Other Fuel System Problems of Subaru Forester - part 1

I started to have problems with my Forester, and reading upon what could be the issue, I ran across recall 16v162000, on which describes exactly what my car simptoms are. I went into different sites, and my car does not show to be part of the recall. Can you help me with the reason on why my car is not part by the recall, when in fact is the same car, same engine, and having the same problem. Thank you so much for your time.

See all problems of the 2015 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Smoke and fire occurred in the engine and spread into the car while the car was being driven. The car has not been inspected yet.

See all problems of the 2020 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I recently noticed that the metal lip and outer cap area of my fuel filler neck is rusting. This isn't just a cosmetic issue this is the exact surface where the gas cap needs to seal to keep the fuel system airtight. Because it’s rusting it’s going to ruin that seal, cause fuel vapor leaks, and trigger a check engine light. In addition to the fuel neck, both my front driver and passenger side windows screech and vibrate heavily whenever they get wet from rain or a car wash. The glass binds up in the wet run channels, which is putting unnecessary strain on the window regulators and motors and makes it difficult to see out of my windows and view my side mirrors properly. Dealership admitted that there are four other vehicles I have within the same make, model,year and similar mileage that have the exact same issue which is a need for there to be a safety recall. They got a bad batch of vehicles with a defect that is affected multiple other vehicles that are like mine.

See all problems of the 2025 Subaru Forester 🔎.

While driving my girfriend's 2020 Subaru Forester on August 11, 2026 at approximately 65 to 70 mph, I struck a deer on a highway. The airbags deployed immediately, and I temporarily lost all forward visibility due to the airbag deploy, and smoke or steam coming from the front of the vehicle as it decelerated to a stop. Within moments of stopping, smoke transitioned to visible flames coming from the engine compartment. The fire spread extremely quickly, and the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames within minutes. The specific component or system that failed is unknown, but based on the sequence of events, it appears that a front?end structural failure during the collision may have caused a rupture of one or more engine?bay components (oil system, coolant system, or other fluid lines), leading to a rapid fire. The vehicle was completely destroyed and is not available for inspection, but the incident was documented by emergency responders and my insurance company. This fire created a severe safety risk, as the vehicle ignited shortly after coming to rest and burned intensely. I had no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the collision. The problem has not been reproduced, but I have since learned of multiple similar fires involving Subaru Foresters after front?end animal impacts, which raises concern about a potential design vulnerability.

When filling my tank for the first time, I pumped the gas slightly after the "pop" from the handle. When I did this, fuel poured out of my gas tank onto me, my car, and the gas station. My VIN is not listed but my vehicle model is. Please advise.

Engine is misfiring, causing in ability to accelerate properly and loads multiple error codes. Upon taking it to the dealership for services, we were told that there is a significant amount of carbon built-up inside the engine. The car has only 6,800 miles on it. The dealership stated that it is an issue that Subaru engineering is aware of but has yet to figure a way to resolve it. The dealership informed us that hybrid engines have had severe carbon build-up on the in-take valves that causes misfiring, loss of power, bucking and stumbling of the engine. Apparently this has been reported all over different on-line forums. The dealer informed us that they would need to order a valve cleaning kit as referenced un service bulletin 02-193-24 and the engine would require walnut blasting. The vehicle was dropped off for service on 7/22 the work was completed, but upon restarting the engine more codes fired up and they stated that the electronic communication module failed and it would now require an escalation to the Subaru engineers called techline, "they now say that the ecm now needs replacement, still misfiring and has become a more complicated issue".

The gas cap o ring recall was repaired previously by casey Subaru of newport news, va. (I live in [xxx], purchased the vehicle in [xxx] at ourisman Subaru) I filled my gas tank the night before this leak occurred. I noticed the smell of gasoline in my car at approximately 08 am on the way to work. It was mild no obvious exterior leak. I drove my 25 commute to williamsburg, va. Upon leaving work I noticed a strong smell of gasoline inside the vehicle. Inspection of the exterior revealed an obvious gas leak (the fuel door to the gas cap was not opened at this time). The paint was wet and the paint adjacent to the plastic guard on the bumper side had bubbled due to the leak. The outside temperature was nearing 100 with a heat index of 105. I drove the vehicle to the dealership in newport news (not aware I should have had it towed due to the leak). It has not been driven since. The fuel door was opened and there was an obvious leak as the well in the gas cap space was wet and the odor of gasoline was very strong. I twisted the gas cap and it did not close any farther. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Leading up to a windshield replacement, my eyesight cameras that help with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist kept failing. This feature would turn on and off repeatedly. When I got my windshield replaced, it took longer than expected because of the camera calibration. The microchip(s) inside one of the three cameras was fried and they had to put in a new camera. This failed camera was an original to my car and the justification provided was that "this sometimes happens. " for the fuel/propulsion system, I was topping off my car with gas one day when something went very wrong. My fuel tank was just shy of full, and when the gas pump handle tripped to stop pumping gas, a large amount of gasoline came flooding out as I removed the gas pump handle. This was scary and highly concerning because I have never experienced this with any previous vehicle before. The dealership, in cooperation with corporate, identified one other instance of this issue occurring somewhere in the midwest. Their best guess as to what happened is that the air relief valve of my gas tank somehow became blocked and that is what caused the overflow of gasoline. The solution was to turn the air relief valve around from facing the outside of my car to the inside metal frame. July 2026 marks one year since acquiring my car, and these experiences thus far make me question the safety and longterm viability of my car and the Subaru brand. This is ironic, because Subaru's legacy and strong reputation of safety and build quality was my primary incentive for getting one in the first place.

Discovered (06/08/26) that the engine would not turn over without the accelerator being pushed down when warm from driving after resting 30-60 minutes. Car was taken to capital Subaru. No codes were triggered. The throttle body was cleaned. No change. The crankshaft position sensor was replaced, the ecu was reprogrammed, then the evap purge valve was replaced. A bottle of fuel injector cleaner was added to the gas tank by the dealership mechanics. No improvement. Then both cam sensors were replaced. No improvement. All with no effect. Finally the injectors were pulled and a rail pressure test was conducted. The injectors were not holding pressure for more then 2-3 minutes. The warm start issue was fixed when the injectors were replaced on July 31, 2026.

See all problems of the 2018 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Vehicle stopped at light,auto start stop engine off,stepped on gas to go engine didn’t restart,my passenger and I jumped out and grabbed a noco gb40 jump box I carry and jump started car,we were on a road trip out of town and could not wait for the dealership so finished our trip with the auto start stop turned off and if we had a problem starting used the jump box.

Dealer says initial batch of repair parts was used on vehicles in inventory, not on vehicles already sold to consumers. Supposedly Subaru instructions to dealer. That is a foolish policy decision that doesn't protect drivers of cars already sold and on the road. Nhtsa should consider ordering to the contrary. Nhtsa should also considering ordering all manufacturers to use capless fuel filler technology. Please respond.

While driving this car on April 4, 2026 at around 6pm, I experienced the distinct smell of gasoline. I had driven for about 5 minutes on our way to a local restaurant that is approximately an 8 minute drive from our residence. My wife said that she had just filled the gas tank that afternoon. After arriving at the restaurant, I checked the gas cap to ensure it was tightly sealed. I also checked to ensure no fuel was leaking from the car. After finishing dinner, we I drove the car back to my residence and once again, 5 minutes into the drive, I smelled gasoline. After we arrived home, I check the vehicle exterior for leaks and found no liquids under the car. The following day, April 5, 2026 at approximately 1115 am, having once again found no liquids or gasoline under my car, I drove the car to my local repair shop; an 8 minute drive. About 5 minutes into the drive, I smelled gasoline again. I parked the car at the repair shop, but while adjusting the parking to fit better between the painted lines, I saw and heard a large puff of smoke from the hood area. I immediately put the car into park, shut off the engine and ran from the car. After exiting, I saw that the car ignited with visible fire under the engine compartment. I called 911 to request fire department help. No damage to any structures or other cars occurred. Q1 above: no the car is totaled and unavailable for inspection as far as I know. Q2 above: I had to run from a burning car. Q3 above: no. Q4 above: yes, the car was inspected by my insurance company, usaa. Q5 above: no, there were no warning lights or any indictor that there was trouble. I would like to note that the car was brought in to my Subaru dealership service station (hyman brothers in midlothian, va) for a heater element safety recall several months ago.

See all problems of the 2021 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I purchased a 2025 Subaru Forester hybrid VIN [xxx] on July 26, 2025 from schumacher Subaru, 3031 okeechobee blvd. West palm beach, florida 33409. On March 11, 2026 I filled the gas tank to 100% capacity. The ambient temperature was 72 degrees fahrenheit. I parked the vehicle in our garage with the door closed. Two hours later my wife notified me that there was a strong smell of gasoline throughout our four bedroom home. I opened the door to the gas filler recess and verified that the gas cap was correctly closed. Gas was spilled into and over the recess area below the gas cap, down the right side of the right back quarter panel and in a large puddle on the garage floor. I backed the Subaru out of the garage and onto the front driveway. Using multiple sheets of paper towels we mopped up the spilled gasoline from the vehicle and garage floor. I placed all the soiled paper towels in a sealed double garage bag and put it in our garden away from the house. I called schumacher Subaru and talked with dylan wagner who sold us the car. I was shocked to hear that he knew of the gas cap defect and also knew that we should not fill the tank more than 50%. I asked him why he didn't notify us and he said that Subaru was going to notify us at the end on March 2026. In my view this is clear cut negligence on the part of schumacher Subaru of west palm beach, florida. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I have a urgent fire safety recall regarding the fuel tank exploding due to sone gasket leak. Inwas told to park outside of my garage with half tank minimum. I just bought my car, and now I don’t know if my car is going to blow up? I mean I get a chip issue takes a minute but when a car can implode shouldn’t tbe manufacturer immediately allow for a loaner? especially if there is a disable person being driven in it? I called the dealer when it first was announced and they said they will call me and weeks later crickets. Not even a hi we are working on it. I called and told them my husband is a paraplegic and if there is any type of fire. I wouldn’t be able to help him as fast as it would be needed to help him out or what if I am deceased and he needs to get out. I asked for a loaner from them and the dealership said they don’t have loaners approved yet. I heard when this happened with chevy bolt/volt chevy had loaners within 2 weeks. I understand I am not the only one however I have a paraplegic spouse. Is there any assistance we may get? I have to use the car to go to work and being a single income couple, I can’t pay almost $1000 a month for a car and pay for a rental too.

My gas tank leaks out the top when filled. Currently, all check engine lights are on and all of the safety features of the vehicle have been disabled. When I took it to Subaru, they said there is an open recall with no remedy. This is ridiculous. My car has every check engine light on! how am I supposed to know if there is an actual problem with the car?.

Vehicle suffered a major oil leak at under 60k miles. My low oil light didn’t turn on but I was actually extremely low on oil. The dealer confirmed the issue and had to replace multiple components related to the oil filter, caps, etc. If I hadnt noticed/waited any longer I would have had no oil in my car at all.

See all problems of the 2023 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I bought a Subaru forrester 2025 in March of 2025. I drove this car for almost 9 months to the day. On 12-19 -25 I was driving down the aisle in the walmart parking lot at less than 10 mph. I turned right into a handicap parking lot and applied my brake as I was settling into the parking space. I was driving less than 5 mph as one normally would when parking and coming to a stop. My car accelerated quickly and with great speed and since my front wheels were still turned toward the right, my car sped toward the cement encased parking sign at a high rate of speed. I was in disbelief. I backed up to be in the proper space and got out and surveyed the damages. Thankfully I was alone in the car and due to the handicapped parking signs ahead and to the right of the parking spot I did not cross the marked lot lines and no other vehicles were involved. The car was not driveable so I had the it towed to the dealership and found they did not have a body shop. Then engaged a body shop to repair. Estimate of damages is $6,820. My car is still there today. It is now Jan 25 and we are waiting on a few replacement parts. At first I thought I might have stepped on the gas instead of the brake as I was parking that night. But all common sense tells me that my foot was properly on the brake as I was finishing up my parking maneuver at a very slow rate of speed. I looked around the internet and see that these same circumstances were replicated by other drivers esp. On the 2012-2020 models of forresters. I had no prior knowledge of what I consider to be a significant fault in this vehicle. I did receive widespread bruising to my chest from the seatbelt. Once my car is repaired I will take it back to the dealer to have several systems checked for errors. I am leery of driving it again. I am really not in a position to buy a different vehicle but it may come to that. Altho the police report states that I may have hit the gas, upon further reflection I don’t feel that is true.

On 12/4/25, I was pulling into a space in a parking deck, was approximately one quarter of the way into the spot and the vehicle suddenly accelerated and struck a cement wall. I did not have my feet on the pedals at the time and was going at approximately 5 miles per hour. The airbags did not deploy, and no automatic braking or warning systems engaged. As a result of the accident, I sustained three fractured ribs and a partially collapsed lung. Immediately following the impact, the starlink system dialed 911 and a police report was filed. I contacted the dealership who directed me to Subaru of America to report the incident. Their customer advocacy and quality assurance department reviewed telematics data and have refused to physically inspect my vehicle even though I have requested it as a customer because I do not feel safe driving this vehicle. Since I purchased my vehicle many of my safety sensor and warning systems will temporarily disable without any obvious cause.

On 5/15/2024 and 5/21/2024 I had sudden uninteded acceleration. I had a auto shop try to solve the problem by replacing the air fuel ratio sensor and the mass air flow sensor. This seem to fix the issue until 11/27/2025 & 12/7/2025 when the sudden uninteded acceleration returned.

See all problems of the 2014 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I was driving my 2014 Subaru Forester (about 148,000 miles) behind a minivan at a safe distance and speed. Without warning, my vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. Despite applying the brakes, shifting into low gear, and using the emergency brake, I was unable to slow it down. After impact, the car then hit a telephone pole, spun me around and rolled the car over. There is major damage to the car and we looked at it at the tow yard but the salvage adjuster is moving it shortly.

Exhaust gas smell from the engine compartment when parked after driving. Garage smells like exhaust gases when left in enclosed garage - ongoing problem. Smell dissipates overnight. It has been inspected by Subaru dealers in albuquerque and santa fe new mexico. They report no error codes and so no problem. Have not had this issue on any other vehicle we've ever owned. There are no warning lamps or messages.

Purchased new 2025 Subaru Forester hybrid sport on 01 may 2025 (owned 19 months). Approximately 156 days (a little over 5 months) after purchase we began having trouble with an unknown fuel system defect which prevents the vehicle from being refueled, disables our hybrid system, disables safety features such as the vehicles eyesight system, cruise control, and rab. Vehicle leaking strong gas smell. Issue has been increasing in frequency, occurring more often, and now escalating to leaking fuel all over the side of my car. I took my vehicle to the Subaru service center at the dealership for repairs 06 October 2025 (~14,700 miles), 22 October 2025 (17,394 miles), 09 March 2026 (27,470 miles), 02 July 2026 (35,782 miles), 23 July 2026 (35,782 miles) to date, Subaru has been unable to identify the direct cause of the problem and replacing the gas cap is a bandaid on the unknown issue.

I was steering my car into my own garage as I do daily. Suddenly, as the car was making the turn, the car accelerated abruptly on its own. I was somehow able to steer into the garage, but the rapid acceleration continued. I braked and stopped the car just before it went into the wall that adjoins the interior of my home. There was an inch to spare. There were no warnings or messages or sympoms prior to this event.

See all problems of the 2022 Subaru Forester 🔎.

When stopped at an intersection the car stalled. It would not restart for three minutes and caused a dangerous situation for my family and children in the car while traffic was moving. There were no warning signs, lights, or engine codes. The problem is random and cannot reproduced. The car is available for inspection.

Vehicle self-accelerated abruptly while parked and crashed into another vehicle causing damage to both vehicles.

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Forester 🔎.

On two separate occasions, less than one year apart after Subaru service replaced my battery with a “larger” battery without my knowledge my vehicle suffered sudden, catastrophic electrical failure while moving in active highway traffic, causing an immediate loss of propulsion and creating a life-threatening safety hazard. This has happened two times the second time less than a year after the “larger” battery replacement. This car has less than 50,000 miles on it and has a perfect service record all done at autonation Subaru carlsbad. We refuse to drive this car, even though it has been serviced and a new battery has, yet again, been installed. We have no faith in this car and are not willing to put ourselves in a life-threatening situation again. We also do not feel comfortable selling this car, even though we have received many above market offers. We do not feel that we can sell this car in good conscience to an unknowing next victim. It is unsafe to drive and can lose power at any moment while driving without any explanation given from Subaru. The first battery failure occurred prematurely in August 2025. Asked repeatedly why a car battery would fail while driving? could not get a straight answer except that someone finally said it could possibly be from the auto stop start system the new larger battery failed less than one year later in August 2026, so it didn’t even last a year and it was larger. The service department at autonation carlsbad told me my car passed all the test and I have nothing to worry about. This goes against any common sense. How could this happen 2 times where no issue has been disclosed. Both situations were extremely traumatic and dangerous and I feel lucky that I was able to come out of it. I’m not sure the next time would be the same. We are not able to drive this car because common sense tells us there is a bigger issue going on. So far we’ve communicated with Subaru of America and were denied California lemon law without reason.

Vehicle began surging during acceleration. Dealer stated that the engine intake valves had carbon deposits that were causing performance issues including poor fuel economy, increased emissions and running concerns. The valves required a cleaning to correct the issue. This is a 4 year old vehicle with only 38,000 miles, this is unacceptable for issues like this so soon. Estimated cleaning cost is $300 and is mentioned no where in the scheduled maintenance information.

While there were no reported incidents, it appears there may be manufacturing defects with this vehicle. The rear seat safety belts are reportedly quite difficult to fasten, as the receptacle is positioned deeply within the seats, sometimes making it impossible to secure the belt. This then triggers an alarm, which can be quite bothersome for the driver. Furthermore, there seems to be an issue with the fuel gauge, as it may display an inaccurate reading. For instance, upon filling the tank, the meter might show 470 ml, but while still at the gas station, it could indicate 330 ml. Additionally, the reading can fluctuate after a trip. Finally, the air conditioning vent on the driver's side does not seem to be functioning correctly. In one instance, despite a minor road hazard that was not immediately noticed, the left rear tire was completely damaged. Despite multiple attempts to address these issues at the showroom and contacting Subaru headquarters, the problems persist. Note the purchase of vehicle forced upon me ,in addition hallmark Subaru refuse to address the issues with vehicle. I have reported the matter to al state attorney general. Still no response made by state ag. Thank you.

My Subaru smelled like gas and caught on fire while I was driving to work less than 72 hours after it left the service department at the local Subaru dealership. Earlier that week I dropped the car off for service due to a check engine light and multiple other warning lights on the dashboard. The check engine light was determined to be due to a faulty thermo control valve (a known issue on several models of 2019-2021 Subarus). During that service appointment, the thermo control valve was replaced under warranty, the 60000 mile service, state inspection, and an oil change/tire rotation were completed. The morning of the incident, the car smelled like gas, but there were no warning lights on the dashboard and the temperature and gas gauges were all in range. While looking for a safe place to pull over on the side of the road, the gas smell worsened, I heard a pop, the check engine light and every single other light on the dashboard lit up, it smelled like burning jet fuel, and the front of the car was smoking and there were flames, and all mechanical and electrical control of the vehicle was compromised. The car coasted to the side of the right lane. I was unable to operate the gear shift to put the car in park. I opened the driver’s side door, removed my seatbelt, grabbed my backpack, lunch bag, and phone, and exited the vehicle while it was still rolling. I ran around the back of the car to get onto the side walk. Flaming, melting pieces of plastic were coming off the bottom of the car. Flames and smoke were visible on the front hood of the car. I called 911 while the car continued to roll across several lanes onto the other side of the road. The burning car rolled and hit a guardrail on the opposite side of the road and continued to burn until the local fire department arrived on scene. Local police and the fire inspector wrote reports. My insurance declared the car a total loss. I have informed the local dealership and worked to get them access to the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Yesterday 6/19/25 I was driving out the driveway when the vehicle accelerated on its own, and not slowly, but like it had been punched. I was actually coasting at the time since I didn't want to stir up dust. My foot was not on the gas pedal. And it was not the floor mat. It happened on its own, the first time in 87,000 miles. It probably cannot easily be replicated as it was completely random, although now that it's happened once, it very well could happen again if there's a faulty or aging part or sensor. Neither the local dealer nor Subaru has acknowledged the problem (I called both today) but it's a serious safety issue. No check engine light or other means of warning. It just happened out of nowhere. Glad I was in the driveway and not in town waiting while a pedestrian was crossing the street.

My car is a 2019 suaru Forester 54,268mi I was driving from houston to dallas on the freeway during a thunderstorm on [xxx] [xxx]. I got off the freeway and was almost on the road near my house when my car engine suddenly died, I had no control of my car, my car engine would not start anymore. I had no problems with my car before. I towed it home the next day and had it checked with a scanner and it came up with about 25 check engine codes. 5/14/2025 Subaru dealer (ewing of plano) had it checked and had the thermo control valve replaced because it was bad. They had no previous notices or recalls. If my car had stopped in the middle of the freeway it could have been a major accident. . Other people's lives are important. . Please look into this issue information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Unknown. Often when I attempt to accelerate after stopping at a stop sign, the car hesitates, sometimes lunges ahead and then sometimes practically dying before accelerating normally. There have been times when it simply feels like a fuel pump problem and I know that toyotas with this same denso fuel pump have had documented problems similar to mine. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

2018 Subaru Forester stalling in intersection prior there was an occasional delay in starting. After light changed I was starting to move down a hill toward expressway entrance at about 25 mph. I was in the middle lane and all cars were coming behind me at 50mph. I just entered the intersection when my car just stopped. It would not move. I was trying the gas pedal but car did not move. Suddenly it began jerky movements, moved a few feet, sputtering and stopped again. Now I’m in the middle of the intersection. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw cars speeding down hill, honking as they went around me. The car repeated jerky movements, moved a few feet and stopped again. I was still in the intersection and light was about to change. It finally repeated the jerky movements, etc until it stopped a third time. Fortunately I was out of the intersection and along the roadside. I reflected on what had just happened a few minutes. Then I made my way back home 35 minutes slowly driving on back roads allowing cars to pass just in case it would happen again. Dealer told me there was extended warranty on fuel pump but he could not repair as he could not duplicate stalling. How many times do I have to stall in city traffici or expressway before my fuel pump will be replaced? I had a kidney transplant that saved my life. I will not let a safety recalled fuel pump put me in danger again.

Fuel pump. Stalled in intersection in middle lane at expressway entrance. Car stalled 3 x before I could move out of intersection to safety. Kept pressing gas peddle but car would not move then sputtered going a few feet before stopping again. 3x cars were going thru light and around me at 45 mph. Honking, swerving into other lane, barely avoiding hitting my car as well as other cars.

The check engine light and a flashing 's' and other lights stating the safety features such as eyesight, lane departure, rab, etc. Are turned off. This started on 1/15/25, and I took the car to the dealership on 1/16/25. The dealership stated the evap system leak detection pump sensor indicated a leak, and the evaporateleak check module needs to be replaced but is back-ordered until mid-March 2025. They turned off all the lights and told me I could keep driving the vehicle. On 1/20/25, all of the lights were back on. The car lags to accelerate and is using gas at a rapid rate. I feel unsafe driving the car for another two months with the check engine light on and the acceleration capacity decreased. The dealership will not allow me a rental vehicle unless I leave it on their lot for two months until the part arrives. I cannot agree with that. The dealership informed me that multiple Forester and crosstreks models have the same problem. This car was purchased brand new from the olympia dealership and it currently has about 22,000 miles on it.