CarComplaints.com Notes: Subaru thinks burning through a quart of oil every 1,000 miles or so is perfectly normal. That's a crude stance if you ask us.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,399 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 Subaru Forester drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2015 Subaru Forester Owner Comments (Page 4 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #26

Apr 142018

Forester

  • 21,883 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought the car a month ago around March 10,2018 from glanzmann Subaru. After 2 weeks of driving, the car was shaking and had trouble accelerating intermittently when at stop signs or at low speeds. After words I noticed when the car is around 80 mph, sometimes the rpms go up but there is no torque. I was told to drop the car off at the service station which I did and after 4 days got the car back but they said they "could not replicate" the issue that I was having. I also get 18mpg while the advertised mpg is around 25. I should atleast get 22mpg. I have a very good feeling I was sold a car with a clutch that was on its way out. The dealer is not acknowledging the issue but I was able to replicate the issue on my way from the service center. I was told I would be able to drive the car with a tech but on the day of the pickup, the tech was unavailable. It has become a safety issue because sometimes when merging into a highway or turning into streets from a center lane the car does not have good pick uplike it is suppose. I know my car is an issue because the loaner that I got from glanzsmann was also a Forester and I could tell the difference right away. Thank you.

- Philadephia, PA, USA

problem #25

Apr 132018

Forester 4-cyl

  • 18,000 miles
NOVEMBER 28, 2017 ' A SUBARU TRANSMISSION WARRANTY EXTENSION HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 2010-2015 LEGACY AND OUTBACK, 2012-2015 IMPREZA, 2013-2015 CROSSTREK, 2014-2015 CROSSTREK HYBRID, 2014-2015 FORESTER AND 2015 WRX VEHICLES, ALL EQUIPPED WITH CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSIONS (CVTS) DUE TO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. I BOUGHT MY CAR USED IN SEPTEMBER 2017. I WAS NEVER INFORMED THAT THERE WERE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE AND FAILURES. A TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A HIGHWAY COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH. AND YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. I HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO NOTICE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION- JERKING WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE AND DELAYED TURNOVER BETWEEN 2 AND 3RD GEAR. CONSUMERS WERE NOT INFORMED OF THIS I FOUND IT ONLINE. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS A WARRANTY EXTENSION ON THE MODELS ABOVE AND MY CAR IS INCLUDED. WHEN I ASKED FOR PAPERWORK THE DEALER SERVICE REP SAID NONE WAS SENT TO ANYONE, BUT THE WARRANTY FOLLOWS THE VEHICLE BY VIN #. SO, THERE ARE POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND WITH TRANSMISSIONS THAT COULD FAIL, BUT WHO ARE UNAWARE. SUBARU DID THIS QUIETLY TO NOT DRAWN ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION AND A RECALL. TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A HIGHWAY COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. AGAIN I FEEL "JERKING" EVERY TIME I TRY TO BREAK. IT'S LIKE THE CAR IS TRYING TO ACCELERATE INSTEAD OF COMING TO A STOP. IT HAS STOPPED SO FAR, BUT WHAT IF IT DOESN'T NEXT TIME? THIS PROBLEM IS CONSTANT. I THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO COLD BUT I ALWAYS WARM UP MY CAR UNTIL THE INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWS TRANSMISSION IS WARM. AND THE WEATHER HAS BEEN WARM FOR A FEW DAYS NOW AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. I HAVE REPORTED OTHER PROBLEMS TO THE DEALER THAT ARE NOT SAFETY RELATED AND THEY JUST BLOW IT OFF SUCH AS THE COMPUTER IS NOT RECORDING AVERAGE MPG AND AVERAGE MPH CORRECTLY. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Warminster, PA, USA

problem #24

Nov 302017

Forester

  • 21,000 miles
When shifting into drive form reverse or park the cvt transmission can take approx. 3 seconds to engage and for the car to start moving. This is an extremely long time when you are backing into a space or backing from a driveway onto a busy road. The service advisor said this is "normal" on a Subaru cvt transmission. I insisted that the Subaru service dept. Check my car and verify. This in case of an accident, I will have it recorded. I will update this after the dealer looks at the issue.

- Lancater, PA, USA

problem #23

Oct 312014

Forester

  • 100 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

After I slow down to turn a corner this car occasionally pauses, or will not resume moving for a few seconds when I step on the gas. This has caused cars behind me to almost rear end me numerous times. It sometimes happens twice in one day then won't happen again for several weeks. I have taken it to the dealer but it has never done it on any of their test drives. This has occurred ever since I bought this car new. I was told other owners have complained of the same problem but they have to experience it when they test drive it.

- Citrus Heights, CA, USA

problem #22

Aug 122016

Forester

  • 13 miles
I leased this vehicle on June 2015. Back on 8/26/2017 while driving on freeway and going 70 mile and hour, car suddenly died in the middle of freeway. I almost got killed by a truck that was behind my vehicle. They towed this car to glendale Subaru and after two days, they said they could not find anything. Since that incident I have taken the vehicle back to dealer for performance and transmission issue. In addition, some major electrical issue with the isite system. The dealer charged me over $2000 for unrelated repairs. The car has a major issue in cold and hot ideal. Many complaints were filed to Subaru customer service and they did not assist me at all.

- Newhall, CA, USA

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problem #21

Sep 012017

Forester

  • 10,000 miles
The vehicles stutters when accelerating. The issue will go for a few days to a few weeks then disappear and return a few weeks later. Have tried changing to sport and sport + modes and also using the paddle shifters and none of them had any change in the stuttering. The car has 25,000 miles on it and the issue has been happening since about 10K miles. When I brought the vehicle in for a recall it was functioning fine and the techs could not find any issues. I have another appointment scheduled for 2 weeks from now.

- Pinole, CA, USA

problem #20

Aug 012017

Forester

  • 15,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine hesitates on acceleration, especially from a dead stop, leaving me stuck in the oncoming lane for several seconds. This is a recurring problem and is very dangerous! it?S virtually impossible to accelerate without feeling hesitation and surging. It feels like the car is very slow to go into gear and then lunges to catch up. This happens in all weather and all driving conditions, it happens every day. Very disappointing performance for a car I bought brand new.

- Springfield, MO, USA

problem #19

Sep 072015

Forester

  • 250 miles
Engine hesitates on acceleration, especially when making left turns from a dead stop, leaving me stuck in the oncoming lane for several seconds. This is a recurring problem and is very dangerous! service manager says it's due to applying brake and gas at the same time while waiting for oncoming cars to clear, but it happens even when I'm careful not to do that. Nearly been hit several times. It's virtually impossible to accelerate without feeling hesitation and surging, even in a straight line.

- Viera, FL, USA

problem #18

May 262017

Forester

  • 75,000 miles
Transmission was replaced 5-22-17 under extended warranty. Assured that the vehicle was in working order we drove up to mammoth lakes ca that Friday (5-26-17). 2 hours into the drive, just inside the mojave desert, we experienced a abrupt stalling/lunging sensation. Letting off the gas for a moment, I then gave the car a bit more gas and experienced the same sensation again. I pulled over to the shoulder and smelt a chemical/overheating smell. Shut the car off, popped the hood and no smoke. I then turned the vehicle back on and no check engine light or any other light was on. I then put the car into drive and proceeded. The RPM's went to about 4K but the car was not exhilarating. I drove the shoulder of the road for about 1/4 mile into a gas station. At 11pm I had no choice but to pay $600 to have it towed back to ladin Subaru of thousand oaks. I am currently awaiting yet another diagnosis. Not sure I feel confident in the vehicle especially if it puts me at risk of being rear ended on a highway. Not to mention the issue occurred just 4 days after it was supposedly fixed! Subaru could potentially be in the hole for $16K as the car is still under its extended warranty. Not sure I even feel confident they can resolve the issue.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #17

Mar 302017

Forester

  • 40,000 miles
While driving at 65mph the left wheel bounces and my engine RPM increase, the steering wheel vibrates as well as the front end. This happens while driving a road which curves to the right. It makes the car difficult to control. It sounds like the cv joint on the left front it makes grinding or pulsing sound. This only happens at highway speed. I recently had a front end alignment and the car does stop straight with no problem at any speed. I feel as if the whole front left is going to come off and cause an accident.

- Medford, NY, USA

problem #16

Mar 122016

Forester

  • 18,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. While the vehicle was stopped with the brake pedal depressed and the gear shift in the drive position, the vehicle independently lunged forward without warning. On another occasion, while the vehicle was in the park position, it continued to rev. The failure recurred more than twelve times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was unable to be duplicated. The contact mentioned that the transmission was reprogrammed, but the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,000.

- North Huntingdon, PA, USA

problem #15

Feb 052015

Forester 4-cyl

  • 3,000 miles
2015 Subaru Forester. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle hesitation/acceleration issues. The consumer stated at low speeds, the vehicle would buck slightly as she/he accelerated. In stop and go traffic, the vehicle would lurch forward unexpectedly, or when she removed his/her foot from the accelerator pedal, the vehicle seemed to slow down abruptly. When the consumer attempted to accelerate, the vehicle would often hesitate before revving up. Subaru informed the consumer they were aware of the problem and there was a fix. However, within three to four weeks of the fix, the problem returned. There was an odd hesitation as if the vehicle did not want to go forward at idle after braking. When the accelerated was pressed, there was a delayed reaction and a lurch. Also, several lights including the engine light illuminated on the dashboard. The consumer went to another dealer and soon after the repair, the previous problems returned.

- Montebello, CA, USA

problem #14

Oct 112016

Forester

  • 14,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. While parking the vehicle and depressing the brake pedal at 5 mph, the vehicle surged and lurched forward. As a result, a crash occurred with several other vehicles. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 14,000.

- Wake Forest, NE, USA

problem #13

Oct 082016

Forester

  • 21,185 miles
Driving with eyesight enabled at 75mph in heavy traffic on loop 202 freeway at approximately 2:30pm local time. Weather was sunny and dry, approximately 97 degrees. Nearly resulting in a crash. Feet were not on any pedal. Vehicle suddenly lost power and revd to redline as if the car was in neutral, engine then shut off. Instrument cluster showed every warning light illuminated. Eyesight display showed a vehicle directly in front yet there was no vehicle present. I checked to make sure gear selector was still in drive. Pressed the accelerator which had no affect, no RPM change. Was able to coast a short distance but still obstructed traffic. Police had to shut down freeway to move my vehicle to the shoulder. Attempts to restart vehicle failed, all warning lights on instrument cluster illuminate any time the key is turned to the "on" position. Subaru roadside assistance towed vehicle to local Subaru dealer, awaiting diagnosis.

- Avondale, AZ, USA

problem #12

Sep 252016

Forester

  • miles
Vehicle was purchased new on October 31, 2014 at a Maryland dealer. The following are dates, miles and the issues that have arised since taking ownership. All issues related to vehicle have occurred while driving. No specific roads, vehicle maneuvering or weather condition, changed or caused the the following issues. 12/09/14 6680 miles, issue with steering & alignment 12/20/14 8524 miles, issue with steering & alignment April 2015 replaced battery 06/20/15 41,700 miles, issue with electrical system 07/23/15 47672 miles, issue with driveability 08/26/15 53037 miles, issue with body electrical system 08/2015 all rotors and brake pads replaced 09/23/15 57923 miles, issues with check engine light & stop light lamp switch 10/08/15 60428 miles, issue with power windows 12/03/15 68762 miles, automatic transmission replaced, electrical system June 2016 issues with starting vehicle begins, undetermined cause July 2016 issues began with HVAC blower fan intermittent failure 09/25/16 110839 miles, unknown A/T possible failure Subaru of America still has an open ticket for electrical issues that still plague the vehicle; including power windows, hill start assistant, low oil pressure, audio speaker, vehicle stability control, ABS, brake system failure lights. Dealer has stated that failure can only be duplicated when an on-board diagnostic system code is present. Thus the reason for outstanding issues. Furthermore, not all repeated issues or communications with dealer are listed due to lack of records.

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

problem #11

Jun 122016

Forester

  • 18,000 miles
Vehicle surges when trying to lightly accelerate in hot weather. Rpms begin to drop, car bucks back and forth until more throttle is given, then car lurches forward. There seem to be tsbs out to alleviate the issue, but they feel like a bandaid repair and just mask it. Now instead of bucking back and forth, the vehicle just accelerates very lightly. Throttle is very unresponsive. The inconsistent throttle response creates a safety issue, as the vehicle can be unpredictable when accelerating away from a potential hazard (accelerating to make a lane change, accelerating to avoid an accident, etc.).

- Torrance, CA, USA

problem #10

Jul 302016

Forester

  • 15,000 miles
Our 2015 Forester turbo has 15,00 miles on it. We have had it to the dealer 4 times now asking them to find out why it is loosing power in times of need. The dealers from 2 different locations have said they were unable to duplicate the issue. We are going to take it back this week, it happened again today on the highway at 60 mph. Engine feels like it shuts off, cars traveling along side and behind had to skid the brakes to stop. This has become a life or death situation. We do not feel safe driving the car. It looses power in turns and highway speeds.

- Commerce City, CO, USA

problem #9

Jul 012016

Forester

  • 15,444 miles
Car was in park. Left running to come back & get something in house. When went back to car, opened door & vehicle started rolling backwards. By time I was able get in, the car rolled in ditch & damaged driver's side door. Happened in a matter of 3 minutes tops. Bottom of driver's door was fouled in on side of bank.

- Prichard, WV, USA

problem #8

Mar 212016

Forester

  • 38,000 miles
What has been happening is I will be driving down the road (does not matter how fast I am going) and all of a sudden all the lights come on and I lose acceleration and control of vehicle. Each time it has been towed to Subaru they cannot recreate the problem so it cannot be fixed. This last time I was on a very busy road going about 55 mph and all of a sudden again my check engine lights etc came on and I lost acceleration and power. I quickly checked my rearview mirror to make sure no one was too close behind me. It was very scary and I was able to coast and abruptly turn into an enterprise rental. I was lucky I was not hit from behind or have my kids in car. This last time too when the tow truck arrived the car would not turn on. I am now completely uncomfortable driving a car that consistently has had the same issue that no one can fix.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #7

Feb 202016

Forester

  • 11,350 miles
We were driving approximately 65-70 mph on the highway on Saturday February 20, 2016. The car suddenly began to shake and jerk and we smelled burning rubber. We pulled onto the berm as soon as we could and waited for the tow truck. We knew it was a transmission problem because it was the second transmission placed in the car. We had the car back from the repair shop less than 3 weeks after the transmission and torque converter were completely replaced from the manufacturer's. Subaru has notified us that a new transmission and torque converter plus 4 new tires are being placed in the car now currently back at the dealer in the repair shop. The tires were ruined by the burning tread as they locked up when the transmission stopped working. This will be the third transmission in the car since it was at the manufacturer. This is no longer just a warranty issue it is now a severe safety issue. The car's tires were completely locked when it was being taken off the tow truck. It had to be jacked up and slid off the back of the flat bed ramp.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

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