10.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$5,000
Average Mileage:
72,650 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace engine (2 reports)
2010 Subaru Forester engine problems

engine problem

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2010 Subaru Forester Owner Comments

problem #2

Oct 012017

Forester

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,215 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Subarus have a major problem with their engine. They know it! They realized it after their engines died, so the 2012 onwards had seven year warranties instead of five. The ones before then, like our 2010 Forester, with five year warranty, have the fault but the company ignores it. Since they have not solved the problem, I strongly advise consumers not to purchase another Subaru until they make a new engine that works. It is scandalous that my daughter has to fork out $6000 US for a new engine after taking great care of her car and through no fault of her own. The company offered an engine at cost, plus $130 per hour mechanic fees for 16 hours work. That comes to the current value of her car. In other words, her car is now worth ZERO. Should have been given a new engine but Subaru is scared it sets a precedent and they will be inundated with similar requests. Their adverts should say "buy reliable Subaru Forester, but if your engine dies, we will send you a sympathy card and nothing else". Disgrace.

Update from Dec 18, 2017: Here's the update. They said they would replace my engine, but in fact it was only half the engine (the block). So that was a lie (they call it a misunderstanding). It's either an engine or half an engine. They said engine. So, I get my mechanic to do it, rather than the exorbitant Subaru mechanic prices. The mechanic gives me the bill. He says, 'oh, by the way, you had to pay them $1,500 for them to take your sh*tty engine back.' So, let me get this straight, Subaru would not let my mechanic throw out the old engine block. No, he was forced to send it back to Subaru and charge me $1,500 for doing it!! Can you believe it? My mechanic said in his 35 years, he has never seen a company do that! Subaru calls it a core. Is that corruption for short? Yes, the engine I own - they made me pay them to dispose of it. But wait, there's more. They get to look it over and if they decide to refurbish it and sell it to someone else, they just give me back my $1,500. Not in addition to any money they make on selling it to the next person. When will that be? Who knows? Subaru decides? Next month? Next year? 2019? They don't say. And if they don't think it can be refurbished, they keep my $1,500. I went to university. In fact, I have three degrees and lots of letters after my name. But, according to Subaru, I'm totally stupid. How many times do I have to tell you folks out there. NEVER buy a Subaru.

- Greg R., London, ON, Canada

problem #1

Feb 012017

Forester Limited 2.5xt

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

Blown engine - dealership believes it was a thrown rod - they recommended replacing the engine and gave me an estimate of $5800 - this was to put a used engine with 115,000 miles into my 2010 Subaru XT which had only 75,000 miles on it. This was the second major repair that needed to be done on this car. The turbo blew in 2014 but fortunately it was just covered under the 60,000 mile warranty. I bought this car in 2013 with 35,000 miles on it. This car was maintained regularly - oil changes always on time - in fact my mechanic said the oil was always very clean when it was changed. No forewarning on this engine issue. I heard a slight ticking noise - checked the oil - it was fine. I made an appointment to take it in to the mechanic for the next day and that night 1 mile from home it started knocking. I parked it and had it towed to the dealership. They diagnosed it with a blown engine. Subaru offered no help. Things they pointed out were the fact that I didn't have the maintenance done at a Subaru dealership (I use a highly reputable certified mechanic always), and that the car had "that many miles on it" Really? 75,000? I bought a Subaru because of its' reputation for lasting well beyond 200,000. The dealership I purchased the car from (not Subaru but Toyota) offered me $4200 as is on a trade in so even though I still owed the bank $8900, I took them up on their offer and bought a Toyota 4runner. I felt I could never trust this vehicle again so I opted not to repair and keep it.

- sullyce3, Port Crane, US

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