2008 Subaru Forester Engine Problems

Engine overheating and causing multiple problems

NHTSA ID

11660719

Incident

Dec 1, 2023

MY ENGINE STARTED FAILING. THE COMPRESSION STARTED RAPIDLY DECLINING THESE LAST FEW WEEKS. MY ENGINE WAS SLUGGISH AND JERKY. I PREVIOUSLY HAD THE CAR SERVICED WITH A NEW ALTERNATOR AND HAD MY EMISSIONS TESTING DONE FOR MY REGISTRATION. THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TO ALERT FOR THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT IT BACK IN AND AFTER SOME TESTING WAS TOLD IT WAS THE COMPRESSION TO THE ENGINE THAT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT IS IN THE SHOP NOW. AFTER FURTHER TESTING DECOMPRESSION WAS EVEN WORSE THAN PREVIOUSLY DIAGNOSED AT OTHER MECHANIC AND THE ENGINE WAS DECLARED TO BE FAILING. I AM HAVING TO GET A COMPLETE ENGINE REMAKE. $8,000.

NHTSA ID

11282975

Incident

Nov 12, 2019

Mileage

113,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT GOLICK MOTOR COMPANY (600 7TH ST, PITCAIRN, PA 15140, (412) 372-7420), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE TIMING BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11175703

Incident

Feb 7, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

MY CAR AS BEEN SEEN BY SUBARU DEALERSHIP SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT IN 2012. I PAID FOR 5 YEARS. AFTER I FINISHED PAYING IN JULY, I JUST DISCOVERED THAT IS AN OIL LEAK , ALL MY ENGINE FROM FRONT TO BACK IS DIRTY WITH OIL, A SECOND OPINION MECHANIC STATED THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW I AM USING THIS CAR FOR YEARS LIKE THAT. BUT THE CAR JUST HAD LAST YEAR A HEAD GASKET CHANGED "BY CHARITY" , OFFER OF SUBARU FACTORY TO ME AND THE DEALERSHIP IN MOLINE, IL DID THE CHANGE. HOW AFTER PULLING DOWN THE ENGINE THEY NEVER NOTICED THE OIL LEAK AND SMOKING. I ONCE WAS THERE WITH MY SON, CHANGED OIL, SMOKE CAME UP, DROVE BACK TO THEM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS AN OIL SPILL PROBABLY. I PAID 283 DOLLARS FOR 5 YEARS FOR A 2008 SUBARU FROM THE DEALERSHIP GLAZMAN, PA WITH 60,000 MILES, I HAD TO MANY EXPENSES THAT I CAN'T IMAGINE A CAR MADE LIKE THAT TO BE SOLD. I JUST FINISHED PAYING THE CAR AND NOW I HAVE A JUNK CAR. I CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER CAR IT HAS ONLY 114, 000 MILES. IT IS VERY UPSETTING WHAT THEY DO TO COSTUMERS. I HAVE NO WORDS.

NHTSA ID

11055018

Incident

Dec 15, 2017

Mileage

114,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ID

11030515

Incident

Sep 27, 2017

Mileage

65,000 mi

IN ONE MILES TIME CRUSE LIGHT WHEN ON THEN ENGINE LIGHT THEN DIED. GOT EXTREMELY HOT.. BLEW GASKETS AND POSSIBLE ENGINE. I HAVE NEVER MISSED OIL CHANGES AND HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10664469

Incident

Dec 3, 2014

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON - FLASHING. I DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO MY LOCAL GARAGE. WHEN I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, I SMELLED A STRONG BURNING OIL SMELL, AS DID THE MECHANIC. THE OIL WAS CHECKED AND I WAS DOWN 2 QUARTS EVEN THOUGH I HAD A RECENT OIL CHANGE AT THAT SAME FACILITY. THERE HAD BEEN NO OIL LEAKS, AND NO STAIN IN MY DRIVEWAY PREVIOUS TO THIS. THE MECHANIC SAW NO ABNORMAL OIL FLOW OR LEAK WHEN HE CHECKED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652111

Incident

Sep 23, 2014

Mileage

172,000 mi

I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. PULLED THE CODE AND RAN IT BY A FRIEND WHO IS A SUBARU MECHANIC. AFTER REALIZING THIS IS A SMOG ISSUE CONTACTED DEALER WHO SAID ITS NOT COVERED UNDER EMISSIONS WARRANTY. I KNOW THIS IS FALSE AS PARTS ARE TO BE COVERED BY LAW UP TO 100K MILES. NOW IT'S GOING TO COST $1600+ TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE IN ORDER TO PASS SMOG. ON A 5 YEAR OLD CAR. BELOW IS A POSTING FROM MECHANIC NOTIFYING FORUMS, FACEBOOK, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO WILL LISTEN OF THE ISSUE (THERE ARE GOOD MECHANICS OUT THERE). ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT, GETTING CALLS ON, AND PERSONALLY SEEING FOR OURSELVES IS THESE AIR INJECTION SOLENOIDS HAVING ISSUES ON THE 06+ MODEL VEHICLES. REMEMBER THE AIR PUMP IS SUPPOSE TO ONLY RUN FOR A SHORT MOMENT UNDER START UP (IT INJECTS OXYGEN INTO THE EXHAUST TO BURN OFF THE EXCESS FUELING AT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS SO THEY WILL LITE OFF). HERE YOU CAN SEE BOTH OF THESE BAD SOLENOIDS AND HOW GUMMED UP THEY'RE GETTING FROM EXHAUST GASES AND MOISTURE. THE CHECK VALVE GETS DAMAGED FORCING IT TO BE STUCK OPEN, WHICH CAUSES CONSTANT HOT EXHAUST GASES TO RUN THROUGH THESE PARTS, YOU CAN SEE THE SEAL ON THE PLUNGER IS LITERALLY DESTROYED FROM THE HEAT. I REALLY HOPE SOA REALIZES THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO GO AWAY. IN THE LAST WEEK WE HAVE TAKEN 5 PHONE CALLS IN REGARDS TO THIS AND TODAY WE ARE FIXING A CUSTOMERS...WHICH IN TIME WILL HAVE THE SAME FATE AS HIS LAST ONES UNFORTUNATELY. HOPEFULLY SOA STEPS UP AND HAS A REVISION AND/OR COMPENSATION (WARRANTY) IN PLACE FOR THIS ISSUE IN NEAR FUTURE. SUBARU CURRENT WARRANTY REBUTTAL IS THEY CLAIM THESE PARTS ARE NOT AN "EMISSIONS" RELATED COMPONENT BUT IT CLEARLY IS AND THEY NEED TO ADMIT TO IT AND FIX THIS ISSUE. SUBARU OWNERS NEED HELP AND SHOULD GET REFUNDS FOR THE COSTS OF REPAIRS THUS FAR! *TR

NHTSA ID

10484974

Incident

Nov 16, 2012

Mileage

60,000 mi

I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY OF 2008. ON FEB. 29, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, AS WELL AS THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I THOUGHT, WHY? I'VE ONLY HAD IT FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS AND LESS THAN 50K MILES. I CHECKED MY OWNER'S MANUAL, AND THE COVERED WARRANTY IS 5 YRS/ 50K MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND AN EMPLOYEE SAID THAT IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY COVERED BY WARRANTY. ON MARCH 7TH, 2012, I LEFT MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THEY CALLED ME BACK, AND INFORMED ME THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BECAUSE CA EMISSION WARRANTY IS 3 YRS/50K MILES WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. I TOLD THEM THAT THE OWNER'S MANUAL SUGGESTS THAT THE WARRANTY IS 5 YRS/50K MILES. THE DIAGNOSIS CODES WERE P2441 AND THAT NOT ONLY I SPENT $138 ON DIAGNOSIS, THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR IT IS $1305. I DECLINED THE REPAIR, BECAUSE I, FOR ONE CANNOT AFFORD IT AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE I AM ON DISABILITY. I THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD HONOR SUBARU'S WARRANTY. I CHECKED VARIOUS SUBARU MESSAGE BOARDS, AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. A KNOWN SUBARU SPECIALIST IN OUR AREA ALSO POSTED ON A MESSAGE BOARD THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY TOOK PICTURES AND SENT IT TO SUBARU. AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM SUBARU ABOUT ANY RECALLS. I THINK IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10453285

Incident

Feb 29, 2012

Mileage

47,600 mi