Subaru Forester Engine Problems
Owners have filed 827 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Subaru Forester across 28 model years. The 2015 model year has the most (131). The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (8% of reports).
- 827engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 57mention a crash
- 15mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- $3,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 48%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 63 of 827 complaints (8%)
- Thermo control: mentioned in 46 of 827 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Subaru Forester at $3,600, and half of them between $2,350 and $6,200.
Based on 35 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 450 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 827 complaints, 57 mention a crash, 43 a fire, 15 an injury.
Subaru Forester engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2025 Forester | 4 | 4% | 15,000 |
| 2024 Forester | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Forester | 5 | 7% | 200 |
| 2022 Forester | 10 | 10% | 5,000 |
| 2021 Forester | 33 | 16% | 30,000 |
| 2020 Forester | 81 | 13% | 29,300 |
| 2019 Forester | 106 | 13% | 18,253 |
| 2018 Forester | 32 | 6% | 20,000 |
| 2017 Forester | 47 | 8% | 17,650 |
| 2016 Forester | 60 | 14% | 42,000 |
| 2015 Forester | 131 | 21% | 46,340 |
| 2014 Forester | 69 | 17% | 36,643 |
| 2013 Forester | 27 | 35% | 82,000 |
| 2012 Forester | 27 | 26% | 86,000 |
| 2011 Forester | 60 | 41% | 73,500 |
| 2010 Forester | 34 | 13% | 85,000 |
| 2009 Forester | 27 | 15% | 92,000 |
| 2008 Forester | 7 | 14% | 113,000 |
| 2007 Forester | 9 | 12% | 102,500 |
| 2006 Forester | 11 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2005 Forester | 3 | 3% | 153,000 |
| 2004 Forester | 23 | 11% | 110,000 |
| 2003 Forester | 12 | 6% | 133,000 |
| 2002 Forester | 1 | 1% | 160,823 |
| 2001 Forester | 2 | 1% | 127,358 |
| 1999 Forester | 3 | 2% | 125,700 |
| 1998 Forester | 1 | 1% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2024
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Forester vehicles. The engine water pipe may have loose attachment bolts, allowing the pipe to lose its seal and leak coolant.
Risk: Leaking coolant can contact a hot exhaust pipe, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: SubaruÂs independent distributor processing facilities will tighten the water pipe attachment bolts. The affected vehicles have not been delivered to dealers or sold to owners and therefore, no owner notification letters will be sent. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRO-23.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Model years: 2019
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.
Risk: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger
Model years: 2015, 2016
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2009
Problem: Subaru is recalling 16,715 my 2007-2008 legacy sedans and wagons, my 2008 impreza sedans and wagons, and my 2009 forester vehicles. Some vehicles may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled.
Risk: Vibration would occur while driving and, over time, could eventually result in cracking the pipe which would allow oil to leak. If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, an engine compartment fire could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for cracking or an oil leak at the oil supply pipe at the cylinder head-side. An additional bracket will be installed to increase rigidity of the pipe and the pipe assembly will be replaced with a modified part. The recall began on october 20, 2008. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2004
Problem: On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the cover bolts for the engine oil control valve may not be sufficiently tightened, allowing oil to leak from around the cover gasket.
Risk: If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, a fire could result in the engine compartment.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and retighten the oil-flow control valve cover bolts. The recall began on october 8, 2004. Owners should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Experience a total engine stall while stopped/accelerating at an intersection. The stall triggered immediate 'EyeSight Disabled' and 'Engine Oil' dashboard warnings, requiring a manual button restart in traffic. Had concerns of permanently being stalled in intersection. Taking to dealer for…
I was driving my 2013 Subaru Forester on 10.11.2026 and the engine caught fire driving at 35-40mph. I immediately stopped, and turned off the car. Fire Dept and Police responded and put out the fire. The fire was an oil fire is my best guess (blown head gasket?). The head gasket had been replaced…
On two separate occasions, less than one year apart after Subaru Service replaced my battery with a âlargerâ battery without my knowledge my vehicle suffered sudden, catastrophic electrical failure while moving in active highway traffic, causing an immediate loss of propulsion and creating a…
The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while her husband was driving on a road trip at interstate speed with the contact and her daughter inside the vehicle, the vehicle started shaking violently from side to side. The driver pulled over to the side of the road…
At approximately 500 miles from delivery, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure caused by a malfunctioning PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve, which resulted in oil fumes being expelled through the exhaust system. This is a manufacturing/component defect that should not…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Subaru Foresters have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 827 owner complaints about engine for the Subaru Forester. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Subaru Forester engine?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Subaru Forester?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,600 (half paid between $2,350 and $6,200), from 35 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 63 of 827 complaints, followed by “thermo control” (46).
Other Subaru Forester problems
- Visibility/wiper problems (1,061)
- Air Bags problems (817)
- Electrical System problems (797)
- Power Train problems (556)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (532)
- Suspension problems (415)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (350)
- Service Brakes problems (273)
See all Subaru Forester problems.