Power Train Problems of Subaru Forester - part 2

While driving temperature light, check engine light, all adas lights came on as inoperable (cameras, warning, abs, bsd/rcta), no heat (including defrost) available to defrost or for cabin. Appointment 3/13 replaced thermo control valve assembly , coolant bypass valve, intake gaskets, fuel line, coolant, total charges $2070. Luckily had extended warranty I bought, that I had to make a claim on. Dangerous to drive (no camera based safety features available, no defrost for the snowy weather, no emergency braking or other collision safety features on, this affected the entire 'eyesight' system). The engine also had no thermo control regulation during this time, affecting not just then, but possible future performance and early aging due to disregulation.

See all problems of the 2020 Subaru Forester 🔎.

While driving on a highway outside milford, CT my vehicle is check engine light suddenly illuminated. I had a sudden loss of power, no heat, and the engine temperature was unable to read. Engine temperature was not accurately reporting and showed it as being cold as indicated by blue light warmup light. My eyesight, pre-collision system, and sport mode was disabled due to the engine light being illuminated. The vehicle was seen at a Subaru dealer, who diagnosed the issue to be the thermo control valve. Dealership informed me that it was unsafe to drive and I risk complete engine failure, overheating, and or fire if I continue to operate without required repair. As a result, I was stranded overnight, three hours away from home. Repair was completed on 3/2/2024 at cost of $1830. I learned at the dealership that this is a known issue, in 2021 Subaru replace the plastic components of this part with aluminum due to similar issues experience by many customers. Customers are reporting vehicles going into “limp mode” and even engine damage. . Read more...

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Forester 🔎.

The 2021 Subaru Forester had been functioning normally with no warning lights. About 25 minutes into the drive I had come to a stop light on an upward incline. When the light turned green I moved from the brake to the gas as usual. However the auto-start function on the car failed, causing the engine to stall. A loud clunking sound was heard and the dashboard lit up with multiple lights, although I do no recall which ones were illumined. I attempted to press the gas again and the car did not respond. During this short time my foot was pressing on the gas the car rolled backwards and collided with the vehicle behind me. I continued attempting to press the gas pedal and still no acceleration was made. After parking and restarting the car it has resumed normal function. I have not yet visited the dealership so this issue has not yet been reproduced, nor has the offending system been inspected. I'm summary, the automatic engine start failed at a critical location, putting myself and others in serious danger and ultimately caused a crash.

See all problems of the 2021 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Check engine light came on and gave code p26a6 which came back the thermal control valve which is a well known issue with this make and model vehicle.

Power control valve malfunctioning at 26,000 miles. Causing all safety features (auto braking & lane departure) to be shut off.

Got warning p2a63 that the thermo control valve is shot around 63k miles. Apparently this is happening very often in Subaru's made between 2019 and 2022.

Thermo control valve failed at about 42000 miles on 2021 Subaru Forester premium, on 1/1/24. Owned 3 yrs 1 mo. Car was parked at work. Immediately after car was started up for return commute -- check engine light was on, adas systems ("eyesight") disabled, blue low coolant temperature light on, and no heat through hvac. Fortunately car driveable, despite safety being compromised with disabling of the safety features (blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert) and concern about damaging engine being forced to drive home with check engine light on. Engine failed to warm despite 40+ min highway trip. As this was commute vehicle, forced to take next day off work to have check engine light looked at. The next morning windshield ice had to be manually scraped (no heat). Drove car gingerly to dealership (<10 mins) avoiding freeways, for fear of damaging engine. Unknown if windshield defroster would've worked if started fogging mid-trip (safety concern). Dealership inspected vehicle - diagnosed thermo control valve failure, and replaced part. I was not charged as the car was still covered under powertrain warranty. No warning prior to the failure. Drove normally on the morning drive to work. Dealership replaced tcv with a part that has the same part number, per Subaru's TSB. Given experience of others indicating high failure rates of tcv after 3-4 years, and what I suspect is genuine design defect, I expect replacing the part to only have temporarily reset the clock -- seems certain to fail again. I have no confidence that Subaru has implemented an actual solution. I do not know if the next failure of this powertrain component will happen under warranty, or if it will incur signficant out of pocket costs (well over >$1000 to replace). Furthermore, if tcv fails whilst driving (as could have happened, and has been reported by others elsewhere), this will be a safety hazard with sudden disabling of blind spot monitor / rear cross traffic alert.

Once or twice a day my vehicle hesitates from a light and I have to almost floor it to get it going again. I have brought it to 2 different Subaru dealers 3 times and they say they can't fix the problem.

The thermo control valve (tcv) went bad at 54,000 miles. The result is that none of the safety features work anymore. Collision detection, eye-sight, lane change warnings, anti-skid, etc. All go offline when the tcv goes out. We can drive the car but it now has no safety features.

The thermo control valve failed at 33,945 miles. Because of this, the heater, eye sight, cruise control, lane assist, and collision brake did not work. The engine was then only running at "sport" mode. It did not regulate the heat to the oil and could've caused sludge. The problem was confirmed by a Subaru dealer service shop. I only noticed this problem when the blue thermometer light came on the dash board. Usually I wait about 5 min and once the car is warmed up the light goes away. This time the blue thermometer warning light did not turn off and stayed on for the remainder of the trip. When the car was restarted on the same day the engine check light came on. Eye sight, lane assist and collision assist lights were on.

The contact owned a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 10 mph, in a residential parking lot. The contact stated while he was parking, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into a nearby tree. The contact stated before crashing into the nearby tree the vehicle also hit a nearby pole. The contact stated that the acceleration continued to get faster and faster. The contact also stated that none of the air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact's wife was transferred by ambulance to a hospital for medical attention. The contact's wife suffered a compression fractured vertebra and she had been experiencing severe pain. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was condemned total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately75,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Defective/failed thermal control valve. Valve failed while I was driving, resulting in safety systems (e. G. , lane keep assist, pre-collision braking). Looking this up, this is a known issue to Subaru.

41k miles p26a3 p26a5 ****eyesight disabled*** ***forward collision disabled *** failed tcv and dealer will not cover because warranty period is over.

While driving my vehicle on my daily trip to work, I experience sudden power loss. My interior lights began to blink erratically, as my vehicle loss power and caused me to panic, as I was entering the highway. Some highways have no shoulders, so as quickly as I entered the highway, I pulled off took the next exit. I went into a shopping center, to see what the issue was. I noticed that my radio and my air conditioning loss illumination. I turned the car off, opened the hood. I did not see anything of significance, I started the car up again, now the radio would not even start nor did the air conditioning. I phoned the Subaru dealer, to be told that this happens often! what, I thought to myself? I asked them if this was a well-known problem, why this has not become part of a recall, or why the dealership not contact Subaru of America, to work with their customer base and remedy the issue. I was told, that all that is done in the "diagnostic process", any codes are cleared, and this should get you back on the road. Are you kidding me, this is truly any motorist's nightmare. Losing power on a major highway, any road at night, or on a turn will literally bring catastrophic consequences to us Subaru owners, but all other motorists as well.

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Engine check light came on and after running a test it seemed as though the thermo control valve thermostat was not working properly which means the valve that lets coolant into the engine doesn't know what the temp is and when to release coolant. That ended up being the issue and we were barely under the 60k mile warranty for the powertrain so it was covered but I've been reading that it is a common issue and others are surprised it hadn't been recalled yet as it could cause the engine to overheat. The part is so defective that Subaru has already designed a better part which means they know its a common issue.

Twice in the last 4 months, after turning into a parking place and accelerating gently to pull forward into the space, the car surged forward much more than it should have given my light acceleration. The first time this happened I slammed into a split rail fence which broke, damaging the vehicle. The fence parts went over a restraining wall and damaged a house. I was able to stop the car but it came very close to going over the 6 foot restraining wall, which might very well have killed me. It happened again today in a different location but similar circumstance and no damage was done because I was able to stop before it hit the house. The car surged on its own. I had the damage to the car fixed, but the problem has not been confirmed by a service center. The damage was inspected by my insurance company and repaired by an auto body shop. My insurance rates will be increased because of the incident. There were no warning lights, messages or other symptoms prior to the episodes.

See all problems of the 2018 Subaru Forester 🔎.

The thermo control valve malfunctioned causing the check engine light to come on which shut down all the safety features in the vehicle including the front eye sight camera, blind spot warning, the rear automatic braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assistance. The check engine computer readout diagnostic trouble code was p26a5 "engine coolant bypass valve "a" position sensor circuit range/performance". The vehicle was taken to a Subaru dealer who found the thermo valve performance was out of spec. The valve was replaced. This vehicle has not been recalled although the manufacturer replaced the part in 2021 vehicles acknowledging the valve was faulty. Because of the mileage on my vehicle, it was not covered under the warranty although many have been replaced under the manufacturer's warranty due to the failure of this valve under the 60,000 mile warranty. Through a "goodwill gesture" Subaru replaced the part in my car at no cost. I believe this should be a recall item for others who experience this issue.

While driving, the 202 Forester, the check engine light, collision light, eyesight function lights all went on at the same time. I brought vehicle to check diagnostics and it is showing engine coolant bypass valve "a"control circuit low in power train system. Their were no messages prior to all the lights turning on and I was able to bring into the dealer for oil change but not able to make an appointment for repair for a few days from now.

My wife was driving her 2019 Subaru Forester (purchased new) and the eyesight disabled and the check engine light came on. The car was still running, but not as it normally would. It had less power but would still maintain the speed limit. At home the car idled differently, like it was running too rich or too lean. The exhaust also smelled funny.

I was driving on a paved two lane rural route and hit a small bump in the road. Immediately, my check engine light came on and all the safety features turned off. Control panel showed multiple safety features off and the sport mode indicator light blinking. My car only has 17k miles on it and I have had it just over a month. I was able to drive it safely home and when I called the dealership the next morning I was told I could continue to drive it until the service appointment six days later. When I got home, my husband checked it with his cel reader and got the code for the temperature control valve (an issue known by Subaru). This was confirmed by the dealership and I was told after having driven it for several days that it should not be driven. The repair is being covered under the power train warranty.

Our thermo control valve (tcv) assembly failed and caused dangerous loss of speed and control while on the highway. Subaru is fully aware of the defect in their design as they issued a service bulletin to inform their service centers of a new, fixed tcv assembly that is retaining the same part number (a notice only sent to their service centers, not to owners). Please see attached. Despite being aware of the defect, Subaru has not voluntarily replaced the defective tcv assemblies or even bothered to notify owners. Instead, they are letting us put our families and other drivers in dangerous situations through sudden loss of control. There are pages and pages of other owners experiencing this dangerous issue and - like me - being surprised to find it's a known issue that Subaru is not proactively fixing (see any of the owner forums like Subaruforester. Org).

When driving, all lights on the dash went on and vehicle safety features did not work- no cruise control, automatic breaking, automatic headlight adjustments, etc. We were over 500 miles from home and had the oil changed but it did not fix the problem. Had $72,000 miles on it, 4 years old. We had to drive home that distance to get it repaired over a 2-3 day period. No safety features were enabled as we drove. Thermo control valve was deemed faulty and replaced. Seeing after the fact that the TSB was issued without any VIN numbers: https://static. Nhtsa. Gov/odi/tsbs/2023/mc-10237281-0001. Pdf, I believe it should include our VIN number and be recalled and the replacement paid for.

Both rear wheel bearings failed and required replacement at 65,000 miles. Apparently this is a common issue as a TSB was issued and a new backer plate was installed as water is getting into the bearings (design issue).

On June 20, 2023, the "check engine" light came on my 2019 Subaru Forester and "eyesight" flashed on my dashboard as disabled. I immediately went to my mechanic and he ran a diagnostic which showed the following: "p26a3 - engine coolant bypass valve. " my car has 75,000 miles and is out of warranty for the powertrain. In reviewing online forums, this problem is a recurring one that is affecting many Subaru owners. The cost is $1,200 to $1,500 to fix. I believe this should be a recall issue. Other drivers have noted sudden engine shutoff but I have not experienced that yet. The car is currently in the shop. Subaru knows this is a problem.

Was driving in the right-hand lane on the interstate with the cruise control set, went to change lanes as I was approaching a slower moving semi truck going up an incline. Cruise control deactivated with no inputs from myself. Vehicle began to decelerate. Looked at instrument cluster, the check engine light was on along with eye sight off symbol. Additional symbols for forward collision avoidance and rear active braking were also on. No warning signs were present prior to the cruise control turning off. The unexpected loss of power increases the risk of collision while traveling on the highway. Vehicle was taken a Subaru dealer, diagnosed with code p2682, coolant bypass valve performance, with a recommendation to replace the coolant bypass valve.

While accelerating to merge in the freeway the thermo control valve malfunctioned, causing check engine light to come on which turned off all the safety features (lane assist off, precollision off, rab and eyesight off) of my Subaru 2020 Forester sport. I’ve researched the internet and shows it is a common issue. I brought it to a Subaru dealership and was told it is not safe to drive the vehicle. Since I just passed 60k powertrain warranty (around 62k), it is not covered and had to pay over $3,000.

Thermo control valve is bad. Ask Subaru to issue recall on 2019-2020 models.

The thermo-valve controller gives out on this vehicle. Through searches and discussions with two separate dealerships, this seems to be an incredibly common issue. It's enough that Subaru has actually completely replaced the design of this piece for whenever it gets replaced. This triggers a check engine light which already removes many features on the Subaru. My understanding is that this part controls and measures the engine temperature which means that drivers have no clue if their engine is overheating or not when it goes out. Subaru has gotten away with covering this part over their powertrain warranty since the vast majority of their vehicles are having this part break within 3 years. Most drivers are happy with this because the major ($1500-2000) repair is covered. The issue is that people that drive more often, like myself, are stuck footing the bill for a part that Subaru has admitted doesn't work properly just because we've now fallen out of this 60k mileage warranty. From my research, it's not a part that is greatly affected by mileage, so much as time since the dealerships have noted that every replacement they've seen has fallen within 3 years, regardless of the mileage. For that, I'm asking that there be a true recall put in place for this part. This is a major expense for almost anyone and isn't fair for Subaru to hide behind a warranty that won't apply to everyone when they know they created this improperly. Even the reps at the dealership mentioned that they see this far too often for it not to be a recall, but that most people are still under 60k miles, so there aren't normally issues.

Transmission faiure at 112,000 miles.

Automatic transmission shifting sluggish.

See all problems of the 2017 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Eye-sight system shutdown and the car, although it was drivable, ran rough. Since there is a huge reliance on the monitors as they are designed to "forward think" to aid the driver, this was a major disruption to the driving experience. Not knowing what the disabled components affected, was a huge cause for alarm. Upon seeing the check engine light come, my wife brought the car home and I hooked up my device to read the code (p26a3 - showed up). Then I looked up that code and was directed to multiple incidents where that very same thing has become frequent on this model and a few others like it. We called the winston-salem nc Subaru dealer (flow) and they suggested we bring the Forester in for a check. Once they checked the vehicle out and confirmed the code we mentioned, they told us the "tcv" problem was found on our vehicle and they have seen others with the same problem. They even had the parts in stock to make the repair that day! they kept the parts and said they were going to be sent back to Subaru of America for analysis. Interesting detail: once we drove the repaired vehicle, it ran better than it ever had and the only work they did was to fix the tcv issue (according to the repair paperwork).

While driving the vehicle suddenly stalled and stopped running. The dashboard illuminated with most lights and the check engine message came on the screen. I was thankfully able to get into the shoulder on the road safely without creating an accident or getting injured. The vehicle would not start again and had to be towed to the dealership. I am now out $1800 because I am slightly over my powertrain warranty in mileage on the vehicle. This is a known issue in bulletin: https://static. Nhtsa. Gov/odi/tsbs/2022/mc-10208664-0001. Pdf I am not only disappointed with Subaru of America and NHTSA that this is not already a recall but I am also willing to seek legal action and compensation if this repair is not going to be covered. . Read more...

We were driving at 75 mph in the left lane when our car suddenly dropped in speed to 40 mph as though the transmission had dropped into neutral. There were no warning lights or any indication about what was happening. We were in heavy traffic, with trucks and car hitting their brakes. This could have caused a very serious accident. We managed to move our car to the right shoulder. The car's transmission re-engaged and we picked up our speed. This happened 3 times in the space of a few hundred miles while we were on a road trip. I called Subaru. They had no idea what it was. We went to the nearest Subaru dealer and they ran a diagnostic test, even including a 12 mile test drive with the computer hooked up. Nothing showed up. They told us to continue our trip. Then it happened 2 more times! the last time, again, in the left lane, on cruise. The engine rpm clocked up at 7500 rpm before I was able to get the car off the road. The engine died and we had to be towed to a shop. Again, no warning dash lights. This is a serious flaw and very dangerous.

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at high speeds, the vehicle made abnormal grinding sounds. Additionally, the vehicle was vibrating while turning the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a faulty bearing. The bearing was replaced; however, the failure recurred while driving approximately 70-75 mph. The vehicle was then taken to farrish Subaru (10407 fairfax blvd, fairfax, va 22030) where it was diagnosed that all four bushings needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the four bushings. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,545.

The thermo control valve had went out. When the valve went out, the Subaru eyesight became disabled. This also turned off the forward collision, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, lane departure, and rear cross traffic warning and braking. Subaru has a service bulletin, 09-80-21, stating the issue.