2014 Subaru Forester Subaru Forester 2014

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2014 Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (30%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (8%)

Brakes and Traction Control (9%)

Suspension and Steering (13%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (26%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (9%)

Other (4%)

Chart based on 240 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2014 Subaru Forester.

2014 Subaru Forester repair cost distribution

$2500+ (1%)

$1000 - $2499 (7%)

$500 - $999 (10%)

$100 - $499 (22%)

< $100 (59%)

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

Chart based on 148 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2014 Subaru Forester

Engine not specified

Subaru Forester in California, United States
Dec 2014 - Dec 2014
Dec 2014

12000 mi
Right front tire wearing badly - dealer said rt front strut was bad - took two days - had to order pat - now I have to replace all 4 tires because of the wear on that one due to the strut being bad. AT 13500 miles. Not good. 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

Subaru Forester in California, United States
Sep 2013 - Mar 2016
Mar 2016

55000 mi
Recall notice: Ignition computer was reflashed to solve a pre-ignition problem under hard acceleration 
Subaru Forester in Minnesota, United States
Dec 2013 - May 2017
Feb 2014 2014 Forester XT - Camshaft position sensor o-ring improperly installed from factory. Caused significant oil leak on drivers side of the engine. - Burning oil smell inside the cab alerted me to the problem. Had to take car back after this because appeared to be leaking oil again. Found nothing, apparently they just didn't clean up after fixing the leak well enough earlier. 
Jan 2015

22288 mi
Same camshaft position sensor was leaking oil. Saw a spot of oil.  
Mar 2015

27000 mi
P000B VVT oil control Valve LT. Side R&R Camshaft position slow to respond bank 1 exhaust. Swapped sensor bank 1 to bank 2. (They do this to see if the problem follows the sensor) 
May 2015

30000 mi
There is a ripple in the panel above the rear passenger door frame. It's obvious that the panel was incorrectly attached to the car causing a stress field that warped the panel over time. -Its basically impossible to fix. The claimed it was external and did nothing. The regional service manager for Subau was involved in the decision. There is no official record of subaru having my car for this period of time (I was unaware that they did not create a warranty ticket for the trip until much later. I had left the car with them while I went on vacation.) 
Aug 2015

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. 
Jul 2016

50200 mi
Tossed a code... The dealer was so busy I didn't wait around for the info sheet. -Car abruptly threw a code on flat ground on criuse control. The Ecu was flashed, and I was told it wouldn't happen again. Expect it's a flaw in recall update. 
Oct 2016

56000 mi
Code: P0420. Catalytic converter replaced under warranty. Looks like it would have cost around 700 if warranty hadn't covered it. (Code had reappeared several times over the life of the car) 
Feb 2017

59157 mi
P0420 - O2 Sensors replaced (Front and Rear). Noticed the oil consistency is off and smells like gas around this time. Also reported to Subaru before the car went out of warranty. 
Mar 2017

60265 mi
P0420 - Center Exhaust pipe replaced. (I think is is between the manifold and turbo - also has some kind of inbuilt cat) 
Apr 2017

60731 mi
P0420 - Replaced 02 Sensor and they reran the Recall test wqw58 - Car was data logged info sent to Japan. They had my car for ~17 days for this one. 
May 2017

61000 mi
In total this car has been into the shop at least 15 times. Most trips have been for P0420. The car has an underlying problem, but I was not able to determine the root cause. My last oil change the oil smelled like gas. The dealer was told and has notes on it. I traded the car back to the original dealer today. As of Friday I should be the owner of a new Crosstrek. I will post a final summary with the VIN when the title on the new car is clear and free of the Subaru dealer. I would stay away from used Forester XTs 2014 to current . Go look in the forums "gas in oil" Some of the cars are also starting to have transmission issues "CVT Control Valve". Overall, the dependability of my 2014 forester XT touring was the worst car I have ever owned. Subaru has around 4k into warranty work on mine and I don't think they are even close to done yet. If you need to track me down I run Kizashi Club. I can provide input on the car. My dealer knows about the problems I expect they will try to dealer trade it. 
Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States
Oct 2015 - Oct 2016
Oct 2016

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) 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Feb 2014 - Feb 2022
Jan 2016

32300 mi
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. 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Nov 2013 - Jan 2021
Mar 2014

3000 mi
CEL thrown during a hard start. ECU was reprogrammed with a fix for the issue 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Oct 2013 - Aug 2014
Jun 2014

13000 mi
Lagging throttle response. Hesitancy during acceleration (from a stop and during passing). ECU reflashed. 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Oct 2014 - Jan 2018
Jan 2018

44000 mi

US $60
Multiple Dashboard lights on. ABS, AT oil temp, Hill descent, and Eye Sight on. Had Brake Lever Switch replaced because of information obtained on Web. After one week the lights came back on. Still researching issue. Not fixed. 
Subaru Forester in Virginia, United States
Aug 2016 - Apr 2017
Dec 2016

63000 mi

US $385
Headlights continually going out even after new build. 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Jan 2014 - Feb 2014
Feb 2014 scratch on leather seat and steering column cover. swirl mark all over the paint. 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Aug 2016 - Jan 2017
Jan 2017 Backup camera and tail light bulb outage. 
Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada
May 2016 - Sep 2016
Sep 2016

27280 mi
oil leakage 
Subaru Forester in Tennessee, United States
Oct 2014 - Jun 2022
Sep 2015

21000 mi
Software reset for check engine lignt 
Feb 2021

122000 mi

US $800
rear wheel bearings failed 
Jun 2021

113000 mi

US $460
replace pads, cut rotors replace control arms 
Subaru Forester in Iowa, United States
Dec 2014 - Dec 2015
Jul 2015

28000 mi
Catalytic Convertor Went Bad 
Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada
Oct 2014 - Jul 2015
Oct 2014

13020 mi
Shaking at idle, intermittent. Many functions do not work. Rattle dashboard 
Feb 2015

16060 mi
Wrong info on screen, false signal. 
Jul 2015

20460 mi
Infotainment system : many functions do not work, unreliable, often too complicated to be used 
Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States
May 2016 - Jun 2016
Jun 2016

35000 mi
AC compressor clutch was bad. Replaced ax compressor 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Aug 2015 - Jun 2018
Oct 2016

36300 mi

US $20
Stop light switch 
Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States
Sep 2014 - Aug 2016
Jan 2016

23000 mi
Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid leaking. Found during routine maintenance. Replaced seal on pan. 
Subaru Forester in Arizona, United States
Jul 2013 - Nov 2013
Sep 2013

3000 mi
Forester 2.0L Turbo having an extended start of 3-5 seconds every few days. Dealer has no updates for the engine computer and did not observe any problems while it was in for an oil change. 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Nov 2013 - Dec 2015
Sep 2014

10000 mi
a clip was broken in the dashboard 
Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada
Sep 2017 - Jan 2022
May 2018

85560 mi

C $1000
Drive axle replaced Ball joint replaced 
Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States
Jul 2013 - Jun 2022
Sep 2021

120000 mi

US $2500
Replace DVT valve body (one failed solenoid) Driver side control arm (bushing fail) 
Subaru Forester in Arizona, United States
Jul 2013 - Mar 2017
Jan 2014

43200 mi
navigation recall for problems. sd card replacement and software update. 
Jul 2016

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 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Feb 2013 - Aug 2016
Apr 2013

2000 mi
left rear seat belt guide broken. engine occasionally difficult to start after not being used for a day or so. 
May 2013

2300 mi
rear seatbelt trim replaced. engine occasionally stumbles/misfires during startup. Mechanics ran diagnostic tests (first time they ran this test for 2014 vehicles), but found no problems. 
Aug 2013

4000 mi

US $90
rubber hood boot seal between turbo intercooler housing and air ductwork is warped, fits poorly. 
Sep 2013

4000 mi
Replaced rubber boot seal between hood and intercooler, and several fasteners which broke during replacement process. 
Mar 2014

7000 mi
interior right rear weatherstrip proved to be bubbled/deformed. right rear door had defective inner weatherstrip (bubbled/misshapen). 
Aug 2014

8300 mi
Reprogrammed ECU per TSB to improve engine start-up. 
May 2015

12000 mi
trim on rear hatch misaligned. dealer realigned trim. 
Sep 2015

15000 mi
replaced hood-mounted intercooler air diverter (rubber seals had become torn). 2nd time this part has been replaced 
Dec 2015

16000 mi
Engine was intermittently missing. Technician flashed ECU with new software update that addressed the problem. 
Feb 2016

17000 mi
Subaru recall to correct engine misfiring. driver seat cushion beginning to collapse. was replaced. 
Mar 2016

18000 mi
left side valves rattle/ping due to defective rockers. Subaru TSB estimates 10 hour repair time to replace/custom machine new valve rockers. 
Apr 2016

18200 mi
left side of engine valves, cam and rockers were badly worn. Required removal of engine, all its accessories and cylinder head to do repairs. 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Jul 2017 - Aug 2021
Mar 2018

84000 mi

US $100
Bolt holding shock on right front was rattling and was replaced 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

Subaru Forester in Great Britain
Dec 2020 - Aug 2022
Mar 2021

44000 mi

£400
Front offside (right hand side) drive shaft failed. 
Mar 2022

50000 mi

£580
Rear offside (UK) spring broke near to the base. Subaru springs/ dampers not available so fitted Pedders combined spring/damper to both sides. These do not have self levelling but they have improved the ride quality and even when we’ll loaded the cars posture on the road is still fine. 
Subaru Forester in Taiwan
Mar 2013 - Dec 2014
Apr 2014

7020 mi
Some light on the panel turned on. The dealer connected their computer to the car and cleared the code. Everything is good since then. 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD

Subaru Forester in New York, United States
May 2013 - Feb 2022
Feb 2022

56767 mi

US $90
Tire Pressure Monitor System was replaced; it had been in a "failed" mode for about 2 months. 
Subaru Forester in Beijing, China
Sep 2013 - Jun 2018
Jun 2018

27900 mi

$600
leftback spring shock absorber oil leak 
Subaru Forester in Kentucky, United States
Aug 2016 - Aug 2016
Aug 2016

11000 mi
Noise from left rear, strut ordered and replaced under warranty. 
Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States
Feb 2014 - Jun 2018
Jun 2018

51000 mi

US $1100
replaced rotors and pads 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Dec 2013 - Feb 2021
Oct 2020

51000 mi

US $2900
Replaced air compressor Replaced suspension bushings Replaced plate guide 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Sep 2014 - Mar 2023
Jul 2018

62000 mi

US $850
Replaced both rear shock absorbers. The left rear driver side was shot. 
May 2022

82000 mi

US $380
windshield washer plastic Y broke and crumbled in pieces. Front suspension bushings were loose. Replaced all suspension bushings. 
Jun 2022

98000 mi

US $350
Wobbling sound from the rear passenger side. Worn hun bearing. Rear passenger side hub bearing replacement 
Subaru Forester in Western Australia, Australia
Dec 2020 - Jul 2022
Jun 2022

68200 mi

A $220
Wheel stud jammed on, needed replacement 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Oct 2013 - Jun 2022
Jan 2022

108000 mi
Relay failure that caused CVT malfunction. Dealer misdiagnosed which resulted in unnecessary torque converter replacement. 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Feb 2016 - Mar 2017
Mar 2016

31000 mi
Strong vibration and shutter @ low rpm and low speed. Caused by ice build up inside wheel rims. Went away. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Jul 2015 - Jan 2020
Jun 2016

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. 
May 2018

77300 mi

US $200
strut on rear hatch broke due to corrosion - replaced both struts 
Jun 2018

77750 mi

US $1000
bad rear wheel bearing - replaced both rear wheel bearings and installed new pads & rotors as there would be no additional charge for the labor. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Jun 2016 - Jun 2022
Jun 2018

59700 mi
Replace right rear wheel bearing. 
Jul 2021

75341 mi

US $16
replace cracked plastic windshield washer Y pipe under cowl. 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Dec 2015 - Jan 2022
Jul 2021

90000 mi

US $700
Replace suspension parts in the rear wheels. 
Subaru Forester in New Mexico, United States
Dec 2013 - Nov 2021
May 2018

69000 mi
Horn stopped working. 
Aug 2018

72000 mi
CVT went out. This has apparently been a problem for Subaru in the last few years. The dealer replaced it under the Subaru warranty, which the company extended to 100,000 mi for this issue. 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Nov 2014 - Jan 2018
Dec 2017

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. 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Feb 2017 - Jun 2022
Jun 2017

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. 
Mar 2021

19000 mi

US $160
Rear pads were worn from a sticking caliper. Cause was lack of driving. 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Nov 2015 - Mar 2016
Mar 2016

26000 mi

US $50
Engine loses oil at more than 1 qt per 2000 miles. It is difficult to correctly read oil level. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Aug 2016 - Jan 2021
Jan 2018

43000 mi

US $235
Microphone for Bluetooth was making a loud buzzing sound during phone calls, Head unit replaced. 
Mar 2019

57000 mi

US $500
New front brakes and rotors 
Sep 2019

62000 mi

US $2300
Worn front brakes and damaged rotors. My fault!! 
Dec 2020

76000 mi

US $450
rear brakes and rotors replaced 
Subaru Forester in Louisiana, United States
Apr 2013 - Jun 2018
Jan 2018

54000 mi
Whirring or humming noise from car noted. Traced to faulty bearing in rear left wheel, which was replaced free of charge under the powertrain warranty. The car had always had a clicking noise, kind of like a grasshopper chirp, that I could hear when coasting with the window rolled down. Now it no longer has this, so apparently this bearing was faulty from brand new. 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Jan 2014 - Jun 2018
Aug 2017

59000 mi

US $50
Rear-Driver Side Strut needed to be replaced as it was creeking. 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
May 2017 - Aug 2019
Feb 2018

80000 mi

US $50
Accelerator pedal becomes sporadically non-responsive. Mechanic believes its related to a known issue in similar year Outbacks. He thinks the sensor is sensitive to condensation. He blasted it with some kind of protective spray to keep condensation from forming and advised not to put the floor warmer on full blast until the car has warmed up. Has not reoccurred since this servicing / behavior change. 
Jun 2018

88000 mi

US $300
rear CV repaired 
Subaru Forester in Connecticut, United States
Sep 2017 - Mar 2018
May 2017

70000 mi

US $500
Wheel bearing replaced Replaced wheel bearing 
Subaru Forester in Texas, United States
Mar 2017 - Jun 2018
Mar 2018

41000 mi

US $350
Had the injection system cleaned & top throttle body cleaned . $350.00 it took 2 hours, would need to do every 10.000 miles? ? 
Subaru Forester in Peru
Sep 2013 - Jun 2018
Mar 2017

17360 mi

$250
Car stopped during two months. After one week with some problems related to battery, I had to change it. 
Subaru Forester in Texas, United States
May 2013 - Jun 2022
Feb 2017

105000 mi

US $75
Brake pad on rear drivers side was worn to metal. Replaced pad and refurbished caliper due to caliper sticking. 
Nov 2017

118000 mi

US $900
Front control arm bushings were worn out so these were replaced and an alignment was done 
Feb 2018

125000 mi

US $1300
Transmission Solenoid was replaced under warranty by dealer 
Aug 2018

137000 mi

US $1000
Replaced rear wheel bearings 
Jan 2020

185000 mi

US $2000
Catalytic converter needed to be replaced due to carbon buildup 
Jan 2022

198000 mi

US $1000
Replaced tie rods, control arm bushings and wheel bearing in front end 
May 2022

202000 mi

US $175
Replaced fittings on AC condenser due to leak 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Dec 2016 - Jun 2022
May 2017

48500 mi
Rear brake pads replaced due to wear 
Mar 2018

53000 mi

US $60
Battery died fully. Replaced with new. 
May 2022

84000 mi

US $900
New rotors and pads 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Nov 2013 - Jun 2018
Apr 2017

56000 mi

US $288
1 st brake job. Not bad 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Jun 2016 - Sep 2018
Jun 2017

53000 mi

US $350
Rear brakes replaced 
Sep 2018

82000 mi

US $500
Right rear wheel bearing replaced 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Feb 2018 - Jun 2022
Jun 2018

61000 mi
Replace two TPMS sensors. 
Aug 2018

62000 mi
An event happened whereby the key could not be turned to the lock position even though the shifter was in the Park position. There is a TSB for this. The dealer replaced the park switch and the shift solenoid. 
Feb 2021

79000 mi

US $12
replace cracked plastic windshield washer Y pipe under cowl. 
Aug 2021

82586 mi

US $568
replace right front cv axle with torn boot 
Nov 2021

84742 mi

US $199
replace TPMS sensor 
Subaru Forester in Nova Scotia, Canada
Nov 2013 - Jun 2016
Oct 2014

23440 mi
my check oil light came on saying low oil but it was fine 
Nov 2014

26040 mi
heated passenger seat wouldn't get very warm 
Jun 2016

49600 mi
Car started going thru oil and the dealer installed a new engine( now thats service) 
Subaru Forester in Nebraska, United States
Sep 2015 - Mar 2018
Sep 2016

32000 mi
Cruise control sensor went bad 
Subaru Forester in Florida, United States
Nov 2013 - Sep 2015
Oct 2014

9500 mi
Rear hatch auto open/close mechanism stopped working. System had to be reset by dealer. 
Apr 2015

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. 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Apr 2013 - Dec 2018
Dec 2013

8000 mi
Persistent chemical odor > 6 months owned. Eyes irrit'd. Per dealer: No problem found: Door gaskets? Some coolant vapor escaping into cabin intake air vent, as designed? (Coolant tank opens/closes regularly, releasing chemical vapor.) 
Dec 2015

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. 
Dec 2018

56000 mi

US $500
LEAKING CAM CARRIERS 
Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada
Aug 2013 - Mar 2017
Oct 2013

1020 mi
Center console display dead, needed replacement. 
Nov 2013

2220 mi
Rear hatch no longer opened, ECU was reflashed. 
Subaru Forester in Oklahoma, United States
Feb 2013 - Nov 2017
Apr 2015

35000 mi
Radio face display loose. Still worked satisfactory. 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Dec 2013 - Jun 2022
Sep 2014

5000 mi
A/V/Nav unit could not turn on. Replaced A/V/Nav unit. 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Nov 2013 - Jun 2018
Jun 2014

8000 mi
Faulty bluetooth module 
Nov 2017

36000 mi
Low oil light came on. Car is currently conducting an oil consumption test. 
Mar 2018

39000 mi
Oil level checked for oil consumption check. Oil loss deemed acceptable for now, test still in progress. 
Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States
Oct 2013 - May 2019
Jan 2016

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. 
Jul 2017

55000 mi

US $400
Also flushing brake fluid since it is near 60k miles 
Sep 2017

57000 mi
Replaced right rear wheel bearing. Was making a humming noise. Was covered by warranty. 
Jun 2018

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. 
Aug 2018

68000 mi

US $100
Replaced compressor (tested electrical issue) and clutch assembly. 
May 2019

82000 mi

US $145
Wind noise from the drivers side door. Dealer adjusted door hinges. 
Subaru Forester in Montana, United States
Oct 2013 - Jun 2018
Dec 2014

15000 mi
Key fob would not function when cold (below about 35). Dealer replaced fob internals and reprogrammed car to work with new fob. 
Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States
Apr 2013 - Mar 2018
Jun 2015

34000 mi

US $32
Drain for heater / air conditioner clogged. Dealer cleaned the drain. 
Oct 2016

57500 mi

US $1400
Bad air conditioner clutch. Dealer replaced compressor and clutch mechanism. 
Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States
Jun 2013 - Dec 2015
Feb 2015

14000 mi

US $26
Front passenger door seal came out of groove Fuel cap left loose by attendant causing check engine light to come on. Would not reset after fuel cap was tightened 
Subaru Forester in Florida, United States
Apr 2013 - Jun 2022
Sep 2013

4000 mi
Very jerky acceleration from a stop to cruising speed esp. if acceleration was light. This would occur always with cold engine and intermittent w/ warm engine. The dealer re-set the CVT and put it in re-learn mode. Not sure if prob is fixed. 
Mar 2014

9000 mi
Navigation system SD Card update. Two visible circular white blemishes under the gelcoat of the car hood. Hood was re-painted, very nice job. Dealer provided loaner vehicle. 
Sep 2017

36000 mi

US $125
Battery end of life. Replaced battery. 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Jul 2013 - May 2020
Dec 2014

16000 mi
Wheel bearing replaced 
Dec 2017

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. 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Jul 2013 - Jun 2018
Feb 2016

15900 mi
Rattle coming from roof area when sunroof open. 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Aug 2013 - Jan 2022
May 2016

30400 mi
30k service at local dealer failed to reinstall oil drain plug properly, requiring emergency visit to distant dealer to diagnose and fix. 
Subaru Forester in Georgia, United States
Jan 2014 - Jun 2017
May 2015

14400 mi
hand brake needed tightening 
Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States
Mar 2013 - Dec 2017
May 2016

42000 mi

US $420
Radio died, dealer put in remanufactured oem radio 
Sep 2016

48000 mi

US $270
Lost high beam and running lights, bulbs replaced at dealership. 
Subaru Forester in Utah, United States
Sep 2013 - Dec 2014
Feb 2014

17900 mi
wind defector for sun roof wasn't poping up. Replaced a few clips and sent me on my way 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Jun 2014 - Nov 2014
Jul 2014

12000 mi
I was driving about 70 mph on busy highway when suddenly engine turned off! I was able to steer car off road, turned car off. When I turned on ignition car started up and I drove away. Dealer could not find any codes to indicate problem. The clock in my care loses time. 
Subaru Forester in South Carolina, United States
Apr 2014 - May 2014
May 2014

6000 mi
Rear reflector cracked. Replaced under warranty 
Subaru Forester in California, United States
Dec 2013 - Mar 2016
Dec 2014

13000 mi
Oil low. Dealer refilled with oil and told to monitor the oil level for the next 1,200 miles to see if the car is using oil. 
May 2015

17700 mi
Return for oil consumption test. Results, car not consuming any oil over a 1,200 mile test. 
Nov 2015

24000 mi
Serpentine belt came off. New belt put on 
Subaru Forester in Utah, United States
Mar 2013 - Feb 2015
Jun 2014

14000 mi
Courtesy update for navigation system offered to forester owners who purchased before a certain date. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Feb 2015 - Jan 2017
Sep 2015

22000 mi
Faulty sensor caused the ABS, Hill Control and Stability Control lights to come on. 
Mar 2016

25000 mi
Tire Pressure sensor was faulty. 
Jan 2017 Blue exhaust on start up. Car was returned later that month off lease. 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Nov 2014 - Jan 2015
Nov 2014

18000 mi

US $30
during a long distance driving, engine oil light on when drove at middle of nowhere. (Oil Level Gauge shows oil leaking) had to drive another 30 miles bought and added 1qt 0w20. light's off. before the engine oil leaking,found coolant lower minimum mark, sent to dealer, was told it's not a problem and refuse to add coolant. I spent 25 bucks and filled by myself. 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
May 2013 - Jan 2018
Dec 2016

17360 mi
Amplifier shorted out due to moisture; radio inoperative 
Jun 2017

19492 mi
replace pads and rotors 
Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States
Apr 2014 - Jul 2022
Sep 2015

17000 mi
All dynamic warning lights came on and stayed on. Part was ordered and replaced 
Jun 2016

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 
Jan 2018

27000 mi
Brake warning light came on for low fluid. Took it to dealer and they determined that there was a rusted screw that was allowing fluid to leak. They didn't have either the screw or the caliper in stock so had to order it. They gave me a ride home and the car was fixed the following day. No charge. 
Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States
Jan 2014 - Apr 2019
Apr 2015

26500 mi
Tire pressure sensor failed,left rear tire. Replaced sensor, reset system all ok 
Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada
Dec 2013 - Jun 2022
Mar 2014

1860 mi
Driver door rubber edge seal attached by friction in a channel around the door. Easily dislodged by putting a hand on the top edge of the door. Takes about 30 minutes to get it back in, must entirely remove then start at one end. 2021 Update: edge seal continues to need regular reinstall. 
Jan 2018

16120 mi

C $100
Rear Windshield wiper blade broke. Wiper blade assembly had to be replaced with Subaru brand part. Battery failed stress test, replaced battery 
Jan 2020

22940 mi

C $850
Front tires worn down on edges. All 4 tires replaced. 
Aug 2020

24180 mi
Recall letter received. Rear suspension springs become brittle and can catastrophically fail. Dealer replaced compete rear suspension system. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
Mar 2013 - Jul 2018
Jun 2013

3000 mi
Moon roof rattle. Gentle, but pretty persistent, right near my head as I drive. Other than that, the car seems very solid. Dealer is working with Subaru to find solution. 
Sep 2014

31000 mi
Previously reported (last year) sunroof rattle. Car is making a distinct rapping noise from outs the tail of the vehicle. Best heard at 15mph to 40mph, with foot off the gas. Sounds like a jackhammer off in the distance. Replaced rear, outer seatbelt mech. (in roof of car.) Didn't fix. 
Oct 2014

32000 mi
Related to prev. problem where attempted repair didn't fix noise issue. This time, I drove w/tech & he confirmed noise. He put on lift & discovered sound attenuator in central exhaust pipe had prematurely broken up. Replacing pipe solved it. 
Jul 2015

49000 mi
Has begun burning oil bet. oil changes, ~1 quart in 4000 miles. According to the manual this is acceptable, having a oil light go on between oil changes is too much for me. Note there are 2 class action suits abt this engine & oil burning. 
Jan 2016

40200 mi
Interior: Driver's seat had hole forming along the stitching. Contacted Subaru who instructed me to bring to dealer. Dealer replaced lower seat cover (Car is out of warranty - but Subaru covered it - no pun intended.) 
Apr 2017

71000 mi
Brought car in for an oil consumption test - the result of Subaru's settling a class-action law suit about this issue. They have extended to warranty to 100,000 miles for oil consumption. Was told there is an oil leak around the valve covers- which is not covered by oil consumption warranty. A visit to another shop confirmed the condition. That said, the dealer's service manager has opted to schedule a visit to fix it for free. Next visit at the end if next week. Oil leak found in Forward Cam Shaft Gasket - required pulling the engine out, disassembling it to get to leaking gasket, replacing it and putting engine back in. 
May 2017

72500 mi
This was the conclusion of the oil consumption test after ~1,200 miles. The dealer reported no major oil consumption and closed the oil consumption case. (I forget to check the oil myself before it was brought in.) 
Sep 2017

75000 mi
Cam carrier shafts were found to be leaking again. The same repair had been done back in the spring - but a re-do of the repair was necessary. Requires pulling the engine out again. 
Oct 2017

75000 mi

US $400
Wheel bearings making droning noise - passenger side rear assembly replaced. 
Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States
Jan 2014 - Sep 2015
Jun 2015

10000 mi
Timing Belt tensioner needed adjusted. 
Subaru Forester in Tennessee, United States
Feb 2014 - Mar 2016
May 2015

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. 
Oct 2015

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. 
Subaru Forester in Washington, United States
Feb 2013 - Feb 2016
Feb 2015

27600 mi
Excessive oil consumption (1 qt every ~2k miles). Dealer performed consumption test over 1200 miles, consumption deemed within Subaru spec. Continues to consume oil. 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Apr 2014 - Mar 2017
Jun 2014

17000 mi
During my second scheduled oil change at the Dealership the service rep said that the right front axle had to be replaced because the car had been in a flood. I went to see the dealer principle to take the vehicle back. He denied it had been flooded. 
Oct 2014

29000 mi
Changed engine due to oil consumption problem. Used two quarts of oil in 2,800 miles. 
Jun 2015

40000 mi

US $302
A large piece of the floor pan deadner came off and wrapped around the drive shaft. The car had to be towed to dealer.Dealer did not have parts. Claimed this was a first time problem; but when they found out that it had happened so often... Replacement engine burns one quart of oil every 3,000 miles. Update 10-16: Now using 2-2.5 quarts between oil changes (every 5k). 
Oct 2016

85000 mi

US $500
Both front Rotors and pads and one RF caliper 
Dec 2016

88000 mi

US $200
Second engine was using 2 quarts of oil between oil changes and the engine had to be replaced again 
Feb 2017

90000 mi
They claimed they found and repaired a damaged seal which the mechanic said was damaged during the first attempt to repair the oil consumption problem (when they changed the short block the first time).  
Mar 2017

95000 mi
Had to replace the short block for a third time (oil consumption). Now the engine consumes more gasoline (mpg went from 27 mpg highway to 21.5 mpg highway) and they refused to do the oil consumption test again.  

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada
May 2013 - Nov 2018
Apr 2015

14880 mi

C $250
Oil consumption Replace tie rod 
May 2015

15680 mi
oil consumption test 
Jun 2015

16740 mi
oil consumption test 
May 2017

36580 mi

C $105
Stuck lugnuts 
Dec 2017

39680 mi

C $130
Stuck lugnut bolts 
Apr 2018

43400 mi
Rattling noise over bumps unless brakes are applied. Retorqued caliper bolts and serviced brake pads, but problem still persists. 
Sep 2018

45725 mi
Replace short block due to oil consumption. After shortblock replacement, car made loud rattling noise. Diagnosed dirty manifolds; cleaned, machined heads replace head gaskets. 
Subaru Forester in Virginia, United States
Jan 2014 - Jun 2022
Jan 2018

34000 mi

US $180
Original battery died at 4 years old. Jumped car, drove to AutoZone, and installed new battery. 
Mar 2022

68845 mi
Front timing cover gasket was leaking. Subaru repaired it at no cost on a goodwill basis, noting that I am the original owner and the car has an impeccable, dealer-based service history. 
Subaru Forester in New York, United States
May 2013 - Jul 2017
Sep 2014

18000 mi
Burning oil. Started oil consumption test, replaced PCV valve 
Dec 2014

22000 mi
burning oil-replaced short block 
Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States
Nov 2016 - Nov 2018
Nov 2017

56000 mi

US $85
Battery was getting weak, replaced with Interstate Battery 
Jun 2018

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. 
Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada
Apr 2014 - Sep 2018
Jun 2017

39680 mi
Mass air flow meter failed causing check engine light. Repair was covered under extended warranty. 
Mar 2018

48980 mi
Oil consumption test started again. Third time I have done this. New standard is one litre of oil or more per 6000 kms can indicate possible short block replacement. 
Jul 2018

51460 mi
Vehicle failed oil consumption test, now waiting on new short block. Not really a repair to report but I thought that I would update the consumption test. 
Subaru Forester in Wisconsin, United States
Dec 2013 - Feb 2016
May 2015

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. 
Subaru Forester in Montana, United States
May 2013 - Feb 2023
Jun 2015

23000 mi
Oil consumption analysis. Results were 24 ounces per 1200 miles. Parts (short block plus) are being ordered. When parts arrive they will call and I will make appointment for repair. 
Jul 2015

23300 mi
Excessive oil usage. Complete short block change by dealer. No charge and rental car furnished free of charge. As of 10/14/15 oil usage seems OK. 
Jun 2018

60000 mi
Took vehicle in for normal scheduled maintenance. Noise in rear. Mechanic found rear wheel bearings failing. Replaced both bearings at no cost. Comment concerning previous oil consumption problem, oil usage is excellent. No adding of oil between changes, just like previous Subarus that we owned. Subaru/dealer did good job fixing oil problem. 
Oct 2022

100000 mi

US $2386
TPMS light on dash came on and could not reset. Checked air in tires. All tires were up to proper pressure. Thought that sensor was bad. Could not shift manual transmission. Clutch pedal had no pressure. Clutch pedal stayed depressed and would not return. Throw out bearing failed. Replaced bearing, disk clutch, lever clutch, release lever, flywheel, spring release lever, clutch cover. Added gear oil. 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

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

Subaru Forester in Finland
May 2017 - Mar 2018
Sep 2017

69440 mi
Brakepad had diseapeared, only the metal was left, so on the warranty was the disk and pads changed 
Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Apr 2017 - Jun 2018
Mar 2018

108500 mi
Excessive oil consumption. I noticed adding 1 L oil between changes and they measured 1.3 L in 6,000 KMs. They installed a new "short block" which I think is the cylinder head and cylinders. 
Subaru Forester in Philippines
May 2013 - Jan 2022
May 2015

9400 mi
knocking sound on each side during steering turn ( U-turn malice ball bearing replaced; shock mounting replaced 
Nov 2021

19840 mi

$1050
slight noise during PM test on hub bearing, replaced both RH & LH rear hub bearing. Replaced lower arm bushing (big and small LH & RH). Replaced RH & LH brake light bulb; replaced spring and pads set;  replaced one (1) spark plug 

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2014 Subaru Forester 4-door

4-cylinder automatic AWD

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada
Apr 2013 - Sep 2015
Jun 2014

14880 mi
Radio problem - bluetooth system malfunction 
Nov 2014

21260 mi
Shifting was from park to reverse to forwards was slow. Computer needed to get reprogrammed. 

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2013.5 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD

Subaru Forester in South Australia, Australia
Dec 2015 - Mar 2019
Nov 2017

45260 mi
Engine Light P0171 came on day after long trip. Took it to Subaru Workshop in Campbelltown NSW. They said it was unusual for this model, a known fault earlier. They offered to check it over as I was 2,000 km from home and spent a good half hour looking at all the sensors and eventually did a reset. Problem not seen since despite some very long hot drives through same country. Possible fuel contamination in outback town... Very friendly service and no charge despite being out of warranty... 

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See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.

2014 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 2014 Subaru Forester problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.