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Subaru Repair
Subaru is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Subaru Corporation, the twenty-first largest automaker by production worldwide in 2017. Subaru cars are known for their use of a boxer engine layout in most vehicles above 1500 cc.
Automobile Repair
The Car Keeps Overheating
Surprisingly, overheating doesn’t happen that often especially in modern cars with their complex systems, sensors, and so on acting to keep the vehicle’s temperature just right. Making sure the radiator is looked after and the water pump is working is the easiest and cheapest way to prevent problems with overheating. Whatever car you own will require regular maintenance and even then you will still get things that go wrong from time to time. Some car models are more prone to certain issues than others and driving style can also have some impact on efficiency. No matter what your vehicle, we hope that you have found this list helpful. Staying vigilant for signs of trouble and dealing with them when they occur saves time and money and keeps you on the road.
Rust
It can come as a shock to find rust on your car though it doesn’t always represent a serious issue it depends on where the rust is found. Rust on the bodywork is cosmetic but rust underneath the car or on your exhaust could be potentially dangerous and should be investigated as it could eat away at essential components. Rust needs an anode, cathode, and an electrolyte to form which makes cars prone to it. If the climate is humid enough your car can develop rust even if it’s undercover. The metal in your car can act as the anode and cathode and water is an electrolyte. A quick check around your vehicle, under the wheel arches, and around the exhaust on a regular basis is often enough to spot any rusting issue but every few months, especially if you live in a damp or humid environment, it would be a good idea to get on your hands and knees and check under your vehicle thoroughly.
Excessive Oil Consumption
It's a fact of life: Your car will need fresh oil to stay functioning. However, if you're finding it's needing changes and top-ups more frequently than it should, there might be a problem. Early signs you need to check your oil include a minor dip in performance and the ever-dreaded oil light on your dashboard. When your car is in particularly dire need of an oil change, you may even start to see corrosion in its engine. Another oil-related complaint is the clogged oil filter. You'll probably see this problem if you've waited too long to change the oil. While modern cars come with systems that are equipped with filter bypasses, it's a good rule of thumb to change the filter whenever you change the oil.
Dead or Drained Battery
One of the most common issues that can cause starting problems is a dead or nearly dead car battery. Fortunately, this is a simple issue to detect and fix. A bad battery usually results in a host of problems, depending on how drained the battery is. To tell if the problem is your battery, look at your headlights or turn on your inside overhead light. If they won't turn on or are not as bright as usual, you may have a dead battery. Try turning on your windshield wipers. If the wipers move back and forth but very slowly, then you only have a drained battery.
1. Gather up your jumper cables, and make sure a good, running car is nearby.
2. Connect the red clip on one of the cables to the red battery terminal on one of the cars. Repeat with the other red clip and red battery terminal on the other car.
3. Connect the black clip to the black terminal on the other car's battery. Connect the other black clip to some unpainted metal nearby.
4. Start the other vehicle, allowing it to run for about five minutes.
5. Start your car.
6. Let your car run for a while to recharge the battery. If your engine is less than three years old, it should charge back up fine. However, if it's an older battery then it may not properly charge, and you should replace the battery with a new one just to be safe.
Malfunctioning Ignition System
Sometimes the ignition itself may malfunction. The steering lock mechanism can jam, or the ignition lock mechanism may break. Also, on newer vehicles, the system needs to be able to recognize the key electronically. You insert your key, but you can't even turn it in the ignition. The car refuses to start.
1. First, make sure your vehicle is in park.
2. Double-check your key. If you drive more than one vehicle, you may have inadvertently mixed them up on your keychain. Also, be sure you aren't using the valet key.
3. Next, try using a spare key, since key wear can keep the key from turning the ignition.
4. If you can't even turn the ignition, try to wiggle the steering wheel to see if it unlocks.
5. Finally, take your car to the mechanic if none of these solutions works. You may need a new ignition system.
Broken Belt
Sometimes the engine won't start because you broke a belt and didn't realize it. You can check the belts yourself, but you'll need a professional to help install a new one. The car tries to start but can't. You may hear a whining noise, but the engine won't turn over.
1. Open the hood.
2. Carefully search around the engine for all of the round pulley wheels where the belts are normally attached. Each one should have a belt wrapped around it.
3. Make note of any that have a lot of cracks and wear. Plan to have a mechanic replace any damaged pulley wheels. If you find one completely missing a belt, that's most likely why your engine won't start.
4. Call a tow truck and have a professional replace the belt.
SOURCE: https://carbrain.com/blog/20-most-common-car-complaints
Subaru Repair
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Extreme Disappointment - Atrocious Quality; First time Subaru Owner - brand new 2015 Legacy 3.6R - purchased Dec 2014. Major Safety and Quality Issues - Awful. Whomever is in charge of Quality at Subaru should be fired. It is evident Subaru failed to Quality test this model before production.1. Burning smell from engine & snow water entering engine bay. Discovered snow/water entering engine bay/compartment while driving in snow. Serious safety risk; water all over electrical components I believe leading to burning smell. Contacted Subaru of America, no response yet. Filed N.H.T.S.A. complaint. The water/salt stains are evident under the actual hood and the engine compartment and already see signs of rust on electric connectors. 2. Water leak in foot well of cabin. 3. Starting issue - numerous time required 4-5 seconds for the engine to crank/turn over finally started. Dealer replaced fuse relays per Technical Service Bulletin (TSB)4. Display - frozen numerous times - Dealer replaced fuse relays per TSB. 5. Fuel Filter door froze numerous times; unable to open; Dealer fixed per TSB. 6. Awful wind noise driving above 40mph. Door/window moldings replaced on all doors and 2 front triangle windows replaced by dealer per TSB. Vendor made faulty moldings and glass.7. Moon-roof - above 60 mph moon-roof whistles loud - seal issue like door. Exterior moon-roofs black seal/molding towards back near center dome light, is raised up above the sheet metal not aligned/flush - adjusted by dealer. 8. Lumbar - when pressed to increase lumbar, it only enlarges on the left side of the seat back only, then when you press decrease it shifts to right side and almost even outs then goes flat. Dealer inspected and found defective seat from factory; parts on order.
I purchased the 2015 Subaru Outback brand new, the sticker says 33 mpg highway, I have traveled on the Highway in Kansas (flat, no traffic, no turns, straight highway), and get about 26-27 MPG which isnt even close to the 33 MPG they are advertising. I have emailed Subaru customer service with no reply. I have tracked my mileage and now have just over 5000 miles on my car and have averaged about the same the whole time. The rest of the car is fine.
I bought a new 2013 Subaru Outback 2.5 Wagon August 29, 2013 (3 month old vehicle). In December the engine started making a squealing noise. When I took it in to be checked I was asked what I had done to the engine??? I had never opened the hood on my car - in fact I didnt know where the hood release was. It took 3 times bringing it in until one of their techs came outside when I brought it in again in January and took a look and said he knew what was wrong with it. The belts were glazing over. The pulley system was redone and the belts replaced. I thought this was the end of the problem. I contacted their main headquarters in New Jersey and after working with customer relations was given a 100,000 mile warranty. I am so happy I did this because the engine problems didnt end there.In August of 2015, my engine light came on - I pulled over and called the dealer and was told if it was the flashing one to not drive it and have someone tow it. It wasnt the flashing one and wasnt told I could continue to drive it. I drove the car to the dealer and told them I wanted it fixed. It was under warranty. They replaced a sensor. They had my car for 5 days. I picked the vehicle up and drove it for about 3 days and the light came on again. I took it back to the dealer, they gave me a loaner vehicle, couldnt find the problem (after having it in the shop for 2 weeks), turned the engine light off and called me to come get it. I picked it up and drove it for about 3 days and the same thing happened. I took it back - they gave me a loaner vehicle. When the service manager called they said it was a vacuum problem - and it was how I was braking. I said that was not possible. I got another call, the service manager told me that it was dirty and the catalytic converter was dirty too. He asked where I was buying gas and told me that I should only be using gas from Costco, Shell or Chevron 92 octane (even though the manual says otherwise). They said they would get a data recorder from Subaru and it would take them about 3 days to get it - I was told I could keep driving the loaner or pick up my own car and drive it and bring it back in when they got the recorder. I chose for them to keep it until they got the recorder. I didnt hear anything for 2 weeks. On a Saturday the service manager called and yelled at me that I hadnt picked up my car. I asked if they had the data recorder yet and he said no. They wanted me to be driving my car so the warranty would run out. On November 6th they called and said they had gotten the data recorder. I was already home from work when they called. I picked my car up on the 9th. Three days later the light came on again. I took it back to the dealer. They called and said they think they corrected the problem. The rear sensor was replaced.I dont believe they would have done any of it if I hadnt contacted their headquarters. It took over 3 months to get the problem corrected. Because of how I was treated by the dealership and the reliability of the cars, I will never buy another Subaru. Subaru does have a class action lawsuit against them now for the excessive oil burning issue. Their remedy is to give an extended warranty! Its not worth it!
Damage to our 2012 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited - When my wife was backing out of the garage, the transmission jerked and caused the vehicle to graze the workbench causing damage to the left front wheel well area. Though we took the vehicle back to the original dealership and they admitted several updates on the transmission needed to be done, Subaru of America feels this was strictly due to driver error and refuses to pay for the damages. There are many bugs on the computer from other consumers regarding transmission problems on this model as well as several others. But they will take no responsibility even though the repairs would be less than $550.00.
I bought my 2013 pre-owned Crosstrek November of last year and I have been in and out of the service department ever since. They ran 3 oil consumption tests to finally figure out that a wire wasnt on. Each visit takes several hours. I went with Subaru because I thought they were above selling faulty cars. Ive tried to get a new Subaru and count my loss but when I took it back into the dealership they gave me a low-ball offer for my trade in. I went into a Chevy dealership and they offered me a way better offer on a my trade in, and that was without me buying a Chevy. Everything about owning and buying my car has been a nightmare.
I purchased a 2009 Outback 2.5XT manual transmission new. For the first 60,000 miles it was flawless. Shortly after the 60,000 mile service, the check engine light came on and the dealer said the rings in the #4 cylinder were stuck. The engine was removed and repaired. Approximately 3000 miles later the incident repeated itself. Once again the engine was removed and this time all of the rings were replaced (at my suggestion) and the valves ground. Shortly after that one of the air tube valves failed. Then a few thousand miles later both the NOX and oxygen sensors failed. Then at 73,000 miles the engine started knocking but no check engine light. At the bottom of the pan directly under the oil pump intake there is a large dent but no scratches or any sign of impact. The dealer says that the restricted oil flow resulting from the dent caused the connecting rod bearings to fail. I am a 78 year old engineering executive in Southern California. 90% of my driving is on the freeway, no off road, no dirt roads. I cannot believe a modern car can have these kinds of problems. This is my first experience with Subaru. Subaru paid for the first 2 overhauls but I have paid for the other repairs and am expected to pay for a new short block replacement.
I just bought a 2014 Subaru Impreza from Subaru of Burlingame 9 months ago. I never bought a used car before but I figured I would be safe buying it from Subaru dealership as is. I was so wrong. 17,000 miles later I have blown head gaskets about the car at 45,000 miles. It is currently at 60,114. After taking it into the dealership and being diagnosed I called Subaru of America right away, explained my situation. I had a Subaru representative tell me he was advocating for me but in the end they told me, Sorry not our problem. Only owned this car for nine months. I am devastated. I still have a very large loan on this car I’m paying for and have no car to drive. I’m going to do everything I can, to fight these people through social media platform, through the city of Burlingame, to anybody who will listen to me. This was my first Subaru and my last!!!
I have a 2011 Subaru 2.5X 4 cylinder automatic transmission EPA 21/27. On a cold start up, my 2011 Forester engine made a loud knocking noise, similar to a spun rod bearing. The dealer says, all Forester engines are noisy. This is not a normal noise for any engine. The fuel mileage is also deplorable 25 highway on cruise. In th county/suburb 18-22. I dont drive in the city, normally. My last Subaru had no engine noise, even at 200,000 miles, and got great fuel mileage, 4-5 above EPA rating. I returned to dealer shop 3 times. There is nothing wrong with it, according to them. Foresters do not get better than 25mpg, and all are noisy. I contacted the Subaru customer service online. They talked to the dealer, but have not helped fix the problem at all. Its basically a waste of time. It currently has 9,000 miles. I purchased this new at the Richmond Subaru/Moore Cadillac.
Bought a 2012 Forester for my daughter. When we took it in at the scheduled oil change, it was a quart low on oil. When I question how such a new car that was brought in at scheduled maintenance time could be that low or low at all on oil, I was told that the flat line engine uses more oil than a normal car and needed to be checked more frequently...???? Less than a year later, the starter starts to drag after the car sits all night. Told that new software ($100) had to be installed at my cost to correct the issue. Apparently, according to Subaru it is not considered abnormal for a relatively new Forester to develop this issue; however they have software you can buy to correct it...even though it is not an issue...REALLY?? Subaru thinks its customers are stupid. They got me this time, but it will be the LAST Subaru I buy.
At 54,000 the original CVT transmission on my 2012 Subaru Impreza Limited failed. A Subaru reman CVT tranny was installed. After 8 days and 200 miles that replacement CVT tranny failed suddenly and with no warning. It is back at the Subaru dealership for its 3rd CVT transmission right now.
I have a Forester with about 25,000 miles. The overall experience with the car is reasonable to good but the customer service and specific knowledge of their representatives is not only negative but almost aggressive and unqualified. They call themselves customer consultants and at 15,000 miles wanted me to pay close to USD 3,000 for a routine inspection in order to maintain my warranty. The car is already extremely expensive in Brazil, and going by the book, the service personnel continuously threatens their customers to void the warranty if the maintenance book is not signed and all recommended services provided. This is an absurd attitude and contrary to what a reliable vehicle should be about. At 25,000 miles, I had to replace two rear tires because of uneven wear. The front tires touch and wear out the plastic wheel cover behind the front bumper, and nobody can tell me why. The wheels and tires came with the car when I bought it from the dealer. Please contact me by e-mail to further elaborate on this fiasco of the Brazilian Customer Service.
We finally decided on a new car after buying used for well over 20 years. Finally narrowed it down to a Subaru based on customer satisfaction. Well let me tell you this customer is FAR from satisfied. Started at 14000 miles, when the dealer tells us the tires are down to the warning tread and need to be replaced. REALLY? Mind you all services had been performed at the dealer. So the dealer went to bat for me and got Subaru to replace all 4 tires no charge. Ok cool. So here we are 15000 miles later and guess what? Yep the tires are shot again, this time they check alignment and frame etc. nothing wrong. This time I have to call Subaru customer care. They balk, I argue, they finally agree to replace 3 of the 4 tires. I have to pay for the 4th one. So in 1 year and 30000 miles this Outback is on its 3rd set of tires!!They still cannot tell me why the tires are wearing out every 15000 miles. Tried to blame driving habits. Sorry, but if it was that then my other vehicles would be chewing up tires too! (They are not.) I cannot afford $800+ worth of tires every 6 months!! As soon as I can I will be trading in this hunk of junk for a Ford or Toyota. Never buying a Subaru again!
Bought a 2014 Subaru Outback from them that was a Subaru certified used car. I’ve had nothing but issues with it. I reported to them that there was a loud screeching sound intermittently the day after I bought it. They said they drove it and didn’t hear anything. I brought it up multiple times and they said they inspected everything but couldn’t find an issue. Brought it in for the same reason recently and they called back and said that rust on rotor made grooves in the brake pads. I asked if they could replace just the brake pads and they said no we have to replace the rotors. I wrote their service manager asking for the $65 inspection fee to be waived and honestly I want a full refund for the work. $550 for rotors that I didn’t need or want is ridiculous and I’m not sure its legal. The rotors cost around $70 each and the brake pads $20.
I paid 32,500 in 07 at 100,000 miles the head gaskets started leaking. Cost me 4,000 to get them fixed. Turns out that this is a common problem with Subaru. Never buying another one.
We were very happy with our 2015 Outback until at 33k miles we dropped the transmission. Now we are in a fight with Subaru (Corp & dealer). Three hours after we tow into dealer, get a call that the rear differential caused transmission failure. We proved that wrong with 3rd party review of diff. Next they say front differential caused transmission failure - BULL. I was able to turn ring gear, rotate planetary gears, bearings. Now a tech from HQ is coming out to dismantle transmission. Subaru says this type of trans failure is not normal - smelled like smoke and still does almost one month later. Did this happen to you?
00 Outback wagon keeps on keepin on. Just flipped 220k and recently completed the dreaded head gasket job on this beast. Both drivers side cylinders were venting into the coolant and I took on this task very soon after diagnosing the blown head gasket. $300 and 40 hours later, mission accomplished...about $1,200 cheaper than having the dealership do it. This problem I anticipated and with this many miles, not a complaint. Things wear out...nuff said. I have two gripes, the first being the engine noise...the work I did had little impact on this embarrassing feature which is common on these cars. Second and biggest issue is the ho-hum mileage this car delivers... best Ive had was 25 mpg. Its just too heavy for the engine and the final drive ratio doesnt deliver what it should on the highway. Then again, this thing is a tank and considered a mid-sized car, pushing nearly 2 tons with a couple of passengers and a light load.
I have a 2011 Forester. Runs fine. Have had to replace the drivers side visor. Now the passenger one fell off. I usually dont even have a front seat passenger so it cant be from overuse. When the drivers side was replaced (has to be the anchor and the visor, its a whole unit $80!!!) I found that the anchor is only a plastic sleeve. Poor idea, poor workmanship.
My wife was driving our brand new 2014 Outback. She went slightly off the road and attempted to engage the break release to allow the four wheel to kick in and get out of the small depression she was in. She couldnt get it to work. She called a towing service. They came out and a young man got in the car and engaged the transmission apparently thinking that by moving forward and backward he could get the car out without pulling it out with the truck. In a few minutes the car started smoking and within a few more minutes flames appeared that couldnt be put out with the tow truck fire extinguisher. The car burned up-a total loss. It was a frightening experience for my wife and makes us wonder how this car could possible erupt into flames. Anyone out there with any insight?
Being a Subaru owner brings peace of mind to many drivers. With an all-wheel drive transmission that is supposed to be the best in AWD, and an engine that is supposed to go 300 thousand miles, many people feel like they made a good choice in purchasing a Subaru. However, I have news for those of you with false hope. My car made it 30 thousand miles before it needed a new engine. The whole engine was replaced which cost about 10,000 to repair (what I was told by the technicians). A field technician inspected my car for abuse; of course he didn’t find it, instead he found that it was a manufacturing defect. One month later I got my car back.At 33,000 miles my car was once again “like new”! However, only 26,000 miles after a new engine, a “defective camshaft pulley” broke causing damage on my camshaft, valves and overall one of the heads. I was simply driving down the road and it felt like the car ran out of gas and it would not turn on again. Subaru did not cover the tow. Once again they repaired my car which took another month. I would like to mention that they did in fact cover the repair once again because my car is under warranty. The 2nd major repair was also a few thousand dollars. One mile down the road from Subaru (Bob **, Subaru, West Lafayette, IN) a carelessly installed fuel-like sprayed gas all over my hot engine! This has honestly put my life in danger. The car could have caught on fire or blown up!!!These bad repairs and “defective” parts from Subaru make me feel like my sporty car is made out of glass. I drive my “sports car” like if it was an old car that could break at any time. OF COURSE I NEED EXTENDED WARRANTY. My car is a little over 1,000 miles away running out of powertrain warranty. Keep in mind these repairs happened 1 month ago. Later I got into contact with Linda **, the Subaru of America Customer Service Supervisor, and she said there was nothing she could do to help me. Such a massive company like Subaru could not offer help for a defective car they sold me. They could not offer me extended warranty, they could not give me extended warranty at a discount, NOR COULD THEY EVEN SELL ME EXTENDED WARRANTY. Im not asking for anything more than extended warranty from whoever you would like, or the $2,000 it costs so I can buy one.How can Subaru not do such a simple thing? They sold me a defective piece of junk and I have to deal with it. They do not back up their own cars. I would not recommend that anyone buy a Subaru in the United States. It will break. It will be expensive. And it will certainly not last 300,000 miles. If you have warranty, at the very least it WILL be an inconvenience not having a car for a few weeks while it is being fixed. Please tell me if you think my car will make it 200,000 miles at least.I am very unhappy with the customer service Linda ** provided me with. She did not do anything towards helping me. She did not meet me halfway nor tell me who I could speak to that would solve my problem. She also talked to me in a disrespectful tone which honestly could just have been her “customer service” voice. I need 100,000 or 4-year extended powertrain warranty. Is really impossible from Subaru? Please know I am awaiting for this issue to be resolved.
I had protective trim molding installed on my new Subaru Forester as part of factory accessories. A few months after receiving the new car, the passenger door molding came loose. The problem was caused by an admitted poor design. This piece on both sides was attached only with 2 way tape. Although Subaru replaced the molding, because of the poor 2 way tape design, it continued to fall off every few months. Subaru did keep its word that it would continue to replace the molding if it fell off again, due to the poor design, even after the warranty period, as it had not been permanently fixed from the beginning. After a dozen repairs over the years, Subaru has now decided they will no longer honor the warranty, and will no longer fix their poor design. I had to drill holes and put bolts into the trim to make sure the last repair now held. I see that Subaru Love only is temporary. And I see new Subarus at the dealer also use two way tape to hold protective molding. The dealer has repeatedly said the molding is likely falling off because I drive on some gravel and dirt roads. If you plan on taking a car off paved roads and want an honest warranty, I would not recommend a Subaru, that is a taped together vehicle.
In 4.5 years, I have to replaced 5 low-beam headlights in my 2010 Subaru Legacy. The dealership gave several different excuses for the high burnout rate. Their solution was to tell me not to use the automatic headlight feature, which did not help. I called Subaru headquarters, and the representative decided that replacing a headlight an average of every 22,000 miles was an acceptable burnout rate. At $70 per replacement, I cannot afford to keep this car. I wish I had known about this problem and Subarus lack of caring before I set foot in the dealership.
I bought my Outback new in summer 2007. Always did oil changes every 3,000. At just over 60K (just out of warranty), the head gaskets blew. Six months later, car started leaking oil and head gaskets were done once again (under warranty of mechanic). Now, Im facing blown head gaskets again!!!! After just 20,000 miles after 2nd job. My car only has 82,000 miles. I will never buy another Subaru which is unfortunate because this is the 4th one Ive owned. The others were older but better.
2012 Subaru Impreza limited edition - I purchased this car for my daughter who was attending college. Within in a month oil light came on, quart low. This continued and the dealership said this is fine. Over a 2 year period of being in and out of shop we had 25 oil changes. Fed up and went to dealer and they finally did an oil consumption test, it failed. They replaced the lower engine block. My daughter is 20 and the dealer has always given her a loaner for the car was in shop for 3 weeks. After lower block was put in she was told to return after 4000 miles. She did but had relocated for college to Oregon. When they checked it out they found that the passenger side valve gasket was leaking and not sure what they might find when they get in to fix it. She was told they could not give her a loaner for not 25. She had to leave for she needs a car for college and sports. To go back to Santa Rosa, CA to have problem fixed is a 10 hour round trip but they give her a car. Dont know what to do. This is a Subaru problem and I feel they need to cooperate at the Medford, Oregon dealership. This has been the worst car experience for a new car and my daughter is so sad and disappointed in a car she believed would be great.
I was a long-time Toyota owner and after putting 210,000 miles on my 2000 Matrix without any issues I decided I wanted to replace it with something that got decent gas mileage and had all-wheel drive. Enter my 2013 Subaru Impreza Sport. Ive had what could be described as minor issues with this car since day one. First, the rear hatch (its the hatchback version) would never shut on the first try. Had that adjusted and fixed.Second was the issue with starting the car which started happening at about 5,000 miles. After googling my issue, I came to find out that this was a common issue that the owners were referring to as a Hard Start and that after denying it for a while, Subaru finally came up with a fix which is basically flashing the cars computer. Subaru sent out a service notification to their dealerships about this issue, but when I went in to 3 different dealerships they denied knowledge of the issue or the service notification until I gave them a copy that I found online (thank you **) and suddenly they remembered this common issue and the fix. I had the computer flashed and I would say the issue is improved, but not totally remedied.At about 30,000 miles I noticed that the oil light would come on after only about 2,500 miles after an oil change. Im concerned that this is going to get worse as the car ages. (Im at just over 50,000 miles now.) One thing I noticed is that a couple days before the light will come on I will smell oil burning, so Im not sure if thats damaging the engine. Ive got into the habit of carrying a couple extra quarts of 0-20 in the spare tire compartment so I can pull over and add oil immediately if the light should come on. A friend of mine had a Subaru WRX thats engine seized because of low oil and his oil light never even came on beforehand. Ive been so disappointed in the quality of this car. From people I know that are die-hard Subaru owners, it seems like they just cant maintain quality with the recent rise in popularity of their cars. Im hoping that the oil issue does not result in a bigger issue before I pay off this loan!
Subaru Forester 2015 - I have tried many times to get SOA to fix my bumpy and nauseating CVT. The dealerships I have brought it to dont seem to do much to investigate. The mileage is exactly the same as when I drop it off and they cant find anything. SOA Corporate refuses to return my phone calls. I am left with a car that is pronounced and bumpy especially around 1500 rpms and deceleration. Im angry that theyve done nothing to correct the issues and I am left driving around a horribly functioning car, with the dealerships doing nothing but treating me badly.
Two accidents with 2016 Forester. No. 1. While sitting in my car at a drive in restaurant in park position, my car suddenly moved backwards across the parking lot before hitting another vehicle. Several diners saw this happen. Police were called and wrote a report. I got no ticket. I contacted McGovern Subaru and told them what happened, They said that they would call the Subaru headquarters. A few days later, I was told that they had never hear of this. The dealership never contacted me again. No. 2 June 16 2018: With the keys in my hand, ready to get out of the car, it suddenly started moving forward as if driven by its battery. Before I could do anything, it went through my fence, knocked over two full 100 gallon propane gas cause one to spewing to spewing it in the air and hit my screen house, destroying it. Estimated damage: $13,000. There is a witness to this. The fire and police departments were on the scene in minutes and traffic was routed to other streets. I immediately reported this to McGovern Subaru. It took five days wrangling between the towing company and the dealership before it was delivered. Two weeks later no work has been done. Excuse: Waiting for an expert from Subaru using a computer to analyze the problem.
Both me & my wife have Subarus. Given what Ive found out I probably wont be buying another one ever. My wifes 2002 outback is leaking oil & coolant now. She has about 120k miles on it. Cost to fix at a non-Subaru shop $2300-$2500.00. This is total BS as far as Im concerned. All the hype with these cars and it has been a KNOWN problem by Subaru. No recalls or fixes it would appear either. So far my 2005 isnt a problem. Only 60k miles also. Our regular mechanic is an ex-Subaru service manager. He said I can expect another $2300+ bill for the 2005 as well. If I had known about the problem I certainly wouldnt have bought my 2005. From the other reviews and complaints about the newer Subarus here, its definite that I wont buy another Subaru. Another mechanic has just recently told me about this as well.
Hi this is Subhkarmanjit **. I’m from Barrie Ontario. I bought Subaru Impreza WRX 2015 pre-owned certified hardly 4-5 months ago. I maintained my car properly did services on time. I got it on 95,000 kms and driven it all way to Vancouver hardly 4400 km one way. I heard some weird noises. I checked everything. I thought it was just driving it too much then after everything was ok I kept driving it until I driven back from Vancouver again 4400 kms all the way to Barrie Ontario then it’s also my daily drive car and I work in Brampton so I drive it from there to Barrie daily. Like 2 months ago I started having issues with my car. The engine lights started showing up and then my car started smelling like something like burning rubber and out of nowhere. And the rpm was like going up and I felt like clutch was slipping on 100 kph and high rpms and my gears were little stiff. It’s not like that I never driven standard car before. I know how to drive standard. This is my third Subaru. I had 2001 Subaru Legacy before twin turbo then 2004 WRX and this is my 4th manual car. I sold my Jeep and got this WRX. I have this extended warranty from Subaru dealership when I bought my car for almost $3400 and I took it to dealership as I was told everything is covered in warranty so I went there. They diagnosed my car and after an hour service department told me it was just faulty o2 sensor and my clutch was started roasting and gears were stiff. When I asked them will they fix everything they said no they can’t fix o2 sensor until it completely dead and clutch is not covered as bumper to bumper warranty or my full warranty says everything is covered and they did nothing. They just erased my all the faulty lights and charged me $121 for just looking at car and I had to pay ask them to fix my clutch in few days because they asked me to pay either for parts or labor and they told me they will give me appointment for another day so I can come and show my car again and get estimates. I waited. They never contacted me or called me. Then on 3/12/2018 I was on highway 400 at midnight around 12 am. I was coming from Toronto back to Barrie when I was changing my lane from right to left suddenly there was big blast under hood and my whole motor was blown and it was big black smoke on whole highway. I couldn’t see anything and also smoke was inside car. I was on 100 kph and suddenly motor started making weird noises. I was so scared and was alone. I pulled it over to side and opened my hood. Saw big crack in engine near the alternator and everything was hanging even belts pulleys and was big crack in motor and oil spills coolant everywhere. I called my brother and other friends because I inhaled smoke and then my car was broke and I was alone. I called tow guy had to pay him $200 to tow it back. Next day I Went to Barrie Subaru dealership and they told me they will cover everything as I have full warranty and they will take report to SPP and they said they will contact me but they didn’t. I took all my tools and stuff from my car and got rental car. Since then they didn’t contact me. I had to contact them and now the thing is they said spp checked and they approved my repair and said motor will be replaced. I checked everything online did research and asked my friends as new WRX motor cost from $6500 to $10000 and with transmission and used ones from $4500 to $7000. I called Subaru dealership on 22/12/2018. They said they can’t fix the car. The repair cost they is gonna be $23000 and if I pay $6000 from my Pocket they are ready to fix it. They told me my car market value is on $15000 and that’s wrong. I got my car valued before and from Barrie to Oakville dealerships. My car still value still stands at $20,000 to $22,000 and I’m so pissed hearing it. At this point that it’s been almost 23 days my car is standing at same spot. It’s not neither getting fixed or took cared. It’s snow season and my car is almost started catching rust and other things is how can a car repair cost $23000. I’m mechanic too. I know everything I have 3 yrs experience too worked in 2 different countries. This is my biggest mistake. I bought Subaru. I wish I would’ve never bought it. It’s not getting fixed anytime soon almost gonna be month. I’m moving soon to other province. I tried to reach everyone. No one is ready to hear me so I’m writing this email. Please help me up with something or I will take this to court. I’m already so stressed about my life and then my car. I already have so many problems to deal with. Please do something soon or replace my car or something. I’m totally tired to going to dealership and contacting them again and again. Thank you.
My wife and I purchased this car and purchased the extended warranty, just in case. While on a long trip, the check engine light came on and within 10 minutes, I had lost all power from the turbocharger. The dealer informed me that the oil feed tube filter was clogged and caused the failure. This is not listed anywhere as to maintenance or inspection. Bottom line is, the dealer stated that my warranty is expired by three months and they wont be covering the costs. Ive owned several Subaru cars and was thinking of buying/trading up, but if your systems are not capable of even lasting to 100 thousand miles without a catastrophic failure, surely I wont be making any further purchases from your company. I change my oil personally every 3k, and the car has only 94k miles. What kind of product do you call this? So, what youre saying in your email is, Yes, were aware of the problem but were not responsible since we didnt issue a recall or even a TSB concerning this filter screen and we absolved ourselves of all responsibility regardless of impeccable maintenance per factory recommendations. Therefore, **. Really? Just how long do you plan to remain in business if this is how you operate? Sort of an already got your money, dude attitude? This car didnt even make it to its first timing belt change and thats somehow OK with you? I cannot believe a corporation as big as Subaru absolutely will not stand behind its product! As an ASE-certified master technician with over 25 years in this business, Ive been repeatedly asked about who makes a good car and without question, the answer wont be you, quite the opposite. Im absolutely appalled! Ninety-four thousand miles and a hidden, non-serviceable filter takes out a turbo and possibly the engine with it, and you say tough **!
Squeaking in the back end of 2014 Crosstrex - Ive taken my new car in six times within the last month for the same problem and the service manager tells me that its not a safety hazard so theyre not that concerned with it??? I will never buy another Subaru. Their service department is horrible.
We have taken our 2017 Subaru in 5 times to fix this problem: while driving the check engine and other warning lights come on and safety features like lane change turn off. We are losing faith in Subaru. This didnt happen with the car right away. Weve been told it was related to fuel issues, computer issues, something different each time. I dont think they know what is causing the problem.
Hi, we have a relatively old Subaru, about 8 years but very low mileage and the a/c failed with a projected cost of $2,500. Seeing as the vehicle has been used very little, the repair amounts to $3 for every hour it has been driven. I asked if this was normal from Subaru and they simply explained that it was out of warranty. So if you want a reliable car that is going to last for years, and you have low mileage, maybe best to look elsewhere, as they appear unconcerned that there are failures despite low usage. Warranty should be time or mileage-based. My first and last Subaru, oh well.
Experience is well. Its a used 1999, so it has its fair share of problems, but runs overall pretty smooth. Theres not many other features built into the vehicle because its so old. I am still working on getting a few minor things fixed on it. But its a basic car that will get you around. The car has a CD player that was installed into it and has been kept up in pretty good condition.
We bought a 2012 Subaru Forester because of their reliability and safety. We bought it from a dealer used with only 114,000ish miles on it. After one oil change it now has gone through 2.5qts of oil in half of the oils life. After calling Subaru they said that there is nothing they can do to fix the problem without me paying several thousand dollars because it has more than 100,000 miles. This is completely unacceptable! I have been a mechanic professionally for 16 years and the last time I had a customer that had a vehicle that went through that much oil they blew their engine. Subaru needs to man up and fix this issue and fix it correctly, no band-aid on a bullet hole.
One of my Outbacks tires were punctured. I had to go to a tire shop to fix it. They said I need tires from the same company and I have to change two at a time. I agreed and two tires were replaced. In a month the difference between front and back tires caused the power train to become damaged. The dealership said that whole transmission needs to be replaced, but because the manual says that no more than a 0.25 should difference is allowed between tire thickness, there was no manufacturer guarantee. They said that there is a light on the Subaru dashboard that signifies it: If the AWD is flashing, driving can damage the power train. As soon as you can, park in a safe place and check your tires to make sure theyre all properly inflated and the same size. It never went flashing.Subaru is the kind of car that is supposed to drive in rural areas, farms, forests. If there is a difference in tire diameter in such a small amount – it should not damage the car to a point of a price that is a third out of the cost of the car. If there is that possibility, a warning should be posted on the dashboard, because it is major a damage to car. In this field – Subaru failed completely.
Have documentation of excellent maintenance on 2010 Subaru Forester. Subaru does not care that I have to replace engine. Completely out of oil 2651 miles after last oil change. Please post your similar problems with 2010 Subaru Forester. A class action suit might make Subaru tell the truth about their defective vehicles.
As soon as my 2016 Subaru Legacy reached 28k miles it began to consume oil. The new dealer has done oil consumption test 3 times. And agree there is a consumption problem. But based on Subaru 1 quart consumed every 1200 miles is acceptable. They cant do anything unless my vehicle fails the consumption test. Interestinly that the threshold is 1200 miles when my car burns a quart of oil approximate 2k miles. And getting worst. I have lost all faith in Subaru... I wouldnt buy their products or recommend them.
Not only do I love my Subaru, but I sincerely appreciate Subaru’s commitment to their customers. Of course I’m not talking about the dealers, but Subaru Corporate HQ In NJ. Whenever I’ve hit a snag with the dealership, HQ has been there to help. ❤️
Purchased a 2014 Subaru Forester because of Subarus good reputation -- much to my surprise, my NEW car burns oil. I have to keep checking the oil because it needs to be added on a regular basis. Also, the Bluetooth does NOT work and has not worked properly since the beginning of time. Very dissatisfied and will NOT purchase from Subaru again. BUYER BEWARE!
I bought a 2011 Forester and was generally happy with the car although it consumed a lot of oil. I then bought another Forester, a 2014 which also consumed a quart of oil every 700 miles. First the catalytic converter went at 35000 miles, then the engine imploded at 75000 miles. Then I thought I was saved by the country wide oil consumption lawsuit against Subaru. Nope, not only was I denied the extended coverage to 100,000 miles, but I was told it was not due to oil consumption and consequently not reimbursed for an engine that died prematurely due to excessive oil consumption. Cute commercials, supposedly a green forward thinking company, dont believe it. Subaru produced thousands of faulty pistons and kept using them until they were caught. Subaru of Americas response was flat out denial. I will never buy another Subaru product and I encourage you to do the same. A company that doesnt stand behind their product and presents a fake posture of caring should not be dealt with.
I purchased my 2013 Subaru Outback February 2013. I have servicing done regularly. However, from the very start, my oil light comes on between 2500 to 3000 miles after an oil change. I was told by the dealership that this is normal for these cars because they do not have as much oil as other cars. Told me to bring it in when it happened, or let the car sit for five minutes, and check the oil levels. This is great - Im a woman in my 70s - and it is scary to try to get to an exit when you are on the expressway and your oil light is on.Now, just to feel more secure, I keep a quart of synthetic oil in my car to add when Im on a trip and my oil light comes on. Very distressing. I had a Toyota Highlander for ten years, 210,000 miles on it and never had any problem like this. Unfortunately, it was totaled by a falling tree, and everyone encouraged me to get a Subaru. Nice car, but not truly reliable. I would have to rate it a 2.5 star reliability rating (which is not a choice below).
Im a long time Subaru owner and enthusiasts however my 2013 Subaru Crosstrek began making a noise. When I took it to the dealership they proceeded to tell me it needed a $8,000 transmission and Im 8000 Miles over the warranty. It currently has 68000 miles on it. How many people expect your transmission to go out at 68000 miles? Let me know if youre having the same problem. Im currently trying to get into contact with Subaru about this problem. It has to be some sort of defect in the transmission. Still waiting for them to contact me. Everyone thinking about purchasing a vehicle like the Crosstrek should probably get a standard not an automatic. Why in the world would a transmission cost $8,000? That is crazy and go out at 68000 miles.
My 2011 Forester failed a recent oil consumption check. I had it done because the warranty expires in May 2016 and my daughter had the same problem with her 2012 Forester that was warrantied by Subaru. I hope to have mine warrantied also. In my case though, the dealer has warned that I may be liable for all expenses since the interval between oil changes exceeded recommended milage. Reading Subaru message boards leads me here to Consumer Affairs to learn if mine and my daughters is not an isolated incident. I think not.
We bought a brand new 2004 Subaru Legacy back in December of 2003. It was running fine until 2008 when the catalytic converters gave up and had to be replaced by the dealership (free of charge then since they say it was still covered under warranty). The new cats were working fine until around June of 2011; then, it gave out again. This time it was not covered by warranty, so we bought aftermarket cats which work for 6 months. Right now, April 2012, the auto parts store is in the process of replacing the cats. Its has been a miserable and stressful situation since the cats can fail the car for emission test. Come on now, how many times do we have to change a catalytic converter for a car in its lifetime considering that it’s only an 8 1/2 year old car? We drove Toyotas, Nissans and other car brands before and never had to experience these problems. There must be something wrong in this picture and we need an answer from Subaru. Or maybe there are other people out there who are having the same issues with their Subarus as well. We would appreciate if these issues are addressed since we already spent so much time, effort and money for such dilemma.
This is the best car Ive ever owned. Although its an SUV, it rides very well - not hard like my Jeep Renegade did. Passengers in the back seat tell me it is very comfortable. I have the Limited model, so it has some great features like Subarus Eyesight. That feature is a game-changer for driving. I will never own another vehicle without that. I feel much safer since it keeps me from drifting into another lane, can brake quickly in an urgent situation and, best of all, driving on the highway with cruise control, the system adjusts your speed so that you never creep up too close to another vehicle. Its a must have for long distance driving. I love the fact its all wheel drive. I feel much safer driving in rain and snow. Traction is awesome.Im super happy with my gas mileage, too. Average driving around town is usually upper 20s. On the highway, its always in the mid to upper 30s. I tested it one time on an open flat interstate -- no hills, steady speed of 63 mph with the AC on. The computer readout showed 44 mpg. Ive compared the computer read-out to the old-fashioned way to determining mpgs and its usually off by about 3. That means I got over 40 mpg with the Crosstrek!The Crosstrek has a CVT transmission (continuously variable, not gears) and, although a good number of people in Crosstrek social media groups complain about it, Ive never had an issue. Its smooth and even feels like a regular automatic. The other typical complaint is that the engine doesnt have enough power. Is it the fastest car Ive ever driven? No. Does it have incredible pickup? No. But it gets the job done. Ive never had an issue, for example, pulling out onto a highway. Overall, 5 stars for this vehicle.
We have owned 2 Subarus, one 2002 where at approximately 67000 miles head gasket blew, we traded the car in for 2010 Subaru Forester, and now again the head gasket is leaking at 47000 miles. Im retired and on social security, was told 2400 dollars to repair leak. Complained to Subaru. Said my warranty was over which I knew. I cannot afford to do repair. Also drivers seat has collapsed will cost 700 dollars to repair. Again no money to fix. This car was suppose to last us a good 14 yrs, now Im stuck with a piece of junk and not very happy about it. We were told when we bought 2010 Subaru that the head gasket problems had been resolved by Subaru, and this would never happen. Well lucky me it did. we only drive less than 10 miles a day, no excuse for this to happen. Will never buy a Subaru again. My daughter has a Outback also and her head gasket blown too, she will not buy a Subaru again, cheap car. I have a 2013 Toyota with 46000 miles, no leaks whatsoever, will definitely buy another Toyota, I have owned 3 and never had major engine problems like the Subaru.
After only 7k miles and 6 months owning a new Subaru Crosstrek the Check Engine light came on. Turns out the car has a failed Oil Control Valve. Been in the shop for 3 days. The car feels like an oversized toy. This looks like a sign of many more problems to come.
I love this car with all of its safety features. This is my first Subaru and happy with my purchase. This car has enough speed for me. People say they need more speed, not me. I am not a race car driver. This car is rather stylish to be a Subaru. I can honestly say I did not want the average car Honda, Toyota, etc because I am not ordinary. I do not like being like everyone else.
My wife and I bought a brand new Subaru Forrester, our second one. Had no complaints with the first one 250,000 miles. The new one is a complete **. Around 30k miles started burning oil at the rate of about a quart every 2k miles, we jumped through all their hoops and did their ridiculous oil consumption test. We were treated like morons, told this is acceptable with a boxer engine which is ridiculous! My boss owns a Porsche which also has a boxer engine and doesnt burn a drop. Anyways they finally admitted there was a defect and replaced the top end (short block). Now with less than 20k since the replacement having the same issues, wife went back to dealer today! Its a shame because we really loved the first one but at this point no matter what they do, we will NEVER, EVER, own another Subaru!!!
Purchased a new 2017 Subaru Impreza Sport from Flow motors in Winston Salem. Check oil light came on at 2500 miles. Failed 2 oil consumption tests and had 2 engine rebuilds before 13,000 miles. Using an appalling 1.5 qts oil every 1000 miles. Not repaired. Dealership cheated on oil consumption test by starting with 6 qts of oil in an engine spec’d for 4.7 qts. Going back under NC lemon law. This company gets a 5 **??? Review.
Soon I will be rid of this 2012 Subaru Forester and will never buy a Subaru again. The oil consumption has been a quart per 1,000 miles. The manual said that this is normal. The dealerships have been unconcerned and unwilling to try to stop the consumption as it is normal. The car has 26,000 miles and 26 quarts of synthetic oil have been poured in it between the recommended oil changes. All sorts of excuses for the consumption have been given; however, I have owned very many other models of cars and trucks (probably over 50) and never had one that consistently used over a quart between changes even though some had over 200,000 miles on them. This poorly designed and supported car is unacceptable. Subaru got me once never again!
My daughter bought a Subaru used from a Subaru dealer in Traverse City, Michigan. It has 66,000 miles on it and motor went out and they wont repair it. I will not buy one of your vehicles with the way they have treated her.
Headlight issue: I have 2010 Subaru Outback. I have replaced all the lights approx. 8x. Something has to be wrong!!!!
I like the Subaru Legacy because it has a lot of power. The color is look like an elegant color. All I need is in there and all in the navigation especially the most important. But I dont like it looks so old.
Double clutch your sports car if it wont go into gear. Thats what I was told when I repeatedly complained to the new car Subaru dealer when I took my 08 WRX in for service. I bought the car new in 08 and have never abused it, but at times I couldnt even get it into R, 1st, sometimes 2nd gear. When the service rep finally got tired of giving me the try double clutching suggestion he had me talk to their head mechanic about the manual transmission issue. After he gave me the technical hard to sync explanation he finally said that Subaru isnt noted for having refined manual transmissions. I guess I should have done better research before I bought the car.I finally gave up complaining and had to live with it until a couple of months ago with only 83k non-abused miles the transmission started whining. When I took it to the same dealer I was told that a rear bearing needed replaced and they couldnt even get that part. So I was told that I needed a reman transmission and it was going to cost over $5k. And I thought Subarus were well-built, long-lasting vehicles. Other than that the car has been pretty good, with the exception of 5 safety recalls and the firewall that the clutch is attached to has spot welds cracking. And this issue is a known issue and there was even a class-action lawsuit against Subaru. So if youre thinking of a Subaru please do some research before you get stuck with issues that could be very costly and time consuming to deal with. And you might want to do like Im going to do in the near future, get a Honda.
I purchased a used 2002 Subaru Outback from Diamond Auto, 8213 Ritchie Hwy, Pasadena, MD 21122, 410-544-2496 on February 11, 2012 for $6,289.00. I initially contacted Diamond Auto on February 2, 2012 about the car, which I put down $1,000.00 security deposit to hold the car while they supposedly made repairs. I test drove the car and advised Milton of the repair items I immediately noted that needed to be fixed. Diamond Auto (Milton) informed me on February 11, 2012 that they had made the repairs and the car was available for pick up. I picked the car up on February 11, 2012 and stroked a final check to Milton for the balance due of $5,289.00. Milton stated if I noted any additional problems with the car, to bring it back. While driving the car home and a few short days later, I took the car back with a list of problems with the car. Oil leaks, alignment, check engine light, C02 sensors and rotors squealing. I explained to the owner that I could not keep running back and forth from Owings Mills, MD to Pasadena, MD about the car. The owner assured me that he would resolve all the vehicle defects and have the car delivered. A month later, the owner contacted me stating that all the repairs had been done and to get my address again. I gave the owner my address and he said he would deliver the car by a certain day. That day came and I had not heard from the owner or anyone from Diamond Auto. A few days later, Milton left me a voice message stating they didnt have a driver, etc. The owner contacted me a few days later, confirming the address again and to advise me that the drivers were on their way with the car. Also, he had assured me that he drove the car home, etc. and that everything was okay. A day after they dropped the car off, the check engine line came on again. I took the car to the Subaru dealer to learn that the CO2 sensors were not the problem, but the catalytic converters were bad. Also, the source of the continued oil leaks was a bad gasket near the converters and the timing chamber. They also revealed other defects that needed to be addressed. They quoted me a repair cost of $3,200.00 total. I could not afford that. I took the vehicle to Meineke. Meineke confirmed the converter issue, but also said that the left CV axle was bad too. They would also have to degrease the engine to pinpoint the exact location and source of the leakage. The total replacement of all the defective parts and related services totaled $1,398.00. Meineke also revealed that someone temporarily tried to mask a safety issue with the coils with Permafix versus replacing the bad parts. I contacted Diamond Auto today to advise them that they failed to make all the promised repairs and deliver a defect-free vehicle. You dont sell the car first, then make necessary repairs, etc. after the fact. They knew this car was in bad shape, but sold an unsafe vehicle anyway. They continue to take the position by telling me to keep bringing the vehicle back, etc. My position is they should have fixed the car properly before they sold it, not after the fact, and I should not have to continue to waste my time, energy, efforts or risk me and my families lives by driving an unsafe vehicle. Thats a poor business practice, thats misleading an unknowing customer and they put me and my familys lives at stake by knowingly selling an unsafe vehicle.
Issue with headlight freezing, building up while driving when it is snowing. Not suitable for long driving or out of state especially when it is snowing (I mean not even continuous snowing). Very dangerous so do not ever do that. Gas tank keeps freezing, again when it snows, just a little cold temp outside and it always happens every time. Very inconvenient and unreliable as you have to fix that before you can put gas. Snows build up underneath. This snow should clear up or melted away already as the cars been driven 40 miles 2 way already. I have 2 2004 cars and one is a 2005 Subaru STI and never experienced any of this issue with the WRX LTD.Contacted dealer when it happened a month after driving it in October and was just advised to just pour water or use credit card to take out the ice build up around the gas cap and put w40 or wipe with it on both headlights when driving in snow or when you know it will be snowing later... The headlight I can figure that out because it is all LED and it was flushed inside and not mounted so this should be recalled and fixed. It just like the stoplight here in Illinois that they have so much issues when they all get replaced with LED. Not enough heat to melt the freezing snow (snow and wind), it caused accident because drivers could not just see it.I wrote Subaru like 5 times already about this. All they said is check with the Dealer??? They are both incompetent dealing with the customers once you purchased the car but they will answer all your questions when you are still buying it... Just buy something else. For reliability I have a 2004 Subaru STI and a 2004 Toyota Sienna LXE LTD AWD that are still on the road. Probably cars built in the past last long than newer ones. Ill trade this overpriced car and will just start leasing...
I have had at least 10 problems with the light bulbs on my headlights. The bulbs are not cheap and a lot of people do not know exactly how to put them on, very unsatisfied with this problem. Some dont even last 3 months. Is this a defect in this model? Every mechanic says they are hard to get to, to replace and want to charge high labor. Is there something that can be done about this? I love my car but this is getting aggravating. Thanks.
My 2012 Outback just got a new transmission after 75,000 miles. Im very dissatisfied. When I shift into park its rough, makes like a clunk sound. Makes me wonder how long this one will last!? Ill never buy another Subaru. Makes me wonder if it was done right? Of course they say its fixed and better!! What a joke! I think a bunch of us should get together and place a class action lawsuit.
One month after purchasing a brand new 2013 Subaru Outback from Chatham Parkway Subaru in Savannah, Ga, the paint began to flake off the bumpers. They repainted and said to bring it back if it happened again. A few months ago I noticed three small blister-like lumps in the paint on the drivers side fender. Because the paint was flaking again in other area I took it back to the dealership - the only place I had ever had it serviced. They told me the paint was not bubbling and said it looked like it was dented from the inside. Because there is no way to reach that part of the car from the inside without dismantling the front end I asked that they bring someone in to make an assessment. I waited three months with no response. It wasnt until I contacted the corporate headquarters that they said they would bring someone in to look at it. They kept my car for four days, made paint repairs and a rear door adjustment I didnt ask for, but refused to address the blistered paint. They said something must have slipped in through the door hinge and caused three linear dents from the inside. They said they could not explain how that was possible or how they came to that conclusion, but refused to address the issue or entertain the possibility that it could be a paint issue. In fact the service manager, Tyson, said he is no longer certain there was ever a paint defect and he cant remember why they repainted my front number for free one month after I bought it.
Love the maneuverability of Impreza and how it grips the road! Great gas mileage! The price is great for what you get and I tell all my friends what a great car it is!
2015 Legacy - I have sent my car back to the dealership over and over again. The first time they said they fixed it! The second time they kept it for a week didnt not do 1 thing to it! I have pictures of my trunk full of water from every time it rains! I put so many miles on my car taking to the dealership constantly...
My vehicle is out of warranty and software on my head unit is out of date. There is a TSB to update it and fix multiple major bugs and in addition to allow mobile devices to connect. Some bugs can even be considered safety issue (e.g. backup camera lag - it takes 8 seconds for camera to turn on when car put in reverse). Based on Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies act passed in 2014 car manufacturers cannot block car owners from updating their cars software on their own. I understand that such updates are done at my own risk and can possibly void warranty, which I don’t have any longer, so warranty coverage is unrelated to this case.3 other makes I own since 2014 allow owners to update head unit software and make all of the update downloads public. Subaru of America also had updates published and available to public until they removed it few month ago. I sent multiple inquiries to Subaru HQ and received a reply that I MUST go through authorized retailer service in order to receive updates. When I contacted retailer they stated that such updates can only be done for a fee and they can’t provide update media to a customer even when I agreed to pay for it. This is direct restriction of customer’s rights and it is done only for the purpose of making it impossible for customer to update their software on their own, forcing people to go through retailer services so Subaru can make more money. I love the company and this is 2nd Subaru vehicle I own, but this new business model is just unacceptable. It shows how Subaru as a company cares less about laws and its customers.
I purchased a 2002 Forester when it was new. I have had nothing but problems with this car and to date, I only have 57,000 miles on it. I have had to replace the brakes several times and Ive had previous cars that had over 90,000 miles that I never had to replace the brakes. As soon as my warranty expired, I started experiencing all these problems, of course! I have had to have ball joints replaced, trans pan, gaskets, etc. and I still have a terrible burning smell when driving the car and still have the leak which is causing this smell. I was told Subaru is known for this leak. I now have to replace the muffler. I have had more repairs on this car than all my previous cars together and it all began occurring the minute my warranty expired.I was basically told too bad when I complained about the sudden onset of problems the very moment the warranty expired. My Toyota went for over 90,000 with the only repair replacing the battery. I have maintained this vehicle religiously, as I have with all my cars. If I hadnt lost my job recently, I would trash this car immediately. Its clear from the other complaints here that Subaru doesnt care about keeping customers happy and maintaining their loyalty and future business so I would assume Subaru will do nothing about my problem either.
I am writing in concerns of an issue I had with my 2005 Subaru Legacy Outback wagon H6 LL Bean addition. I have owned this vehicle since October 2005 and drive it nearly every day, so I know its behavior. On December 18, 2014, the day was clear; there had been no rain or snow that week. The pavement was dry. At the point of the issue I was in stop and go traffic, thus had used my brakes at an average of 12-18 times since I had left the house that morning. Traffic was maybe moving at 20-25 miles an hour, stop and go.At one point I went to apply my brakes at a normal pressure and they started to pulse in the anti-lock fashion. The pulses were EXCEPTIONALLY LONG, between braking (pulsing), nothing like I had ever experience before with this car or any other vehicle. However I kept my foot applied to the brake and did not try to pulse it myself. Before I was able to get the car stopped, it hit the car in front of me. I had about 1 and + car lengths between us, again only rolling and absolutely could not get the car stopped. The collision was not hard enough to deploy the airbag. The 2012 Ford Escape in front had nearly no damage to the rear bumper; however due to the placement of the Fords bumper to my grill, my repairs were $5,534.67.I have filed a complaint with Subaru, although since my insurance does not have the means to access the electronic information on this make of car for the information on the day of the accident (very Convenient for Subaru), they are unable to proceed with a claim with Subaru as they have no proof. Now Subaru says without the claim coming from my insurance company - that they have no reason to investigate my claim. I have filed a complaint today with the National Transportation Division in order to try to get someone to check this out. I have investigated this issue and found that others have had it as well. As many I have found have disconnected the Subarus ABS system. I also found YouTube videos on how to do this. Others on certain chats say they do not want to disconnect because it would void their warranty. I find it sad that people feel better disconnecting a factory installed system for their safety. I am scared that this will happen again. If something happens to me - who will get the claim then? I do not trust the ABS system on my car.
Engine light on, brake light on and cruise light flashing - I took my 2012 Legacy in two times for the same problem. The second time I brought it in, I had to leave my car there and they gave me a rental. When the car was done, they told me I had to pay for the rental. I said the car only had 20,000 miles and not even a year old. He said I still have to pay for the car rental. I told him that I was not very happy that I had to pay for the rental. I will never do business with them ever! The Subaru dealer was in Merrillville, IN. Do not go there for any service.
When we purchased our 2014 Subaru Legacy it seemed to have a slow turnover. It has 8,000 miles - we bought it September 2013. Im wondering if anyone else has had this problem with their Subaru Legacys starting slow? And if youve purchased a new battery, which battery have you purchased to replace it? Or did you get back to the dealership and have them give you a new battery?
Upon my Dads passing, given a 2008 Subaru Forester (LL Bean-edition). This car has less than 50,000 miles on it and was just diagnosed with a head gasket issue! Contacted Subaru and asked to go through hoops, including having their dealership review the problem. A review of their brand indicates a litany of issues with this company. Yet they want to tow the company line and state that there are no recalls on this model. Would have been made to take time off work to their far flung dealership locations, pay inflated dealership rates to diagnose an issue they (Subaru) states is not an issue. Getting a diagnosis from dealerships and paying for the privilege is what takes the cake. Also, would you pay to have the fox watch the chickens in the hen house???? No integrity with this company and this was not a cheap car. They do not stand behind their product and I have taken this first of many steps to let anyone I know considering buying a Subaru of the substandard product and joke that they refer to as customer service!
Read several comments about mice and rats chewing out electrical parts and hoses in the engine bay. Its true, all of it, had a huge problem with rats under the hood in the winter for years and constantly popping the hood for several hours to let the engine cool down after use. Then placing fabric softener sheets all over the engine until the morning. It kind of worked but then I found a spray repellent online that is specific for engine bays and rodent control. Spray on all over the compartment every 6 months and it works like a charm. No more droppings or chewed wires. This is a fairly wide known problem to mechanics. As for oil consumption, I have not seen a problem. The car only has 66,000 miles on it and virtually trouble free, love the car!!! Know head gasket may be a problem for the future.
I have to carry oil with me at all times due to high oil usage. There is no oil light indicator to tell you your oil is low. After smelling a hot engine smell after driving home from work (14miles), I checked my oil and no oil appeared on the dip stick and there was less than 2000 miles since my last oil change. I took it to the dealer and they didnt even care and said, oh no damage was done. They didnt even take in the garage to look it over! I brought it to their attention again that I have to keep adding oil two and three times in between oil changes and I was told that was normal.
I would give negative stars if I could. My family has owned 3 Subaru vehicles because we believed their lies about it being a safe and reliable car. We have young children. Never have I entered a car thinking there is a possibility that the engine will suddenly die and then burst into a raging fire. It is a miracle I am alive. It is a miracle our 3 year old is alive. Subaru and their lawyers are only offering credit for a new car. Seriously? Never will we buy another Subaru. Buy a Subaru if you’re okay with dying and your family dying just by driving their car.
Subaru Outback 2016 - I am unable to change radio stations from the steering wheel when my screen is in Phone mode. In order to change the stations, I have to hit the Home button on the screen, thereby defeating the purpose of the steering wheel button. Has anyone else had that issue?
My son bought a 2016 Subaru WRX STI from a Ford dealer. He had problems with it right after buying it. Fast forward to a year later and it needs a new transmission. The warranty that was sold with the car was actually void because the person who traded it to Ford had put aftermarket parts on it and a tune. We contacted Subaru about the problem and they are going to honor the warranty and pay for the repairs. I am happy to say that Subaru is a great company. There are not many companies that stand behind their products these days. Thank You Subaru!
Purchased new 2014 Outback from Maxwell Subaru in Burlington, NC... They screwed up paperwork and let tags expired. Have not received explanation yet. Reported the situation to Subaru who seem not to give a damn. Hopefully, this is not an example of the vehicle itself...
I was driving in the highway at 65mph when all of sudden I heard an explosion. When I stopped and checked the car the sunroof exploded as if someone had punch it from the inside. This is a new 2014 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid with only 9000 miles. The dealer now tells me this is very common for the Subarus. I had minor scratches and thank God nobody in the back seats.
To say I have had a bad experience is an understatement. Week one, battery dies leaving me unable to open the rear hatch to access my dog crates. Month 2, my AC dies (in the summer... I live in Texas). Battery continuously dies, replaced multiple times. Advised that battery drain has been addressed, pure lies. Tailgate latch breaks (remember dog crates mentioned before?) 17 months, Transmission goes out- even though multiple sources prove that the 2019 has multiple tranny issues, dealership tried for 2 weeks to make me pay for the entire new transmission. These are just a few of the issues Ive had. ***Not a dog friendly car!!!
While on vacation our 2018 Crosstrek with 1900 miles stalled while driving 4 times. I was driving my daughters car and almost hit Crosstrek husband was driving because car kept stalling. When we returned car went to shop. 1st time it did it on service tech. They could not find out what was wrong, it is in shop after a week for 2nd time, Subaru is aware and we have had loaner for 2 weeks now, car is unsafe, Subaru did not like when I said Class action and asked that I would not call an attorney till after they look at it the 2nd time but I made the call and he is looking into legal action. These cars are a danger to all that drive them, I owned 6 Subaru’s and will not buy another from them.
I was so excited to get a backup camera but the one on my 2015 Forester is worse than not having one. It makes everything look so much further away than it really is. And today I glanced into it before backing into my space and right into the side of my husbands car. I waited 15 years to get a new Forester and I am so disappointed in it. This would have never happened using the mirrors. You know, it warns you if youre too close to something in front of you, when what you really need is a warning if something is behind you. My daughter has a Kia and the backup camera is 100 times better than my Foresters. Please correct this before it is a little child someone doesnt see.
Buyer beware. It seems Subaru has a long standing manufacturers issue with the head gasket that should have been addressed via recall. Instead they are piecemealing the issue with small repair discounts. My car has only 66k miles (6k miles outside warranty) and been well-maintained. I am discovering that this has been an issue since the mid to late 90s. Just like the class action for heavy oil use, it seems Subaru will wait for the lawsuit to finally be forced to address the problem. 4th family Subaru and I will tell everyone I know of my experience and never to buy a Subaru again.
Car brakes for no reason. Lane assist does not work properly and is dangerous. Fuel gauge recall left my wife and 2 young children stranded. The worst part of my experience was with Subaru corporate. They are slow at responding to my concerns. I opened a ticket with them a month ago and they are still moving slowly. I waited 2 weeks with no response until I finally complained. Finally, they provided me with a 2019 Outback rental and it was not comparable to my vehicle at all. It had no GPS, no push button start, no leather seats, bad rearview mirror, no sunroof. Im still in the process of dealing with corporate regarding that, and I was told by my dealership that I would receive a call from corporate. I was never called. I loved my first Subaru Forester but Subaru has officially killed their reputation, not just with vehicle quality, but also with customer service.
Bought a brand new 2016 Forester limited back in May at the white bear Subaru dealer. At 5,000 miles five thousand miles the car failed to start sitting for as little as 24 hours in a nice and warm garage. The person that jump started my car was surprised knowing that its a brand new car... taking it to the dealer next week for an inspection... definitely not a lovely way to start a new year.
I average 12,000 miles a year on my car. I drive 20 miles rt daily with 85% of my trip being 45 mph. I do not drive this car hard. At 62K miles, I took my 07 Outback to the dealer for a scheduled oil change. I mentioned the car seemed to be getting loud as the technician asked if I had any concerns. When I picked up my car, no mention was made of the noise so I attributed it to new tires. As the car has become louder, on my internet research, I have noticed several complaints and even called Subaru when I had seen an extended warranty on 05, 06, and 08s that covered the car for 100K miles or 8 years. I called the dealer and my car didnt qualify. I have also noticed my car had a recall for a piece to the brake. I havent moved since we purchased the car and had no written notice as to the failure... At nearly 80K, I am faced now with rebuilding my rear differential. No recalls had been made for the 07s. I took it to a mechanic and he told me Subarus are known for that. I have found this website and encourage all Subaru owners with problems to please file complaints.
I heard a wind sound at speeds of 120 km/hr or more and fine dust between the doors and car body and I went to the service center. The service center told me it`s normal, that all Subaru XV model 2012 have the same issue after we tried another car.
I purchased a new 2013 Subaru Outback believing all the hype I read about and saw regarding this vehicle. At 83,000 miles my transmission failed due to contaminated transmission fluid (Subaru admitted the defect) and was told by the dealership they would repair it for $8500 since my 60,000 mile warranty (they must know something) on the powertrain was exceeded. Subaru of America (after a week waiting in limbo) said they would give $1,000 toward the repair as a good will gesture. Never mind all the ads and chest beating over how this vehicle surpasses most in quality and reliability. Now Im reduced to buying a used transmission online and having an independent contractor replace it. Needless to say Im not loving my Subaru and will tell the everyone in reach about their customer service.
We bought a new 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. It has the Worst gas mileage we have ever seen in a vehicle. Its getting 13mpg. We have owned it now for 3 months. Now the dealership has says it will get better the long we own it!! We would like to file a lawsuit against Subaru and the dealership for false advertising this product. It does not get Nowhere what they are advertising. Maybe we bought a bad one. If so we would try another Subaru.
My son Jake was killed in 2013 in a Subaru Outback in Montana. The commercial Subaru has on TV when they show a smashed up Subaru and all they say is THEY LIVED OR THEY SURVIVED. Well my son didnt live! Do you have any idea how disturbing that commercial is to me??? Every time it comes on the TV I relive the day I got the news my son was killed in a Subaru. Please, is there any way it can be taken off the TV? Im sure Im not the only person that has lost a loved one in a Subaru.
My wife had a 03 Outback where the engine destroyed itself at 84,000 miles. Blew head gasket with no warning, cylinder heads had to be machined along with new rings, etc. by Subaru. The car ran fine for 5,000 miles then everything started to happen again. I spoke to Subaru USA about the first incident and was told was off warranty. I had a 05 Outback which I just traded in for a Camry. Again at 84,000 miles, the car started to break down. CV Joints, timing belt and water pump, brake lines to front wheels were replaced, AC fan and fan blower were replaced, catalytic converter failed along with o2 sensors and to top it off, the head gasket was seeping. I have owned 6 Subarus since 1997 and this is it! The cars are great until you hit the 84,000-mile wall and fall apart.
We bought our Subaru Outback brand new, with about 10 miles on it, we got it because we wanted a reliable car and we loved the fact that it was a dog car. Within a few months I started noticing a vibration when accelerating, I brought it to the dealership no less than 20 times and it could not be duplicated by the technicians. Finally around 38,000 miles we bought 4-new tires, YES, FOUR! This did not help. 40,000 they replaced a rear wheel bearing (felt like vibration was in the front?), I thought this might fix it, but it still shakes.NEXT issue, which is probably far worse! The battery. The first time we had a dead battery we had just shopped at Costco, the entire back of the car was filled with groceries, the car wouldnt start. We called the Subaru tow service, they started it but it promptly died. We had to have someone come and get our groceries, then have our car towed to the dealership. Yes, we got a loaner car for the weekend, but on Monday they said there was nothing wrong. Repeat this 2, 3, 4, 5 TIMES! I would be stuck in the garage, the car wouldnt start, my husband at work, wouldnt start. Would take off after a sluggish start, stop at a stop sign, then boom, it dies right there. Dealership response- Hummm, looks fine, must be because you are not driving it enough, or you are leaving the lights on, or the hatch open. We just had our 4th NEW battery put in, the last brand new battery was exactly 3-months ago. This car is a lemon. I started researching online, WOW, we are not the only ones out there with this problem, Subaru has a real problem, the battery has got to be an electrical issue. The vibration is a mystery. I used to love my Subaru, now I really dislike it.
The car is terrible -- poor construction, poor interior. Defect in the steering wheel, door panel. There was a scratch on the bumper that I showed the Service Dept. They said I did it when it was washed. It is not a scratch. It is a defect in the paint. They would not deal with my complaints. I called Subaru and trying to get them to be available is very difficult. I will never buy another Subaru again. These people who love their Subarus are blind or naive. If you damage one tire you need to buy 4 tires because of the symmetrical AWD. High maintenance.
We purchased a 2019 Ascent and love many things about it. The one thing we DO NOT is the MPG. We have carefully monitored the MPG in all sorts of circumstances, even trying to drive at the speed limit on cruise control for several hours in 8th speed in the manual mode. That is where we got the best MPG at 19.2. At no other time have we been close to the quoted number. Our average has been 17.2 city and 18.8 highway, which are very different numbers from what the window sticker numbers showed. We have tried endlessly to work with Subaru of America and have had little to no help as they are not taking ownership of the discrepancy and they just keep trying to put it back on the dealership. Clearly this is a corporate issue as they build the vehicles and the dealership just sells them!
Our first Subaru was a 2009 Outback, and we loved it. It was a program car with about 10K miles on it when we got it, but had been owned by the state of NC DOT so was like new when we got it. The one problem we had throughout the life of it was the left headlight would not last; it would go out several times a year. Because of some other problems, some possibly a mechanics fault, that car caught fire and was totaled in 2013.We went back to the same dealer in Asheville NC and bought a new 2014 Forrester. From the beginning it had a lag when accelerating, as when one is passing another vehicle or when a potential problem has arisen and one needs to move fast to avoid a wreck. It was a consistent 6 second lag; after 6 seconds, the RPM would soar almost to the red line. I could literally count one thousand one, one thousand two etc. My husband took it back to the dealership and asked about it. Oh, everyone is complaining about that with this car, theres nothing to worry about. Umm, I do worry when my car wont move when I want it to! Ill also add at this point that my husband and I are both in our late 50s, and we are the only people who have ever driven this car, so we know how well it has been treated.In Februrary 2016 I left home, drove into town (10 miles), made two stops, the car was running smooth as butter. My third stop was at the car wash. I pulled up, told them what kind of wash I wanted, and I went into the lounge to wait. A few minutes later the guy came in and said, Your Subaru wont move. What?! I went out, cranked it, could put it in gear, but it was like it was in neutral. Could hear the motor revving, but nothing happened. There was no noise when it happened. There was no smell of anything burning, nothing. The emissions warning light was on.I had the car towed to our house (I needed to get back and get my other vehicle for an appointment), then later had it towed to a local garage, because the car was out from under warranty. He kept it a week, then called and said he couldnt figure out what it was, so he called the dealer we bought it from, and they said they thought it was the transmission. Paid to have it towed 70 miles to the dealer. After about a week, they called and said they couldnt figure it out, so they ran all the computer stuff and sent it to Subaru to find the problem. They determined it needed a new transmission.The Service guy told me when I picked it up that when they went to look in the transmission, all kinds of parts fell out, that the transmission had literally exploded. That was the word he used. Fortunately that was still covered under warranty, so it covered the $7K to repair it. When we finally got the car back we noticed the lag was gone! Now when I accelerate, the car actually does what its supposed to do! If you have that lag, insist that they check your transmission!
I purchased a 2013 Subaru Outback with VST. One thing I noticed right away was that when I backed out of my driveway onto the road, when I put it into Drive, there was about a 3-second hesitation. Same happens when I go from Drive into Reverse. I complained about it a couple of times and they told me at Subaru that it was normal. They told me that several people have complained about it. I really like the car, but now there is the oil usage problem. It is happening to me, too.
My first car was a 2005 Subaru STi. I drove it throughout college, about 100 miles a day, from work, school and back home again. It never let me down, and I drove the crap out of it. I sold it right before I got married and got a brand new 2013 Crosstrek for the wife (future) and a used 2010 Outback for myself. In just about one year I began noticing how low the oil level was when changing the oil on the Crosstrek. I change my oil every 3500 miles with full synthetic oil and a OEM filter. It was never low enough to set off the oil light, but I would have to add about 1.5 quarts between oil changes, which is not normal for any low performance naturally aspirated car. I brought it to the dealer and they said oil consumption at that level was normal. So I accepted the fact that I would just add 1.5 quarts between my 3500k mile oil change interval. At 30K miles on the Crosstrek, the blower motor started acting up, there was a hard start issue (probably crank sensor) and passenger rear wheel bearing was noisy. The dealer did not want to replace any of the parts under warranty. They did not even want to diagnose it. At that point I did not want this car anymore. Who knows what else might go wrong another 30k miles later. So I traded the Crosstrek in for a 2017 Forester Touring. Now the CVT on the Forester is acting up at highway speeds. I am waiting to see what the dealer has to say about this issue. Whether they are going to dismiss it and say its normal, or actually look into the service bulletins issued to see if something is applicable. This is quality and service I did not expect from what-used-to-be my favorite car manufacturer. So in short, the three (3) stars is for my old 2005 STi and my 2010 Outback. Everything Subaru produced after that is and was Junk. I will never purchase another Subaru again. Back to Honda/Toyota.
Bought the 2014 Forester in July, 2013 because of the reliability of the brand. Car has been great as I put about 800 miles on a week commuting. At about 35,000 miles I started to notice that the oil light came on about the midpoint between oil changes, at about 3500 miles. Have to add oil about every four weeks, really burns through the oil. No drips on the driveway, car runs great. Love the car but have to fix this oil issue.
My girlfriend bought a Certified Pre-Owned 2013 Subaru Outback from Kendall Subaru in Fairbanks in December of 2013. Within 1,000 miles of purchasing the vehicle the oil light came on. We brought the vehicle back to the dealer with the complaint of oil consumption. They told us that a quart of oil every 1,000 miles is Normal. But they would conduct an oil consumption test. Their test showed that the car was consuming a quart every 1,000 miles. Subsequently the oil light has come on 3 times. We called Kendall again and the service manager said this I did speak to one of the Subaru mechanics back there. And he said they are designed a bit differently from other vehicles. And he used the term the crankcase doesnt quite hold the same amount of oil as other vehicles. He compared it with the Toyota. So he said yes you would burn a little more oil faster because you just dont have the amount in the crankcase that other vehicles may have. When you come in I would ask the advisor to please let a mechanic explain it to you, because when he explained it to me it totally made sense. You have got to be kidding me? Do they think we are that stupid? I have the recording of the service representative on my phone. People need to hear this. We are talking a 2 year old car with 22,000 miles on it!
As many other reviews I read and contained in this page, a 2007 Subaru Outback did not give any warnings, did not overheat, just all of a sudden a clunk sound, and it had to be towed away to the mechanic who says that it needs a new engine. After reading all the other reviews, it has help me to make the choice of giving it up and cut my losses now. I have to say that purchasing this vehicle brand new was a very poor investment. I thought I was going to be able to have it for many more years, not just 7 years. It is too bad Subaru doesnt take any responsibility for its faulty mechanism. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY OR RECOMMEND ANOTHER SUBARU.
Just 3 years after buying our Subaru Outback 2014, the electric parking brake device failed, locking our car down and making it unable to shift gears. We had to manually release the parking brake using the extremely poorly written advice for a labor intensive cranking process (turn 250 times but not 300 or youll break something!) with a terribly designed device. Repairs to this piece cost $1050 ($660 parts replacement). Big waste of money for a feature no one wants (electronic parking brake). Im sure Subaru doesnt mind making money on the replacement parts, though. Will not buy Subaru again.
Several years ago, I was looking at cars, and went to a Subaru dealer. The salesperson was so rude and condescending that we left. Just now, I was researching cars on **, and I sent in several requests for information from dealers. Several Ford dealers got back and were very professional. We had conversations, and they were understanding as I discussed my needs. Then, a moment ago, a Subaru dealer called back (Patriot Subaru in North Attleboro MA). The salesperson was rude and confrontational. She said my request was for a specific car, which Im sure it was. However, I had done more research and wanted to discuss a different Subaru model. Instead of offering advice and listening, she again reiterated, so you want information on a different car than your request? After talking with some good salespeople, it was quite jarring and unexpected for the Subaru person to be so rude, condescending, and overall unprofessional. But I guess I should have expected it, as Ive never had a good experience with Subaru sales.
The car is very reliable and I have owned it for 6 years. I for the typical maintenance on the car and have had no additional problems. It drives very well and handles the snow well. After owning a car with cloth seats, I would consider leather. While the cloth cleans up well, its just not practical with kids and dogs. Its an older model and did not come with Bluetooth. It would be a nice benefit to have it. But price was a strong factor when choosing this car and it was affordable in comparison to competitors. I have a huge sunroof which I love. I love the large trunk space in my Forester and how the seats fold down flat in the back.
Ive had my 2015 Forester for a year now. There are some things I like and some I really dont like. I have put 20,000 miles on the car and havent had any mechanical problems. It drives and handles comfortably, and did well with snow and ice last winter. However there are a number of small irritants. One of my biggest issues is the upholstery. I try to be careful, but it is already seriously stained and starting to show obvious wear. No other vehicle has ever shown wear like this. The panels on the doors look dirty and wont come clean. My dog stepped one time on the padded cover of the storage box between the front seats. He left several permanent dents and the plastic coating tore. Hes ridden in several other vehicles without anything like this happening. Also the finish on the steering wheel where I grip has worn off. I also find the headrests to be remarkably uncomfortable, and its not really possible to sleep in the seat. The worst problem is that when the air is dry, as it usually is in eastern Oregon, I cant get out of the car without getting a static electric shock, just strong enough to be mildly painful. Every single time. I try to slap the door as I get out to prevent it from hurting, but I sometimes forget. This happens occasionally in other vehicles, but rarely. As minor as this seems, its annoying enough that it may prevent me from owning another Subaru. Another thing that probably shouldnt matter is the mileage indicator. I really like this except for the fact that it always shows me getting 1.5 to 2.5 miles more per gallon than I really am. I find this extremely irritating. I also hate the fuel gauge, which is a line of small gray squares which are difficult for me to see. Also the speedometer is smaller than I like, with markings close together and the 5s not indicated. Also, the windshield has cracked all the way across even though I never noticed it being hit by anything, and there is no rock ding. I resent that Subaru did not give me the option of deciding if I wanted a fancy anti-theft system that requires a very expensive key and, if you try to use a duplicate, will cause the computer to crash and cost several hundred dollars to repair. I am cynical enough to think that this was not done for my benefit. I would be perfectly happy with an old unchipped key that costs $2 to duplicate. I also dont like that only one door on the car can be opened with the key and that if I use the spare key to unlock the door the alarm goes off. Every single time. There is supposed to be a way to prevent that but it doesnt work. I also have issues with the mileage. If I drive on the level at about 45 mph, I can get as high as 30 miles to the gallon. But if I get on the freeway and drive 65 mph to Portland and back I wont get over 25 and have gotten as low as 19. The sticker claimed 29 highway. Also, though I live in a town with no more than 10 stoplights, if I do any driving around town my mileage drops like a rock. Also if I go up even a moderate hill. Finally, the clock and temperature gauge are not consistently accurate, the speakers vibrate unpleasantly if you turn the bass up, and the cup holder has broken for no apparent reason.

