2003 Subaru Forester Engine And Engine Cooling Problems
- 8
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 8 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 100–150k mi | 2 |
| 60–100k mi | 2 |
| 1–30k mi | 1 |
| 30–60k mi | 1 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Engine And Engine Cooling · Fuel System, Gasoline
Very strong odor of gasoline in the cabin right after startup and throughout short trips, especially with heater on. Seems to happen most often when outside temperatures are near or below the freezing mark. Did not experience before this winter, now occurs daily. Please investigate this problem before someone gets hurt or killed! If subaru knows that there is a safety problem with the fuel system, owners should not…
ODI 10562186
Engine And Engine Cooling
2003 subaru forester ~114k miles. During passing (~70 mph)engine has stalled 2x in past week. After coming to full stop and turning key in ignition full "off", car restarts with no difficulty will take to dealer this week. Had batter installed ~ 2 months ago. *tr
ODI 10389662
Air Bags · Engine And Engine Cooling
Frontal impact while striking a deer at this speed should have deployed both air bags. The air bag light sometimes would remain on, but mostly it was off. From what i have found through other complaints is that this year vehicle is known for this issue, but a recall has not been issued. Is it going to take a death to force subaru to correct this issue? The other issue found while repairing the vehicle is that both…
Crash reported
ODI 10371528
Engine And Engine Cooling
Noticed anti-freeze odor after vehicle had been run and turned off. Did not see any leaks. Problem continued several weeks before noticing several leak spots on garage floor, so made appointment with mechanic who knew immediately it was a head gasket problem. We purchased the car new in october, 2002 and have maintained it according to the maintenance schedules. The vehicle had 52,000 miles on it when we spent $1300…
ODI 10228226
Engine And Engine Cooling
2003 subaru forester problems with cylinder head gasket. Consumer states there are several internet complaints about this defect. She states that the estimate cost for repair is about $1500.00 to $1600.00 dollars. *kb
ODI 10222830
Engine And Engine Cooling · Latch
Latches on the forrester cannot be opened unless you have a key fob. There is no way to access the tailgate without the battery operated fob. If you have a child that gets into the car without your knowledge, or if there is an accident and the doors will not open from the side. How will you get out the back--there is no way to even access with a key from the outside. If you are in an accident and you loose track of…
ODI 10195139
Engine And Engine Cooling
Took forester into subaru dealer for 3k oil change; was told that almost all of my anti-freeze was gone and that the head gaskets were leaking, needing replacement at $1500. Miles on vehicle: 78k, purchased 6/02 new, all maintenance performed at dealer per schedule. At this time, i'm looking into websites to identify if this is a problem that's systemic with this vehicle, and looking into alternative sources to fix…
ODI 10176336
Engine And Engine Cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru forester. The contact stated that the engine exhibited a loud, unusual noise when the vehicle was first started or when driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer inspected the engine and advised that the engine manufacture was a factory defect and would need to be replaced. The engine was replaced but the head gasket then began leaking. The manufacturer was made…
ODI 10450053