issue. 
137000 mi

US $20
A/C recharged. Very slow leak. Keeping an eye on it. 

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2015 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder CVT AWD

33000 mi

US $1
Blower replaced Window motor replaced 

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2014 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

35000 mi AC compressor clutch was bad. Replaced ax compressor 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 250hp 2.0L H4 8-speed shiftable CVT AWD

36300 mi

US $20
Stop light switch 
24000 mi Backup camera and tail light bulb outage. 
43200 mi navigation recall for problems. sd card replacement and software update. 
37000 mi

US $100
Censer on brake pedal failed that tells the car the brake is depressed so it will start with push button starter 
Car started beeping erratically after being locked with remote, along with interior/exterior lights flickering and relays clicking rapidly all over car. Would not start/remain running. Dealer replaced Body Integrated Unit. 
13020 mi Many functions do not work. 
16060 mi Wrong info on screen, false signal. 
20460 mi Infotainment system : many functions do not work, unreliable, often too complicated to be used 
20000 mi Battery was suddenly dead at 20k miles. Dealer replaced for free saying it was a defective part. Was given a loaner for the duration of repair (one day) 
63000 mi

US $385
Headlights continually going out even after new build. 
37000 mi Rear passenger speaker had an internal problem. Replaced under warranty. (less than 36k at the time) Also, right turn signal made intermittent chirp or squeal. Observed and noted by dealer. Seems to have gone away for now. 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD

14000 mi Power lift gate stopped working. Dealer did a"capacitor discharge" (removed the battery cable), left the terminal cover on top of the motor and didn't reset the clock. The lift gate worked for a short time but has sense quit working. 
19500 mi Motor was shaking at idle when AC was on and car was in gear. Problem was diagnosed as a bad compressor and it was ordered. Two weeks later it finally came in. It was installed and the problem seems to be fixed. Lift gate quit working again. Was told parts were replaced, but they didn't show up on the ticket. It works again for now. 
12000 mi The clock in my care loses time. 
20000 mi All warning lights came on: check engine, hill start, traction control, eye sight. Took it in to be checked and got ambiguous reading. Dealer checked with Subaru and determined the problem was failing alternator beatings. replaced alternator 
26500 mi Tire pressure sensor failed,left rear tire. Replaced sensor, reset system all ok 
32000 mi

US $50
Defective lamp switch under brake pedal triggering ABS, Hill, & Traction error lamps, also m/b causing intermittent brake light failure. Subaru refused to pay unless it happened during inspection. Paid out of pocket for this safety repair. 
9000 mi Navigation system SD Card update. 
36000 mi

US $125
Battery end of life. Replaced battery. 
35000 mi Radio face display loose. Still worked satisfactory. 
42000 mi

US $420
Radio died, dealer put in remanufactured oem radio 
48000 mi

US $270
Lost high beam and running lights, bulbs replaced at dealership. 
14000 mi Courtesy update for navigation system offered to forester owners who purchased before a certain date. 
34000 mi

US $32
Drain for heater / air conditioner clogged. Dealer cleaned the drain. 
57500 mi

US $1400
Bad air conditioner clutch. Dealer replaced compressor and clutch mechanism. 
17360 mi Amplifier shorted out due to moisture; radio inoperative 
8000 mi Faulty bluetooth module 
1020 mi Center console display dead, needed replacement. 
2220 mi Rear hatch no longer opened, ECU was reflashed. 
9500 mi Rear hatch auto open/close mechanism stopped working. System had to be reset by dealer. 
14300 mi Noticed dash lights were not lit at night. Turns out neither were the tail lights and others along that circuit. Since no tail lights is a safety issue, dealer insisted on keeping the car until corrected. Culprit was A/C connector switch. 
32000 mi Starting issues occured 5 different times. This was the second trip to dealer. After 2 years and 2.months, the replaced the battery under warranty as the serial number was in a service bulletin. 
63000 mi

US $140
With days into the 90's in June, A/C woukd be ice cold, then pumping out warm air (cycling). Son states he added 1 pound of freon. Issue persisted, took it to shop where they said that with Subaru's, one needs to drain system, then refill to precise amount, ottherwise cying occurs. After refilling, it cycled one more time and now works fine. Wife had it set to Auto, max A/C and lowest temp without rolling down windows and driving a few yards to clear the cabin of hot air. Now we set manually down to 70F MAX. Then if we want it colder, we set it lower after the inside has cooled off some. No more issues encoutered. 
68000 mi

US $100
Replaced compressor (tested electrical issue) and clutch assembly. 
5000 mi A/V/Nav unit could not turn on. Replaced A/V/Nav unit. 
15000 mi Key fob would not function when cold (below about 35). Dealer replaced fob internals and reprogrammed car to work with new fob. 
69000 mi Horn stopped working. 
44000 mi

US $150
The head unit can't delete the blue tooth devices. They asked me to replace the head unit but it's like 1000$ so I declined. 
43000 mi

US $235
Microphone for Bluetooth was making a loud buzzing sound during phone calls, Head unit replaced. 
61000 mi Replace two TPMS sensors. 
84742 mi

US $199
replace TPMS sensor 
51000 mi

US $2900
Replaced air compressor 
23440 mi my check oil light came on saying low oil but it was fine 
26040 mi heated passenger seat wouldn't get very warm 
202000 mi

US $175
Replaced fittings on AC condenser due to leak 
56767 mi

US $90
Tire Pressure Monitor System was replaced; it had been in a "failed" mode for about 2 months. 
38000 mi Faulty brake light switch that caused Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) lights to come on intermittently. Would also prevent gear selector from being moved out of Parking (P). Was repaired outside of warranty for free by dealership. 
53000 mi

US $60
Battery died fully. Replaced with new. 
56000 mi

US $640
Blower defaulted to high - replaced blower motor resistor pack - only worked on 2 and 4(high). Inspected wiring to in-dash HVAC controller, found burned/melted connector on back. Replaced in-dash HVAC controller, problem solved. 
17360 mi

$250
Car stopped during two months. After one week with some problems related to battery, I had to change it. 
11800 mi

US $180
Battery would not hold a charge overnight. Battery was 14 months old and warranty on vehicle had expired. They did an electrical system check and did not find any other problems. 
32000 mi Cruise control sensor went bad 
16120 mi

C $100
Battery failed stress test, replaced battery 
25000 mi Tire Pressure sensor was faulty. 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

18900 mi The AC condenser drain tube was plugged and causing water to spill over on the passenger side inside the car. Compressed air blown into the tube where it exits under the car fixed the problem. 
56000 mi

US $85
Battery was getting weak, replaced with Interstate Battery 
67000 mi A/C not generating sufficient cold air, dealer performed TSB, replacing the A/C compressor/clutch assembly. Car was out of warranty, but was work covered by dealer or SOA (unclear which) as a good will gesture. 
34000 mi

US $180
Original battery died at 4 years old. Jumped car, drove to AutoZone, and installed new battery. 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

19840 mi

$1050
Replaced RH & LH brake light bulb; 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder automatic AWD

14880 mi Radio problem - bluetooth system malfunction 

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2013 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

9260 mi Air con system flooding the cabin with poisonous fumes. 
11780 mi Bluetooth drops occasionally, sometimes dials by itself 
40920 mi

C $187
AC compressor had failed and it was replaced. 
97332 mi

US $550
One headlight bulb 

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2012 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

20000 mi

US $500
Battery needed replacing. Extream cold weather would not crank 
68000 mi

US $1200
A/C Compressor seized over the winter. Replaced. 

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2012 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

47000 mi Long/Slow start issue persisted after software flash. Took vehicle to different dealer, they indicated the flash was not done and performed the flash as well, this time it worked. Not sure if the first dealer actually flashed or not 
14800 mi Backup camera and audio system would not work at times. The dealer claimed that if it did not show this at the dealership they were not allowed to replace the audio unit until if failed completely. 
33000 mi Backup camera and audio system would not work at times. 
24000 mi Blows fuses and the windows go up slowly when they go up at the same time. 
29000 mi Air bag recall 
65000 mi

US $15
One headlight out, replaced both. 
103000 mi

US $1369
Sensor replaced for cruise control/traction/check engine, replace some bolts,  a headlight 
26000 mi

US $2200
AC would get very warm after 1/2 hour of operation. After AC shut down for 15 minutes, it would cool down again for another 1/2 hour. 
84000 mi AC not working (blows warm air). Replaced AC Compressor under extended warranty. 
36500 mi Passenger airbag had to be replaced. 

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2011.5 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

41540 mi

$20
headlight bulb replacement. 
91760 mi

$500
service + oil change and headlight bulb 

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2011 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

1000 mi 2nd time in the shop. dealer could not determine cause and reset the codes. 
1000 mi Car is still in the shop without an update. Been 5 days nows. Dealer is calling Subaru engineers to assist. They gave the car back to me. Apparently a fix is out now, but it is not signed off by the government. 

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2011 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

7000 mi Back of power driver's seat does not hold its position, seat back declines on own when car is powered off. No issues while vehicle is running. 
4700 mi A/C button on control panel popped out and would not fully re-seat. System actually worked okay, just a bad button 
16800 mi TSB for rerouting wiring harness in area of rear seats. 

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2011 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

95480 mi

C $950
new A/C compressor and dryer 
15700 mi Fuel gauge reads incorrectly. Fuel gauge shows 3/4 tank after filling. A restart or 2 will correct this. But then gauge drop very quickly,dropping from full to 3/4 of a tank after 20 miles 
19700 mi fuel tank sending unit replaced fuel level sensor replaced 

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2011 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

9700 mi Rear side drivers window working intermittently. 
18800 mi Rear power window out again. Fourth time in shop. Window motor to be replaced this time. Of course the part has to be ordered so a fifth time will be needed. 
20000 mi Replaced drivers side rear window motor. Fifth time in shop. We will see. 
24000 mi Rear driver's side window working intermittently. Now the front passenger window not working from the driver's door switch. Sixth time in shop for this problem. As normal' part must be ordered resulting in seventh trip. Power window master switch replaced. 
35340 mi Replaced battery under warrenty 
49580 mi

C $350
horn alarm would not shut off had to replace some connection in steering column which had shorted out. 
41000 mi

US $94
radio stopped playing ipod connected via USB port. It recognized the ipod, but would not play... 
3500 mi Replaced relay. Oil consumption check + oil change. 
28000 mi Faulty tire sensor, replaced under warranty 
104000 mi

US $2700
driver's window switch replaced 
123000 mi

US $17
Blown low beam headlamp bulb 
151000 mi

US $150
AC not cooling. Recharged system 
16700 mi Evaporator core developed a leak and had to be replaced. It took a recharge with leak detector and 2 trips to the dealer to find the problem. 
37000 mi A/C has been leaking inside vehicle since replacement of evaporator. They found pinched seal in evap housing - parts not assembled correctly in previous repair. 
102000 mi Problem with a/c, cooling sporadically; works fine some times, other times not at all; dealer suspected low freon - added freon and dye 
102700 mi A/C still not functioning properly; works intermittantly; dealer could not find freon leak, suggests replacing expansion valve and evaporator 
107000 mi Replace evaporator and expansion valve in effort to fix intermittent cooling 
107000 mi Replace evaporator temp sensor. Finally found the problem behind the intermittent cooling. Previous replacement of evaporator and expansion valve probably not necessary. 
116419 mi After short block replacement, A/C compressor was very noisy. Turns out the mechanic failed to add oil back into the A/C system when reassembling. Oil was added and noise was reduced significantly, but still there (compressor undoubtedly damaged at this point). 
118595 mi Returned for noisy air compressor - dealer said, despite the noise, system working as designed. In order to prove the compressor is damaged, they say we will have to just wait to see if it fails. 

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2011 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

54560 mi Loose tweeter on door 
83080 mi

A $6
Front low beam light 

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2010 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

27060 mi Computer had to be reset as instruments were either wrong or not functioning - cause unknown. 
26700 mi

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

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2010 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

77000 mi Battery went dead, just short of 3 years old. They don't make them like they used to. 
20000 mi Dome light was not functioning properly, and was replaced by dealership under warranty. 
71000 mi

US $35
Headlight replaced. 
62000 mi

US $360
Electrical system for rear latch shorted out and hatchback would not close. Entire assembly was replaced. 
48300 mi

US $180
Replaced Battery 

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2010 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

73160 mi

C $600
replace ac compressor 
16000 mi replaced brake light bulbs 
72000 mi

US $85
Battery stopped holding charge 
9920 mi Switch in overhead passsenger dome light was intermitent.  
22480 mi Driver heated car seat not working. Only the part that you sit on. Back part of seat still working. 
29140 mi Driver heated seat element no longer working. Part replaced on warantee. 
45880 mi

C $300
Leak in line from condenser to evaporator 
47400 mi

C $600
Air conditioning hose replaced due leak and system recharged 
90500 mi

US $30
a high beam and a running light were out. no labor charge. 
160783 mi

US $57
One normal headlight out and one bright headlight out. 
19780 mi Front windows were shifting left/right when moved up and down half way. Subaru adjusted the window regulators, problem solved. 
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. 
77200 mi Driver seat heat pad went bad, delear replaced under warranty at 35,850 miles ;) 
56000 mi

US $50
Headlight burned out. 
87700 mi

US $20
Frequent burnout of headlight. 
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. 
40300 mi

C $200
Battery required replacement. 
92000 mi

US $200
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. 
103000 mi

US $2900
Condenser replaced 
46000 mi

US $37
changed front headlight 
89000 mi

US $9
replaced the front headlight 
74000 mi

US $35
Passenger side headlight keeps burning out -- on the third one in three months 
64000 mi Passenger airbag replaced due to Takata recall 
39000 mi

US $900
Ac sys down Ac evaporator leaking another 1900 hundered! 
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. 
44641 mi

C $200
Head lights had to be replaced 

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2009 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

67580 mi

$328
left rear door actuator replaced 
143220 mi Temperature gage on dash doesn't work. 

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2009 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

60140 mi Replace the self leveling system for xenon headlights 

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2009 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

4000 mi HVAC blower motor generated clicking noise after warmup. 
4000 mi Clicking HVAC fan motor. This was replaced per warranty. 
6000 mi Tweeter successfully remounted, door insulation properly fitted. 
47200 mi brake light in rear replaced 
26000 mi CD changer wouldn't work. Otherwise the audio system functions normally. The system was replaced and so far so good. 
33260 mi digital thermometer 
10000 mi Replaced CD changer (error, wouldn't play) 
7502 mi CEL, ABS, Cruise light malfunctions. 
8060 mi Stereo malfunction and replacement. 

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2009 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 145hp 2.0L H4 Diesel 6-speed manual AWD

43400 mi

$400
A/C radiator had a small hole and was replaced and the installation was recharced 

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2009 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

34400 mi chirping noise, maybe from a pulley or belt-driven accessory (power steering pump, alternator, etc) 
47000 mi

US $500
A/C Compressor clutch failed, as in disintegrated. Dealer replaced compressor, belts, recharged system, a couple o-rings, etc. Manufacturer (SOA) offered $300 in "goodwill" on an $800 repair bill. Disappointing repair on a 3-year-old car 
89000 mi

US $150
Car would intermittently not start--no cranking, no sound whatsoever. No ECM codes. Diagnosed (guessed) that I had a bad solenoid. Replaced starter/solenoid with reman unit from NAPA. Car starts every time. 
21700 mi Factory CD player sometimes lost track of cd's (what song it was at before I turned vehicle off) then would go back to the start of cd when vehicle turned on. Very random when it happened but annoying. CD player replaced. 
45136 mi Tire Pressure Sensor failed. Chose not to replace. 
53576 mi Wheel lug bolts cross threaded. Had to break bolts to remove wheel. 
7000 mi Went in to have the ipod jack fixed, it had never worked since the day the car was purchased, apparently a wire had not been correctly connected so they fixed it for free and it works fine now 
44000 mi

US $150
Fuse for heated seats, power mirrors 

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2009 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

3000 mi Clicking in steering wheel when running rear wipers. Voices on radio sound buzzy. 
16000 mi

US $200
Puddle lights were stuck on all the time Rear wiper was repeatedly and predictably going into full speed when various electrical things were used and when car was turned off and on while they were on. Shop couldn't replicate and problem has stopped. 
16000 mi Central control unit was replaced after puddle lights staying on all the time and 1 not lighting. All keys were replaced to work with new control unit. 
20000 mi

US $43
musty smell out of air vents 
32000 mi puddle light was replaced as it was out speakers cutting our or playing at VERY reduced volume. new radio head unit has been ordered Auto dim mirror compass no longer working. New mirror has been ordered. 
34000 mi Compass was not working. Mirror replaced. radio speakers were cutting out or playing at very reduced volume 
56000 mi Puddle lights out AGAIN. This time there was a recall on the car and they were replaced AGAIN 
20000 mi external temperature sensor failed. Was replaced under warranty. List price was $150. 
35000 mi

US $210
outside temperature sensor stopped working, replaced under warranty 
91000 mi

US $30
Ac did not work. Leak in the system 
4000 mi Tire pressure sensor light on despite tires correctly inflated; shop reset sensor system computer and light went out. 
22000 mi CD player in audio unit not working. New unit ordered and will be installed when it arrives. 
80000 mi

US $100
AC compressor noise. Replaced under extended warranty. Paid $100 deductible. 
11000 mi Tire Pressure warning light came on a couple of times and went off shortly after coming on. Dealer could not replicate. 
1000 mi Rear Speakers inoperative. Speakers still not operating when radio in enhanced surround sound mode. Will be contacting manufacturer. 
2000 mi Radio replaced, rear speakers work, but sound is unsatisfactory. Spoke to manufacturer and they stated "that's the way the radio workss". nothing they can do right now. Subaru is going to try to get a better answer from Panasonic, the radio manufacturer. 
38900 mi evap coil leaking 
43400 mi One of the bolts holding the A/C compressor was lose, causing the belt to squeak in despair. 
52000 mi

US $500
A small hole was found in the condenser which had to be replaced, after that a worn out connector/gasket had to be replaced. 
108000 mi

US $1100
tire pressure sensors needed to be replaced due to low battery, 3/4 sensors 
58900 mi

C $200
Hatch door lock failed. Only way into the hatch is by the automatic door unlock button (no key access). Made accessing the hatch impossible, as there is no manual lock/handle override. 
58000 mi

US $150
battery up and died 
82000 mi

US $1500
AC CLUTCH AND COMPRESSOR TOTALLY BURNT OUT, COMPLETE REPLACEMENT REQ'D 
105100 mi

US $25
Replaced both low beam headlight bulbs because one was out of commission. 
110000 mi

US $6
One of the license plate light bulbs and one of the parking light bulbs were both not working. Replaced both license plate bulbs and both parking light bulbs with new bulbs. 
125000 mi

US $15
Low beam headlight on passenger side was not working. Replaced the bulb. 
175000 mi TPMS light is lit constantly. Tire pressures verified correct with high quality gauge. Brought to tire shop and they reset TPMS system and said the light would go out within 15 minutes of driving, but it has not. Problem is still there. Believe it to be a bad TPMS sensor and probably time to replace all four of the TPMS sensors due to the age of the car. Will call around for estimates. 
177500 mi

US $140
TPMS light was lit constantly. Bought new TPMS sensors for all 4 tires. Had local tire shop repalce the sensors in the tires and TPMS light is now off. 
105500 mi

US $120
Headlight and daytime running light not working. Oil change, air filters. 
107700 mi

US $670
Driver headlight flickering/not staying on. Headlight wiring harness was melted and required replacement. Rear passenger window not working. Diagnosed by dealer as window regulator, parts ordered. Upon repair dealer stated regulator Okay but window was broken and bad switch. Initial Dealer diagnosis error and suspect dealer broke window. 
48000 mi

US $750
Bad Evaporator core 
44000 mi

US $100
It was not cooling. Dealer had to order parts 
44000 mi Traded car without repairing A/C. 
10300 mi 1 of 4 LED "puddle-lamps" ceased to function due to "open circuit." Entire lamp assembly replaced. No charge. 
10800 mi Puddle lamp LED replaced 
44800 mi AC would not blow cold air, compressor replaced under extended Subaru warranty (6yr/60000 miles) 
107000 mi

US $325
Replace HVAC fan motor. 
108300 mi

US $1200
A/C compressor went out. 
134000 mi

US $22
Replaced burned out headlight. 
54000 mi Headlight replaced. 
68300 mi

US $340
Drivers side headlight replaced. Cracked windshield replaced 
37700 mi

C $300
Fan stopped working in speeds 1, 2, and 3. Worked in 4 
60000 mi

US $950
Freon was leaking into ventilation system with a strong odor. Evaporator core had to be replaced which required removing the dash. $500 part and $400 labor.  

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2008 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

56420 mi

C $120
Rear wiper motor failed. Replaced with used part. 
3100 mi Starter motor failed. Replaced on warranty by dealer. Down time 24h. 
30380 mi

C $10
High beam headlight not working. Bulb replaced. 
35840 mi

C $11
RHS Low Beam Headlight bulb replaced 
37400 mi

C $120
A/C not cooling, was recharged, system tested for leaks but none found 
41420 mi

C $175
Was not cooling properly. System recharged. Dye installed for monitoring 
42780 mi

C $283
A/C not cooling.A/C Condensor replaced and system recharged 
158000 mi

US $200
TPS light on. Sensor was replaced on 2 of the tires Airbag light is on in dashboard. Not code has been found. Car is being driven with light on. 

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2008 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

55000 mi

US $100
Replace one faulty tire pressure sensor. 
94860 mi

C $150
Replace rear wiper motor 
143000 mi

US $450
replaced a/c compressor 
61860 mi Sudden burning smell and screeching noise from engine (pulling away from intersection) - turned out to be A/C belt, pulley mechanism. A/C belt was worn and replaced at recent maintenance. Status of compressor unknown. 
62400 mi Further to Feb 2014 report. Not done but confirmed the A/C unit needs to be replaced. Toughing it out this summer and might replace ourselves. 
134230 mi

C $1400
Replace leaking hose, replace condenser and other components 
15000 mi Replace door panel window was jamming 
17000 mi Replaced Radio 
201000 mi

US $10
A/C pulley adjuster 
63000 mi

US $50
Blower power connector broken. Connector was replaced 

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2007 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

143000 mi

US $580
Bad alternator and battery. Battery would not hold charge and alternator was not providing current. 

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2007 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

30944 mi

C $326
burning smell in car -burnt and melted blower fan motor connector. Connector replaced, melted again and required new motor and wiring. Subaru Canada refused any compensation or aid. totally PO'D with them. 
114080 mi

C $180
first warm day, a/c not working - discharged coolant, couldn't find leak- recharged coolant with a dye. Next time they will know where the leak is. 
109000 mi

US $1800
Battery replaced. 
167000 mi

US $65
Driver window switch became balky. 
177000 mi

US $25
The high beams would not shut off when switched from the stalk while moving. Required a shut down of the car to turn them off. Replaced high beam relay. 

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2007 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

102300 mi

US $2721
plus new battery, replace read window wiper motor, front window switch assorted parts 
48360 mi head light bulb and front light on the left side 
70060 mi

C $759
Alternator failed to charge, replaced Battery too 
38000 mi Lock on driver's door stopped responding to remote. It could be locked manually. Actuator was replaced in driver's door. 
73000 mi

US $100
Car would not shift out of park. Brake light sensor was replaced. 
120000 mi

US $55
Break light switch went intermittent, which prevented transmission from shifting out of park. 
66340 mi

C $380
replaced driver window motor. dirty/seized. 
66000 mi

US $15
Both low beams failed one after the other. We keep low beams on at all times so this factors in. Both high beams usable till low beams repaired. Repaired withing two days. 
172360 mi

C $600
Battery replaced, tires rotated, side-marker bulb replaced, oil change (synthetic) an oil filter, engine air filter replaced. 
230000 mi

US $600
I’m not sure 
129000 mi

US $119
Hard starting lead to death of battery. Replaced with larger capacity NAPA Legend. Lots of CCAs. 
155869 mi

US $225
Alternator stopped generating sufficient voltage. 

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2006 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 230hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

48980 mi

C $250
Driver-side HID Headlight ballast no longer. Repaired under extended Manufacturer's Warranty. The HID light on the other is not flickering. 
71920 mi

C $130
The HID bulb on the Driver side failed 
98580 mi Heated seat repaired. 

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2006 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 230hp 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

172360 mi

C $350
Alternator replaced 

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2006 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

102000 mi

US $180
Nice cold air when turned on but cooling decreases over 20 minutes until only warm air. Required AC recharge with dye so future leaks (if there are any) can be located. Poor cooling continues and car is on its way back to repair shop. 
106000 mi

US $25
We need a new headlight every few months. No one can figure out why. 

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2006 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

103200 mi

A $650
Drivers side window failure, window motor and switch assembly was replaced. 
98000 mi

US $25
Check engine light and flashing cruise control light 
143100 mi New Battery 
78000 mi

US $100
Outside temperature sensor not reading correctly 
71300 mi

$35
exterior air temp sensor reading low 
125280 mi

$250
Drivers winder motor died. 
107700 mi I needed a new alternator. 
15000 mi Stock radio (single-CD player) replaced after it completely died. Replaced under warranty. 
70000 mi

US $650
A/C system developed a leak and lost all coolant. Put in a leak detector to isolate the source, repaired leaky seals, recharged. 
139300 mi

US $2200
cold air not lasting; recharging did not fix it 
141000 mi

US $300
pump was overheating; still not very cold replaced AC compressor 
143000 mi

US $84
battery died 

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2006 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder manual 4WD

43400 mi

€633
The speedometer pinion crashed and I had to change it 

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2005 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

103000 mi condenser replaced 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 210hp 2.5L I4 5-speed manual AWD

81840 mi

C $10
Intermittent failure of AC. Due to AC compressor clutch wear. Solution was obtained through searching in forums. 
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) 
144000 mi

US $900
A/C not cooling. Recharging revealed a leak in a/c compressor which was replaced, freon added 
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

52000 mi We just discovered the seat heaters are not working. Trying to diagnose ourselves:switch vs. element before visit to the dealership 
94000 mi

US $89
LED light switch for fog light repair was $89.00 p/l 
102000 mi

US $450
Drivers side front-window motor replacement. 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

48900 mi

US $284
drivers side window motor replaced 
59200 mi

US $130
Replaced failed drivers window regulator 
90000 mi

US $470
ac condensor leak 

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2005 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

75000 mi

US $400
CD changer in radio unit would not eject CDs. Unit required replacement for CD function to continue to work. 
115000 mi

US $129
Refrigerant recharge. 
116500 mi

US $475
Starter motor failed and was replaced. 
164000 mi

US $10
Replaced left headlight with no low beam. 
160000 mi

US $120
AC weak 
97000 mi

US $120
A/C had loss of refrigerant. System was topped off. No leak found this time. Probably very small leak. 
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. 
163800 mi

US $220
Problem: A/C not making cold air. Solution: Recharge refrigerant. Check for leaks. No leaks found. 
90000 mi

US $250
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  
95500 mi Faulty fuel tank sensor - internal failure. check engine light came on the next week, but just needed to be cleared out. 
80800 mi

US $450
Freon leak. Repaired, parts replaced, system recharged. 
95300 mi

US $600
A/C did not blow cold air. No leak discovered, recharge of a/c suggested. 
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. 
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. 
59000 mi 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. 
62000 mi

US $325
Replaced motor and regulator for driver's side window 
93620 mi Burning oil one liter + between oil changes 
75020 mi Power seat assembly was changed 
75640 mi car battery was chenged 
76880 mi

C $200
After years of low driving milage car battery become week and cannot start the engine 
113000 mi

US $100
Dead battery 
158000 mi

US $60
freon 

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2004 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 210hp 2.5L I4 5-speed manual AWD

103000 mi

US $150
Bad alternator and belt 
81000 mi Air Bag light lit. Contact cleaner on yellow wire connection under drivers seat. Problem went away. 

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2004 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

turbocharged 210hp 2.5L I4 4-speed automatic AWD

74000 mi Rear windshield wiper motor is noisy. Dealer's estimated cost of repair is $300. Decided to wait until next service appointment for the repair because the dealer did not have the part (windshield wiper motor) in stock. 
88000 mi

US $305
Rear windshield wiper motor noisy (noted on previous visit to this dealer). Replacement performed at Subaru dealer, noisy wiper motor replaced with new rear windshield wiper motor. Noise problem totally solved.  
91800 mi

US $152
During preventive maintenance replacement of head light bulbs (still working but old) by Dealer, mechanic found melted l/f head light bulb socket. New wiring and l/f head light socket installed. 
59000 mi

US $330
small ac coolant leak.  
75000 mi

US $2000
Air bag sensors in the front seats malfunctioned. 
96200 mi

US $50
Airbag light on- wire got snagged under passenger seat 
58000 mi

US $210
Air bag warning light. Problem is in the passenger side impact air bag. There's a TSB on the problem. The recommended solution is to replace a connector in the air bag wiring Replaced connector as recommended in the TSB. Repair did not solve the problem 
136000 mi

US $500
AC condenser damaged by road debris. Replaced condenser. No other damage, no idea how long ago the damage occurred. 
46000 mi

US $700
A/C belt pulley tensioner replaced recharged system done at dealer under extended warranty gold plan 
143800 mi

US $200
air conditioning air sometimes has moldy smell, known issue with many vehicles from 200-2007, ac condenser too small is general consensus, not bad this year, very dry year, previous repair by spraying borax infused water in2 vents kills mold 
93000 mi

C $300
a/c interrmittant 
108500 mi clutch problem, new compressor needed 
109500 mi

C $1200
compressor dead. re and re 
118300 mi

C $500
drivers window motor replacement 
145000 mi

US $850
A/C Compressor Replace, A/C evacuate and recharge 
165000 mi

US $15
Replaced both headlights for the first time since owning the car 

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2004 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

79980 mi Air Bag light on 
86160 mi

C $450
Driver's power window motor was seized, therefore replaced 
88040 mi

C $160
Air bag light on. Faulty wiring detected under driver's seat. 
168300 mi

US $300
A/C repair 
169000 mi

US $268
The alternator needed replacement. 
177000 mi

US $250
A/C Compressor clutch quit functioning properly. Replaced with used A/C compressor. 
183000 mi

US $20
FOG LIGHT REPLACEMENT bulbs 
70000 mi Belt squealing - had been replaced recently, shop believes it just needed adjusting and did so no charge. 

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2004 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

74640 mi

C $500
The airbag sensor under the front seats in these older Subarus has a history of failure due to moving the seat back and forth. I had been noticing the airbag light coming on occasionally. Both front seat sensor harnesses were replaced. 
71300 mi

C $100
This is a third trip back for the sticky transmission issue from earlier this year. This time, it was the seat heaters not working. During the previous repair, the harness for the seat heaters was not properly re-plugged. 
95000 mi

US $800
AC compressor replaced AC compressor replaced 
229000 mi

US $300
Starter failed, replaced within a day, required towing cost $300 since it was remote area ... 
122100 mi

C $250
Changed starter and battery, car stoped to start when minus 30 celcius in quebec 
140000 mi

US $360
Replaced evaporator core and expansion valve behind dashboard.Core had leak. Added compressor oil and dye. Ran vacuum pump for one hour. Waited one hour to be sure vacuum held. Recharged system. Price includes gauges, pump and tools. 
166000 mi

US $136
Wire, plug and blower fan receptacle damaged due to overheating at one contact. Remove contact from plug, cleanup and use epoxy glue to hold in place along with new wire. Resolder wires to main harness wiring. Install new blower fan. 
52000 mi

US $200
Replace 5-year old battery and corroded cables 
54000 mi First reported slow cranking and failure to start in July; dealer svc dept. said all systems were up to spec after quick recharge. Failed to start again in late Dec. Initial test still showed no trouble, but next day found bad cell in batt. 
142000 mi

US $12
gap between a/c clutch and ac pulley out of spec. I removed the ac clutch and took out two spacers and re-installed. 
169000 mi

US $110
Belt/pulley tensioner for the A/C belt broke and had to be replaced. Ran OK with broken tensioner, but couldn't adjust or replace the belt 
74400 mi Replace door lock actuator. Replaced head light wiring harness. The drivers side headlight was burnt out. Upon inspection the wiring harness was melted. Replaced head light wiring harness 

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2003 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

140000 mi

US $500
airbag light on. Replaced clockspring. 

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2003 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

114580 mi

$321
Driver door electric window motor replaced 
78120 mi

A $400
Battery 
85000 mi

US $130
Driver's door window motor failed. Replaced window motor. 
173000 mi

US $450
Replaced fog lamp. 
180000 mi

US $50
Air Bag Light ON. Replaced Air Bag controller due to fault code 
166000 mi Sporatic ck engine light still - Code from computer (light off when got there) showed only a possible air filter issue, dirt blown off it by dealer, but did not recommend replacement. 
169000 mi

US $300
replaced both rear struts to be even, drivers side totally leaked out with no bounce left. Ck engine light flashing, Misfiring read, options to replace plug wires or engine coil. Titanium plugs installed Feb 09 - repair pending reviews 
84000 mi

US $280
Replaced bulb in clock light, which had not operated for several years. Cost $5 -- previous shop had quoted $150. 
124000 mi

US $38
Replaced burned-out driver-side headlight bulb. 
132000 mi

US $36
Headlight burned out. Had it replaced. Not an easy job on the Forester... 
143000 mi

US $320
Leaking AC line replaced. AC recharged. 
83700 mi

A $650
Starter motor intermittently failed to engage on ring gear. Starter motor replaced by workshop. 

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2003 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

164000 mi

US $130
Seat belt warning light stayed on. Dealer said a sensor had become disconnected. They replaced it but two days later it came on and has been on ever since. Needs to go back to the dealer again. 
170000 mi

US $50
Seatbelt light would come on and stay on. Dealer ordered a replacement air bag but it hasn't yet been installed. Air bag has a life-time warranty so no charge - just another trip to the dealer. 
171300 mi Repair appeared to be successful but a couple of weeks later the seat belt light came on again and stayed on. Will be takin it back to the dealer next week. 
116000 mi

US $650
replace lightbulbs etc... 
89000 mi

US $1023
Driver's window switch and motor failed 
93000 mi

C $43
Burned out headlight (both headlights replaced at the same time) & one driving light (both driving lights replaced at the same time). Other routine maintenance done at the same time at the dealer.  
135760 mi

C $150
Headlight bulbs replaced. 
98000 mi

US $212
Both headlights failed within a week. Tried to repair headlight myself, unable to do so. Dealer took 1.5 hours. 
179000 mi

US $80
Drivers side window regulator was replaced. Need to remove the clutch from the compressor although it is not going well. 
179000 mi

US $370
Replaced alternator with used/rebuilt $35. New A/C compressor $285 and charge $50 
180000 mi

US $1000
Long overdue repairs to AC system. 
199400 mi

US $600
AC belts and fan needed to be replaced. 
204000 mi

US $1500
Alternator replaced. 
130000 mi

US $225
Security system malfunctioned, draining and depleting battery. Engine would not start due to security system. Dealer diagnosed it, replaced battery, and reset security system. 
14000 mi

US $150
dead battery - internal light socket shorted 
16000 mi another dead battery - internal electrical short 
160200 mi

US $1200
A/C Compressor failed. A/C system had various leaks. 
173000 mi

US $75
Drivers window motor seized in up/closed position for close to 8 months, just now fixed. 
190300 mi

US $5
Late last year I DIY changed drivers door mirror / window / lock switch as the old one was acting up. Used to get parts from pick n save so it was basically free. 
133200 mi

US $30
LEVEL OF R134 FREON WAS CORRECTED. 
148000 mi

US $150
Repaired leak in AC system and recharged with refrigerant 

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2002 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

138700 mi

US $1857
Replaced Starter, 300. 
210000 mi

US $1200
Replaced non-charging Alternator 
62760 mi

US $80
Replaced battery 

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2002 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

133100 mi

US $450
Install new battery 
253000 mi

US $230
Car refused to start. Replaced battery (maintenance item as battery was 6+ yrs old). Problem not solved. Cleaned grounds and contact points and replaced starter. Found starter solenoid inoperative. 
110000 mi

US $1000
Replace air conditioner condenser - corroded out. 
175000 mi

US $40
The washer fluid pumps went out so I replaced them. 

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2001 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

158000 mi Alternator was making bad bearing sound, time for it to be replaced. Had this done and also had front brakes done, and power steering flush. 
157500 mi

US $200
Ac pulley no longer working , belt shredded . Repaired all at dealer . 
115320 mi

A $100
Both headlight sockets replaced as headlights have been blosing out every 4-6 months. 
131840 mi Loose earth cable. 
91000 mi

US $1
After 7 years, rain gets down the rear window wiper shaft and "freezes" it such that the motor encounters too much resistance and doesn't go. The fix is to remove rear gate trim and wiper motor cover, and then spray lube the shaft and work the arm free. 
100000 mi

US $50
2 yrs after shop replaced AC condenser and recharged refrigerant, the compressor now will not switch on. So I bought a multimeter and I am now probing around the circuitry to try and figure out why no power to the compressor. Not yet resolved. 
100000 mi

US $514
Subaru A/C system is very thinly built. Shop detected leak in discharge line(from compressor to condensor). Replaced and recharged system. Said no need to replace original receiver/dryer. Blowing nice cold air now. 
114000 mi

US $13
Replaced both front headlight bulbs. 
141000 mi

US $1500
Original starter (solenoid really) finally died. Shop replaced it for about $314. 
78120 mi

C $1200
clock changed (didn't work) 
84940 mi

C $580
dead battery and dead alternator 
84940 mi dead battery and dead alternator were replaced 
78120 mi

C $100
Car had to be boosted once to start. Replaced battery. 
110000 mi

US $1100
Sunroof motor failed in October 2010, and was replaced in April 2011. Auto-dimming mirror stopped auto-dimming in summer 2009. Replaced in April 2011. 
121000 mi

US $225
replaced 10 instrument panel bulbs - 1 had burned out, and it is cheaper to do them all at once. 

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2001 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

120000 mi

US $3900
AC receiver dryer was leaking 
180000 mi

US $400
cruise control actuator had stopped working. 
184000 mi

US $700
Alternator bearings were starting to make noise, and I needed more amperage due some audio system upgrades, so decided to install a bigger alternator. Not really a breakdown, but I think the original alternator was on its way out. 
207000 mi

US $50
Vent control stopped working 
210495 mi

US $200
Replace HVAC fan and relay 
168000 mi

US $721
positive terminal replaced 

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2000 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

100000 mi Driver's side window power window stopped working. Had to replace the button window button. 

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2000 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder automatic AWD

190340 mi

C $290
replaced alternator and battery 

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1999 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder automatic 4WD

215000 mi

US $300
Replaced Alternator 

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1998 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

234000 mi

US $145
Alternator failed - showed P0101 and P0103 codes. replaced alternator, problem went away. 
204000 mi Security System Siren not sounding. Replaced siren. 
124000 mi Air condition was coughing. Cracked compressor. Fuel gage busted. Crazy engine light always on. 

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1998 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder manual AWD

140700 mi

US $1000
AC high side hose 

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1998 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder automatic AWD

122200 mi

US $20
The sensor on the gas gauge needed to be replaced. 
98000 mi

US $280
starter motor went out - replaced starter motor - was done in my backyard by a pro mechanic who has a home service business - took about 2 hrs. - $180/motor, $100/labor. 

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

Subaru Forester Electrical Problems

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