2008 Subaru Forester Engine Problems

Your engine's compression has been declining rapidly, causing sluggish and jerky performance. The check engine light came on shortly after routine service, and diagnostic testing revealed the compression isn't working properly. Your engine may need to be completely rebuilt or replaced to fix this issue.

During routine maintenance at 100,000 miles, your Subaru Forester was found to have a blown head gasket and an oil leak. The dealer repaired the timing belt to address these issues. A blown head gasket typically requires replacement of the gasket and related seals to stop oil leakage and restore proper engine compression.

Your engine has a significant oil leak that has covered the entire engine in oil buildup from front to back. You've taken your car to the Subaru dealership multiple times since 2012, including for a head gasket replacement last year, but the mechanics never identified or addressed this leak despite the engine smoking. You're frustrated that this major issue wasn't caught during service, especially after paying for five years of ownership, and you're concerned about the car's reliability going forward. Fixing this will likely require a thorough engine inspection to locate the leak source and seal or replace the affected gasket or seal.

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

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

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

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

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