2001 Subaru Forester
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Vehicle speed control is the leading concern among 142 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 26 Forester model years with reports.
Of the 2001 reports, 32 involved a crash. 25 people were injured and 3 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: engine and engine cooling
16 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 6, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS EXAMINING HER VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE KNOCK SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE OF HER VEHICLE BECAME VERY WARM WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 99000.
Engine and engine cooling, Equipment, Aug 18, 2007
AS SOON AS THE CAR AGED TO 75,000 MILES I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. THE CLOSEST SUBARU DEALER IS 51 MILES AWAY FROM MY CURRENT LOCATION. NOT EASY TO GET TO. MY IN TOWN MECHANIC HAS ONLY BEEN TRYING TO TREAT THE SYMPTOMS. I'VE HAD THERMOSTAT, HEATER CORE, VALVE COVERS, SPARK PLUG WIRES REPLACED, HOSES REPLACED, AND STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO A SUBARU DEALER THIS MORNING, STILL OVERHEATING, AND HE SAYS I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE VALVE COVERS, WIRES, OBVIOUSLY THE HEAD GASKET AND POSSIBLY A FEW OTHER PARTS. LABOR ALONE IS A 1000 DOLLARS. SUBARU SHOULD TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AS I AM NOTICING THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL POSTS AND SEVERAL WEBSITES WITH OWNERS HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED OWNING A SUBARU UP UNTIL NOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE. *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 29, 2006
BLOWN HEAD GASKETS, CRACKED SHORT BLOCK, AND O2 SENSORS ALL REPLACED AT AROUND 100,000 MILES. O2 SENSORS REPLACED TWICE. UNKNOWN WHEN PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED AND WHICH WAS CAUSE AND WHICH EFFECT. HEAD GASKETS SHOULD BE COVERED BY PROGRAM WWP-99, BUT SUBARU WILL NOT CONSIDER NOR DISCUSS ANY ACCOMMODATION. *NM
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 25, 2005
BLOWN HEAD GASKET @ 75,000 MILES (OIL LEAKS). NOT COVERED BY SERVICE PROGRAM WWP-99. *NM
Engine and engine cooling, May 16, 2005
HEAD GASKET BLOWN AFTER SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP
Engine and engine cooling, Tires, Mar 24, 2005
RECALL WW-99 WAS ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT WAS NOT FOUND AT THIS TIME. THERE WAS EXTERNAL COOLANT LEAK INTO THE HEAD GASKET, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. DEALER WAS ONLY FLUSHING THE SYSTEM, AND WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ALSO, YOKOHAMA TIRES THAT WERE UNDER THE PROPER INFLATION FOR THE VEHICLE CAUSED IT TO SLIP AND SLIDE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALL WHEEL DRIVE.*AK *NM
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 30, 2004
MY 2001 SUBARU FORESTER HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. IT APPEARS, AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET AND OTHER SOURCES, THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS ALL PHASE 2 2.5 L ENGINES MADE BY SUBARU BETWEEN 1999 & 2002. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INTERNET WEB PAGES WITH COMPLAINTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. WHY HASN'T SUBARU BEEN ORDERED TO RECALL THESE ENGINES, THEY'RE ADANGER TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC! *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 20, 2004
ENGINE PINGING NOISE RESULTING FROM SHORT SKIRT VALVE DESIGN FAILURE. REQUESTED ADVICE FROM MANUFACTURE WAS TOLD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. ENGINE LIFE IS GREATLY REDUCED BY THIS PROBLEM. DEALER RECOGNITION HAS OCCURED REGARDING THIS FLAW. THIS IS THE SECOND SUBARU I HAVE PURCHASED. SIMILAR PROBLEM IN FIRST VEHICLE RESULTED IN DEALER REPLACEING SHORT BLOCK. ALTHOUGH DISAPPOINTED AT FLAW CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FIRST DEALER PROMPTED PURCHASE OF SECOND VEHICLE. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 20, 2004
ENGINE PINGING NOISE RESULTING FROM SHORT SKIRT VALVE DESIGN FAILURE. REQUESTED ADVICE FROM MANUFACTURE WAS TOLD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. ENGINE LIFE IS GREATLY REDUCED BY THIS PROBLEM. DEALER RECOGNITION HAS OCCURED REGARDING THIS FLAW. THIS IS THE SECOND SUBARU I HAVE PURCHASED. SIMILAR PROBLEM IN FIRST VEHICLE RESULTED IN DEALER REPLACEING SHORT BLOCK. ALTHOUGH DISAPPOINTED AT FLAW CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FIRST DEALER PROMPTED PURCHASE OF SECOND VEHICLE. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 13, 2004
VEHICLE ENGINE SPUTTERS, SURGES AND SHAKES INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES STALLS WHEN STOPPED. SOMETIMES ACCELERATOR SIGNIFICANTLY HESITATES PROVIDE ENGINE SPEED. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN CROSSING TRAFFIC OR MERGING. MECHANIC REPLACED COIL PACK, SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, PCV VALVE, ADJUSTED THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. DEALER REPORTS PROBLEM UNKNOWN AND NOT UNDER WARRANTY AT 43,000 MILES
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 17, 2003
AT ABOUT 25,000 MILES MY 2001 FORESTER STALLED 3 TIMES IN MY DRIVEWAY AND SHOOK A BIT. I HAD THE IDIOT-NEW-OWNER-PACKAGE WITH THE DEALER WHERE THEY DID ALL THE MAINTENANCE, ETC. AND WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN OIL CHANGE/WHATEVER MAINTENANCE ANYWAY SO I ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN TO ME UNTIL SEVERAL MONTHS LATER. NOW AT 38,000 MILES (3000 MILES AFTER WARRANTY AND AFTER THE END OF THE IDIOT-PACKAGE) IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BOTH IN PARKING LOTS AND AT STOP LIGHTS. IT SHOOK AT AN IDLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. A LOCAL SHOP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED COIL PACK. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE APPARENT CAUSE WAS THAT IT APPEARED NO MAINTENANCE HAD EVER BEEN DONE. THE SPARK PLUG CHANGE AND A 30K MILE TUNE UP THAT WERE ON MY SERVICE TICKETS AS HAVING BEEN PERFORMED WERE PROBABLY NOT ACTUALLY DONE. THERE WAS NO WAY TO PROVE THAT WITHOUT TOWING THE CAR TO SUBARU AT MY EXPENSE AND THEN PROBABLY HAVING THEM STILL CLAIM THE SERVICE HAD BEEN DONE. I DRIVE VERY CONSERVATIVELY, DON'T SPEED, DON'T TAKE OFF QUICKLY AND LIVE IN A MODERATE TEMPERATURE/WEATHER AREA (NORTHERN VA). THERE IS NO REASON THAT WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. SUBARU OF AMERICA SAYS IT IS A DEALER PROBLEM. THE DEALER CLAIMS NO WRONG DOING. I CAN DISPUTE THE POINT AND HAVE IT TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR VERIFICATION OF THE LACK OF PROPER MAINTENANCE, WHICH WE ALL KNOW WILL NOT BE THEIR FINDING OR PAY THE $530 REPAIR STRAIGHTAWAY. I CHOSE THE LATTER. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO NOW TO GET SUBARU TO REFUND THE COST OF REPAIR? *NLM
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 10, 2003
THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.*DT *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 18, 2003
BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSING LEAK OF COOLANT AT 75,000 MILES ON A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 8, 2003
EXHAUST FUMES SOME CO POISONING SYMPTOMS 2001 SUBARU FORESTER POSTED BY DAVE ON FEBRUARY 08, 03 AT 06:52:29: I FUELED MY FORESTER WITH 91 OCTANE PREMIUM FUEL AND TOOK OFF ON A 5 HR DRIVE TO DENVER. THERE WERE EXTREME DRIVING CONDITIONS 40 MPH WINDS AND GROUND BLIZZARDS. SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AT 75 MPH AND IT WAS ALL THE CAR COULD DO TO MAINTAIN 70 MPH IN HIGH GEAR AND ON SOME HILLS IT WOULD DOWNSHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR TO SATISFY THE COMPUTER SETTING OF 75. AFTER 2+ HOURS OF DRIVING I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES. I DEVELOPED A HEADACHE. I OPENED THE BRRRRR WINDOWS AND WROTE A NOTE TO THE EFFECT THAT IF I SUCCOMED TO CO FUMES AND DIED FOR MY SURVIVORS TO SUE SUBARU. IN THE STATE CAPITOL, I STOPPED AT THE D.O.T. AND WENT INTO THE TESTING LAB AND BORROWED A CO TESTER THEN WENT BACK ONTO THE INTERSTATE (THE CAR WAS IDLING WHILE IN THE LAB). I WAS WOOZIE AND DISORIENTED CLASSIC CO SYMPTOMS. SCARIE! ANYHOW BACK ONTO THE ROAD FOR A 15 MIN ATTEMPT TO REPRODUCE THE SCENARIO. THE FUMES WERE GONE THE CO DETECTOR STAYED AT ZERO/PPM, I SUPPOSE THE CONVERTOR HAD COOLED OFF. ON THE RETURN TRIP THE WIND HAD DIED AND THE ENGINE DID NOT HAFTO WORK QUITE AS HARD THERE WERE STILL SOME TIMES OF SLIGHT SMELL OF THE FUMES BUT NOT AS INTENSE AS ON THE INITIAL 2 HOUR EXPERIENCE. I ALSO REFUELED AT THE 2 HR MARK WITH 87 OCTANE FUEL. I BELIEVE THAT THE PURCHASE OF A SMALL CO DETECTOR MAY BE A GOOD IDEA FOR SAFETY. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS AS A POSSIBLE SERIOUS HAZARD BUT HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO GO ABOUT INITIATING SUCH A THING. THIS POST IS TO FURTHER THAT CAUSE. CC: SUBARU MFG.COM
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 31, 2002
VEHICLE KEEPS STALLING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION, HIGHWAY, STREET. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 23, 2002
VEHICLE SPUTTERS AND SHAKES INTERMITTENTLY AFTER FIRST TAKING OFF. ALSO, STALLED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS 3 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK