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2018 Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (35%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (8%)

Brakes and Traction Control (8%)

Suspension and Steering (8%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (23%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (12%)

Other (8%)

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Chart based on 26 repairs.

See TSBs and recalls for the 2018 Subaru Forester.

2018 Subaru Forester repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (5%)

$500 - $999 (5%)

$100 - $499 (11%)

< $100 (79%)

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Chart based on 19 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

See repairs for all Subaru Forester model years.

Subaru Forester in Nevada, United States Jun 2018 - Jun 2022
May 2022 51000 mi US $40	Engine light and misfire. Used stp aerosol carbon intake cleaner with 9 minute timer. It actually worked. The car started to run very poorly and backfire on cold start. This treatment cleared it up. Seriously amazed it worked. Car runs heat so far. About 1k since treatment.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Nov 2017 - Jun 2018
Mar 2018 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
May 2018 8060 mi C $259	regular service for 10000km, also tires changed, and looking into the steering system pulling side to side. And had stereo amp changed out. Original one blew out after a month, then took a while to get the part.

Subaru Forester in Idaho, United States Oct 2022 - Oct 2022
Oct 2022 45440 mi US $100	Transmission leak spotted while getting an oil change. Window chatter on rolling up and rolling down.

Subaru Forester in Oklahoma, United States May 2021 - Jun 2022
Jul 2021 20000 mi	Wiring harness replaced under goodwill. Car had check engine light right after we bought it. Looks like rodents chewed through the harness and it wasn't picked up when Heuberger inspected the vehicle and sold it to us

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Subaru Forester in Indiana, United States Aug 2017 - Apr 2019
Dec 2017 2000 mi	I have had to add air to one of the tires approx. every 300 miles since I got the car; the "honeymoon" is over.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Mar 2018 - Sep 2018
Jul 2018 5000 mi	Hood misaligned

Subaru Forester in Arkansas, United States Dec 2017 - Dec 2021
Jun 2018 2700 mi US $165	Nail in sidewall of rear tire. Replaced tire.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Jul 2017 - Jul 2022
Jul 2022 32000 mi	Could not remove key from ignition switch. Was repaired under warranty. 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.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Nov 2017 - Jul 2022
Jan 2022 35960 mi C $800	Squeaking and brake drag. Pads, rotors and drums replaced.

Subaru Forester in Alabama, United States Dec 2017 - Jun 2022
May 2022 20000 mi	Passenger airbag error. Parts needed, not repaired.

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Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Dec 2017 - Jun 2022
Sep 2018 3100 mi	rattle coming from centre of dash, corrected this but still another rattle coming from dash closer to driver side
Jul 2021 11160 mi	ongoing problem with rattles and squeaks from dash

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Subaru Forester in Virginia, United States Feb 2018 - Mar 2023
Feb 2022 57000 mi US $2000	Center viscous differential failed.
May 2022 59000 mi	Full engine replacement due to high oil consumption and failed oil consumption test.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Sep 2017 - Mar 2024
Nov 2017 3200 mi	From new car consumed 1 quart every 600 miles. The dealer started an oil consumption test and am waiting to see the rate of burn for the next 1000 miles. If it consumes the same, dealer already stated that they will replace the engine under warranty.
Apr 2018 9000 mi	engine was replaced after multiple oil consumption tests showed that the car was buring 2 quarts every 600 miles.
Dec 2018 18000 mi	After having the original engine replaced a few months ago I dropped the car off for its third oil consumption test. The new engine is burning 2 quarts of oil every 1K miles. Initially the dealer stated it was part of its break-in period. Car continued to need a quart added every 500+ miles. Engine will most likely be replaced again under full warranty. Dealer has expressed that they will address an early lease termination with corporate. 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.
Mar 2019 22000 mi	Third Oil consumption (second engine; first new engine at 2K miles) test came back that the car was burning 1 quart every 100 miles on the second engine. Subaru decided that the car needs a new engine (3rd engine in 22K miles) Due to car needing another engine Subaru North America proactively did a buyback.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Oct 2017 - Feb 2021
Mar 2018 1400 mi	Over one quart of engine oil consumed over first 1400 miles; oil and filter were changed and I am to monitor oil level going forward.

Subaru Forester in Alabama, United States Oct 2018 - Jun 2022
Feb 2019 13000 mi	Power steering stopped working temporarily. Dealer could not find problem.

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Subaru Forester in Texas, United States Aug 2016 - Feb 2022
Jan 2022 72000 mi	Unknown battery drain. Replaced battery. Successful.
Feb 2022 72000 mi	Condenser recall

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Oct 2016 - Dec 2021
Aug 2018 6200 mi	Misfire on #1 cylinder when started. Computer was fed an update and problem fixed

Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States Oct 2020 - Mar 2022
May 2021 39000 mi US $150	CVT failed. Replaced under Subaru 100k CVT extended coverage.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Sep 2016 - Sep 2018
Sep 2018 8000 mi	Window would not go down on driverside

Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States Mar 2017 - Jun 2018
Apr 2018 26000 mi	Leak was noticed from transmission pan during normal oil change maintenance. Persisted between changes so they scheduled a time and replaced the gasket under warranty
Jun 2018 31000 mi US $7	Leak coming from oil pan identified shortly after oil change. Discovered washer had been bent during reinstallation. Changed part and replaced oil (again). No leaks since

Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States Jul 2016 - Jan 2022
Jun 2017 7000 mi	Transmission pan leaking. Dealer made adjustment under warranty.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Aug 2016 - Mar 2018
Feb 2018 12020 mi	Keyfob quit working, Battery was found to be okay, had to replace keyfob and reprogram to vehicle. Car makes popping noise in middle during driving (usually in deceleration, but not hard braking). Noise seems to come from left rear door. Dealer has been unable to reproduce.

Subaru Forester in Missouri, United States Jun 2017 - Jun 2022
Jun 2018 14000 mi	Trim under the passenger window replaced

Subaru Forester in New York, United States Jul 2016 - Oct 2020
Dec 2017 22000 mi	Power lift gate making squeaking noise. Dealer claimed to lubricate it. Lift gate still makes noise and needs to be corrected yet again on the next service visit. Driver seat belt buckle squeaking noise. Dealer could not reproduce. Buckle still makes noise and needs to be corrected on the next service visit. Holding buckle stops the noise. Found reports online of others with same problem.
Aug 2020 59900 mi	Injectors were fouled. $2000+ repair not covered under warranty but Subaru covered the cost as it is a common problem on the Forester XT due to direct injection system design flaws plus I also had a large amount of problems with this vehicle. I had problem fixed and sold vehicle just short of 60,000 miles.

Subaru Forester in South Carolina, United States Sep 2016 - Aug 2022
Aug 2022 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.

Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States Jul 2016 - Nov 2020
Dec 2016 3000 mi	Heavy soot deposits on exhaust pipe tips.
Mar 2017 4000 mi	S# transmission mode kept engine revs well below torque peak, which made no sense given S# mode is "performance mode".
Jun 2017 5500 mi	engine runs roughly on mild inclines. excessive soot on tailpipes. Technician did basic ECU check, claimed there was no problem but that there was pending ECU reprogramming, not currently available.
Sep 2017 7000 mi	engine runs roughly under light acceleration up hills. Technician added program update for proper high temperature operation, also corrected overfilled oil level (too much oil can raise havoc with valve timing adjusters). Repair did not correct rough engine performance up hills.
Dec 2017 8000 mi US $73	Engine continues to stumble when vehicle is traveling up long hills. Service tech has seen problem before but had no new programming or other assistance from Subaru to attempt adjustments or actual repair.
Jun 2018 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.
Sep 2018 14000 mi US $60	Engine stumbles/runs rough when vehicle is climbing moderate hills. technician applied carbon cleaner to valve system (direct injection engine) but found no problem. Problem has been occurring repeatedly and was present in '14 XT forester with same engine. Technician is now contacting factory field support for more info.

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Subaru Forester in Trinidad and Tobago Mar 2017 - Feb 2022
Jul 2017 868 mi $1	Rattle in passenger sun visor extension. Fixed by removing extension from visor and adding felt strip to tighten up space when retracted.
Mar 2018 4960 mi	Engine felt a bit lethargic under 2500 rpm, and the power would suddenly kick in and surge forward around 2700 rpm. This made the acceleration and downshifting very jerky when the engine was between 2000-3000 rpm. After reading some info the 'net, I decided to tighten the hose clamps on the intercooler inlet, outlet, and turbo bypass valve. After doing this, the engine is smooth in acceleration again, like new. Update: problem returned a month later.
Jun 2018 6820 mi $25	Replaced factory Tridon brand hose clamps for Turbo intercooler, throttle body and turbo bypass valve with aftermarket Breeze brand liner hose clamps. Car drives like new again and no more uneven acceleration.
Feb 2020 19315 mi	Brake power booster vacuum bleeds off when car sits for several hours or overnight. Brake pedal very firm to depress prior to starting engine. Dealer claims that it is normal, but this was not normal for the first 30,000 kms of ownership or normal for my other cars. No repair done.
Jul 2020 21824 mi	Tighten and retorque intercooler and turbo bypass valve clamps to 4nm. Right intercooler clamp found loose. Dealer has returned car after service with loose clamps more than once. Annoying ticking tapping sound in both left and right B-pillars especially when chassis twists when driving over uneven bumps or road. Suspected spot weld splatter friction noise. Sprayed WD40 lubricant at top of B-pillars between sheet metal seams. Rattle gone.

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Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States Aug 2016 - Jun 2018
Sep 2016	Rear O2 sensor tripped, turning on check engine light. A software update seems to have eradicated the problem.
May 2018 9000 mi	Passenger air bag sensor replaced.

Subaru Forester in Oklahoma, United States Jun 2016 - Jun 2018
Dec 2017 36000 mi	battery was leaking acid!!!

Subaru Forester in Peru Dec 2016 - Jun 2022
Nov 2017 5580 mi	Air conditioner stop working. It was checked and repair under guarantee.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Jun 2016 - Jun 2022
Dec 2016 6820 mi	"Enter" key for middle console is dimmer on one side of the key. Internal LED so nothing I could fix.
Sep 2017 16740 mi	AC compressor leaked, no cold air blowing. Took 3 weeks to get a new compressor in. Under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Feb 2018 - Jul 2018
Mar 2018 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.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Feb 2017 - Jun 2022
Jan 2018 15000 mi	pax seat airbag sensor needed replacement

Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Jul 2016 - Jul 2022
Oct 2017 9000 mi	Reprogram ECM for engine hesitation and jerking.
Apr 2018 13000 mi	Leak in AC condenser
Apr 2022 54000 mi US $79	Replaced rear brake pads

Subaru Forester in California, United States Jul 2016 - Jun 2018
Dec 2017 42000 mi	A/C condenser leak

Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States Sep 2016 - Jun 2022
Mar 2017 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.

Subaru Forester in Vermont, United States Jan 2017 - Jun 2022
Mar 2017 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
May 2017 3000 mi	navigation head unit was locking up randomly, dealer replaced head unit under warranty

Subaru Forester in Newfoundland / Lab., Canada Oct 2016 - Jan 2022
Nov 2016	Shudder in car a certain speeds. Dealer checked fluid level in trans.Level was good.
Nov 2017 12400 mi C $150	CVT transmission was re-programmed. Happy to report the shudder I experienced has completely gone from the car. Issue resolved after EXACTLY ONE year.
May 2018 16120 mi C $150	brakes, lights etc

Subaru Forester in California, United States Jun 2016 - Jun 2018
Jan 2017 7800 mi	Factory initiated TSB effort to confirm CVT filled with fluid to proper level. 0.5L added according to repair report.

Subaru Forester in Maine, United States Mar 2017 - Jun 2018
Aug 2017 7000 mi	Passenger side front door guard trim peeling away. Replaced under warranty.
Nov 2017 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.
Dec 2017 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.

Subaru Forester in Wisconsin, United States Dec 2016 - Sep 2020
Jun 2018 17500 mi	Passenger Window wouldn't go all the way down - was told it was a computer programming error that was fixed

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Jun 2021 - Jun 2022
Jun 2022 50000 mi US $800	Replace both rear wheel bearings

Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States Dec 2020 - Jun 2022
Apr 2022 25000 mi US $100	All sorts of electrical problems related to battery going dead. All were re-settable after replacing the battery.

Subaru Forester in New York, United States Jun 2021 - Jul 2022
Jul 2022 36000 mi US $621	Replaced rear rotors.

Subaru Forester in Florida, United States Mar 2017 - Jul 2022
Jul 2022 83000 mi US $97	replace right rear wheel bearing

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Feb 2017 - Jun 2022
Apr 2018 13640 mi	Hydraulics on rear gate lift still squeaking
May 2022 48980 mi C $800	brakes below reasonable safety margin

Subaru Forester in New Hampshire, United States Jun 2017 - May 2022
May 2022 49000 mi US $300	I did new front brake rotors & pads (DIY) before giving to my daughter in May ($300).

Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States Mar 2017 - Jun 2022
Aug 2019 8500 mi	Replaced O Rings on compressor. Replaced O Rings on compressor. Lll
Jun 2020 9600 mi	Occupancy sensor for front passenger seat replaced

Subaru Forester in California, United States Oct 2016 - Jun 2022
Nov 2021 37000 mi	WUM98 - "Forester Passenger-side Front Airbag ODS" Type: Recall Service Campaign: WUM98 \| NHTSA Campaign: 19V-701000

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Dec 2016 - Jan 2025
Sep 2024 66000 mi US $150	Front lower control arm bushings were worn on both driver and passenger sides. Replaced with new factory lower control arms. During inspection shop found exhaust leak in the exhaust manifold/catalytic converter assembly. First shop quoted $4000 for repair. Took to Subaru dealer. Repair was covered under a special extended warranty period for this year of Forester.

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Jul 2016 - Jun 2022
Jun 2018 14000 mi	AC was blowing hot air. Condenser replaced under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada Apr 2017 - Apr 2018
Apr 2018 19 mi C $290	Rock got caught in heat shield. 1 hr labor to repair.

Subaru Forester in New York, United States Jun 2017 - Jan 2022
Jul 2018 22100 mi	sideview mirrors did not heat to remove frost as part of winter package

Subaru Forester in Rhode Island, United States Jul 2017 - Jan 2022
Sep 2018 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.

Subaru Forester in New York, United States Jul 2023 - Jul 2024
Oct 2023 60000 mi US $2000	Wouldn't come out of park, replaced cable/connection below shifter. Also got a brake job, all four wheels and four new tires

Subaru Forester in New Hampshire, United States May 2017 - Jun 2022
Nov 2021 64000 mi US $800	replaced brakes
Jun 2022 72000 mi US $25	Headlight replaced

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Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Mar 2017 - Jul 2017
Jun 2017 5303 mi	Vehicle is consuming oil. Oil level low by 34 oz. Started oil consumption test with new oil/filter change.

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Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Jan 2019 - Jan 2023
Jun 2019 25000 mi	Air conditioning condenser Bushing

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Subaru Forester in New South Wales, Australia Aug 2016 - Jun 2022
Dec 2016 2480 mi	Incorrect panel fit due to overtightening during assembly.

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Subaru Forester in California, United States Mar 2016 - Aug 2024
Jan 2017 49000 mi	12 volt outlet repaired at dealership. Loud squeaking noise when backing up car and applying brakes . There are grooves on two rotors. Dealership said pebbles may have gotten into brake system. No repair needed.
Aug 2019 39000 mi	CVT leaking from oil pump. Dealership performed chain pump reseal.
Aug 2024 72000 mi US $468	Seized wheel lug nut. Replaced front wheel hub, axle nut.

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Nov 2015 - Jun 2018
Jun 2016 1860 mi	Voice entry on address entry for nav system didn't work. Doesn't reconcile any address I speak to it.
Jun 2017 9920 mi	Fuel pumped failed. Car stalled. It could run, but idled and ran rough. Rpm shoots up for no reason. Dealer replaced the fuel pump and car runs fine now. I do wonder what damage was caused since the dealer told me that the car was running extremely lean.

Subaru Forester in California, United States May 2016 - Jun 2018
Jan 2018 24000 mi	Replaced leaking transmission gasket

Subaru Forester in Arizona, United States Oct 2015 - Jun 2022
Feb 2018 22000 mi	transmission was leaking, replaced seal

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Subaru Forester in Washington, United States Nov 2015 - Jan 2022
Jan 2018 22000 mi	Replaced display and electronics displaying backup camera and sound system..

Subaru Forester in California, United States Sep 2017 - Jun 2018
Jan 2018 19000 mi	Replaced TPMS sensor under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States Jun 2016 - Jun 2022
Aug 2017 14000 mi US $82	After getting my car washed at the car wash the day before, I noticed the rear wiper/arm totally gone

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Aug 2015 - Jun 2018
Nov 2017 16000 mi	Battery needed replaced

Subaru Forester in Texas, United States Nov 2015 - Jul 2017
Jul 2016 6300 mi	Bad rattle at back lift gate. Taken to dealer twice. 1st trip didn't fix it. Brought back several days later left for 3 days still not fixed. Each time said it was but the rattle is still there!
Aug 2016 7000 mi	Rattle has not been fixed. Dealer was notified of the problem and said they would schedule is a repair and provide a loaner while they had it, since last time they had the car for 3 days. They have not called or emailed me. BAD dealer
Sep 2016 8000 mi	Returned trip about the rattles in the back Lift gate , had for 5 days -still have rattle. Dealer can not fix problem. Having had a Toyota 4-Runner and Honda Pilot, we never had these problems. Tech removed passenger side trunk cover& seatbelt assembly. Also removed & reinstalled brake system parts + flashing around gas intake tube. Found no issues. Fixed loose rear view mirror. Rattle better but still persists

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Dec 2015 - Jun 2022
May 2016 3000 mi	Software update required on the BCM.
Jan 2018 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

Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Feb 2016 - Jan 2022
Mar 2016 13000 mi US $40	Battery went dead. Power lift gate Information system update
May 2016 15000 mi	Power lift gate kept jamming and programming gets locked up.
Jan 2017	Car would not start. Interior lights came on but would not start. Car towed to dealer. Replaced battery.
Jul 2017 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.
Jan 2022 99000 mi US $1400	lower control arm and stabilizer links

Subaru Forester in New Mexico, United States Aug 2015 - Jan 2021
Jul 2016 8300 mi	Rear hatch opening problems.
Oct 2016 11200 mi	Rear hatch locks up sometimes.
Feb 2017 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.
Mar 2017 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.
Apr 2017 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.
Mar 2018 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.

Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States Dec 2016 - Jan 2018
Jan 2018 26000 mi	Blower fan resistor

Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada Jun 2016 - Jul 2022
Jan 2018 16740 mi	Noise of rotating parts when the vehicle was moving. The dealer had to order the tranmission parts and replace them. ABS, traction control and hill start assist warning lights turning on either at engine start (preventing from switching to drive mode) or when driving. Deficient brake pedal turned out to be the cause.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Oct 2015 - Jun 2018
Mar 2018 23000 mi	Squeaks under the dash, around the EyeSight camera, and in the tailgate

Subaru Forester in New York, United States Jan 2016 - Jun 2022
Oct 2019 21797 mi US $53	Rear brake pads worn down 90%. Replaced pads with Bosch BC-1114H @ $52.80.
Jan 2021 26390 mi US $191	Replaced dead battery with Interstate MT35 60 Month battery.
Jul 2021 28465 mi US $3	Replaced passenger rear stop light bulb Phillips # 7443 @ $2.50.
Aug 2021 29030 mi US $7	Replaced passenger side wiper blade 17 inch @6.99.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Aug 2015 - Jun 2022
Dec 2021 46000 mi	Recall item: automatic gearshift switch malfunctioned and key would be stuck in ignition. Dealer had to reproduce the problem (which was happening about 30% of the time) in order to fix. Luckily they did.

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Dec 2015 - Jun 2018
Nov 2017 19840 mi	The November 2017 32,000 service included front brake pads, which seemed a bit early to me as we are not heavy drivers.

Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Feb 2016 - Jun 2022
May 2020 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.

Subaru Forester in Louisiana, United States Jan 2018 - Jun 2018
Mar 2018 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.
Jun 2018 16000 mi US $135	oil change at dealer

Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States Feb 2017 - Feb 2018
Feb 2018 36000 mi US $80	Alignment Ghost walked

Subaru Forester in Massachusetts, United States Sep 2015 - Jan 2022
Feb 2018 39000 mi US $944	TPMS module damaged by water which overflowed from a clogged sunroof drain line.
May 2021 102864 mi US $644	Repair loose converter heat shield

Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States Jan 2017 - Jun 2022
Apr 2017 20000 mi	Alternator Replaced
Nov 2019 85000 mi US $200	Wheel bearing
Jun 2021 114000 mi	CVT Transmission Replaced
Mar 2022 122000 mi	wheel bearing

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Subaru Forester in New York, United States Jul 2015 - Jun 2022
Dec 2015 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
Jun 2016 24000 mi	blower resistor failed again so no air from a/c vents. settings 1 through 4 did not work
Jul 2019 90000 mi US $1400	throw out bearing went, installed new throw out bearing and clutch, cv axle was seized so repaired that as well
Jun 2021 120000 mi US $800	Bushing for front lower control arms needed to be replaced. bushings were gone due to ordinary wear and tear

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Subaru Forester in Malaysia Jan 2020 - Jun 2022
Aug 2020 49600 mi	The Lower arm bushes of both RH and LH were replaced. The castor angle was corrected as the vehicle was shifting to the left.
Nov 2021 62620 mi $400	The air conditioning gas keeps leaking. Bearings for rear wheels - LH & RH - replaced as they were very noisy.
Jan 2022 63860 mi	The A/C gas keeps leaking leading to reduced or no cooling in a few weeks.
Jun 2022 70680 mi $35	Entire Flushing of Air Conditioning system and replenishment of Compressor oil plus the recharge.

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Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States Oct 2016 - Jun 2018
Nov 2016 17000 mi	Fan would only operate on highest setting (4). On setting 1-3, fan did not blow at all.

Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada Jul 2014 - Jun 2018
Mar 2016 17980 mi	Turbo engine recall Software repair spark plug mis Fire
Jun 2016 19220 mi	Engine shake excessive vibration, cleaned carbon buildup from intake valves. Shake came back within three days.
Jul 2016 19620 mi	Engine shake appears again -carbon buildup in cylinder 1&3. Removed air intake to perform more cleaning. Still intermittent shake.
Jan 2018 34100 mi	Excessive roadway noise into cabin Leak in crank case which leaked onto the exhaust and into cabin Also leak from transmission pan plug

Subaru Forester in Arizona, United States Jan 2015 - Jun 2022
Feb 2016 23300 mi	transmission torque converter seal leak
Mar 2016 25000 mi	Axle seal leak
Jun 2016 30000 mi	Noticed oil seepage around spark plug cover.
Feb 2018 51000 mi	Transmission was leaking, replaced entire transmission with a new one
May 2022 95000 mi	Transmission leaking. They said it was a residual leak from a previous repair, so no repair. I’m still monitoring the issue.

Subaru Forester in Washington, United States Apr 2015 - Dec 2017
May 2015 2000 mi	The left rear view mirror came from the factory with a distortion resulting in an unclear image. The reflection in the mirror looked like a camera out of focus.

Subaru Forester in Wisconsin, United States Aug 2014 - Jun 2022
Feb 2017 34000 mi	Infotainment Bluetooth issues. Performed 16 software updates. Low outside temperatures caused a squeaking fan belt

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Mar 2014 - Feb 2017
Jan 2017 13620 mi	Audio system failure and battery died. Both replaced. Audio would freeze and then crash when pairing Bluetooth device

Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States Jun 2014 - Oct 2015
Jul 2015 9500 mi	2 spots of dirt found trapped in between the front windshield glass.
Oct 2015 12000 mi	Had the windshield replaced then had to return for horrible dash rattle.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Sep 2014 - Jun 2019
Dec 2015 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.
Dec 2016 29000 mi	Pan was leaking CVT fluid around seal.A fresh silicone seal was implemented and leak is gone for now.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Nov 2014 - Dec 2017
Feb 2015 2760 mi	numerous instances of engine light coming on, Dynamic stability, eye-sight, all disabled. several trips to get sorted. reset it, but broke the next day. Reset and waited for part, charcoal canister in fuel line.broke again, replaced sensor After the garage called Subaru tech, they finally fixed the problem. Had to do with two sensors and resetting computer. Frustrating. Don't know why safety systems (Dynamic control, eyesight) go off when sensor in fuel line does.
Jun 2015 7440 mi	Check engine light still coming on frequently. Have now replaced 2 filters, valves on both sides of engine, and most recently, after consulting with Subaru tech: wiring connectors. Very frustrating. Another trip for the engine warning system. Again it had to be reset.
Jul 2015 8440 mi	again engine light came on. Also purge valve on tank failed, almost impossible to fill up. Had flat tire just after getting off expressway. engine light was on, so dynamic stability program off. had the tire blown on highway, cld have skid. again, engine light, also purge valve fixed, and engine light system rechecked. Apparently connectors failed. This on going problem finally cleared. NO RESPONSE from Subie customer service after twice contacting them. Not happy at all!
Apr 2017 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.
Oct 2017 44640 mi C $750	70k service, but they also said I needed totally new brakes (pads and rotors). Since car comes off lease in month and a half, I just did pads. they said I was down to 2mm. I changed pads.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Dec 2014 - Jun 2018
Mar 2018 22940 mi C $100	Reset engine light
Jun 2018 27900 mi	Alternator Abnormal output

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Sep 2014 - Jun 2022
Sep 2017 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.

Subaru Forester in Washington, United States Nov 2014 - Feb 2017
Sep 2016 41000 mi	Dealer that did Wqw57 in April failed to tighten turbo hoses, hoses cane loose and car stalled.
Feb 2017 49000 mi	Po420 code, replaced front cat Po420 code, dealer reflashed ECU

Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States Apr 2015 - Dec 2017
Nov 2017 49000 mi	wheel hub replaced.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Jul 2014 - Mar 2018
Oct 2015 19000 mi	Dealer noticed cracked exhaust hanger bracket. Replaced under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada Mar 2015 - Nov 2021
Sep 2016 19220 mi	Engine issue resulted in limp mode where all driving assist systems were disabled (eye sight, traction, abs etc). Dealer could not detect issue because car computer does not keep a record of symptoms.
Oct 2016 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.
Jun 2017 30380 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.
Aug 2017 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.
Dec 2017 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. Replaced the glass (hit by a rock) with OEM but not from Subaru dealership. Subaru refused to recalibrate the EyeSight because I didn't purchase it from them.
May 2018 42160 mi C $200	Needed new brake pads
Sep 2021 84320 mi C $700	Compressor failed. Condenser was also weeping oil.
Oct 2021 85560 mi C $100	Rough idling. Check engine light kept coming on then off. Sometimes several safety systems would fail then go back online.

Subaru Forester in Texas, United States Aug 2015 - Oct 2020
Dec 2016 18000 mi	Head unit displayed a service error and lost bluetooth connection intermittently. Dealer replaced head unit under warranty.
Jun 2017 25000 mi	Bluetooth unit died for the second time. Dealer replaced unit for the second time. Known issue.
Sep 2017 29000 mi	Bluetooth connection drops multiple times each day. Known issue. Dealer unable to repair.

Subaru Forester in California, United States May 2021 - Jun 2022
Jun 2021 98000 mi	CVT transmission was replaced by dealer under warranty. All the dash lights went off, signaling the problem. Fortunately, this was a problem known to Subaru, which extended the warranty for the transmission to 100,000 miles, and this failure occurred before the car reached that mile marker. The transmission was jerky before. After the replacement, my MPG went up by 2 mpg.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Oct 2015 - Nov 2015
Oct 2015 1000 mi	Problem: check engine, VDC, traction control, hill start assist, cruise control lights all came on dash. Stuck in [s] mode. Dealership replaced a solenoid associated with the emissions system (returned to dealer later w/ same issue). Dash lights came back on within a couple days of first repair. Dealer replaced MAP sensor (repair unsuccessful, lights came back a couple days after).
Nov 2015 1000 mi	Dash lights returned following 2nd repair. This time dealer replaced ECM computer. Solution is so far successful after 1 week.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Dec 2015 - Mar 2016
Dec 2015 18000 mi	rear hatch auto open was not working properly

Subaru Forester in Kentucky, United States Jan 2015 - Jun 2022
Jun 2021 106000 mi US $1000	Multiple [transmission] leaks

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Oct 2020 - Oct 2021
Mar 2020 107 mi US $597	Wheel bearing needed replaced.
Sep 2020 110000 mi	Rear coil springs were replaced under warranty, subject of a recall. Replaced sensor harness under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Colorado, United States Oct 2014 - Feb 2017
Nov 2016 24700 mi	Brake switch malfunction - would not illuminate rear brake lights and caused difficulty starting. Brake switch was replaced.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Jan 2015 - Jun 2022
Mar 2017 6200 mi	Sometimes power liftgate cannot be opened by the button at the liftgate. Power reset was done.
Jan 2018 8680 mi	Oxygen Sensor failing.
Oct 2021 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.

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Subaru Forester in Quebec, Canada Jun 2014 - Sep 2020
Dec 2015 26040 mi	When the oil change was done at 40,000KM a small oil leak was found on the transmission cover and housing at the gasket joint.

Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada Apr 2014 - Dec 2016
Dec 2015 9300 mi	Very slight oil seepage.
Nov 2016 16000 mi	Rear gate opener switch

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Jul 2015 - Sep 2018
May 2017 10731 mi	pinging at times - may have gotten bad gas

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Subaru Forester in Ireland Mar 2014 - Jul 2016
Nov 2014 9540 mi	Rattle from area of B Pillar when turning. Dealer found loose screw inside plastic trim and refitted. Problem persists and return trip will be required.
Jul 2015 21160 mi	Loose fitting (screw) found inside B Post and removed. Also Driver's side head restraint would not tilt. Found to be a problem with leather fitting too tightly. Dealer fixed.
Feb 2016 32060 mi	Front doors continually moving against seals when shut, causing alot of noise. Requested investigation and adjustment to rectify.
Jun 2016 37820 mi	Raucous rattle developed from engine when idling. Rattle lessened as engine speed increased. Loose turbo heatshield identifed as root cause. Heatshield tightened and problem fixed.

Subaru Forester in Queensland, Australia May 2015 - Jun 2018
Jun 2016 16120 mi	Rear door malfunction
Dec 2016 24180 mi	Rattle in heat shield. Still present and will return car after Christmas holiday
Feb 2017 24180 mi	Exhaust system had split which was causing harsh noises in acceleration. Replacement of defective portion of exhaust has repaired identified problem

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Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Mar 2015 - Dec 2021
Jun 2017 24000 mi	Suspected leak of the sun roof was investigated. Nothing was found but the water channels were cleaned

Subaru Forester in California, United States Apr 2016 - Apr 2016
Apr 2016 17000 mi	Bluetooth sync problems.

Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States Jul 2015 - Mar 2017
Feb 2017 8700 mi	Battery died within 18 months of purchase. Replaced under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Apr 2016 - Jun 2022
Jun 2017 76260 mi C $900	All brake pad and rotors replaced due to wear
Sep 2017 83080 mi C $65	Replace rear wiper arm
Sep 2018 103540 mi C $570	Changed left rear wheel bearing

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Aug 2016 - Jun 2022
Dec 2016 7000 mi	Defective battery replaced under warranty
Mar 2019 9700 mi US $800	Replace power rear gate motor
Jun 2022 13000 mi US $275	Repair leak in windshield washer hose underneath cowl

Subaru Forester in Idaho, United States Mar 2014 - Mar 2019
May 2017 36000 mi	oil/water sensor defective, leading to CEL. Replaced.

Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States Jul 2014 - Jun 2018
Apr 2017 5000 mi US $135	Replaced the battery.
Jul 2017 17000 mi	Replaced alternator and tensioner; under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States May 2016 - Jul 2018
Jun 2016 23000 mi US $120	Radio ordered, needs to be replaced, Bluetooth does not work
Apr 2017 34775 mi US $250	Brake rotor(s) resurfaced Brakes checked Rear brakes replaced
Sep 2017 39985 mi US $80	Battery Replaced

Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States Sep 2015 - Apr 2017
Sep 2016 20000 mi	brake light replacement

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Mar 2014 - Jan 2022
Apr 2017 27 mi C $272	Went in for scheduled service. Was tod less than 1mm left on rear pads. Decided to replace both.

Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States May 2015 - Jul 2018
Jan 2018 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.

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Jan 2015 - Aug 2021
Feb 2020 88000 mi US $672	replaced rear brakes
Jun 2020 90000 mi US $350	Noise and driving issues [axle]
Aug 2021 135000 mi US $450	Valve body replacement, still not enough to be road worthy. Car traded in

Subaru Forester in Indiana, United States Jan 2015 - Dec 2020
Jun 2019 59970 mi US $1200	Replaced rear pads and rotors

Subaru Forester in California, United States Jan 2015 - Feb 2022
Jul 2019 44000 mi	Recall on brake light switch

Subaru Forester in Alabama, United States Nov 2014 - Jun 2022
Jul 2018 46000 mi US $125	Rear brake pads worn down to metal. Replaced pads and rotors.

Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States Jul 2015 - Mar 2022
Jan 2022 103000 mi US $1800	Overhaul, including valve, fluid

Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Jan 2021 - Jun 2022
Oct 2021 130000 mi	rear springs were broken, replaced under recall
Jun 2022 134000 mi US $60	sway bar bushings and end links

Subaru Forester in Missouri, United States Jan 2015 - Sep 2023
Nov 2022 92000 mi US $1000	Front axles

Subaru Forester in New York, United States Oct 2020 - Jul 2022
Apr 2022 119000 mi US $599	replaced rear wheel bearing No hi beams. Bulbs replaced.

Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States Dec 2017 - Jul 2022
Jul 2022 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.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada May 2014 - Oct 2021
Mar 2021 27900 mi C $4000	Total failure of the transmission. Replacement cost with labour was $13,000, I opted for a used transmission with labor for $4000.

Subaru Forester in California, United States Jun 2017 - Feb 2022
Jun 2018 17000 mi US $150	Brake sensor malfunction locking the transmission in Park. Dealer replaced the Brake sensor under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Texas, United States Jun 2014 - Mar 2018
Jan 2018 119000 mi	Transmission fluid was overheating at speeds as 77MPH. Had been going on for some time. One day a lot of lights came on. Fix was to replace a valve body on the transmission. Apparently the torque converter wasn't getting enough fluid to fully lock which caused overheating.

Subaru Forester in New York, United States May 2015 - Jun 2022
Nov 2017 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.
Jan 2021 42964 mi US $100	Several clamps on the exhaust system heat shields rusted out and were rattling. Dealer replaced with new ones.
Jun 2022 54000 mi US $450	Both rear wheel bearing/hub assemblies needed to be replaced. Car was vibrating and making a humming noise at highway speeds Replaced rear rotors and pads

Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States Jan 2017 - Jun 2018
Oct 2017 30000 mi	Squeak - tailgate latch - greased

Subaru Forester in Montana, United States Oct 2014 - Jun 2022
Oct 2017 18000 mi	A pillar trim loose and rattles, display cowl rattle, instrument panel trim rattle
Nov 2017 19000 mi	Bluetooth intermittent failures required replacement of audio system

Subaru Forester in Minnesota, United States Apr 2014 - Jun 2022
Aug 2017 31000 mi	Brake light switch replaced.
Jan 2020 50000 mi US $216	Rear passenger coil spring broke

Subaru Forester in Washington, United States Jul 2014 - Jun 2022
Dec 2017 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.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Jan 2017 - Feb 2018
Feb 2017 25000 mi	Warning lights would come on even though nothing triggered it (ie aggressive driving, etc). Bad [wheel speed] sensors. Replaced under warranty

Subaru Forester in New Hampshire, United States Mar 2014 - Jun 2018
Feb 2018 71000 mi US $65	Routine battery replacement

Subaru Forester in Georgia, United States Apr 2015 - Jun 2022
Mar 2018 82000 mi US $300	Left rear wheel bearing worn and making noise. It was replaced.

Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada Sep 2016 - Jun 2022
Feb 2018 22500 mi	At 35,000km- factory battery failed load test. Subaru honoured warranty & replaced battery.
Jul 2021 52700 mi C $1200	I went to the Coquitlam Subaru dealership 2 days before for an oil change & asked them to o check the brakes since I heard a slight squealing noise; was told they were fine. Enroute to the ferry terminal my brakes started smoking - immediately after taking the ferry to Vancouver island I had an emergency brake replacement at the Nanimo BC dealership since I had another 2 hour drive North to go sea kayaking in a remote are. Couldn’t risk the chance of loosing my brakes completely. I’m still upset that the Coquitlam SubRu dealership didn’t take any responsibility for a false diagnosis.

Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States Jul 2014 - Jun 2018
May 2017 41500 mi US $550	Both rear wheel bearings replaced Replaced rear brake pads and rotors

Subaru Forester in Washington, United States Jun 2015 - Jun 2018
Jun 2016 23000 mi	Diode for heater/AC fan went out. Repaired under warranty.
Feb 2018 62000 mi US $1400	Front strut tops worn or damaged. New struts installed.
Apr 2018 64000 mi US $1400	Rt front axle, CV joint clicking
May 2018 68000 mi US $800	New brakes

Subaru Forester in Kansas, United States Aug 2014 - Sep 2018
Sep 2016 37000 mi	Trans went into "neutral" while on hwy. Coasted to stop, engine wouldn't start. Shop foreman said, "probably a leaf got into intake and messed with mas flow sensor. They have seen this happen before."!!! Unbelievable.
Feb 2018 59000 mi US $69	Suddenly started using oil. Dealer replaced PCV valve, problem cured.

Subaru Forester in Virginia, United States May 2014 - May 2017
Jun 2016 19000 mi	Car developed intermittent starting issues. Diagnosis was faulty brake light switch, which prohibited the keyless start button from receiving the "brakes on" signal it needed to engage and allow the car to be started.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Apr 2014 - Jun 2018
Oct 2016 36500 mi	Rips on side of leather seat (driver side)

Subaru Forester in District of Columbia, United States Oct 2014 - Nov 2016
Nov 2016 32000 mi	Entire transmission replaced under warranty due to a failing bearing.

Subaru Forester in Arizona, United States Aug 2014 - Jun 2022
Mar 2015 12000 mi	rattling/fluttering noise coming from dash. Related to speed of car. Suggested to dealer that it may be related to speedometer cable. They could not reproduce the noise. We still have it.
Jun 2017 36000 mi	Struts for rear hatch were replaced under warranty. They were becoming very noisy and were about to fail.
Nov 2019 72000 mi US $500	Wheel bearing failing, left rear
Oct 2020 83000 mi US $25	replaced brake light burnt out bulb
Nov 2021 97000 mi US $500	wheel bearing replaced, right rear
Mar 2022 102000 mi US $1000	Transmission overhaul

Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States May 2014 - Jun 2022
Feb 2015 6000 mi	No audio, amp was blown. Dealer ordered new amp and installed.
May 2017 26000 mi	Vehicle wouldn't start (would go into accessory mode only). Replaced Faulty Brake Light Sensor and battery.

Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States Jul 2014 - Jun 2022
May 2016 15700 mi	bluetooth disconnects repeadly
Sep 2016 20000 mi	Bluetooth disconnection problem.

Subaru Forester in Texas, United States Aug 2014 - Feb 2017
Jan 2016 16800 mi	Replaced brake fluid due to sponginess on brake pedal. Loose rear view mirror causing squeaky noise. Dealer tightened screws to fix.

Subaru Forester in Washington, United States Aug 2014 - Jan 2022
Jun 2016 24000 mi	Hatch release not working - hatch couldn't be opened
Aug 2017 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.
Oct 2017 42000 mi	Rear wheel bearing failing - dealer replaced under warranty

Subaru Forester in Utah, United States May 2014 - Nov 2019
Mar 2016 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.
Mar 2017 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.
Sep 2017 71000 mi US $50	A/C selector switch failed to route air through dash vents and required replacement.

Subaru Forester in North Carolina, United States Jan 2015 - Mar 2018
Mar 2016 17000 mi	Cover over center info screen rattles like crazy. They heard it on a test drive but couldn't find the cause. They finally ordered a new cover to see if that is the cause. At present, it is still not corrected.
Sep 2016 22000 mi	Vibration rattle coming from the info message area of the dash. Dealer replaced part, but rattle still continues. Goes away in warm weather.
Nov 2016 27000 mi	rattle in dash. still not fixed. only happens when it is cold outside
Oct 2017 40000 mi	Apple did an update to the iPhone and now the bluetooth is working!
Feb 2018 44000 mi	Very loud vibrating noise when moving. It stopped when I got to the dealership.
Mar 2018 44000 mi	Rear deck would not open with touch pad. Dealership reprogrammed the lift gate

Subaru Forester in Indiana, United States Jan 2016 - Jun 2016
Jan 2016 12000 mi	Oil Leak
Apr 2016 17000 mi	Faulty Brake Switch essentially shut down the computer system. Had to use a screwdriver to override the interlock.

Subaru Forester in Denmark Jun 2015 - Aug 2015
Aug 2015 4960 mi	A hose in the right side between the turbo and the engine was disconnected. In two occations errors in tracktion, emision and high engine temperature systems was reported and the engine runs at higher speed than normal. No indications on computer. Battery terminal disconnected for 5 minuttes and problem solved. Emission partikelfilter light was flashing after 7500 km. No indication in computer. New software was installed and problem solved.

Subaru Forester in Washington, United States Aug 2015 - Jun 2022
Mar 2016 7000 mi	There's a loud chirp sound from the front of car when transmission goes into reverse and brakes still applied. Dealer far away. I will visit Dealer when more things go wrong to make that trip more worthwhile.
Jun 2016 9000 mi	USB port in center storage comartment does not work.
Nov 2017 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. Front Drive-line still chirps when put into reverse on first start on the day using OEM tires. Does not do this when winter studded tires are installed on a seasonal basis. Go back to OEM tires in spring, chirp returns.
Feb 2018 22000 mi	No start condition. Had to put system in 'acc' mode (press start button once with foot off brake). Once in 'acc' status, foot on brake, press/hold start button for up to 15 seconds and engine finally started per owners manual. This no start condition happens randomly.
Jun 2018 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.
Jun 2022 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.

Subaru Forester in Maryland, United States Sep 2014 - Jun 2022
Sep 2016 52000 mi	Air bag sensor light came on. Dealer checked system, no problem found. Reset light
Mar 2017 69000 mi	Lug bolt replaced
Sep 2017 88000 mi	Bluetooth quit working. Radio unit was replaced

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Jun 2015 - Apr 2018
Oct 2016 16500 mi	TPMS light wouldn't go out. Bad sensor

Subaru Forester in Michigan, United States Apr 2014 - Dec 2019
Dec 2015 45000 mi	The last time the dealer rotated my tires the kid doing the rotation cross threaded three lugs on one rotor. When I bought new tires, the tire dealer couldn't get the lugs off without breaking the studs. Dealer had to replace studs & lugs.
Jan 2017 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.

Subaru Forester in Delaware, United States Jan 2015 - Jul 2018
Jan 2017 49800 mi	This vehicle is currently experiencing the high oil consumption common with previous years.

Subaru Forester in Texas, United States Oct 2014 - May 2015
Apr 2015 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.
May 2015 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.

Subaru Forester in California, United States May 2014 - Jan 2019
Nov 2015 16400 mi	ABS, Traction Control and Stability Control warning lights on dash.

Subaru Forester in Virginia, United States Jun 2014 - Feb 2019
Jan 2016 33200 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.
Aug 2018 70000 mi US $95	HID low beam bulb replacement

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Subaru Forester in Ohio, United States Apr 2014 - Jan 2022
May 2015 11000 mi	Excessive oil consumption, 1 qt every 1800 miles. Had the oil consumption test performed, Subaru determined consumption WAS excessive, and will try to repair. Taking the Forester in today for repairs. Will report results when I have details.
Jun 2015 11000 mi	Subaru confirmed the "oil consumption problem". Had piston rings and stack replaced. Will go back in to check oil consumption after 1200 miles to see if problem corrected. After repair, my gas mileage IMPROVED 5mpg .

Subaru Forester in Texas, United States Jan 2021 - Aug 2023
Apr 2021 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.
Jun 2022 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.
Sep 2022 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.
May 2023 137000 mi US $20	A/C recharged. Very slow leak. Keeping an eye on it.

Subaru Forester in Ontario, Canada Dec 2020 - Jun 2022
Jul 2020 93000 mi C $450	Clutch pedal went to the floor. Needed new master and secondary cylinders and hoses. Clutch pedal went to the floor. Needed new master and secondary cylinders and hoses.

Subaru Forester in Pennsylvania, United States Apr 2014 - Jun 2022
Apr 2022 68000 mi US $200	Both rear wheel bearings became loud - replaced both rear wheel wheel/hub assemblies.

Subaru Forester in Indiana, United States Jun 2015 - Jan 2022
Oct 2016 19700 mi	Driver side window regulator

Subaru Forester in Arizona, United States Sep 2014 - Oct 2017
Nov 2016 23400 mi	ABS, traction control, and hill descent control lights were on. Dealer pulled codes and replaced bare light switch under warranty.

Subaru Forester in Oregon, United States Apr 2015 - Apr 2017
Sep 2016 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
Oct 2016 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
Jan 2017 34800 mi	Power cuts to engine intermittently when fuel gauge reads 1/4 or less. Suspect bad fuel sending unit, despite there still being fuel in tank. Towed to dealership and replaced under warranty
Mar 2017 38000 mi	Vehicle died again while driving down the highway. Gas tank had just under 1/4 left (2 bars). Would not restart. Towed to local dealer. Vehicle started for them when they went to bring it into shop next business day. Conducted extended road tests, and diagnostic tests were inconclusive. This has happened several times now.

Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Aug 2014 - May 2020
Oct 2014 3000 mi US $80	"Low oil level" warning light came on three times while odometer was still under 2000 miles. Took the car in for an oil change in order to more precisely monitor oil use over the next 1200 miles.
Jan 2016 27300 mi	The car light indicating low oil levels began at 2,000 miles. It has continued intermittently since. The car (currently at the dealership). Oil use tests indicate it will need a new engine block, sensor, and have the computer re-set. Unreal
Sep 2017 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.

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Subaru Forester in Luxembourg Jan 2015 - Jun 2018
Feb 2017 31000 mi	replace the turbo which was operating well but abnormally noisy

Subaru Forester in Alberta, Canada Sep 2016 - Jan 2019
Apr 2018 40300 mi	C Service destroyed fuel/air (F/A) sensor. Has been on backorder from Japan for over a month. Waiting...

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Subaru Forester in New Jersey, United States Feb 2015 - Oct 2020
Aug 2017 33000 mi US $1	Blower replaced Window motor replaced

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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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Subaru Forester in British Columbia, Canada May 2016 - Sep 2016
Sep 2016 27280 mi	oil leakage

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 Washington, United States Jul 2017 - Aug 2021
Mar 2018 84000 mi US $100	Bolt holding shock on right front was rattling and was replaced

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 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 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 Pennsylvania, United States Aug 2015 - Jun 2018
Oct 2016 36300 mi US $20	Stop light switch

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 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 Virginia, United States Aug 2016 - Apr 2017
Dec 2016 63000 mi US $385	Headlights continually going out even after new build.

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 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 California, United States Aug 2016 - Jan 2017
Jan 2017	Backup camera and tail light bulb outage.

Subaru Forester in Illinois, United States Nov 2013 - Dec 2015
Sep 2014 10000 mi	a clip was broken in the dashboard

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 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 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 Iowa, United States Dec 2014 - Dec 2015
Jul 2015 28000 mi	Catalytic Convertor Went Bad

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 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 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 Quebec, Canada Sep 2017 - Jan 2022
May 2018 85560 mi C $1000	Drive axle replaced Ball joint replaced

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 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)

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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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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 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 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 Pennsylvania, United States Jan 2014 - Sep 2015
Jun 2015 10000 mi	Timing Belt tensioner needed adjusted.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 Oklahoma, United States Feb 2013 - Nov 2017
Apr 2015 35000 mi	Radio face display loose. Still worked satisfactory.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Georgia, United States Jan 2014 - Jun 2017
May 2015 14400 mi	hand brake needed tightening

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 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 California, United States Jul 2013 - Jun 2018
Feb 2016 15900 mi	Rattle coming from roof area when sunroof open.

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 - 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Dec 2015 - Jan 2022
Jul 2021 90000 mi US $700	Replace suspension parts in the rear wheels.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Connecticut, United States Sep 2017 - Mar 2018
May 2017 70000 mi US $500	Wheel bearing replaced Replaced wheel bearing

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 Nebraska, United States Sep 2015 - Mar 2018
Sep 2016 32000 mi	Cruise control sensor went bad

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 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 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 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 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 Beijing, China Sep 2013 - Jun 2018
Jun 2018 27900 mi $600	leftback spring shock absorber oil leak

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 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 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 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 Western Australia, Australia Dec 2020 - Jul 2022
Jun 2022 68200 mi A $220	Wheel stud jammed on, needed replacement

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 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 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.

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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 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.

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.

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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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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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See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs

See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.

2018 Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

2018 Subaru Forester repair cost distribution

2018 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2018 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2018 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2018 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2017 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2017 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2017 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2017 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2017 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2016.5 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2016 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2015 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2015 Subaru Forester 4-door

2014 Subaru Forester

2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2014 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV

2014 Subaru Forester 4-door

2018 Subaru Forester Repair Histories