Subaru Forester

"class action suite that we became aware of but not covered in British Columbia"

"lLeaking, replaced gaskets, quite expensive"

"Engine burns a quart of oil every 300 miles. This is a known problem at Subaru. As long as I check my oil bi weekly it runs fine. But for over the road travel I have to make sure i have extra oil in the car at all times."

"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"

"Started shortly after purchase. Excessive fuel consumption. 17mpg. All oil changes were at dealer. Took years to convince dealer there was a problem. Found comments from others online. Short block was too low. Engine was rebuilt 2 years ago at dealer. They either did it poorly or lied about doing it. Engine was rebuilt again last year at a different dealer. Now 21+mpg."

"Subaru was burning a lot of oil. A quart every 2 weeks. Subaru design flaw. The short block had to be replaced. They agreed to pay half, I had to pay $2500. They did not contact me about this issue during the massive recall and lawsuit against Subaru. Totally unfair and I will NEVER own another Subaru again."

"Almost from the day I drove it off the lot as a CPO, it smelled like oil was burning after most drives. After some research, turns out it was subject to a recall as the piston seals were not fitted properly and causing oil to burn. This resulted in drastic oil consumption, and they had to replace the engine block. Since the replacement, it has been functioning acceptably."

"At 45 to 50k miles here was a recall and for the next oil changes there was no charge and then at 62K, I was given a loaner for a week and a new/replacement short block was installed, with little explanation and with no written indication of any extended warranty on the 'no charge' billing print out. Service staff assurance that I was a good customer and where there is a need Subaru takes care of their customers. General direction for me over these months/miles--come in asap if the engine warning light comes on! Guess I would have liked to know more about the problem!! Presumed that engine might have been in a group that was made with a defective part or installation error. This is all I can tell and am glad you provided me with this number of 'characters'!!Thank you, John O'Connell PS In 2011 in the first week of driving I complained that the turn signal sound was very soft and hard for me to hear and asked if an after market 'louder' element could be installed. I was told "NO' but my concern would be forwarded to staff engineers for a possible remedy. No response was received. I would have welcomed a opportunity like this inn 2011!"

"The car had a tune up at the Subaru dealer just before summer vacation. With new inspection and a 100k mile maintenance we drove cross country. The engine seized on the turnpike with no warning. Tow truck can move the car and driver but not rest of family - so we walked several miles to a spot where Uber could pick us up. No subaru dealer was open, AAA took the car and held it and searched for a new engine or buyer. Eventually a replacement engine was installed. It took 6 weeks and cost more than the value of the car (close to 10K). Everyone said that was normal for a Subaru - to seize around 100k miles. I find this car and car company completely unacceptable. The Dealer who maintained it acted like they could not possibly be responsible for this situation. The dealers where it died would not even look at it or talk to us. Why do we still own this car? My husband likes the shape, and its the newest car he can find _without_ a computer screen/nav/bluetooth system."

"They said we could get an engine replacement for free. So we did that."

"Engine always (since brand new) consumed a lot of oil. Subaru dealership said that it was normal. However, I had to start carrying 3 quarts of OW20 (the required oil) at all times. Subaru did not contact me, however, I searched on line and found this to be a common complaint among Subaru owners and some said the dealer can do an oil consumption test. Fortunately I retained the car's service records and took the car back to the dealer for an oil consumption test. The engine failed the test, and to the credit of the dealer, they replaced the short block at no cost and provided a loaner car for 2 weeks."

"Was told many gaskets were leaking (slowly) and that I should get a repair. I have not yet done so, as the leaks are slow enough."

"I complained about the engine using more oil than other cars I have owned. Never had to add oil between changes until this car. The dealer monitored the oil usage and agreed that there was a problem. Subaru paid for the engine rebuild to fix the problem."

"The engine had issues with oil leaking. It would use up to 2 quarts of oil between changes. Eventually the short block had to be replaced which Subaru did without cost on my part."

"This problem was addressed under a standard extended warranty resulting from a class-action lawsuit, I believe. It resulted in complete short block replacement to resolve excessive oil consumption I have observed since purchase. When I requested t loaner vehicle, as authorized by the class action suit, my vehicle repair was accelerated and it was made available to me within a day."

"Engine block was replaced due to excessive oil consumption"

"58k dealer worked on oil leak at head area. Picked up car at dealer an engine knock developed a few days later. Dealer replaced engine short block. After 500 mile trip found air filter housing loose. Also found loose hose clamp. Dealer fixed all this under 60k drive train warranty. At 65k car is operating ok. Probably buy different brand next time."

"Excessive oil consumption. Short block replacement covered by Subaru"

"The 2011 Subaru Forester model year had fleet-wide engine problems. I had rampant leaks which I thought were fixed once they replaced/rebuilt the engine. However, I went in for a routine oil change and they said the cam cages were both leaking and had to be repaired. I trusted CR to help me buy a vehicle in 2011, but will look at CR's reports with a grain of salt. I will never buy a Subaru again."

"Engine used about a quart of oil every thousand miles. Subaru replaced the short block and corrected the problem."

"Had to bring in vehicle to have the engine block raplcement for a 2nd time due to excessive oil consumption. After the 2nd replacement, lost vehicle to dealership for another 6 weeks as the seasla dn sensors were damaged due to the improper level of repair completed by the dealership the first time. While the dealership and company took care of everything free of charge, it was the 2nd major time that I lost use of my vehicle for more than 6 weeks due to a major warranty related issue. dealership always provided a replacement vehicle, but the fact I did not have my own vehicle is a MAJOR source of frustration."

"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"

"Oil was leaking slowly. The shortblock was replaced for free."

"Short block was replaced THREE times. Had to be redone after the first replacement because the tech didn’t put it back together correctly. Then it was replaced two more times. All at Subaru’s expense."

"Short block replacement under warranty"

"Car finally failed oil consumption test (3rd time was a charm). Got engine block replaced - still under warranty, so no charge to me."

"Engine had to have a short block replacement due to excessive oil consumption problem. Oil consumption was about triple what Subaru considered enough for short block replacement. Was using a quart every 1000 miles. Even after repair still consuming 1 qt every 3500 miles. Subaru covered the cost of $4,000 including a loaner vehicle with an extension of the original warranty to 100,000 miles specifically for this problem. Oil consumption was like this from new. The clutch also had to be replaced for $1500 at my cost, and the new one doesn't feel right, and worried it will go soon too. Struts are banging badly and need to be replaced now too."

"extremely heavy oil consumption. 600 miles per quart of oil"

"Engine was consuming oil. It was fixed at a Subaru Dealership, but then it continued to consume oil and refixed again. So far it seems to not be consuming oil at this time,."

"Had excessive oil consumption after 6 years. Subaru acknowledged that this is becoming a problem and offered to do a consumption test. The test verified the excessive consumption. Subaru replaced the engine block for free and provided a loaner better than our own car."

"We experienced excessive oil consumption in year 8 of ownership. Local dealer ran a test, determined that excessive oil burning was the issue and they replaced the engine block at no cost and gave us a loaner until the work was completed. The problem has not recurred."

"My Subaru Forester had an issue with burning oil at twice the expected normal rate of time. Subaru had to replace the block on the engine. There was a recall for this problem."

"took months to get the problem solved, Subaru finally paid for 1/2 the labour"

"Engine burned oil outside of acceptable parameters. Caused major engine failure, including oil leak which caused O2 sensor failure. Apparently, this was a known issue with this model year and an extended warranty was issued after a class action lawsuit."

"THEY KNEW THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH GASKETS BUT NEVER TOLD US AND HAD NO WARNING LIGHT SO CAR BURNED OFF ALL OIL AND THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY SO WE HAD TO PAY $8,500 FOR REPAIRS"

"Recall by Subaru on short block."

"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"

"Head gasket leak caused oil to mix with antifreeze and ruined all the hoses and radiator cap in the cooling system resulting in a burst hose and overheating that left my daughter stranded on the side of the road."

"Recall, head had to be re-planed, a big cost to us took Suburu months to agree to a reduced price for the work"

"The cylinder head gaskets were part of a larger problem required to repair/replace oil leaks affecting the oxygen sensor and the air fuel ratio sensor."

"it always burned oil and then it started leaking anti freeze. This is when the head gasket was diagnosed"

"excessive oil use required dealer to test engine consumption and replace head gasket. problem persists to a lesser degree after repair"

"Third time engine had to be pulled to repair leaking oil from gaskets. These are multi thousand dollar repairs. Car also consumes oil. It is unfathomable that CR maintains this car is one of the best. Check the web. Hundreds of users have issues with this car. The car was a lemon, and I'm not alone."

"Using excess oil. Found to have leaking head gasket. Covered under extended warranty"

"Gaskets began leaking after about 53,000 miles. It cost 1,500 to replace the gaskets. Mechanic suggested that I didn't drive it enough and they dried out. To replace gaskets required the entire engine to be dropped below the car. i complained to Subaru that the car shouldn't have gasket problems at this mileage. They were unhelpful."

"Ridiculous that a car this new had a leaking head gasket. Very expensive repair as they had to pull the engine"

"It needed replacement because of oil consumption: 1 qt/ 1000 miles."

"Valve cover leak which necessitated replacing the valve cover and gasket as well as the air fuel ration sensor, which was damaged due to oil being leaked from the faulty valve cover gasket."

"Head gasket will soon have to be replaced. I understand this is a common problem with the Forester and appears to be a design flaw. Subaru, at one time would support owners with a credit toward replacement but they no longer offer that"

"Head Gasket leaks, two other areas on engine as well are leaking"

"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"

"it was defective; I learned by accident that I wows to alone and that Subaru was the subject of a class action suit on this problem."

"needed to rebuild engine due to head gasket problems, water into oit.. Cost $ 3000 to repair"

"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"

"Engine developed a knock due to low oil. There was no leak, so it was determined the car had burned 4 quarts in under 1800 miles."

"Use oil"

"First had startup knock and oil leak in 2016, no excess oil consumption. Dealer repaired oil leak and timing chain wear pads. One week later loud engine knock developed. Short block was replaced. No other problem to date, May 2019."

"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"

"Major oil leak which was known problem. Subaru provided fix for cars under 100,000 miles but it was not advertised. I found it during an internet search."

"The Vehicle burns a quart of oil every 500 miles. This is a known problem in the 2011 Forester. We just add the oil. It is cheaper than buying a new car."

"Oil engine gaskets failed prematurely. Very expensive to repair. Subaru should have covered."

"It burns through oil-needs oil within 2k after change"

"Started about 6 mo ago, caused a slight smell, never was inoperable. It was a very small leak but it dripped onto a sensor which made the engine light come on and also periodically cruise control would not work. I would have sensors re-adjusted but it would happen again. Since it is still an excellent vehicle and w/low mileage, I had the oil leak fixed (expensive but worth it). Have not had any problems since."

"The mechanic told me that oil was leaking on the gaskets. It would be a costly job to repair. Told to keep an eye out for a different car."

"Engine had to be pulled to replace rear cam seals. 2 years later, pulled engine to replace valve covers that were leaking oil on exhaust manifold. First was just before warranty ended."

"Leaks oil from timing chain cover"

"It was the first year for a new engine. It has problems with burning oil. They lost a class action suit and had to replace the short block if there was excessive oil usage. They claim 1 quart per thousand miles is normal oil usage. Mine wasn't quite that bad, so I didn't get it fixed."

"Continued to leak oil. Had to head gaskets replaced. Had to pull engine to do it."

"About a week after returning from a 3500-mile road trip, I heard the lifters clicking and checked the oil level (the warning light had NOT come on). Had to add 4.5 qt. oil to bring level within the safe range. NO sign of oil leak under the car in the garage. Dealer found leaking gaskets on both sides of the engine. Replaced gaskets all around, resolved issue."

"Slow oil leak or oil drip."

"Started noticing a burning rubber or oil smell. Car was checked for leaks but none were found. It was later discovered that there were issues with the valve cover gasket which was subsequently replaced. However, the oil smell remains."

"still using/losing oil after head gasket replacement"

"No leak, just burns it off. This Subaru uses oil more than any vehicle I've ever owned. I need to add a little every few weeks. My other vehicle will go 10K miles (several months) w/o needing oil."

"Not only does the subaru forester leak oil, but it consumes oil, witness the class action lawsuit. This car requires 1-2 quarts of oil between every 7500 mile change. It is expensive synthetic oil. I have to carry oil in the car at all times as you never know when you will need to top off"

"cam cover leak. Not covered under warranty 103000 miles. 1800 to fix"

"explained in earlier text. Leak was from gasket"

"I have spent almost $5000 on oil leak problems since 47000 mi. still ongoing. No help from dealership."

"Burns to much oil"

"Before a short block replacement could be authorized for my vehicle, the camshaft carrier seal had to be renewed to ensure that my oil consumption reflected the condition of my engine block. This shop time was accommodated by a 2017 loaner Forester, which might lead me to consider trading up."

"Oil leaking from multiple areas of the engine. This is after this was fixed at a Subaru dealer a couple of years ago. I was told that the engine would have to be removed to fix the problem."

"The oil leak was not a big one, but fixing it required pulling out the engine, which would have cost several thousand dollars. Fortunately, Subaru fixed it under warranty."

"At about 60K miles, Subaru service dept informed me of right/left valve cover leaks (fixed), head gasket leaks, oil pan leak."

"not really on oil leak, however there is what i consider excessive oil consumption between 5000 mile oil changes."

"Small oil leaks have begun to appear all over the engine. The service tech says that in about a year, the small leaks will become large enough to require a repair."

"Cam Carrier Seal leaking oil"

"Oil leaks and oil consumption at same time."

"Excessive oil consumption. Isolated to oil leak at engine seals. Major repair at no cost to us. Covered by warranty. Repair shop (authorized dealer) indicated this was a recognized problem, thus the warranty coverage. There was no prior notification from Subaru of the recognized problem."

"huge oil leak---dealer wants $3000 to repair it and I must put a quart of oil in every 3-4 weeks"

"Rather suddenly, the car started losing oil between changes. It had not had any problems previously. No indicator light came on the first time I realized there was an issue even though the oil was very low. what I noticed was that the engine sounded awful. I now check the oil level about every 500 miles & frequently have to top it off."

"in addition to the head gaskets leaking, two other oil leaks in the engine as well."

"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"

"Passenger Airbag recall - replaced by dealer under recall warranty. Oil consumption excessive - this model year experienced excessive oil consumption due to faulty piston rings. When new, I had dealer perform oil consumption test, which showed nothing unusual. I believe more aggressive measures to fix this problem should have been taken by Subaru. Warranty was extended to 100,000 miles from standard 60,000 miles."

"This 2011 Forrester model is famous for burning oil at a high rate when putting on highway miles. It is not so much a leak as a burn - about a quart for a 500 mile high speed highway trip."

"oil leaks from valve cover, timing cover, cam carriers, front seal."

"The Forester has had a slow oil leak that has been allegedly fixed three times by the dealer in as many years. Not yet sure if the third time is a charm"

"Engine leaked oil due to catastrophic gasket failure. Oil covered O2 sensor, causing check engine light to come on."

"Valve Cover Gasket leaked -- needed new gasket, spark plugs, oil change. Over $500 Timing Cover Gasket leaked onto o2 sensore -- needed new gasket, oil change, and o2 sensor. About $1400."

"Had to replace gaskets due to excessive oil leaks"

"Had lower front cam covers replaced to stop oil leaks. Still burns a quart every 800 - 950 miles."

"Dealer repaired engine due to factory recall. Oil has leaked from seals around engine every since repair."

"Oil pan rusted and leaked"

"I had to pay $600 for a repair on a faulty oil seal. The car only had 45,000 miles at the time."

"First had startup knock and oil leak in 2016, no excess oil consumption. Dealer repaired oil leak and timing chain wear pads. One week later loud engine knock developed. Short block was replaced. No other problem to date, May 2019."

"Engine burns a quart of oil every 300 miles. This is a known problem at Subaru. As long as I check my oil bi weekly it runs fine. But for over the road travel I have to make sure i have extra oil in the car at all times."

"I must carry synthetic oil in the car because it is not easy to find in local gas stations. typically, the car leaks 1 quart of oil every 2 weeks. I paid $800 for a repair only to learn that the leak was occurring in another spot also. The dealer I bought the car from(Morristown Subaru, Morristown, NJ) quoted a price of $2400 for that repair and suggested I might try to get some compensation from Subaru."

"Cam Carriers leaking from passenger side. Problem was noted in their service bulletin but never told to the consumers who owned the vehicle with that type of engine."

"Engine oil smell after driving. Subaru said to replace all oil gaskets including head gasket. Very early failure for this many gaskets."

"The engine appears to be using an excessive amount of oil (1/2 quart in 500 miles). Dealer is currently conducting an excessive oil consumption test (warranty expires on 5/31/2019). Also a very small oil leak under the engine."

"I had no idea my model was under recall until I took it to the dealer two times. Finally at 72000 miles, the engine was replaced."

"it is losing/burning oil, have to add a quart between oil changes"

"The vehicle uses aproximately a quart of oil per week. No leaks of oil externally have been found."

"Oil leaking from the timing belt cover spills onto the engine and produces an offensive smell. Dealer says it also caused the failure of the O2 sensor. The suggest it would cost over $3,000 to repair."

"Oil leaks from valve and timing chain covers began shortly after warranty period expired. Not all at same time. As soon as one gasket or seal was replaced, another leak surfaced soon thereafter from another source. Remedy: Replace all gaskets and seals as soon as a leak is detected from any one source. Voila, pas leaks!"

"When tank was filled beyond nozzle click off, I smelled gas inside the car. Mechanic tried simple fix but had to later pull gas tank."

"Caliper frozen/ sticking"

"slides on the calipers ceased causing excessive pad wear."

"I had to replace both front and rear brakes last year. The car was not used for 4 winter months: parked in a driveway. I think the trouble resulted from rusting."

"Both front brackes locked up while driving. Car drivable with noticeable low squeal. AAA mechanic said rotors, pads etc had to be replaced. This was done"

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

"It became noticeable when at a stop light or sign, that the brake pedal would move downward. Indicator of the Master cylinder problem."

"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"

"Front rotors warped when car was not used much during Covid-19 quarantine. Scary shaking of car when braking at 60mph."

"Subaru had us bring it in for the passenger air bag defect, then three months later, again, as the replacement was also defective. Not Subaru's fault. Great customer service at the local Subaru dealership. The 2020 Subaru's are off the chart amazing. That's my next buy."

"Brake pads replaced due to normal wear"

"It needed the brakes completely done, as it is now an older car. Replace brake shoes, etc."

"I have to replace the brake pads on 4 wheels."

"Brakes are always soft. Not likely wear, per se, but the foot pressure required and brake reaction and stopping distance is, frankly, horribly under-designed and requires extreme diligence about road positioning in traffic."

"Needed new brakes to pass inspection after 35000 miles."

"According to my mechanic, the rear brakes were just ready to reach metal to metal. Thankfully, I had them replaced in time."

"The brakes suddenly gave out with no warning last winter. Luckily, It happened just before the highway on ramp and I had time and room to get the SUV stopped after coasting quite a distance. I had to have the car towed to my local mechanic and he completed a $700 brake job. The scary thing was the sudden and complete brake failure with no warning signs whatsoever."

"The parking brake did not stop the car. Even when pulled tight, the car could move forward. The brake would also get stuck. I'd be forced to hit the handle in the car with a stone in order to get the handle to release."

"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"

"Normal wear and tear"

"Brake pads were aftermarket and did not fit correctly, which then damaged rotors. Had to go to dealer and get brand new front brakes (pads, rotors) installed."

"We have replaced the rear brakes twice in the last 35,000 miles. The independent car repair shop says he see this a lot with Forresters."

"Salt-related brake line corrosion"

"The rear brakes need service again, this is the 3rd time that they have worn out, only getting about 24000 mile on average, that is much too low. Front brakes fared much better, lasting 45000 miles"

"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"

"Had the rear brakes replaced,;asted less than 10k miles before needing replacement again"

"several pad replacements, sticking calipers, tendency to trap small pebbles"

"the heat shield clips loosened and caused rattles"

"The Subaru would vibrate And shake violently while braking at higher speeds. Turns out the Rotors had warped under normal driving conditions without excessive brake pad wear."

"Experienced pulsation and vibration at about 5000 mile intervals three times in 2 years. Resurfaced rotors twice but only a short term fix. Third time replaced rotors on all 4 wheels. Installed free by dealer."

"Complete brake replacement @ 40000 miles"

"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"

"normal wear and tear"

"The car was vibrating and I could smell something burning. I took the car to the mechanic and he had to replace the brakes, roters, etc. And that was immediately after leaving the Subaru dealership in Naperville, IL to get an airbag replaced because of a recall. They also changed transmission oil and some other repairs to the tune of approximately $1500. They never said a thing about the brakes. On the way home from the dealership I had to take the car directly to my mechanic because of the vibrating and burning smell."

"Have had front and rear rotors replaced in the last 5 months."

"warped rotors too frequently"

"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"

"See previous response."

"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"

"When grinding and squeaking became pronounced driving at any speed, I took it in for service. Some work was covered by the extended warranty. The dealership did not inform us of brake issues at a regular service check less than half a year prior."