Subaru Forester Change Vehicle

“Engine consumed excessive oil. The very thin synthetic oil passed the piston rings and triggered engine replacement under warranty”

“Burns oil, likely due to bad rings. Not fixed”

“The engine block was cracked resulting in oil leaks. Engine was replaced twice before problem was solved”

“Going through a quart of oil in 1500 miles. Its just a matter of time before the engine goes”

“The engines burns an alarming amount of oil! Subaru knows about this but doesn't alert customers. Following the instructions in the owners manual does NOT safeguard against running out of oil”

“despite low mileage the short block required replacement due to a thrown rod. Covered by warranty”

“Needed to replace top engine block”

“Bought car with rebuilt short block. Had to get new short block a few months later. Eventually traded in for a 2015 Forester. The 2011 Forester 5-speed is a terrible car and should be avoided at all costs”

“we were low on oil and running very hot but had no idea .There was no indication on the dash. Also, it was a few months after an oil change so the car must have been using a lot of oil. A service rep told me that they had a few people who's engine”

“24000 miles the engine was knocking . they said it was oil starvation even though the oil light never came on. said it would need a new engine not under warranty. did not have the money so drove it till the engine went out. $8500 to replace”

“Engine began making loud knocking sound while driving. I immediately parked & called a tow truck. Dealer Service reported the engine needed to be replaced but warranty only goes to 60,000 mi. Vehicle has 63,000 mi. & gets regular maintenance. I che”

“Just passed the warranty mileage and the engine is knocking, tick tick ticking. Dealer trying to blame it on my going too long between oil changes, though I followed the recommended mileage changes. Later learned the low oil light does not work. T”

“Problem was oil consumption. Short Block was installed by dealer at no cost to me”

“Started burning oil, likely bad piston rings, engine replaced”

“Rod knock-replaced short block under warrenty”

“They replaced the short block because of excessive burning of oil. Cylinders were bad”

“This model year is well documented as burning oil. On our way home from Florida to Toronto we burned a litre and a half of oil. This is not acceptable. Subaru is being smug in their attempts to cover this up. this is not the only year or model with”

“It was using excessive amount of oil. 2-3 quarts in between oil changes. Subaru said it was the cylinder rings. they are going to replace the short block”

“Excessive oil consumption. Subaru replaced the engine at 53000 under extended warranty”

“From new this car burned approx 1 qt oil per 1000 miles. Purchasing dealer said it was "normal". Moved to anther state last summer and found it 3 qt low in Feb '15. Also when checking it dip stick broke off. Dealer told me about engine design fla”

“Engine was leaking, dealership had to rebuild engine after first rebuilding for rod knock after only one year of ownership”

“The oil would be consumed at a rate in excess of 1-2 quarts per 5000 miles.No oil spots on garage floor.This age range of forester has had internal engine issues causing oil consumption.Subaru dealer investigated and replaced the short block”

“Replaced short block because of oil consumption”

“Our engine died! Subarus are supposed to last forever. Everything seemed fine, we were acerbating/ revving and something blew. We now are looking into replacing the engine. The car has less than 80,000 miles. We still do not know the origin of the problem. Really frustrated”

“Subaru had a recall for 2.5L engines - leaked oil internally and burned the oil. they did a "short block" replacement -- solved the problem and increase mpg and power”

“The engine had an oil burning issues known to the manufacturer. Subaru replaced the engine (short block) at 80,000 miles at no charge to us and provided a loaner car during the replacement work”

“The Forester was burning up oil like you wouldn't believe. The Check Oil light did not work properly which led to the car running out of oil on the highway. The engine seized up and stopped while driving. I had to replace the entire engine. Subaru made me pay for the labour which was over 4$k. I am looking forward to buying a Toyota or Kia for my next new vehicle in a year”

“Oil consumption. First, the dealer said oil was leaking. Then after $2600 for gaskets they did an oil consumption test and found that the ending was burning about a quart every 1200 miles. The only repair for this model is engine replacement. The car is currently at the dealer having the engine replaced”

“Engine replaced under recall program for excessive oil consumption”

“Last summer Subaru installed the third engine. Earlier engines began burning oil after 20,000 miles. Dealer incompetence was major issue”

“The engine started to randomly lose oil. It would start with the characteristic knocking that comes from flat cylinder engines when they were either running low on oil or nearing an oil change. It then began to give low oil lights during hard braking near the time of the oil change. In talking with the service department, they found out that this was an issue with the model year and engine that we had, and Subaru replaced the engine without question”

“Engine was burning excessive oil. Made it just under the 100000 mile warranty. I was always careful to change oil regularly. Subaru paid for a total rebuild, but only guaranteed the work for 12000 miles. I am almost there. Really disappointed as I bought this car because of CR's reliability rating”

“Apparently this model Subaru can cause oil to 'disappear' despite regular fuel checks. On a long road trip, the engine seized up because it was COMPLETELY without oil. Fortunately, Subaru lived up to a settlement agreement and replaced the engine with one that is supposedly free of this defect and provided a 36000 mile warranty on it”

“My car had two major issues. Excessive oil consumption and oil leaks. Subaru dealer replaced short block and replaced a number of gaskets all under warranty”

“Subaru has had to replace the small block, engine gaskets in the recent past. They needed to replace the enter engine, but they took 4 weeks to get this done at the dealer. Subaru had to settle a lawsuit on thousands of 2011-2014 cars that use synthetic oil. They should have had a national recall”

“had chronic oil loss problem, at 980,000 diagnosed by Subaru dealer as eligible for free engine replacement. Engine was replaced by Subaru, no cost to me”

“Due to a failed oil consumption test, Subaru replaced the engine block in my Forester. It was still covered under warrantee, but even had it not been, the results a class-action lawsuit meant that Subaru would have reimbursed my entire cost, including the cost of the consumption test”

“Excessive oil consumption. Engine replacement under warranty, so I'm happy with the way Subaru dealed with the problem”

“The car was burning oil. And twice almost ran completely out between oil changes. I am not used to having to check the oil in my subaru at all. Evidently 2011 was the year they started using synthetic oil for subaru foresters. And Subaru has had to replace the short block for these cars. I am thankful they have stood by their product and at 97,000 they are replacing my short block due to burning 14 oz of oil in 1200 miles. The new short block has been redesigned to keep this from happening. It”

“Dealer testing determined our Forester 2011 was consuming excessive amounts of oil. Entire engine was rebuilt at no expense to us”

“Excessive oil consumption”

“Excessive oil consumption. Company replaced short block after testing for oil consumption”

“Spent money to replace the catalytic converted in order to pass the state inspection (per Subaru dealership). They only charged me for the parts ($1500 instead of $2000) )because I only completed the repair because they told me it would be enough for the car to pass state inspection after ward. Then they told me it would cost another $6000 to replace the engine in order to pass the inspection, that I could not afford to do. The total repair expense would cost as much as the car is worth as a tra”

“The short block was replaced as a result of oil consumption lawsuit. Consumer Reports never said anything about the oil consumption lawsuit settlement effecting significant numbers of subaru cars. Shame on you”

“Forester had problems with oil leaking in the combustion area and Subaru replaced the short block on 2011 Forester”

“Engine burned excessive oil after 9200 miles, shortblock replaced at no cost. Rental car furnished for 10 weeks at no cost”

“Engine was replaced by the dealer at no cost due to chronic loss of oil”

“all caused by faulty adhesive used in manufacturing of vehicle. (per dealership) 3 pages of repairs that had to be done due to leaks, warping etc”

“Oil leak due to bad/out of place gasket in engine; major maintenance covered under warranty”

“Engine is consuming oil at about 1 quart per 1000 miles. Been this way since we bought it. Originally told by Subaru dealer that "this was normal". It is not”

“Check engine light was on due to oil leaking into the A/F sensor. Engine needed to be resealed. $2,500 repair covered by warranty”

“Head gasket leaked oil. Required replacement”

“After complaining that the Forester leaked oil after the small block was replaced, the dealer finally replaced the head gaskets. I have no confidence that the repair will stop the oil leaks. Forester was out of action for 3 weeks during repair. I did get a free loaner from the Dealer”

“I had to have the engine repaired twice. Both times for oil leaks related to the head gasket”

“oil consumption”

“Leak but was covered by warantee”

“Timing chain tensioner noise”

“After shortblock replacement engine made knocking noises upon startup. Replacement of timing chains, tensioners and guides fixed problem. Done at no cost, loaner car provided at no cost”

“Engine has persistent knock and loud valve noise. It was in the shop for 2 months in 2014 and has been in the shop foe almost 2 months in 2015. Currently they are removing the engine and disassembling the top end to look for the cause”

“engine burns excessive oil .6300 miles after last oil change the oil light came on. there where no leaks it took a full 5 quarts of oil. The dealership was not helpful and seemed very defensive”

“Dealer said normal for this model 5 months ago when I complained. Now I learn these 2011 Forrester models have a problem using oil AND the low oil light does not come on, and now I am facing an engine replacement, possibly AT MY COST. VERY DISAPP”

“engine has had loud valve clatter since new. dealer says is normal. engine also eats oil, which dealer says is normal”

“Use oil”

“Had to replace two fuel injectors that at 70k miles.Apparently the problem was not uncommon”

“faulty adhesive used by manufacturer. Major oil leaks head gasket leaks, Dealership had to rework half the engine due to leaks caused by manufacturer”

“Soon after purchasing in 2011, I noticed that I would have to add up to 3 quarts of oil between oil changes. I brought this to the dealer's attention but was told it was normal. They finally ran a test and fixed the problem in 2014”

“Oil weepage from both cam supports and timing cover. Smelledd like oil dropping on the exhaust manifolds when on either short or long trips”

“head gasket leak”

“Latest development, multiple oil leaks. Dealer service had to pull the engine, replacing seals, gaskets, valves”

“Seems to use a very large amount of expensive oil. The dealer "claims" it's supposed to do this. Requires 1-2 quarts between oil changes”

“Car was using a lot of oil, dealer checked and found an internal oil leak”

“Oil control valve failed and was difficult to diagnose. Engine was burning 1 L of oil every 1000 km. Subaru difficult to acknowledge problem. Customer had to diagnose”

“Loss of oil to seal failure”

“Goes through oil quickly. Need to constantly check levels monthly because I'll suddenly be very low. I don't see leaks, it just burns oil”

“Oil leak from valve head ended up in a replacement of head gaskets. When engine reassembled, difficult to seal around timing cover. Mechanics chasing leaks for two months; Subaru Dealership says leaks happen - get over it, but leaking oil atomises on hot engine parts making the car difficult for my wife to drive”

“$1400 repair to leaking gasket”

“Smelled oil burning, especially when engine was laboring going up hills and noticeable when SUV was parked in the garage. Took my Forester in for service and was told I should "replace timing chain cover seals with related parts, and clean oil residue."”

“Engine seals and gaskets were replaced. Cost $2200. Same problem at 80,000. Mile Engine uses Excessive oil even though no more leaks”

“An oil leak developed around the valve cover. Would have been an expensive repair (required engine removal) but was covered under warranty”

“The engine had to be removed to replace a right side leaking cam carrier, which reportedly, Subaru did not install with a gasket (per design) but, sealed only with a Permatex-type sealant between the mating metal surfaces. The drive train 5-year warranty had expired 3 months prior but, due to the extremely low mileage on the car (25000 miles), Subaru ate the cost, except for my having to pay a $100 "decuctible."”

“Burns a lot of OIL!!!!!! And very hard starting!!!! Had that problem for a long time there mechanic can't fix it!!!!”

“Rear cam shaft seals worn, leaked a lot. Dealer had to pull engine to fix. When they reinstalled the engine, they pinched a oil sensor wire, intermittent oil light problems. That took a few weeks to diagnose & fix. Dealer was very responsive”

“Consumes 1 quart oil every 1500 miles. This is a known issue with this model year. Subaru settled a class action suit, and I have heard anecdotally that they will replace the short engine block at no charge if your oil consumption qualifies regardless of mileage”

“Oil leak around timing chain. Repaired twice. Covered by warranty”

“Had the smell of burning oil when idling at a stop light. This has gone on for an extended period of time. Also noticed that oil levels were becoming lower than what I consider acceptable. ~1Q lost over the 7.5k miles between oil changes. Took it in and a valve cover gasket was replaced. This seemed to fix the majority of leaking but there is still some seepage it would seem as it persists. Oil levels still drop some but not a ton. No oil is ever noticed pooling below the vehicle which leads me”

“Increased oil consumption”

“After short block replacement for excessive oil consumption in mid 2015, it has taken 4 tries over 14 months to get the engine front cover to seal properly. No charge for the repairs”

“Oil leaking from engine combined with excessive burning of oil has led to very low oil levels”

“Excessive oil consumption”

“We have smelled oil burning since we first drove it off the lot. The dealer brushed it off, and subsequent visits to have the problem fixed resulted in nothing. The car consumes a lot of oil, and the oil gets dirty very fast. We missed somehow the class action suit that addressed this problem”

“Valve Cover Gasket Leaks and drips on exhaust causing terrible odor. It was in Subaru shop 3 times for repair but the repair never lasts very long. Now that it is past the extended warranty I will not have it fixed again. But I will not buy another Subaru because of this issue. Other than this issue it has been a good vehicle”

“Burns 1 quart of oil every 500 to 750 miles”

“Between oil changes of 7500 miles, which is recommended in manual, I add 2-4 quarts of oil because it is low”

“Forester was using between 2 to 3 quarts of oil between oil changes”

“Gasket leaks leading to further gasket leaks, leading to power steering failure”

“This is the second time that I have had an oil leak, with a cracked gasket. The oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, and can smell like burning oil. I also have found that my Forester burns oil much more than normal”

“do not see any leaks but have to add 2 Quarts of oil 0-30 synthetic about every 5000 mi”

“Corrosion and dirt caused calipers to stick and cause uneven wear of the brake pads”

“The brake light came on several times and had the dealer look at it and determine the brake fluid was low”

“2 recalls for brake pipe anti-corrosion problem. Replaced all break pads”

“Just normal wear”

“Change of brake pads”

“Had to replace brakes”

“Rear brake worn down very quickly. Lasted a bout 30k”

“Premature rotor and pad wear (rotors rusted out) probably from not using the brakes enough (it is a stick shift and the car lives outside in the weather) Needed new rotors and pads at 30,000 miles”

“Rear brakes were completely gone in ~38,000 miles. Front brakes are >50% good. Inspections did not catch rear brake wear”

“Replaced rear brakes after only 50,000 miles”

“This was really a recall for possible premature brake rust”

“At approx 32,000 KMs, the rear brake pads needed urgent replacement. Dealer said normal, but this is my third Subaru Forester (2003 & 2007) and it never happened before!”

“Normal driving conditions, brakes wore very early at only 25,000 miles. Extreme vibration in steering wheel when braking and lost a substantial amount of braking power due to this premature wear”

“We ere not advised to do preventative maintenance to the brakes which resulted in premature wear ouit”

“Brakes too soon. I think the front ones went first before 36000 miles and then within one year the rear ones went”

“I have replaced front and rear brakes and rotors twice in 66000 miles. With my driving habits I typically would get 60000 miles on a single set of brakes. Brakes often have felt soft”

“Went from 5 mm to 0 in 5 weeks”

“Replaced brakes and dealer service rep indicated on a service inspection, less than a year ( @ 6000 mi)laterthat the brakes needed replacement again”

“I was told that the discs were rusting. The car has low mileage and is kept in a garage”

“The brake pads were worn out”

“Brakes wear out more quickly than other cars I have owned. My mechanic says this is quite common on Subarus”

“The rotors continually wear out long before they should. They usually last less than 10,000 miles before having to be replaced”

“I've had to replace all 4 rotors this year”

“Rear rotors scored and the caliber slides ceased”

“Caliper damaged rotor by sticking”

“The brakes failed whilst slowing to make a turn and so the car was checked by the Subaru garage. All 4 rotors had to be replaced due to unusually excessive wear. Previous inspection oversight was considered the reason for the severity of the issue”

“Two sets of rotors - went much quicker than other cars I have owned”

“needed replacement at 80,000”

“They were worn so replaced”

“Rotors rusted very quickly causing grooving of the braking surfaces and brake pads. Rotors rust over night causing noise and rough braking until the rust is ground off by the brake pads”

“All four rotors and brake pads required replacement at 59000 miles”

“All four brake pads and rotors required replacement at 59000 miles”

“When breaking I hear a big noise on one wheel, sounds like ABS. It is intermittent, summer and winter, dry or wet. It was referred twice to my dealer and they didn't find anything”

“Unusual squeak even after new brakes were installed”