2007 Subaru Forester Engine Problems
13 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (13)
While driving on the freeway, your engine temperature gauge suddenly fluctuated and began rising, and coolant was forcefully spraying from the overflow tank. After shutting off the engine, the temperature dropped quickly, but when the coolant warmed up again during idling, it violently expelled from the radiator cap and overflow tank. You also noticed sooty exhaust. This indicates a blown head gasket, which allows coolant to escape and exhaust gases to enter the cooling system. Fixing this requires removing the cylinder head and replacing the head gasket.
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Your engine's head gasket failed suddenly while driving on the highway at 65 mph with 115,000 miles on the odometer, and your radiator also failed at the same time. After replacing the radiator, resurfacing the cylinder heads, and replacing the head gasket, the same head gasket is now leaking again after only 15,000 additional miles. This suggests the repair may not have been completed properly or there's an underlying issue causing premature failure.
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Your car has been shaking abnormally while driving at around 45 mph on several occasions. A mechanic diagnosed that the wheel bearings need to be replaced, though the repair hasn't been done yet. This issue started around 101,000 miles.
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ENGINE FAILED ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND THERE WAS NO DIGNOSTIC CODE FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS FOUND BY SUBARU DEALERSHIP.
HEAD GASKETS ON ENGINE STARTED TO LEAK. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE 2007 FORESTERS. WHY WAS THERE NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE? *TR
BOTH CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS LEAK OIL AND COOLANT. ALL HOSES ARE BRITTLE. THE DEALER ESTIMATES $3000 DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS 60000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS OFFERED $500 ASSISTANCE WHICH IS TOO LOW. *TR DO OTHER SUBARU FORESTER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES? *TR
HEAD GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
I WAS ADVISED BY AN EMPLOYEE AT MIDAS WHO HAPPENS TO OWN 3 SUBARUS THAT THE HEAT SHIELD ALWAYS COMES LOOSE ON SUBARUS WHICH IS ALARMING. ALTHOUGH IT ONLY COST ME $40 TO REPLACE, I FEEL A LITTLE UNEASY AS I'VE ONLY OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 1 1/2 YEARS. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE (USED), I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO A SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD FIND AND I SHOULDN'T WORRY. AT ALMOST TWO YEARS, I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ALTHOUGH NOTHING MAJOR HAS HAPPENED AND I'M HOPING AND PRAYING IT DOESN'T AS I AM THE MOTHER OF A 3 YEAR OLD CHILD AND WOULD HATE FOR MY CAR TO EITHER CATCH ON FIRE OR FOR ME TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SUBARUS NEGLECT TO CORRECTLY INVESTIGATE THE REAL PROBLEM. *TR
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WAS FLASHING UPON STARTING THE ENGINE. NO OTHER ENGINE SYMPTOMS PRESENTED THEMSELVES. TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THE FRONT CONVERTER IS DAMAGED IN ADDITION TO THE FRONT SENSOR BEING BAD. ENDED UP HAVING THEM ALL REPLACED AT SUBSTANTIAL COST OF APPROX. $2,000.00. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH DONE IN A SUBARU FORESTERS OWNERS FORUM SHOWS THAT MANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING COSTLY AND UNNECESSARY REPAIRS DUE TO FAULTY O2 SENSORS, NOT BAD CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. ANY EXPENSES CURRENT OWNERS HAVE HAD TO INCUR SHOULD BE REIMBURSED BY SUBARU TO THOSE OWNERS, AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO OTHER OWNERS TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY AND COSTLY REPAIRS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
SECONDARY AIR PUMP AND VALVE FAILURE. SUBARU ADMITS THESE ARE NOT PART OF POWER TRAIN, BUT DENIES THESE ARE COVERED BY EMISSIONS SYSTEM WARRANTY THOUGH PURPOSE OF PUMP AND VALVES IS TO INCREASE AIRFLOW AND THEREBY DILUTE EMISSIONS AT TAILPIPE. TOTAL REPAIRS APPROX. $2000. *TR
2007 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES TO EXPRESS A RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA INC. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE WAS A PART OF THE EMISSION CONTROL VALVE RECALL WHICH COULD LEAD TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER DAMAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER BEING TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETE, SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, ANOTHER EMISSION CONTROL VALVE INSIDE THE GAS TANK FAILED. SUBARU DENIED THE CONSUMER'S REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM STATING THE TWO INCIDENTS WERE UNRELATED. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN TWICE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, AND IN LOCAL TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,330. UPDATED 3/19/09 *CN UPDATED 03/26/09. *JB