Is there a year of Subaru Forester which should be avoided?

Asked by bekblue Oct 30, 2013 at 10:15 PM about the Subaru Forester

Question type: General

I am thinking of buying a Subaru Forester, but I want to avoid year models of that car
that had mechanical problems.

9 Answers

45,325

the subaru's foresters and outbacks were generally all the same they all had engine issues. so the real question you need to ask the owner is *has the car ever had the head gaskets done ? and if no how many miles are on it. the main issues most of the foresters and outbacks had was after around 120k on the speedo the engines would have lost the head gaskets and either warped or cracked the heads by that point. so if its never been changed to a simple fix which is buying after market head gaskets, before the damage was done then the car most likely will be not far off from needing 2 new heads or an engine. hope this helps.

13 people found this helpful.
44,815

The type and year of used car is not as important as the mileage and care it has received- low mileage, original owner will always trump brand and perceived prestige- all 21st century cars are basically throw aways- Used Subarus are horror stories- Happy Halloween

5 people found this helpful.
6,945

2001 and prior were the Foresters with the most common head gasket issues, with the 98's being the worst. However, if the owner has the receipts to prove the head gaskets were replaced, the issue shouldn't return for a long time if ever. The issue was with a weaker single layer head gasket.

8 people found this helpful.
10,535

Also if there is one specific year to avoid it's the 99 with an automatic, they used a slightly different transmission on that year specifically and it had alot of issues. I found this out the hard way.

9 people found this helpful.
160

From experience I would say avoid the 1999 Foresters. I am in a love/hate relationship with mine.

3 people found this helpful.
510

I have 2005 Forester and this Year (or up to) head gasket leaking problem was with almost all of them .Around 80-90 K km. I changed both gasket ,timing belt ,water pump and all rollers (You got everything open)

5 people found this helpful.

I wish I had avoided my 2015. It has been a complete disaster. My 2002 went over 200k on the original engine and head gaskets and ran like new when I sold it.

8 people found this helpful.
140

Does stop leak added into the radiator help the head gasket issue?

14 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

Forester

Looking for a Used Forester in your area?

CarGurus has 1,393 nationwide Forester listings starting at $3,995.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Chris W
    Reputation
    11,400
  • #2
    TheSubaruGuruBoston
    Reputation
    9,780
  • #3
    Nick Eidemiller
    Reputation
    6,220
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Subaru Outback
45 Great Deals out of 1,148 listings starting at $3,800
Used Subaru Crosstrek
42 Great Deals out of 1,315 listings starting at $5,995
Used Toyota RAV4
132 Great Deals out of 3,048 listings starting at $3,900
Used Honda CR-V
176 Great Deals out of 5,015 listings starting at $440
Used Mazda CX-5
69 Great Deals out of 3,285 listings starting at $5,700
Used Subaru Impreza
31 Great Deals out of 663 listings starting at $4,299
Used Subaru Ascent
8 Great Deals out of 288 listings starting at $16,000
Used Subaru Legacy
10 Great Deals out of 220 listings starting at $3,200
Used Toyota 4Runner
28 Great Deals out of 545 listings starting at $9,999
Used Toyota Highlander
41 Great Deals out of 814 listings starting at $7,498
Used Toyota Tacoma
40 Great Deals out of 741 listings starting at $9,975
Used Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
33 Great Deals out of 840 listings starting at $16,888
Used Toyota Camry
52 Great Deals out of 1,143 listings starting at $2,500
Used Nissan Rogue
134 Great Deals out of 4,972 listings starting at $2,995
Used Ford Escape
135 Great Deals out of 4,267 listings starting at $3,999

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.