7.9

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,000
Average Mileage:
57,700 miles
Total Complaints:
19 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace springs and struts (11 reports)
  2. relace rear coil springs (5 reports)
  3. replace coil spring (2 reports)
  4. not sure (1 reports)
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problem #19

Jan 112020

Forester LTD CV 2.5i

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,076 miles

The car is barely 27k and already has a broken coil spring (rear passenger side)! How can that be? I hardly drive the car. Mostly to shopping and a couple trips here and there to see my parents. I commute to work. I wouldn't have known it had I not done 30k maintenance services when I came in to do the change oil only. The dealer suggested to do the 30k too. Who knows how long the spring coil has been broken?

The service man showed me the broken spring coil and how worn out the treads in my tires. My most concern is how dangerous it is to have such a defect and not know about it. I could have driven another 5000 miles without knowing about it. This car is driven and ridden with senior citizens and children on it (and one dog). This should be a recall. Also, it costs me $1150.07 to fix the 2 spring coils in the rear. You can't just change one but two for safety reason too.

- Kien V., Rehoboth Beach, US

problem #18

Jan 132020

Forester XT 2.0L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 71,458 miles

click to see larger images

broken coil springs broken coil springs

I noticed my car leaning / sitting lower on one side while at the gas station. I then took the wheel off and found the coil spring was broken and part of the spring had shifted down a few inches. It wedged itself in with the broken piece and there was a sharp protruding piece sticking out, inches from my tire. Luckily it didn’t puncture it while driving, this could have caused a potentially deadly accident. I then removed the other wheel and found that the other spring was also broken.

I started looking at where to buy new ones online and came across a lot of other people who have had this happen. This should definitely be a recall item, as this type of wear is not normal and is caused by a faulty part. This component should last much longer and lose compression with age, not fracture. I purchased new coil springs from the dealership which I then installed myself and asked them about a recall but they said there is only a safety bulletin for this issue. Subaru needs to take ownership for this as there are major safety concerns here due to faulty components. If they ignore these types of safety issues, they will lose many customers, including myself.

- Patrick S., Halifax, NS, Canada

problem #17

Jun 212019

Forester Touring 2.0L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 65,663 miles

Not including the other issues I have had with this car.

Got up in the morning and noticed that the car was leaning on one side.

Now both springs need to be replaced.

This should be a recall!!!!!

- GITZ001 .., Kitchener, ON, Canada

problem #16

Jul 052019

Forester

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,870 miles

Both rear suspension coil springs broke and need to be replaced and so do the struts. Both broke while driving on a well paved road going 35 mph. I did not hit or run over anything. They completely snapped apart. This is clearly due to defective part as there are 100's of complaints for this happening to 2014-2015 model Foresters and coming from a family of mechanics, this does not just happen. The car has 50K miles and is only driven on well paved roads. Springs broke while driving kids in back. Car very unstable and cannot stop as quickly. Really unsafe. These need to be recalled. I filed a complaint with NHTSA. Subaru needs to recall these. I have been in touch with Subaru customer service but no luck.

- Kelly B., Somerville, US

problem #15

Jun 052019

Forester

  • CVT transmission
  • 58,000 miles

2014 Forester, 58k, left rear coil spring broke while sitting in driveway.

- John D., Ontario, US

problem #14

May 142019

Forester Limited 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,950 miles

click to see larger images

broken coil springs

I never drive off road. 2 months ago both struts & 1 coil went. $800. Back was sagging. Husband father son brother & mechanic all blamed! All said I must’ve known when it happened. No clue. I drive to work & back and to see grand baby. Nobody who drives same roads had broken struts or coils. Yesterday I noticed the back is lopsided again! Leaning the other side. $450! Coil Pieces fell out onto pavement. To add to misery, that 2nd coil busted the brand new strut we replaced 2 months ago! I am so angry & disappointed.

I had at least 5 Subaru’s before this one, never had to do repairs like that! By now Subaru should chip in if I ever wanted to get another. We were going to give this forester to my child and get a new one. Well..that is not happening. I wrote an email to Subaru, they did not answer. So check your ‘backside’ if you have this car. If you think it lower than yesterday, check out suspension. You don’t want to lose your coils on the highway.

- M P., Bellmore, NY, US

problem #13

May 022019

Forester Premium 2.5i

  • CVT transmission
  • 66,100 miles

I've been driving since 1968 and never had coil springs fail. I take speed bumps VERY slowly, know and avoid potholes, drive slow, turn slow, etc. Dealer said they are out of springs, probably because the springs are newly redesigned and are being ordered. Labor is THREE hours which I find excessive but I'm unfamiliar with their installation. Other than a faulty hill detection display that took three visits to fix this has been a great vehicle. After the spring failed, making turns felt like going over a bump on the right, rear tire, and squeaky sounds pulling up to a stop. I've waited for a week for springs to arrive.

- Don L., Nottingham, MD, US

problem #12

May 112018

Forester Premium 2.5i

  • CVT transmission
  • 48,000 miles

Stopped at a stop sign. Went ahead to make a right hand turn. Heard an awful metal snapping sound from left rear of the vehicle. Immediately pulled over to check over the situation. Nothing was hit nothing was run over. Noticed the left rear of the car was sagging so bad tire was almost touching wheel well. Mechanic stated rear left coil spring had cracked and a piece of it was missing.

Mind you, the car has less that 50,000 miles. I Do not off-road with and I do not tow anything with it. Called various Subaru dealers for the item and no one had them in stock. I'm looking at a week and half without a car waiting for the parts to be ordered and come in before it can be fixed.

Of the four cars I've personally owned and the countless others friends and family have I've never heard of a spring failing like this under normal driving conditions on relatively low mileage to boot.

- renatof4, Colonia, US

problem #11

Apr 012019

Forester ES 2.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 49,630 miles

On March 31, 2019 I noticed the right rear of the 2014 Subaru Forester sagging. My wife wanted me to take it to the Subaru dealer where we bought the car. The ASSistant service manager gave me a quote of $817 for one strut, and then shortly thereafter he told me that my warranty covered it so there would be no cost to me. I asked him 3 more times and he said that it was warranty covered, no deductible.

Next day @ about 2pm. this same ASSistant service manager called and told me that it was not covered, and that I would have to pay the full freight. I reminded him that yesterday it was covered under warranty. He apologized and said that it is all that he can do. I then called his boss, the service manager, and unloaded on him, and then I had the general manager for the dealership call me and I unloaded on him.. All they could do was a 20% discount, and I told him that both rear struts have to be included. I said that tires, brakes, struts, and tits :) all have to be done in pairs.

My wife wrote the service manager and all that he could go down to in price was $1290 for both struts. I then took it to my mechanic and he replaced both struts with Subaru struts for $758. The Subaru struts are now grey rubber coated. Subaru knows that this is an issue.

- John L., Schaumburg, US

problem #10

Mar 112019

Forester

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles

Took car in for a bad wheel bearing. While fixing that, a coil broke and they sent me to the Subaru dealer because they didn't have the part. Dealer called and said BOTH springs and a strut needed to be replaced (I'm not expecting the other strut to last long). No way should this happen on an SUV touted as reliable and advertised for all types of driving "adventures".

- jkg83, Hastings, MI, US

problem #9

Dec 052018

Forester Limited 2.5i

  • Automatic transmission
  • 91,000 miles

click to see larger images

broken coil springs broken coil springs

My left rear left coil snapped off and the right coil is severely cracked. This appears to be a very common problem with 2014 & 2015 Foresters. This is definitely not what I expected on a supposedly "high reliability" car from Subaru.

- M R., Canonsburg, PA, US

problem #8

Dec 042018

Forester SI 2.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 74,000 miles

Car was sagging on D/S rear. I jacked the car up and saw the broken coil spring. I've never had to replace a coil spring on any car I have owned in 42 years of driving. Especially one that is only 4 years old and had 74000 miles. The dealership said it is out of warranty and that they aren't aware of that being a problem. I had the springs replaced and the new ones from Subaru have a rubber like coating on them. If there wasn't a problem, why was the Subaru replacement part modified ? I am out $650 for a part that should last much longer.

- Bob F., Bantam, US

problem #7

Dec 172018

Forester

  • CVT transmission
  • 58,000 miles

Brought in to local mechanic to replace the two rear bearing hubs (a whole other story). While he was working on the rear he noticed both springs had broken. Both broke off about the first 3 inches (about 1/2 of a turn of the bottom of the coil) where it sits in the strut. He said OK for now but should replace when struts are done Looks like they rusted through. Only 5 years old and 58K miles - never had this happen on a car before.

Update from Jan 22, 2019: Went ahead and had my mechanic replace both rear springs. I also had the struts replaced at the same time since the strut has to be removed replace the spring . He used Subaru OEM parts - springs are like $70/each and struts $120/each - Total cost (labor, parts, tax, etc.) was about $800. Car rides noticeably better.

Dealership was no help - all they did was a lookup to see if there was either a recall or a tech notice about the problem - they couldn't find anything. I did notice the new springs now have some sort of rubber coating on the lower portion around the area where mine had broken - so obviously Subaru Corporate knows about the issue as they re-designed the part.

- Mark S., Morris Plains, NJ, US

problem #6

Jan 072019

Forester LMT 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,000 miles

Car driving past week like a tire out of balance. Then found broken pieces of metal coil on the floor of my garage! It is garage kept and I don't do off-roading. I am a little old lady driving very carefully on well maintained roads. Can see the metal fatigued and pieces of rust also fell off.

Have been advised need to replace the broken springs and it also broke a strut as well. Took to local tire dealer instead of Subaru. Still waiting on parts coming from east coast. Now noted this is a known problem with this model, yet Subaru wont recall? Will try and contact them if they will pay anything towards this bill.

Update from Jan 17, 2019: contacted subaru who is punishing me for not going to a subaru dealer. they know there is a problem so would only offer me a 500 gift card i can only use at a subaru dealer. cost me over 1556.00 for repairs to the coils and struts. if they wont stand behind their vehicles i will be thinking of a different vehicle when i look to purchase a new one

- Laurie K., Round Lake, IL, US

problem #5

Dec 122018

Forester 2.5i Premium 2.5 Liters

  • Manual transmission
  • 15,000 miles

The left rear coil spring was broken after 4.5 years and 15,000 miles of use. The 3-year warranty has expired. The cost of repair includes replacing the coils on all 4 wheels.

- James M., Ithaca, NY, US

problem #4

Aug 112018

Forester XT Touring 2.0L Turbo

  • CVT transmission
  • 47,000 miles

Both rear springs failed: broken. Car was not nor has ever been close to being overloaded. Parts unavailable until mid to late October. With a backorder this long, it sounds like a design / manufacturing issue. I think a recall is appropriate or the warranty extended. Anyone know of good aftermarket or performance replacement parts if OEM pars aren't available? I can't be without the car for two months. This sucks.

- Steve B., Huntington, NY, US

problem #3

Jun 012018

Forester LX

  • CVT transmission
  • 57,000 miles

Only 57K miles and both rear springs break? Based on my web search, I am not the only one. I am really disappointed. 2nd repair I have had to make in the past 1.5 years and it looks like neither one is going to be covered by warranty. This was a certified pre-owned that my daughter has only put about 8K in mileage on.

- Patrick S., Crestwood, US

problem #2

Apr 122018

Forester 2.5i

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

I noticed my back passenger side seemed to be tilting lower, so I measured the distance from the top of the wheel to the wheel well and found a significant difference from one side of the car to the other. The car would also shimmy when I hit road bumps.

After leaving my Forester with my mechanic he called an hour later to tell me not only did I need new springs and struts (I decided to do both sides) but the parts where on back order FOR A WEEK. Really? I do not do any driving that puts undo stress on my suspension. And I was informed that the car was dangerous to drive as the broken spring could discharge a piece, potentially rupturing a tire.

My life responsibilities required that I rent a car for a week at $180 and even now I will be without a car for a few more days. I called the dealership and the corporate office and talked to and received help from wonderful individuals, but I suspect a problem with the parts. I have owned MANY cars in my 60 some years and have never needed to replace springs and struts at 60,000 miles.

I have been so happy with my Subaru and intended to purchase a new one when the 2019s come out, but now I am not sure. I feel I can no longer trust this company.

- Rose C., Bloomingdale, IL, US

problem #1

May 162018

Forester

  • CVT transmission
  • 72,365 miles

Had my tires rotated at a local garage and the mechanic showed me that both rear coil springs are cracked. 72,000 miles on the vehicle. Never used to tow anything, no heavy loads, and no off-roading. Why are the coil springs broken? Of course the local dealership says it's out of warranty. I've had twelve vehicles over the years, most went much higher in mileage before being replaced and never had a broken coil spring, now both rear are broken, seams like a defect to me.

- Donald B., Saugerties, US