Advice/Info about Foresters

[1 Lucky Texan]

My wife really wants a newer/new car. I might consider a 2-3-maybe 4 year-old Forester but know little about them.

 

What years were the oil burners? where is the model year break? any glaring problems to look for?

 

(I may try to keep my other cars even though it would be easier financially to trade one in. I love my WRX , and keeping her Outback makes it easier to have a spare car that non-manual drivers in the family can borrow)

 

I'm sure she's in a hurry - but I'm not

[golucky66]

The oil burning engines were the early FB25 which come in foresters starting in 2011. They slowly fixed the problem every year after 2011 but my gfs 2013 burns oil pretty badly. The 2014's that I've worked on aren't too bad and Imo, 2015's and up are pretty much fixed.

 

So, if it were me, I'd buy pre 2011. Or post 2014. Kinda messes up your 2-4 year range though.

 

Best of luck.

[Numbchux]

2011 was the first year for the new engine

 

2014 was a new body style, and first year for the CVT in the Forester

 

Oil consumption warranty extension on Auto trans Foresters covers all 2011-2013, and 2014 through VIN ending in 529004. That warranty is good through 100k miles (salvage cars are not covered). So if it's under that, you can still get a free engine.

 

 

We've had more than a few foresters that chew up the rear tires, so look at tire wear, usually it's just an alignment issue. Rear upper control arms have a ball joint that is not serviceable, have to replace the whole arm. So it'd be a good idea to jack up the back and look for play there, they're not really any more prone to failure than any other suspension bushing, but far more expensive to replace.

[1 Lucky Texan]

so, a '12 and '13 would have 5EAT with the FB engine?

[Numbchux]

so, a '12 and '13 would have 5EAT with the FB engine?

 

4EAT, but yes.

[1 Lucky Texan]

ah - was hoping but, I guess the 5eat never got paired to the FB.

 

I've never leased a car but my circumstances may push me to try that as well.

 

thanx numb

[idosubaru]

I see one mention of 2014?  Is there a consensus on the oil burning issue being fixed by a certain year? 

 

PM sent LT.

[Numbchux]

I'll attach the full list of vehicles that are expressly effected by the warranty extension. All non-salvage cars are covered through April 21st, 2017 regardless of mileage, after that the engine will be warranted for oil consumption to 8 years/100,000 miles. This does not mean that all the cars before these cutoffs definitely do burn oil, there are a lot of cars out there with no trouble. And it's not really something that will crop up later, most of the effected cars had excessive consumption basically right off the line.

 

 

 

It depends on your definition of "fixed". All the 0w20 engines consume more oil than the older cars, but that's considered "normal" by Subaru. They consider losing 1 quart over at least 4k miles is normal. But anything more than a quart in 3600 miles (technically, the oil consumption test is looking for 1/3 quart or more over 1200 miles) will warrant a new engine.

 

 

Unofficially, I've heard people say that running synth 5w30 makes it much better.

Edited January 10, 2017 by Numbchux