Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Subaru Forester submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 39 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 39, in the owner's own words
TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 70MPH, CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ALL POWER. WAS ABLE TO LIMP OFF THE ROAD AND WAIT 3 HOURS FOR A TOW TO DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSIS; STAGE 4 BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR SYMPTOMS AND COULD HAVE BEEN A GREATER DANGER IF HEAVIER TRAFFIC. HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS KNOW ON EARLY MODEL SUBARU'S.
TURBO FAILURE CAUSED BY DESIGN FLAWS IN LUBRICATION DELIVERY SYSTEM IDENTIFIED BY MULTIPLE TSB WVF-16, TSB#02-103-07, TSB # 02-97-05. MANUFACTURE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE TSB AND CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ABOUT 2.5 LITER TURBO CAR. LEADING $3500.00 REPAIR BEING FORCED ON CONSUMERS IN SPITE OF THIS CONDITION BEING A ENGINEERING DEFECT.MY CAR HAD THE TURBO REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP AT 50,000 MILES NAD NOW 50,000 MILES LATER THE TURBO HAS FAILED AGAIN. CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA, WHO STATED THAT SOA WOULD NOT BE ASSISTING IN REPAIRS OF THE SAME FAILURE.
MY 2009 SUBARU FORESTER HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. IN THE PAST MONTH I'VE PUT $3,000 IN PARTS AND MAINTENANCE. RADIATOR BLEW, COOLANT SENSOR, WHOLE NEW EXHAUST, ALL NEW HUB BARINGS, 2 NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND MY MAIN PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED!!! THE CAR IDLES AT THE STOP LIGHT AND DURING THE ACCELERATION IT STALLS! I TOOK IT TO 4 DEALERS AND THEY TELL ME MY GAS IS TO RICH???? WHAT IS THAT???? I'M UPSET WITH THIS CAR AND IT SUCKS. I'VE HAD THIS CAR NOT EVEN A YEAR.
WEIRD THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITH MY CAR, I KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS USING THE SATELLITE RADIO PORT TO TAMPER WITH THE SAFETY OF MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP IT HAS A BRAND NEW ENGINE IN IT, THE STEERING LIGHT SYSTEM FLASHING ISN'T EVEN RELEVANT TO A PROBLEM THAT IT COULD HAVE. EVERYTHING LISTED ON TARGETED CARS, HAS HAPPENED WITH MY CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
I KEEP GETTING A TIMING OVER-ADVANCED CODE WITH A BAD CAT CODE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT COMPETITION SUBARU OF SMITHTOWN (601 MIDDLE COUNTRY RD, ST JAMES, NY 11780, (631) 361-4500), IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING AND THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. *TT*JB CONSUMER STATED IT WAS THE 3RD COMPLAINT.*JB
FAIRLY RECENTLY I HAD MY RADIATOR REPLACED DUE TO A LEAK. COUPLE WEEKS INTO MY NEW ONE, I WENT TO START MY CAR AND A PROOF OF WHITE SMOKE SHOT OUT THE EXHAUSTS WHICH I NEW WAS NOT OK. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT FELT LIKE IT WAS IN LIMO MODE AND THE CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL, AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ALL STARTED BLINKING - THEY WEREN'T ON BEFORE. SO I SHUT MY CAR OFF AND TOOK MY MOM'S TO WORK. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT I HAD NO COOLANT, BUT THERE WAS NO WARNING OR INDICATION THAT I WAS LOW. FROM THAT DAY ON MY CAR HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH FULL RESERVOIRS OF COOLANT BY THE DAY WITH NO VISIBLE LEAKS, HEATING+COOLING, FAND A ULL RADIATOR UP TO THE BRIM. I'M ASSUMING MY ISSUE IS A HEAD GASKET LEAK AT ONLY 86,000 MILES...THAT IS TERRIBLE PRODUCT QUALITY - I CAN'T JUST GO AROUND AND PAY $2000 IN REPAIRS FOR A CAR I RELIED ON AND HAVE ONLY DRIVEN FOR 10K MILES. THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS AND THERES NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT WITHOUT $2000 TO SPEND BUT SELL IT AND SCREW SOMEONE ELSE OVER.
OUR SON BOUGHT A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER ON 7/13/18 FROM THE DAN PERKINS SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN MILFORD, CT. HE WAS DRIVING IT HOME AT NOON ON 8/16/18 WHEN HIS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN SECONDS THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE, AND WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE ENTIRE CAR WAS LOST.
ENGINE AND VEHICHLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVING HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 3.5 HOURS. HAD JUST REFILLED WITH FUEL ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. PROCEEDED TO NEXT EXIT. CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE DESTROYED.
ENGINE SQUEEKING, HOOD POPS UP, SKIPS GEARS, BRAKES SCHREETCH, ELECTRICAL LIGHTS ALL ON, WINDOW FELL DOWN, LEAKS HORRIBLY, HEAT AND AIR ALTERNATE, CONCERN FOR FAMILY SAFETY. DEALER GUARANTEED VERIFIED ALL SAFE, CLEAR CAR FAX, AND SUBARU SERVICE VERIFIED MANY MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES IS NOW 'UNSAFE'
TAKATA AIR BAG: I AM WRITING TO COMPLAINING ABOUT SUBARU'S INABILITY TO COMPLETE TWO NHTSA RECALL NOTICES: IN THE FALL OF 2016 WE GOT TWO RECALLS ON OUR CAR, 16V738000 (AIR INJECTION PUMP) AND 17V026000 (PASSENGER AIRBAG). WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR OVER 16 MONTHS WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSONNEL TO GET THE REQUIRED PARTS SHIPPED TO A GERMAN SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO GET OUR CAR BACK ON THE ROAD. OVER THIS TIME WE HAVE SEEN NOTHING CONCRETE, HAD A LACK OF FOLLOW UP, HAD OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIM NUMBER DELETED IN THEIR SYSTEM AND REINSTATED AGAIN AND WERE TOLD ALL THE BLAME WAS ON YOUR PARENT COMPANY IN JAPAN AND THEIR INABILITY TO EITHER RESPOND TO YOUR RECALL DEPARTMENTS PERSONNEL EMAILS AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO SHIP THESE PARTS. I HAVE ANOTHER JAPANESE CAR WITH ME IN GERMANY, A HONDA. HONDA OF AMERICA CONTACTED HONDA OF GERMANY AND HAVE AUTHORIZED A LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO ORDER AND REPLACE THE PART ON MY HONDA'THAT PROCESS ONLY TOOK 6 WEEKS VERSUS 16 MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN WAITING WITH SUBARU. MY PATIENCE HAS RUN VERY THIN. I KNOW THAT GETTING AMERICAN SERVICEMEN'S VEHICLES SERVICED OVERSEAS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS LONG. CAN YOU PLEASE INQUIRE WITH SUBARU AND PUT PRESSURE AT THE RIGHT LEVEL TO GET THESE PROBLEMS FIXED.
HEAD GASKETS FAIL AROUND 125,000 MILES. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN MY CASE.
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE FREEWAY WHEN ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND IMMEDIATELY BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND ENGINE STOPPED AS WELL. FIRE AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE AND FILLED THE CABIN. DRIVER AND PASSENGERS HAD TO ESCAPE AND THE CAR WITHIN MINUTES WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
HEAD GASKETS FAIL AROUND 100,000 MILES. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN MY CASE.
CAR WAS SHAKING DURING ACCLERATION, STREET N HIGHWAY, ESP LOW GEARS, LESS AFTER GETTING UP TO ~50 MPH. CV BOOT LEAKING. REPLACED AXLE. CAR STILL SHAKING WITH ACCELERATION. MGT HAVE TO TRY REPLACING OTHER FRT AXLE. ONLY 82000. JUST HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION ALSO! I DON'T KNOW WHAT SYSTEM THAT CALLS UNDER ...TRANSMISSION WENT ABOUT 81000, JUNE ~8TH . I HAD COUPLE INCIDENCES OF CAR NOT ACCELERATING WHEN PRESSING PEDAL. JUST THOUGHT I WAS MB IMAGINING IT. NEXT MORNING. NO FORWARD..ONLY REVERSE..=TRANSMISSION! IDK, IF TRANSMISSION BEING REBUILT AND REMOVAL OF AXLES COULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP. SHORTY THEREAFTER..CAN'T REALLY SAY IF I'M SURE WHEN SHAKING BEGAN BUT I KNOW I SAID SOMETHING WHEN I PICKED IT UP AND AGAIN A WEEK LATER.. IDK, AS A GIRL,.EVERY WHERE I GO, GUYS KEEP SAYING,... "THAT'S NORMAL". I CAN SCAN DOCS IF NEEDED LATER FOR REPAIRS.MO ILE SITE DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO ADD SPEED OR MILEAGE BUT LISTED ABOVE..
SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. UPON PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE.
THIS PAST APRIL, I PURCHASED A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER FROM BYERS SUBARU AND EAGERLY ANTICIPATED THE OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE SUBARU PROMISES AND PROUDLY BASES ITS REPUTATION. CONTRARY TO THE SUBARU PROMISE, MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE FIRST 3 MONTHS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE, I HAD COMMITTED TO HAVING THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER AND DID. THE FIRST SERVICE WAS PERFORMED WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF PURCHASE ($700). A MONTH LATER THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING AND REQUIRED A TOW TO A TEXAS SUBARU DEALERSHIP. INITIAL THOUGHTS WERE A TIMING BELT FAILURE. $600 DOLLARS LATER, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING BELT PULLEY HAD FAILED AND WOULD REQUIRE EXTENSIVE ENGINE REPAIRS OR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT ($2500 TO $6000). THE TIMING BELT WAS NOT DUE TO BE REPLACED FOR ANOTHER 10,000 MILES. DUE TO THE HIGH REPAIR COST AND THE FACT THAT THE DAMAGE OCCURRED WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AFTER PURCHASE, I REACHED OUT TO SUBARU AMERICA FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. SUBARU COMMITTED TO 50% REIMBURSEMENT OF THE INITIAL $600 DEALER CHARGE. I APPROACHED BYERS SUBARU WITH THE SAME REQUEST FOR THE SAME REASON AND WAS INFORMED BY A MANAGER, THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.
CAR RAN OUT OF OIL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT, UNTIL CAR DIED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN LOW OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD BEEN MOSTLY KEEPING UP WITH MY OIL CHANGES, AND WAS ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES OVER RECOMMENDED LIMITS. ENGINE SEIZED AND HAD TO BE TOWED. MY MECHANIC TRIED TO REBUILD IT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO. HE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE, AT A COST OF $6,000, AND SIX WEEKS OF A RENTAL CAR. I REACHED OUT TO SUBARU FOR HELP, BUT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING UNLESS MY CAR WAS IN THEIR SHOP, AT WHICH POINT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PAY FOR A PORTION OF IT. THEY ASKED IF I HAD BEEN GETTING MY MAINTENANCE DONE AT THEIR SHOP, AND I HADN'T BECAUSE THEY WANT $1500 FOR EVERY 20,000 MILE SERVICE WORK DONE, OR WHATEVER, WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD. SO I ASSUMED AT THAT POINT IT WOULD BE POINTLESS, AND MORE COSTLY, TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED THERE AND THEN HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE, OR HAVE THEM TRY TO SELL ME A NEW CAR. I WILL NEVER BUY A SUBARU AGAIN AND WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYONE EVER GET ONE. I GOOGLED INCIDENCE OF REPAIR AND FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHERS, AND SCADS OF LAWSUITS AGAINST SUBARU FOR THIS. I TRIED TO JOIN A CLASS ACTION, BUT HAVE HEARD NOTHING. TO MY MIND, A CAR ENGINE SHOULD NOT RUN OUT OF OIL AND SEIZE AFTER ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES OVER THE LIMIT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OIL LEAKS IN MY GARAGE OR UNDER MY CAR.
CAR HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH OIL SINCE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER RECALL WAS DONE IN FALL OF 2013. FIRST NOTICED AROUND FEBRUARY OF 2014 WHEN OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND NO OIL IN ENGINE. I COMPLAINED TO DEALER AND THEY FOUND NOTHING. I KEPT COMPLAINING ON MY OIL CHANGE OR OTHER APPOINTMENTS BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE CAR WAS GOING THROUGH 2-3 COURTS EVERY 2-3 MONTHS, WITH "BURN" TIME GETTING CLOSER TOGETHER - EVENTUALLY CHECKED OIL EVERY 3 WEEKS BY SUMMER AND EVERY WEEK BY OCTOBER. WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT RUN I EVENTUALLY BYPASSED THE DEALER AFTER NO SOLUTION AND COMPLAINED TO SUBARU. I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING A DEALER WILLING TO TAKE THE CAR (SO DID SUBARU). FEELING IT WAS A DEALER WORKMANSHIP ISSUE I PAID FOR THE WORK AND SUBARU REIMBURSED ME TO REPLACED THE HEAD GASKETS IN DECEMBER 2014 - STATING IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTTEE SO THAT IS HOW IT HAS TO BE DONE. THE OTHER DAY (FEBRUARY 6, 2015) ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND NO OIL WAS IN THE ENGINE - THIS IS 2 MONTHS AFTER WORK DONE. THIS CAR HAS HAD ISSUES SINCE THE BEGINNING AND I FEEL AS A FIRST YEAR REDESIGNED MODEL IT IS A SUBARU DEFECT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES 3 TIMES IN A SHORT SPAN - FEW YEARS (3 MAYBE). IT HAS NEVER HAD GOOD PICK-UP AND SINCE CATALYTIC CONVERTER RECALL WAS DONE THE GAS MILEAGE DROPPED - WAS 22/28 NOW 19/23. THE DEALER WHO REPLACED HEAD GASKETS MADE A NOTATION ON MY BILL (WITHOUT TELLING ME DIRECTLY) THAT THE SWAY BARS NEED ATTENTION. MY BROTHER HAS A 2007 FORESTER AND HAS HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THESE ITEMS AS WELL WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS. I NEEDS A RELIABLE VEHICLE TO EARN A LIVING. *JS
ENGINE AND STABILITY ISSUES.
SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE WITH NORMAL BRAKE DEPRESSION; VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED TO 20 MPH, NO BRAKES AND THE DASH CONTROL CENTER COMPLETELY LIT UP. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE WAS BY SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL AND ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE. I THEN TRIED THE SAME PROCEDURE IN FORWARD WITH THE SAME RESULTS EXCEPT THIS TIME RESULTING WITH THE CAR COLLIDING WITH THE GARAGE WALL CAUSING APPROXIMATELY $6000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE BETWEEN THE CAR AND HOUSE. *TR
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN RAINY WEATHER, VEHICLE BEGAN TO MISFIRE AND LOST POWER, FORCING DRIVER INTO AN UNSAFE SITUATION OF COAXING CAR TO SHOULDER. CHECK ENGINE, STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON, AND CRUISE LIGHT FLASHED. AFTER SHUTTING ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING, SAME LIGHTS REMAINED ON BUT ENGINE RAN NORMALLY. WE HAVE ALSO ANOTHER 2009 FORESTER WHICH EXPERIENCES MISFIRES, SAME LIGHTS, AFTER STARTING COLD ON A RAINY DAY. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES FROM SUBARU ON OTHER LESS CRITICAL TOPICS, THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN INCLINATION ON THEIR PART TO ADDRESS THIS ENGINE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DISASTER. OUR ONLINE RESEARCHES SUGGEST THAT MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR MALFUNCTIONS, AND WE DON'T DETECT ANY SERIOUS EFFORT BY THE MANUFACTURER TO FIX THIS. *TR
THEIR WAS A CLUNK AND DRIVER CAR PULLED OVER AND OFF HIGHWAY . HAD IT TOWED TO OUR INDEPENDENT GARAGE. THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER WENT ON NOR DID THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT GO ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG AS THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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