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2011 Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (61%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (4%)

Brakes and Traction Control (3%)

Suspension and Steering (2%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (20%)

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

Other (6%)

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Chart based on 157 repairs.

See TSBs and recalls for the 2011 Subaru Forester.

2011 Subaru Forester engine repair cost distribution

$2500+ (3%)

$1000 - $2499 (4%)

$500 - $999 (4%)

$100 - $499 (12%)

< $100 (77%)

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Chart based on 75 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

103000 mi

US $100

Cam shaft cover was leakng

1000 mi

Check Engine Light on, Cruise control light flashing, traction control light on. Started at 1201 miles. Dealer flashed the ecu and reset the codes. Problem came back 2 times since then. Car is back in the shop for 2 days now. no updates

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166160 mi

€800

catalysts change after >250k Km

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22320 mi	Minor oil leak on right side cylinder head needed to be re-sealed. Required and overnight stay. Covered under power train warranty.
24800 mi	Engine oil leak at right side cam cradle. Requires pulling engine and replacing gaskets and or resealing.

30000 mi	Leaking cam seal. Dealer replaced cam seal. 5 days in shop - at least there's no more oil leak...
41000 mi	High oil consumption - finished oil consumption test, clocked around 1200 miles/quart. Also in for loud engine noises, which were put off until after oil consumption test completed. Repairs to start next week
41000 mi	Engine block was replaced to fix the oil consumption issues. Still consumes oil (just not as much). Timing chain tensioner was replaced to fix the startup noises. After letting the car warm up, it is still very loud at 3K RPM, so that has not been fixed. Back to dealer... Engine block was replaced to fix the oil consumption issues. Timing chain tensioner was replaced to fix the startup noises. After letting the car warm up, it is still very loud at 3K RPM, so that has not been fixed. Back to dealer...
41000 mi	Oil leaking from passenger side cam carrier again. Also oil seepage from timing chain cover. Dealer replaced the driver's side cam intake sprocket to fix startup noise. Noise overall improved, oil leaks appear to be fixed.
41000 mi	After 500 miles, the engine is leaking oil from the cam carrier again. Subaru has agreed to repurchase due to car continuing to have problems and having been in shop for more than 30 business days in the last year.

12000 mi	excessive oil burning, 2 qts every 3k, backfire when AC is on, loud vibration when traction control kicks on in snowy conditions
49000 mi	Having new small block installed to fix oil consumption. This is covered under warranty.
60000 mi	Head gasket leak. Covered from small block replacement Car now, after 60000 miles finally runs great Better than ever Finally love my car

86800 mi

Short block replacement due to high oil consumption. Cost totally covered by Subaru.

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98000 mi

Published oil consumption problem with 2011 Subaru Forester. Dealer replaced engine short block.

140000 mi

threw a rod and blew the engine

45000 mi

Early on it started having oil consumption issues; engine replaced at 32,000 miles; 10,000 miles later same problems again. Received $3,500 customer loyalty incentive, traded the car.

43000 mi

Vehicle started making a horrendous clapping noise. Upon towing to dealer it was determined that the engine block failed. Suspect oil consumption problem that has been reported. They never did tell me why it happened. Yay extended warranty!

125000 mi

US $3500

replaced short block due to oil consumption

49000 mi US $600	replace faulty oxygen sensor
64700 mi US $3900	Several gaskets replaced for oil leak, also one sensor repaired

96000 mi

US $450

A/F sensor bad

78000 mi

US $470

fuel/induction service

151000 mi US $150	Check engine light, O2 sensor
205000 mi US $120	P0420, catalytic converter not optimal

96100 mi

C $1300

Engine seal and oil sensor. Starting position required to commence official oil use monitoring process. Subaru had sent letter advising that some excessive oil consumption noticed in years including my car. Anything over 1 litre per 6000 km. My car's engine related warranty to be extended to 160k from 100k!!! My number came at about 2.4 ltr/6000 km I have a loaner 2018 Forester today while Subaru installs a new (rebuilt) short block, for free.

46500 mi	short block replaced due to oil consumption problem
52600 mi	engine front cover leaking. replaced all necessary o rings and seals. replaced dipstick tube seal

84000 mi US $2100	Both cam carriers (or cages) were leaking oil and needed to be resealed. This required removing the engine,
108000 mi US $470	The idle pulleys and belt tensioner needed replacement.

21000 mi

Leaking Cam seals and head gaskets. leaky cam seals

38000 mi	Check engine light on. Dealer tightened cap. Light came on again. Replaced canister vent valve. Check engine light back on. Found evap hose not seated properly. Dealer had car until 9/16/13. Dealer repaired evap hose.
38800 mi	Check engine light on. Found purge hose not properly connected. check engine light on. Found evap canister leaking. Dealer replaced evap canister. Check engine light on. Found vaccum line leaking and gas cap not sealing properly. Dealer replaced line and gas cap. After six trips, light finally stayed off.
68000 mi	replaced both valve cover gaskets

10700 mi

US $25

I tried to change the oil myself. I could not get the oil drain plug off. It was on very tight. Since I was afraid of destroying the plug I took it to my normal mechanic who was able to get the plug off using an impact driver.

28200 mi	cam engine seals leaking resulting in oil leak and low oil levels
32000 mi	car is still leaking oil, has to go back to shop
34500 mi	Car leaks oil. Dealer repeated major repair of cam gasket seals. Hopefully this fixes the problem once and for all
45000 mi	Oil level read below minimum level, suspecting oil is burning off. Dealer has started an oil consumption test. Vehicle seems to burn off all oil in between oil changes.
103400 mi US $700	drive belts wore out and needed to be replaced
112000 mi US $2000	Engine leaking oil again, cam gaskets leaking. This is the third time the engine had to be pulled for this vehicle. Repair cost aprox $2000 and I had to work very hard to get subaru to pay for this. Fortunately, subaru stood behind their defective engine

22000 mi	Started oil consumption test with dealer. Oil consumption is higher than expected, using approx. 1 qt. for every 3000 miles.
68500 mi	Start test to determine how much oil is leaking at valve covers. Oil is dripping on exhaust, burning and creating smoke. When car is stopped it enters the cab through a/c. Have to keep a/c on recirc.
91700 mi	Check engine light on. Dealer said sensor needed replacement but estimate was ridiculously high. Will attempt repair on my own.
94000 mi US $110	Replaced Air/Fuel ratio sensor
99000 mi	Took car in to start Subaru-sanctioned oil consumption test, but was not eligible to start due to oil leaks from o-rings.
101000 mi US $1150	Replace o-rings and seals to stop bsd oil leaks.
102000 mi	Oil consumption test found excessive consumption. Replaced short block and seals; replacement covered by Subaru under class-action agreement
114311 mi	Replace cam seals and O-rings again. Warranty work from short block replacement (Jul 2016).

620 mi	CEL on, took to dealer, code said fuel recovery system. Dealer discovered condensation froze in the fuel vapour recovery line from the gas tank-figured it happened while sitting on lot through freeze-thaw weather-dried out line, now fixed.
1860 mi	CEL on, same as last visit. Dealer discovered condensate in the fuel vapour recovery line from the gas tank - dealer thinks either faulty installation or bad design as there is a low spot in line before the drain. Dried out, CEL off now.
19840 mi	Engine sometimes made noise on cold-starts; determined was covered by TSB for timing chain tensioner. Replaced tensioner, does not make noise anymore.
29140 mi	Car smelled mildly of burning fluid after op'n of >20 minutes - had been happening since replacement of timing chain idler pulley in May. Found minor weep of oil from bottom of oil dipstick, landing on exhaust system. Replaced seal
56420 mi C $20	Rattling sound from muffler area below passenger cabin. Shop said common issue with Subaru's and it comes from the heat shield getting loose. No real way to tighten it, so we had them remove it.

13700 mi	Left side timing chain tensioner replaced with revised part per TSB. Caused a loud knocking sound on cold start up since new. Issue resolved.
16000 mi	Previous replacement of timing chain tensioner. Dealer did not seal timing cover properly so it was leaking oil on to the exhaust. Brought back to dealer and they removed and resealed the timing cover. Seems to be fixed for now.
32000 mi	Engine and/or transmission hesitation when turning corners and accelerating. Doesn't respond for a couple seconds, then usually...
45000 mi	Oil leak on driver side cylinder head area. Dealer found leaking valve cover gasket. Replaced gasket. They found there was still an oil leak. Found cam "cap" was was cracked. Replaced cam cap. Brought car home and found it still leaking. Returned car to dealer due to continuing oil leak. Dealer took apart valve cover and cam cap and resealed everything. Seems to be fixed now.
55700 mi	Oil leak from timing cover. Removed timing cover and installed a new one. Car still leaking oil from left cylinder head area. Also repaired previously. Has been to the dealer for both leaks multiple times.
60700 mi	Back for oil leak. Pulled motor out of vehicle and removed cam cap/cover, timing cover again, reseal everything. A few months later, still no leaks. Seems to finally be repaired.

2000 mi

Engine was making noise like a sewing machine. The vehicle was admitted for TSB 02-117-11 Left side cylinder head, intake camshaft, intake valves and rocker arm pivots needed to be replaced. Vehicle replaced, due to manufacture defect.

19000 mi US $80	Going thru a 1/2 to 3/4 of oil every 1000 miles....
30000 mi	oil consumption test. Dealing w /subaru of america directly on resolution of problem.

103000 mi

Compete Engine replacement under warranty due to excessive oil consumption.

41300 mi	Check engine light, ABS light, Traction control light all illuminated.
59000 mi	Timing chain tensioner was leaking down overnight.
134000 mi US $400	Factory replacement short block for oil consumption issue. Also had routine maintenance to rest of car. New hoses plugs differential fluid change.

12700 mi	oil leaking from valve cover gasket.
13000 mi	valve cover gasket replaced (warranty)
13000 mi	valve cover gasket leaking engine still leaking oil

35200 mi	Car occasionally fails to start or takes extended time to turn over.
36900 mi	Gaskets were leaking.

1800 mi	ECM reflashed. Oil consumption test started as no sign of oil leaking/burning could be detected.
3000 mi	Rattle from the spare tire area of the vehicle. Oil consumption check. Developed engine knocking. It was explained to me that the knocking is typical of the boxer engine; some louder than others.
2100 mi	Oil consumption check plus oil change. Dealer says the fresh oil change should resolve the oil consumption now that the engine has been broken in. No start. Towed to dealer. Very rough idling at start up after the no-start repair. Smell of raw fuel. Occasional stall. Oil consumption issue not resolved. Dealership says contact Subaru of America as they cannot fix the issue.
5000 mi	Very rough idle; vehicle would not stay running. Smell of raw fuel, enough to cause eyes to burn.

16000 mi US $300	Engine started tapping sound and then lost power while driving on highway. Was towed to a dealer. It took 5 days for them to get it fixed. Have not pick it up yet since the dealer is 2 hours drive away from my home.
23000 mi	Check engine light is on. It camplained about bank 1. Dealer said upgraded software and reset check engine light.
27000 mi	Engine light is on again. Dealer said changed both down pipes. I was told there was a leak in intake.