Too nice of a day to not want to drive this thing.

2008 Subaru Forester 180,000 miles.

I am having issues accelerating from a stopped position, as well as at higher speeds around 45-50 miles per hour.

When accelerating from a stop the car tends to hesitate around 10 mph. It doesn’t necessarily jerk, but it feels as if it’s empty. It then picks up and I experience higher revs around 4500-5000.

When going 45 to 50 mph at an incline I can have my foot all the way down on the accelerator and the car revs high around 5500-6000 and feels like it doesn’t shift. I top out around 50-55 mph until I am on a level surface.

Since this has been happening I have changed the fuel pump, battery, alternator, and most recently swapped the transmission fluid.

I fear my transmission is pretty much shot. Does this sound like the case, or am I overlooking something?
Is there anything else I can test/try to replace?

Please let me know if you need additional information or have any questions about the behavior.

Thank you!

I just bought this a few days ago and I'm interested in things like lift kits, roof baskets, wheels etc. Just exterior mods. Where does everyone shop online for such things?

Hello hello!!

I'm looking at Subarus to replace my 2016 Ford Escape SE. And I was thinking electric but gas/hybrid is fine! Preferably electric, but with gas/hybrid I want an easy to fill/oil-change/etc as my Ford is NOTORIOUSLY bad for replacing parts myself. A normal work job takes like 6 hours solely because you have to remove a lot of parts. This new car purchase will be my third car ever, with my first being a Japanese Suzuki Lapin, and my Ford Escape.

I've heard lots of good things about Subarus, and I have 3 dogs. One is a Search and Recovery dog and when we travel with my Ford I tend to get stuck, so good traction is a must, big cargo space for my crash tested crate (Gunner brand), and preferably a back up cam and a de-icing mechanism. Which is why I'm considering the Trailseeker BUT I tend to back into shit because I get careless sometimes when in tight spots as sometimes our locations are crazy. I've hit like 6 things 6 different times backing up. And as a 🏳️‍🌈, I would like to pay it forward for Subaru for being very pro-lgbtqia+

Black on Black is a must as it's the easiest to fix scratches and match with parts. I need a deer guard. It's non-negotiable as my parents have hit almost 10 deer since living in Michigan.

Also considering driving to Canada to get Canadian models as they have different functions that are more winter-oriented.

Every Trailseeker video I've watched has nothing but glowing reviews, and I have a Subaru dealership nearby but I worry about wasting their time if I'm buying in Jan/Feb/Mar 27 timeline.

Hi. I have a 2011 impreza. The last car was an 01 ob. Both have had bj problems. I work on all my cars alone and need other subie owners to help. One pair of hands suck. Also, if you're familiar with older 2007 vw, it would help. Thx.

Im looking at buying this 2003 forester for a donor for my car. It only has 71k miles. How likely is it that the engine is too damaged from the crash to be used? If pushed into the pulleys how fragile is the front of these engines/ repairable if damaged?

Hey all, I know this has been asked probably a million times before, so forgive me.

Driving a 2012 2.5l Outback with ~170K on it. Needed to replace the front left CV axle this summer--dealer wanted $850, my mechanic said he'd do it for half that with an aftermarket.

Now it's vibrating at idle when in drive--if I'm at a light and it's vibrating and I switch it to neutral, it immediately goes away. Feels like the vibrations increase if I turn the wheel left when I'm sitting at a light.

Questions: am I correct in assuming that this is likely the aftermarket axle thing that everyone talks about? If so, would you expect the mechanic to fix it on his own dime, or am I just getting an expensive lesson?

Also, what are the potential outcomes if I don't get it swapped for a Subaru part? Is it like an annoying thing that will just be annoying, or are there potentially catastrophic outcomes? How urgent would you think it is to replace it?

Many thanks for answering the same question again.

the map keeps glitching and when changing apps the screen gets distorted.

Subaru Crosstrek 2024 premium

it is rhythmic it is from the back of the car, does not shake the wheel goes on/off every secondish and when I press the pedal but it is not actually contributing speed (going 82 but only pressing the pedal enough to go 35) it does it significantly more. I have went to 2 shops and they say they cannot find anything but I am just in disbelief that there's nothing wrong. I just replaced the struts and got an alignment, this has been happening for months but because I don't go on the freeway almost ever I wasn't in a huge rush to fix it but this seems dangerous to drive and just kinda 'wait and see' what might happen. any thoughts on what it could be would be great if im missing information let me know

New meats for Wrx/crosstrek! Wrx-225/55r17 Falken wildpeak AT trails. Crosstrek-225/65r17 Toyo Open County AT3

So have owned a 2018 Crosstrek for a couple of years. Bought it used with under 70,000 on it and at just over 100,000km my check engine light came on and I took it to my local mechanic. I thought maybe a sensor etc but they came back and said it was a seized sprocket on the crank and that to fix the issue it would be 8k CAD. I was shocked and I when I asked how this happened he said oh it’s a common issue with Subarus and they have done 5 this year….I’ve never heard of the issue being that prevalent. Has anyone heard of this issue being common?

Took a mid-week drive to Alice's Restaurant in Woodside California.

Hey everyone! I’d like some thoughts on whats going on with my car right now.

Cylinder 3 and 4 were misfiring, so i replaced the spark plugs and wires, the spark plugs were pretty beat, that white part had some browning and maybe had gasoline on them when i took them out.

Codes were still shooting and engine was still rocky so i replaced the coil pack and that made it all seem normal.

Now my car is shooting p0420, along with some popping and crackling sounds on start up. I replaced the other spark plugs and wires too just too make sure but its still hollerin. P0303 and p0304 are still showing too, so they are misfiring after being replaced. I dont wanna throw more parts and money without knowing what to actually do.

My next thought is to replace the O2 sensors. Any ideas? Car has 170,000 miles. Don’t really know the maintenance done on it too well

2013 Subaru Legacy P0456 Code

This car has been nothing but an emissions/evap system headache.

Over the last year and half, it's had intermittent emissions, vacuum, and evap related codes. The exact codes and repairs varied based on when in time we are talking about. Memory seems to bring up p0441, p0442, p0420 and p0171, though this may not be correct and is a recollection across several past repairs over the last year and a half.

Long story short, over the last year and a half chasing a variety of emissions and evap codes ,the purge valve was replaced twice, the charcoal canister was replaced, and we had to get a new catalytic converter. Each repair worked on its own for a short time, but then a few months would pass and a new code would pop up with a new repair. Eventually, everything was chill for several months at the point when everything was said and done, and it was a glorious time of no lights.

Now, the light is back. This time, it's a P0456 Code. What could it be this time?? I swear by the time we're done with this car, every single component is going to have been replaced 3 times over just to pass a stupid emissions smog test to legally register the car every other year.

Half the people say "it's always a gas cap" half always say "it's never the gas cap, it's probably a purge valve or charcoal canister or a hose". Then half the people say that the p0456 "very small" leaks can be an incredibly difficult thing to find, even for actual mechanics with smoke machines

I'm just hoping whatever's broken or has a hole isn't too expensive to fix. This dang emissions and evap system has been so costly between all these parts breaking. So much money spent just to make sure I can pass a stupid smog test.

I've seen stories with this code specifically where it can drastically range from just a $20 gas cap, all the way into more than a thousand dollars for a new gas tank because of a tiny tiny pinhole somewhere that can only be fixed by changing the entire component out.

Coming to Reddit out of desperation. I have a 2012 Subaru Legacy that used to let me plug in my phone and play spotify/directions thru the sound system with no issues. The car will now let me plug in my phone but will not play music/directions over the speaker. I have tried multiple different cables but I know the cable is not the issue since it charges my phone perfectly fine. I try every setting, aux, usb, ipod etc., and it refuses to play sound from my phone, the radio option does play the standard radio with no issues. I try unplugging and plugging the cable back in to no avail, I try turning my phone on and off, turning the car on and off and nothing helps. Does anyone know what else I can try? My phone will charge perfectly fine so i figure the cable/plug/port is not the issue.

I recently leased a brand-new 2026 Subaru Outback Premium and I’m curious whether other owners have experienced something similar.
When driving at normal highway speeds (65–70 mph), particularly during wind gusts, high winds, or when passing large commercial trucks, my Outback feels like it’s floating or swaying from side to side. Sometimes the rear feels like it’s wiggling or fishtailing slightly.

The vehicle drives perfectly fine in calm conditions and settles once the wind or turbulence passes. Both Lane Centering Assist and Lane Departure Prevention are off during these incidents.

I’ve already taken it to Subaru, where they inspected the steering, suspension, tire pressures, and alignment. They couldn’t find anything mechanically wrong.
I previously drove a Mazda CX-50 on these same highways in similar conditions and never experienced this sensation.

Has anyone else with a 2026 Outback noticed excessive side-to-side movement in crosswinds or when passing trucks?

I’m trying to determine whether this is a normal handling characteristic of the redesigned Outback or something specific to my vehicle. I’d especially appreciate hearing from other Premium owners!

Hi everyone!

A few months ago, I went to my normal place, and a different guy than I normally see told me that there was a note on my car's file that said it needed new shocks (which makes sense to me, I'm still on the originals at 70k miles) and would cost $1,600. I didn't do it because that's a lot of money to drop at a moment's notice, and when I went back more recently, my normal guy was back and he didn't mention it at all.

I talked briefly with another mechanic who asked if I wanted to change the struts and then stopped replying after saying that it wasn't necessary if they weren't leaking/riding rough.

Started speaking with another mechanic yesterday who asked if I had the parts already. Said no, started looking into the parts today, and as someone with limited car component knowledge, I'm starting to get a little confused. I'm not seeing new/OEM shocks sold alone? Admittedly I haven't gone super in depth on it, but both my spare time and cash are pretty limited these days, so I am hoping to get some guidance about what I should do in this situation.

No leaking, car rides smooth, I do my oil changes mostly on schedule and theoretically I am up to date on other scheduled maintenance. Not sure if this matters at all, but I am usually on paved road, only very rarely am I on like non-paved compacted road.

1) Should I be changing the shocks alone? Or both/the whole assembly? Am I misunderstanding how these parts exist in my car?

2) Is it better for me to buy the part myself? Trying to be conscious of costs and the fact that I am in southern California and the mechanic I'm currently talking with is in Arizona (I will be in Arizona for other reasons)

3) Have skimmed a few other posts trying to figure out what to do here and some of them mention non-OEM parts. I don't want to do worse than OEM, but would like to save money in whatever non-quality compromising way I can. So I guess like, what should I do here ?? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Also really sorry for the wall of text. I'm not sure what's possibly helpful and what's not 😬

SF/ first-gen Forester, and me - my 4th gen/ SJ.

This is from late May of 2023. Coming home from university class.

I'm just starting to look into this model.

I heard it's not selling well, true ? Are/will they give discounts/deals ?

edit: specifically price drops

I have a Saab 92x that I have to get rid of and it feels bad to just junk it but unfortunately that’s what my options are getting limited to. I know im not suppose to post a sales ad and this isnt that. If anyone wants to come and grab it from me they can. Im in california the bay area.

So the problem is I'm getting codes P0011 & P0021 Its been extensive Oil pump was changed. Banjo bolt filters removed. Timing was checked and was off a tooth but still have those codes. Oil pressure tested good up until the vvt solenoids. Even to the turbo it was good. But here's the kicker the vvts tested great. But I don't know if it could be the fact there aftermarket and dude who had it before me put them in. Maybe there out of tolerance with Subarus standards in oil flow? Tolerances I mean. I ordered some OEM vvt solenoids and if it's not that maybe it's the cam phasers? See under a scan they were able to excel and retard the timing. But not as fast as the ecm wants. Not to mention the angles it does it are always different which is strange. I'm wondering what the odds are that it actually is the non OEM vvts or if this fixed it for anyone else. My oil is clean. And pressure remains optimal. It just reached the 136,000 mile mark

Im starting on the planning stages for a subaru baja build, and was wondering what locking differential options there are other then the ratcheting style like a torque locker, id perfer electronic locking if possible but willing to do pneumatic, I dont want a torque locker or ratcheting style, and would perfer options for locking the front as well