Subaru Forester

"Calipers and rotors have been a problem from around 2014 up to present. I believe this is a defect that should be worthy of a recall. I have replace rotors and calipers about 5 times since 2014"

"Right rear caliper "frozen" causing abnormal pad wear and rotor wear. Both rear rotors and pads replaced. Right rear caliper replaced"

"Caliper malfunctioned (right rear) and caused pads and rotors to wear prematurely. All needed replacement (rear only)"

"please see previous comments"

"same situation as with the rotors"

"Had 2 sets of calipers plus extensive pad and rotor work done in the past three years. No explanation as to what caused this."

"Front Calipers froze and will not release. Brake. Rotor and wheel overheats due to dragging brakes"

"These were repaired in the back, related to the failing brakes and master cylinder"

"replaced left rear caliper and rear rotors and rear brake pads"

"Calipers freeze up and damage the brakes cause bearing failures, and are expensive to replace"

"rust"

"Calipers seized - needed to be loosened & lubricated"

"seized"

"Rear brake caliper seized up and entire brake system for one wheel was replaced"

"The rotors have definitely been a problem. The calipers have been replaced as well but only once. Suspect the problems are related"

"Caliper broke, forcing me to replace it and the opposite side caliper along with it"

"Repeat problem with Forester. Calipers seize, causing excessive wear on rotors resulting in both parts being replaced. Has happened on all four wheels. Also happened (repeatedly) on 2002 Forester"

"Left rear seized. Calipers shouldn't seize. Resulted in replacing both rear calipers, rotors and brake pads. Rotors and pads had been done one year earlier by Subaru Dealer...not good"

"Leak in brake fluid line, one master caliper locked up. Lost nearly all brakes. I think it was related to subsequent recall, but Subaru disagrees"

"Multiple brake caliper freeze ups resulting in two calipers, rotors, and pads needing to be replaced in the span of the last 12 months."

"Had to replace rear brake calipers. Replaced them 2 years ago."

"Have had to replace 3 of 4 calipers for piston seizing, each twice beginning 6 months after owning the vehicle."

"Brakes went out while driving! Towed it to Midas. They repaired the back calipers/brakes, but said it would not hold pressure. Traced to the malfunctioning master cylinder,so replaced that. Cost was $1500 total. No other car has this ever happened,"

"This was only routine brake maintenance, and was not a problem."

"replaced rear brake pads at 44000 miles"

"Most of my driving is done in the city so I use my brakes often."

"Car began to buck when brakes applied."

"had a dragging caliper but it was about time for new brakes and rotors anyway"

"Was told breaks need to be repaired."

"Driven on gravel roads"

"Pads wore down to replacement level."

"Needed fixed, got it done."

"breaks wore out more quickly that normal. Blame again focuses on the incompetent dealer service facility"

"front discs/pads replaced at 74200 miles"

"both front and rear brake pads had to be replaced and rotors ground"

"Rusted Discs after 4 years of low millage use"

"diagnosed with $800+ of brake repair; normal wear on front pad; calipers not functioning correctly"

"brakes needed to be replaced"

"At 45000 miles brakes needed repair. They were so bad that dealer would not let me drive car and gave me a loaner"

"Problem with brake lines"

"Rear Rotors and Brake Pads replaced"

"No problem, just worn brakes"

"brake pads and rotors warn due to majority of miles driven in city traffic"

"Rear brakes needed replacement at 32000 miles. I thought that was too early, however checking Google, it seemed to be normal"

"High dealer costs"

"Normal brake wear caused sqeaking and grinding noises"

"How can a car with 2700 miles have brake problems.with the roters.. It is garage kept and well maintained. I will not buy another Subaru when I look for a new car"

"Expensive Brake work to repair at a dealer this year. Mostly Pads and rotor rotation"

"Pads needed replacement"

"Brake pads and rotors had to be replaced!"

"Brake shoe fell off. Manufacturers recall"

"Always seem to be putting brakes on this car when taken in for yearly inspection"

"it is expensive to replace the front and rear brakes. I am hard on the brakes at times. I do drive a bit fast"

"Didn't notice a problem, was informed that my brakes needed repair during a maintenance check at 135,000 kms. No other problems with this vehicle. Love it"

"I felt it needed brakes much to soon"

"Nothing out of the normal, just wear and tear. The repair cost was about 1,100.00"

"My husband had been ill and I doing all the driving to medical appointments and wasn't able to get the Subaru into the shop for brake replacement/repair. The brakes were still slowing and stopping as needed, but noises indicated that parts were wearing out. The manager showed me what was wearing and I knew I could pay for the repairs after his death and before the license examination."

"Brake oil leakage"

"Pads worn out."

"Front brake noise after about 2 months. Pads were worn out and rotors deeply worn beyond repair. I installed new pads and rotors. Works well now."

"Rear brake pads wore out"

"Brake shoe on one rear wheel failed causing the parking brake to be only marginally effective. May have failed due to failure (human or mechanical) of the brake to release and being driven causing overheating"

"On cable was frozen resulting in intermittent vibration. Not a serious problem but costly because it was difficult to determine the problem"

"Premature wear is directly related to poor quality rotors. Any mechanic will tell you that the cheapest and poorest metal is what rotors are made of."

"Had to replace rotors and pads"

"Pads, rotors and/or calibers had to be replaced every 15,000 miles. The problem was caused by calibers not sliding properly on its pins. The eventual mitigation was to grease these pins every 7,000 miles."

"had a complete brake job, with less than 20,000 miles on car"

"Have only owned car for about a year. Bought from Subaru dealer who claimed they had upgraded all deteriorating items prior to sale. Can't be sure if brakes were excessively worn at time of sale or not. If they were, then we should consider their failure to be 'normal wear and tear'."

"This is the same as reported for the 2009 Subaru. The brake parts just do not stand up as expected, resulting in major brake jobs much more often than expected."

"Brakes didn't last as long as the previous subaru I owned"

"Rear pads wear out faster than the fronts. I've never owned a vehicle that has done this before"

"on second set of pads and rotors in rear. suspect traction control because my hooligan days of driving never happened (officially). Quality of pads and rotors fell a little light"

"At 35,000 miles rear brakes were at 2mm, replaced and resurfaced rotors. At 50,000 miles, both rear and front brakes were at 2mm. Front and rear brakes were replaced and rear rotors had to be replaced. Front rotors were resurfaced. Checked forums online and others were also complaining about rear brakes wearing prematurely"

"Pads and rotors have been replaced twice at about 60,000 miles the first time and 50,000 the second time. Dealer said they should only get 45,000 miles--way too few. 60,000 miles is way to few in my opinion"

"I have replaced brakes twice. This is my third Subaru and the same has happened with all of them. Great in the snow but will not buy another one"

"We use the brakes very little (live in the country), don't drive that much and are very cautious drivers and apply brakes smoothly and not hard. Nevertheless, the brakes have been replaced at least 3 times that I recall (from two different servicers, one here and one in FL and both, in our experience, very reliable) and tend to rust up if the vehicle is not driven almost daily, especially when it is rainy. The braking system seems to be, frankly, total garbage.. I will add b/c not sure where to"

"Rear brake pads failed suddenly leading to rotor damage requiring replacement of rotors. This happened 2 times in the past 2 years"

"They, Suburu says it's fine but the break doesn't break easy anymore and it grinds a little"

"with the ceramic type brake pads, i dont get one year out of them. ive owned the car for eight years and ive had six complete brake pad changes with new rotors each time. my brake mechanic tells me its becaue of the ceramic pads. when the pads wear out, they pretty much wear the rotors,"

"Not sure how premature this brake wear is, but I have never had to replace brakes at 45,000 miles. Usually at about the 60,000-mile mark"

"Both rear brake pads and rotors were replaced at only 29,000 miles. These were original parts on a new car purchased in 2010 and driven only 7,000 miles per year. Little stop and go driving. Mostly highway type mileage"

"I have had to replace brakes at approximate 30,000 mile intervals (twice)"

"Breaks seem to be worn out at 26000 miles. Brake pads needed to be replaced"

"The rear brake wore out faster than the fronts. Research on forums reveals that the Subaru brakes harder on the rears sometimes to prevent the nose from diving. But the rears are undersized for this use and prematurely wear"

"Premature brake wear; brakes not performing properly. Dealership replaced rotors and performed recall work"

"left rear brake pad worn thru and seized in bracket causing damage to rotor and caliper front rotors rusty and in need of resurfacing. happened at 20147 miles"

"We do not make heavy or sudden use of brakes but these have been replaced twice in 30,000 miles with rusting being a major part of the problem (also on under body). Very bad"

"noise that trigger brake system replacement"

"Rr brakes replaced @ less then 50K"

"Car had 16,000 miles when I bought it in 2013. Around 36,000 miles I was told the rear brakes needed replaced"

"Right Rear brake pads worn down, had to have pads,rotors and calipers replaced"

"replaced rear brakes at 56000 mi. Seems early"

"Safety Recall"

"sqeeking noise stso brakes while driving"

"rust caused brakes to drag"

"rear brake pads have needed replace 2X in past 18 months"

"At 30K miles I needed to replace all brake pads. I do not do very much "stop & go" driving. I thought this wear was premature"

"Rear Brakes needed to be replaced at 30000 miles"

"CAR IS USED FOR BOTH HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING BY A NON-AGGRESSIVE DRIVER; BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 65000 KM"

"I think the brake cylinder was ceased"

"Front brakes had to be replaced at about 15000 miles. Back brakes at less than 18000 miles. Recall to have brakes inspected and anti corrosion material applied to brake lines. Dealer stated we did not drive car enough!"

"There was a recall for the brake lines corroding"

"Second set of rear brake pads in five years. The last change of pads resulted in rotor replacement and brake fluid change"

"The rear brake pads and rotors have been replaced twice on my 2010 Subaru.Rear brake shoes were replaced at 30,000 and shoes and rotors at 60,000. My last car was a 2003 Saturn Vue with 95,000 miles and it had one rear brake repair"

"Replace rear brake pads and brake rotors. This was done in 2014"

"had to replace brakes in yr"

"The vehicle has 78000 miles. Pads and rotors have been replaced 4 times. All four calibers have been replaced twice"

"Simply put, the brakes on the forester need replacing more often than other cars I have owned"

"The calibers don't slide properly on it's pins, which causes break pad and rotor wear. The only solution is to grease the pins every oil change. If not greased, the pads, rotor, often both have to be replaced every 15k miles. Subaru explains the problem as not their problem."

"Brakes never last very long,10,000 miles"

"Brake pads wore excessively fast due to caliper pistons sticking."

"pulsation and vibration related to caliper seizing problem."

"I live on a steep hill. I need to use the brakes a great deal in the winter. I have not fix this problem yet. I do not believe it is a safety issue merely annoying at this point."

"front brakes not functioning properly"

"Not really regular brake failure, but I was the subject of a potential brake line failure recall that was an inadequate fix and the recall work had to be done a second time"

"Brake pads and rotors in need of complete replacement"

"Bad rotors made of inferior materials -apparently the case with ALL rotors - causes the downtime for brake failure."

"The rotors do not last very long."

"despite low driving miles repairs were indicated for rotors these were replaced to insure safety"

"Have replaced all rotors twice now"

"Just seem to wear quickly only able to turn once"

"Warped after 140000 miles"

"had to replace them at 40000"

"I've had three major brake repairs since buying the car in 2011, including cracked master cylinder that leaked fluid and brakes failed. The most recent was last month--nearly $1,000 for new right roter and new pads on rear wheels. Car was subject recall for brake defects but Subaru twice denied that any of my problems were related to the recall, and no repairs were covered by the recall, even though the recall description seemed to match what actually happened"

"Just worn. Had to be replaced along with pads. Okay"

"rotors had been replaced in 2015, were rusted and required replacement 9,000 miles later. Probably due to salt on roadways"

"Rotors needed replacement after driving in local traffic"

"They rusted out and had to be replaced."

"rear brakes and rotors had to be replaced after short time"

"Well, I had the brakes replaced due to wear, but don't think it was 'premature'. There was a recall due to issues with the brake lines, but I didn't see a place to indicate such"

"Replaced at only 29,000 miles and described as unable to be turned"

"warpedrotors"

"Subaru Svc replaced all four roters for $944 after only 37000 mi, claiming they were grooved and warped. I photoed them and showed them to ind. Subaru mech. who confirmed they did not need replacing. Complained to Subaru and they reimbursed me $400"

"Rr rotors replaced @ less then 50K"

"see previous answer..pads, rotors and caliper had to be replaced on right rear wheel...unknown cause of failure"

"Was on vacation when brakes started making grinding noises. Decided to drive home to go to regular dealer as I'd heard that the dealer in the area tended to overcharge. (About a 500 mile drive.) Had to replace rotors - was told this was b/c I cont"

"Brake pads on rear rotors were completely worn down to the metal after 23000 miles"

"Replacement recommended at next regular service"

"I am on my 3rd set of rotors due to premature corrosion"

"I had no problem w steering or vibration or uneven wear until my tires were rotated by Subaru. After alignment there is still a problem, so now I am told to replace rotors"

"So far we have had 3 sets of rotors on this car which seems excessive, however the dealer does not recognize any problem beyond normal wear and tear"

"Needed rotors reground twice in the past year"

"Rotors were replaced in 2014"

"they rusted"

"Every time I took this Subaru to Bill Kolb Jr. they told me that the brake pads were "fine". When I took it to another garage for the NY State Inspection, they told me the rear brake pads were very thin. After the inspection, I took my car for a routine oil change and I told the people at Bill Kolb Jr. to check the brake pads, especially the rear axle. Again, these were "fine", but when I took it to the next oil change, the rear brake pads had worn out and damaged the rotors, which had to be replaced. Another reason I lost confidence in Bill Kolb Jr."

"After changing pads, still squeezed for 2-3000 miles"

"normal ware. just very expensive"

"Noise when backing. Replaced pads and rotors. Solved problem"

"After roter and pad repairs on rear wheels, there's still a squealing noise when I apply brakes, and repair garage has not yet identified the source"

"Noise is actually from the heat shield near the exhaust manifold that started becoming loose about 3 years ago. Required clamping the heat shield at multiple locations"

"It’s getting louder by the day"

"breaks squeaked. dealer was unable to fix it. An independent repair shop remedied to problem. I won't return to this Subaru dealer for service. It is incompetent."

"Grinding sound in the brakes. Service said it was rust and would go away. It did"

"It is a manual transmission car. When I shift the gear, there is a rattle noise I believe at the high engine speed"

"Grinding noise when break. Matter of fact we are taking it in for repair tomorrow. Also couple of recalls. Overall, we really like it"

"Buildup of road crud seems to have led to wearing of brakes and much squeaking. This has happened twice to this vehicle."

"It started squeaking loudly when I would turn corners."

"I don't recall the details but it is apparently a common problem on 4 cylinder engines. Two weeks to repair and cost around $2K."

"I noticed oil dripping in garage, so took to dealer where I purchased it, as I also have always used the Subaru dealer service dept. They explained that it was my head gaskets. I eventually I made need to replace them. I did some research and reached out Subaru directly. We have owned two Subarus, and my children own Subarus. Subaru agreed to take care of all the expenses based on our famuly brand loyalty, It cost me nothing, and they sent us a Yeti Cooler as a gift on top of taking care of it."

"cylinder head gasket leak required repair."

"Lithia replaced both the head gasket and left and right cylinder heads in my 2010 Forester at 56000 miles"

"Being past the 2000000 mile mark, it is known for the head gasket (total engine reseal) needs to be done. Total costs for engine work was $2502.92. At Johnston's Subaru Dealer in Middletown, NY"

"The engine simply seized up. My mechanic called it "catastrophic failure. It was cheaper to buy a used engine than to fix mine."

"Jiffy Lube technician discovered problem. Took it to the dealer."

"I had to have the head machined to prevent an oil leak."

"the Short block needed replacement"

"We bought the car with a blown engine. My husband rebuilt it. It appeared that the engine had probably been overheated at some point, which was likely the cause of the engine failure. It runs great now."

"The engine block blew. The top part of the engine was replaced. After appealing the warranty company replaced the engine w us paying the deductible"

"Rebuild required (around $3000). Can't remember why"

"My car has consumed, not leaked, excessive amounts of oil well into the 2nd year of owning the car. It reduced my gas mileage from 21 to 18 and, in the end, caused an engine rod to start knocking 250 miles from home. If Subaru wants to continue to say that there isn't an oil issue then they should lower the mileage between oil changes from 7500 to 3000 to start. Also, not a single idiot light turned on before or after this happened."

"If the engine computer is replaced, make sure VIN number is updated."

"Engine shut down a second time due to a faulty hose that failed. The repair shop fixed the problem."

"Had to replace engine after losing engine oil without realizing it (no leaks). There was no indication of a problem, no sensors activated, until engine developed a problem. Last oil change was 8,000 miles prior; dealer stated 3K is limit"

"bad"

"At 70K the Manager at Subaru told me I needed extensive engine repairs due to Head Gasket leak, etc. This was the 2nd Forrester that this happened with. I don't think I want to buy another Forrester unless they guarantee that this will not happen a"

"Loose connecting rod bearings on 2 pistons. Short block installed under warranty"

"During a 300 mile trip, all of the oil somehow leaked out and the engine seized"

"the oil uptake stopped working. That meant no oil to the rest of the engine, causing it to seize"

"Car received regularly scheduled oil changes as recommended by Subaru. However, engine burnt off all oil and seized w/o warning, requiring full replacement (covered by powertrain warranty, thankfully)"

"despite all recommended servicing, oil changes, etc., engine lost all oil ( it was not checked by owner due to illness - but stlll driven) and had to be replaced"

"Had new engine installed due to "throwing a piston" after abnormal oil consumption by engine. Engine had consumed nearly all 5 quarts of oil leaving no lubricant for pistons to function properly"

"Almost $3000. Was told flat boxer engine known for early failure"

"leaking head gasket needed replace with only 60,000 miles on car; contacted manufacturer and dealer replaced at discount"

"Head gaskets failed at 84000"

"leaked"

"Leaking oil from one of the head gaskets. They had to pull out the engine to replace the two head gaskets. An over $2500 repair cost."

"Severe oil leak from head gasket, had to be removed and sent to machine shop, advised to replace timing chain , water pump spark plug and wires when into engine with this millage. Was told this was very typical of Subaru's. This was a good mechanic who I trust!"

"A head gasket should last longer than 114000 miles. Cost was high at $2838."

"Head gaskets failed - $2000 repair job. It is my understanding that this is not an uncommon problem with this engine in cars of this vintage"

"2.5L SOHC head gasket failure for several model years. I knew it before buying and will repair it. Really like the Forester. Finally bought a Subaru after noticing the good quality consumers have reported for several years. Usually a Honda and Toyota man, but the Subaru symmetrical AWD impressed me in the Michigan snow last winter."

"Head gasket leak. Gasket replaced. Water pump and timing belt preventatlvely relaced at same time."

"Head gasket is leaking oil and requires replacement"

"oil seepage indicated the head gaskets needed to be replaced."

"Took vehicle in for routine maintenance at 122,700 mi. Always have maintained vehicle in accordance with Subaru specs at the dealership. Surprised to be informed of leaking head gasket and that this would take a week to repair and at a cost of $2,900. I've never had a vehicle have head gasket problems, not my Ford at 175K or my Toyota at 214K. An Internet search revealed that this is a common Subaru problem for 1996-2011 vehicles. Pretty upset with Subaru that they used defective gasket materials for so many years and models. I would NEVER recommend buying a pre-2012 used Subaru with over 70k mi unless the head gasket was already replaced."

"This is a known problem with Subaru engines. Why can't they anticipate this and manufacture these without this as a future problem? It was a very expensive fix."

"head gaskets on the forester commonly fail. subaru did not offer any discount even though the problem was the no fault of our own."

"Leaking head gasket at 67000 miles. Subaru doesn't take responsibility for this common defect. Dealer service manager suggested a new leased car so repair problems wouldn't come up (I declined). After complaining to Subaru they sent me $500 coupon toward parts or service."

"Smelled gas and oil. Mechanic told me a 9 year old car with only 74k miles that I've taken for regular service religiously needs $4k worth of work to repair head gasket. He told me it's a known issue. Car is worth $5k on Kelley. Very disappointing."

"The head gasket started leaking around 72K miles. That was a very expensive item. They recommended doing the timing belt at the same time. Almost $4,000. Very expensive. It was replaced with a better quality gasket...I hope..."

"shame on subaru canada. burning 2 qis of oil between oil changes is not normal as you claim. i have a 53 year old convert well over 200000 miles that burns less than a qt for same miles. subaru US, did help with headgasket cost. not canada because they know they can get away with it. shame on cr for high rating on a suv that i would not want to sell to someone else. the forester has been a champ on so many levels... the widely known headgasket problem and subrau's failure to assist is the reason i've switched to toyota1"

"The Head Gasket Design nhas been redesigned by Subaru, and faailure of this compnent in models from 2013 on has been minimal compared to earlier models. We are loyal Subaru customer, so upon rreaching out to Subaru Corporate customer service, the y agreed to resolve all charges involved with the work to replace the Head Gasket"

"Persistent head gasket leak required engine to be pulled around 95000 miles. Got the engine practically rebuilt with all gaskets, seals, belts, and liquids changed while it was out. Cost was about $3000."

"The side near the battery has a small leak and the car loses about a quart of oil every 3000 miles or so. This is a common problem for this vehicle."

"Head gaskets failed, Subaru covered repairs. Hidden warranty"

"Blown head gasket repair $2000 total bill"

"started leaking at 90000 miles - told it was common in subarus"

"The head gasket is leaking oil. The dealer charge to repair is over $2000.00 The vehicle is 7 years old, 88,000 miles I have heard Subaru has had head gasket problems for years. I would liked to have know that when I research the vehicle before I bought it"

"Burns oil"

"Seepage of oil and coolant led to replacement of head gaskets at about 94000 miles"

"The head gasket was beginning to leak and as a result, when I had it fixed I was told to replace the timing belt, water pump, and more expensive components"

"Oil leaked into the cylinder through faulty gasket"

"Went to the dealer with a noise problem and for routine maintenance and that's when we found out about the head gasket and other engine problems"

"Oil leak turned into a head gasket failure. This was a $2500 repair I didn't choose to do"

"We noticed an oil leak. We took it to the subaru dealer and they said we need to replace all of he gaskets in the engine (i.e. head gasket, etc.)"

"At the 105,000 service, mechanic found the head gasket was "weeping" in several spots; replacement strongly urged - along with all the other gaskets and seals needed to get to the head gasket. $1,300 on top of the $800 to replace the timing belt, water pump, thermostat and coolant"

"Perfect maintenance. Car ran great. Oil, antifreeze,and other fluids and tire rotation all taken care of at specific intervals or even earlier. Retired mechanic and all my other 50+ cars went way farther than this Subaru. Slightly showed up at 82,000 miles. Just got it back from CarrSubaru in Beaverton Oregon. $2600 bill. Subaru of America gave me a $500 good customer credit towards the bill. Head gasket problem and excess oil consumption seems to be the dirty secret out there with"

"Head gaskets are leaking at only 120K miles"

"Head gaskets leak. Subaru informed me that this is typical of this vehicle at around 150,000 miles. Close to $3000 for repair"

"The dealer says the oil leak is due to a problem with both head gaskets and the repair cost is about $2300. In addition, the engine also runs rough according to the dealer due to issues with ignition coil and spark plug wires which are estimated to cost about $750. Symptom of the prolem is the engine does not run smooth and seems to miss a beat or two"

"Head gasket weeping found during 105,000 mile timing belt and water pump replacement. After appealing to Subaru corporate, the entire $1,300 cost of head gasket replacement was reimbursed."

"Persistent leaking."

"leaking gaskets replaced at approx. 98000 miles"

"Single layer head gasket had to be replaced at cost of about $2,000. Unfortunately, typical and well-documented with Subarus at about 100,000. We chose to invest the work and keep an otherwise reliable vehicle on the road."

"Head gaskets should last longer than 114000 miles."

"Dealer performed a free check on several systems when the car was in for air bag replacement, and mentioned head gasket was a problem. I did not realize this generation of the Subaru is notorious for this problem. It explains problems I've been having with lower gas mileage and rough idle. I did a compression check and found one cylinder at 180, other three at 210. I am relatively handy, so I am taking it apart next weekend, and if I can't fix it, I'll junk it. As a side note, the dealer estimated that there was $5,100 worth of maintenance needed on the car (including $2,550 for the head gasket). I expect to do all of their suggestions for about $1,200. The car has a blue book value of $2,500, so I'll probably be reporting on a new car in next years CR survey."

"We had problems with oil leaking from the head gaskets. It started around 80000 miles. We kept driving it and just added oil from time to time. Around 200000 miles coolant started dripping from the head gaskets. We then had the head gaskets replaced. No more leaks."

"Both left and right cylinder head gaskets experienced oil leaks at the same time."

"Head gasket had to be replaced after 78000 miles"

"Very surprising and very expensive to need a head gasket replaced at 46000 miles."

"Head gasket failed at 72000 miles and again at 111000 miles. It's a $2000 repair."

"On all of my Forester issues, Subaru America customer service was called twice...they contributed about $2000 of the repairs. Repairs were all done by the dealer."

"Seems to be common knowledge that poor engineering of the head gasket on the Subaru Boxer engines results in gasket failure in the 90,000 mile range. The cost of repair is $3,000."

"One side was slowly leaking oil. Since the car, overall is so reliable and problem free we decided to keep it and repair it."

"Had a head gasket fail at 80,000 miles. This is what caused the overheating issue. Personally a head gasket at 80m miles is rediculous for a car that was always serviced as prescribed. Never abused!"

"Head gasket deterioration after 63000 miles. This is apparently an ongoing issue with the side-mounted Boxer Engine; and the 2009 redesign did not correct"

"Started as a small oil leak. Our mechanic told us , about this mileage, the engine needs a little overhaul. We. Had it done. We got new seals, head was planned flat, new timing belt."

"This car has head gaskets that fail at 100K miles. Buyer beware!"

"at 70K the Head Gasket needed to be replaced. Subaru Manager contacted Subaru Manuf and they agreed to cover the cost (3K). This was the 2nd Forrester I had that had the problem. Subaru claims they have "fixed" this problem but many models have the s"

"Sprang a leak; mechanic said it was not unusual for that car"

"About 45 days after an oil change , I checked the oil level, and found it to be 2 qts low. I added the oil and took to dealer. They found nothing wrong. About 2 months later same condition. Mfg covered head gasket replacements with 61k miles"

"During a routine oil change, by a Subaru specialist, I was told I had an oil leak in the driver side cylinder of the head gasket. It was part of the power train warranty. I took the car back to Lithia where I originally purchased the car. They rep"

"The head gasket failed at 60, 150 miles (just out of warranty). The dealer covered the repair as a good will gesture. I have bought 3 new Subaru's from this dealer, a 2015 Impreza for my daughter in March 2015"

"I had both head gaskets fail. One had failed before under warranty. Subaru split the cost of the current repair"

"oil leaking"

"42,000 miles and head gasket leaking. Vehicle has slow easy miles from mature drivers. We learn that the leaking head gaskets are a common problem with Subaru engines, but had heard NOTHING about it in prior to purchase Consumer Reports testing rep"

"Vehicle misfiring on one cylinder, mechanic suspects a burnt valve"

"Brought the car in for a recall on the brake lines when they discovered faulty head gaskets. Because it was a Certified Used Car, it was covered under my warranty. Both were replaced"

"Started leaking oil."

"To replace the engine gasket is very costly in terms of labor since the engine is flat-4. I have to settle with gasket leak liquid bought from Amazon as a temporary measure."

"I had my mechanic perform the repairs. My car was probably within warranty, but I would not trust the dealer to fix it."

"oil seepage Head gaskets were replaced also thermostat, timing chain, radiator and hoses"

"Problem begain to happen at 50000 miles"

"Leaking oil for a while. At a small local repair shop they didn't mention it. We took to SUBARU for recall service asked them to look and they told us we need the head gasket replaced, which required an engine rebuild."

"Started April 2020,with a fluid leak that required a major repair of head gasket"

"Head gasket leak repair was expensive (>$3k) for the mileage and age."

"After purchasing, has my mechanic go over. Thet tell me headmaster in Subaru all leak. Keep an eye on it, top off with oil. Its about 2500 to repair. So far no problems"

"Know issue with this model and year. I was told the head gaskets were "sweating" a couple of years before the repair and had the repairs done last year in order to prevent further problems. I believe the head gasket issue has been remedied in later year models. However, it shouldn't have happened and was very expensive to repair. But I do drive my vehicles more or less "into the ground" before purchasing a new one and hopefully the Forester will last several more years before I need to buy a new vehicle."

"Oil continued to leak. Had to replace otherwise would risk engine failure."

"Head gasket failed. Should never happen on modern vehicle."

"Both heads were leaking about 1 quart of oil per 1k miles. I had the head gaskets replaced to avoid complete failure."

"With 180000 miles, oil leak indicated that it was time to replace head gasket. Did timing belt and water pump at same time."

"leaking head gasket was repIRED"

"Minor oil leak was checked when vehicle was returned for an unrelated recall. The problem has not been repaired as the cost is close to the value of the vehicle and it is driveable."

"Faulty head gasket was discovered during routine maintenance. There was no drivability issues. Car was returned to Car Max for warranty work. They kept the car for two weeks but provided a loner vehicle."

"Leaks"

"parts cost went up from 1,000 to 1200 also replaced water pump"

"Engine stopped while I was driving. Car was pushed to side of the road and then taken by truck to the dealer for repair."

"See previous comments"

"Same as previous response - went in for routine maintenance and was told about this"

"Replaced, unscheduled, $1,000"

"Timing belt was past normal replacement mileage. Fuel economy was suffering. cost to replace belt was somewhat higher than anticipated."

"time to change"

"Timing began to fail as indicated by "check engine" light. Leading to changing belts, and associated equip. Another "check engine" notice MIGHT have been Turbo prob, but appears to have been a less expensive part that failed."

"Timing belt got old and cracked and broke taking the valves out with it. 82,000 miles and nine years of Arizona heat did it."

"I had to have a banjo bolt in the turbo replaced, as the filter in it was clogged and affecting the oil flow to my turbo. This was repaired free of charge under my (purchased) extended warranty"

"Turbo was throwing metal pieces into the system and the car not having the same get up and go effect with acceleration."

"Despite routine oil changes, the turbo's oil filter plugged up and all of the engine oil was sucked into the intercooler. Resulting in total engine failure."

"Leak in hose leading to turbo caused shrieking noise when engaged"

"valve replacement for oil feed to the turbo"

"during very cold weather the windscreen and side windows frost over when left outside"

"This was a known problem with Subarus in the 2008 through 2011 year. The head gaskets on the engine were leaking allowing radiator fluid and oil to leak into the piston area. I was one year out of warranty ( November 2016). This was discovered in mid 2017. Initially when I took the car in to The Subaru service department I was told it would be approximately $1800 for repair. I got the service department to drop $100. I then wrote a letter to Subaru headquarters told him of the problem that should have been fixed while I was under warranty. They did split the cost and sent me a check for $850. In addition to replacing the head gaskets and spark plugs, they also replaced the timing belt. Theoretically I know have an engine that is good for at least 150,000 miles if I choose to keep the car."

"plastic plugs not removed from moonroof drainage system resulting in backup/water leakage into cabin"

"car has a "moon roof". If parked on downhill slope, water collects somewhere during rain & leaks inside. Dealer did do something that reduced the amount of leakage, but not stopped it totally. So we don't park facing downhill"

"Roof leaks when car is parked in the rain"

"Door seal tore from my husband's leather belt - my husband leaned on the door frame to slide down into the seat scraping the door seal"

"Windshield replacement replaced by non-Subaru installer cased a common wind/windshield seal noise"

"tailgate"

"Loose heat shield."

"Has had a rattle in the front passenger door since new. unable to duplicate customers concern. The rattle which happens while going over bumps is still there nine years later."

"loose brackets on exhaust system"

"Slight rattling noise when the car first accelerates. Doesn't seem to effect anything, though. We are going to bring it in to see what's up"

"This car has a lot of rattles and squeaks that I can't figure our where they are from nor how to fix them, not for lack of trying. Very frustrating."

"The heat shield was the main rattle but since they changed the oil the last time something else to the tune of $1800 is rattling now. It wasn't making that noise until they changed the oil and filters."

"Engine whines especially while accelerating and can hear constant rubbing noise on brakes. Just seems to be getting worse."

"Odd clunking and groaning from somewhere in suspension. Local garage and dealer could not identify source, but not a serious suspension problem. Cause could be worn/deteriorated rubber grommets due to rough city streets."

"noises/ratles arising from loosening/wear of axel and suspension parts. No major mechanical threat."

"The catalitic converter cover rattles when car is started and going up hills. It has been reattached several times."

"Very loud clattering rattle with engine running at about 2500 rpm. Diagnosed as loose heat shield on catalytic converter, but told it would cost upwards of $1000 to fix due to design of exhaust system. Did not fix since it does not impact vehicle function"

"the heat shields are a huge annoyance. I will not buy another Subaru"

"It makes a terrible noise, skreeching when starting, maybe related to exhaust system or belts, but continues to make noise on the move"

"It's a noisy vehicle. I can't figure out what is causing the sunroof to squeak, but I usually have it cover shut to help keep the noise down. The back hatch also squeaks, but grease does help with that"

"the back seat area has squeaks when going over rough roads, but not highway driving. Started after using it to move large, heavy chest that lay the length of the cargo space over the hinge for the back seat folding down"

"After an oil leak caused by a poorly installed seal when the timing belt was replaced , the mechanic pressure washed the bottom of the car and there is a noise in the exhaust system under acceleration. Sounds like a loose heat shield"

"Heat shield protecting the catalytic convertor has come loose 3 times in the last 7 years. Car sounds like a cheap lawnmower when it starts"

"Back to dealer a few times for interior rattles"

"There's a rattle in the passenger side rear. Haven't been able to isolate it yet nor have I enlisted a dealer's help"

"Heat shield weld broke, difficult to find someone to fix it"

"engine loud rattle during the first 15 minutes of operation"

"very loud rattle from exhaust system at engine start up and during times of idle and driving under 20 mph. Dealer at this point in time has been able to solve and given that the problem is more of an annoyance than a true performance issue, have not pursued it any further at this time"

"Minor noise from back door. Doesn't amount to much"

"A "cover" of some type (under the car) keeps coming loose. Has to be returned to the dealer to be tightened again"

"Over all has always ridden noisy & rough!!"

"Engine heat shields have developed a very loud rattle. Last month my Subaru dealer charged $75 for "heat shield" repair/re-bolt service. So far, the rattle has diminished, not as loud, but still present on start-up"

"The squeaks wee related to the steering problem. It turned out to be a belt that needed adjustment or replacement"

"Required sway bar bushing replacement"

"loose heat shields"

"The Car has always had tin popping noises when the exhaust is cooling down or heating up. Very Cheap manufacturing indicated. The engine is very loud when first started. Calms some once warmed up"

"Underbody rattle began about 90,000 - might be a heat shield, exhaust component, catalytic converter or something else"

"Sunroof has rattled almost since initial purchase and dealer says nothing they can do. Now every month that is an additional noise or rattle that starts up"

"There are multiple heat sheilds on the car. They chronically come loose and make a loud rattling noise. They have to constantly be tightened"

"Road noise, Brake squeal"

"Heat shields around exhaust system are continually loosening up and causing rattles."

"There was a regular squeak or squeal when first starting to drive, especially in cold weather. Turned out to be a belt that needed to be tightened."

"It has been squeaking and rattling, but we don’t know why, will bring it to a local shop."

"see previous comments on vibration & road noise"

"Heat shield came loose"

"They seem to emanate from the back of the car and we can't find the origin. Sometimes they exist and sometimes they don't. We've turned everything inside out and upside down but with no luck."

"heat shield rattle"

"Loud, inconsistent squeak coming from the dashboard."

"Rattling noises from underneath the car, going over bumps."

"The vehicle has had many squeaks, rattles, buzzes, clunks and thunks beginning after one year of general use. The vehicle has not been used off road nor treated roughly."

"Haven't heard yet from the shop as to what's causing the squeaks"

"Rattles in the headliner. Had to blow in expandable foam between headliner and roof to stop the rattles"

"Rattles from interior trim"

"Fan belt squealing and exhaust heat shield rattling"

"Just lots of squeaks and rattles from the rear interior of the vehicle"

"Rattle, may be liftgate"

"tailgate rattles terribly"

"Heat shield came loose around 40,000 miles. Dealer tried to fix it for fee, but it made no difference. Have been told iit can not be tightened, or removed due to warranty on catalytic converter. Just have to wait until it falls off. Friends now h"

"Exhaust shields rattle. Unsuccessful efforts to repair"

"The car has developed some rattles that are evident when driving over rough roadway. The car is ok on smooth roads"

"The failed heat shield mounts cause lots of buzzing and rattles, in addition there are knocking sounds now at the rear of the car. The dealer said he could fix the noisy heat shields with clamps rather than replace the shields, but in only a few m"

"Loud rattles around rear door, and constant thump sound in the rear half of car"

"support arms for back liftgate failed,"

"various noises front dash area"

"back hatch does not always latch"

"Numerous heat shields rattle on the car and are not easily silenced. It becomes hard to distinguish which noises are these benign (but annoying) rattles and which are new sounds"

"Rattle in rear compartment. It was repaired under warranty"