The 3 Worst Reported Subaru Problems You Should Be Aware Of Now

What are the worst Subaru models with reported problems from owners? Here are the top three worst Subaru vehicles and what customers should know when purchasing a used model.

Which Subaru vehicles have the most reported problems from their owners? According to a recently updated report from Car Complaints, there are three Subaru vehicles customers should be aware of when shopping for a used Subaru vehicle.

The Subaru Forester is the Japanese automaker's best-selling model, a desirable compact SUV. However, two model years have oil consumption issues. And one Subaru Outback model year also has oil consumption issues you should be aware of.

The three worst Subaru Model years with the most reported problems

2014 Subaru Forester

The 2014 Subaru Forester is the model and year with the most reported customer problems. High oil consumption is the most frequent complaint. The typical cost for the engine repair is $2,000 and occurs with 33,400 miles on the odometer. The severity rating is 8.1, which is "pretty bad," according to Car Complaints. 

Most common solutions

• Replace engine (7 reports)
• Major engine work (4 reports)
• Told burning 1 quart of oil in 5,000 miles was acceptable (4 reports)
• The new short block has appeared for now to have fixed the problem (1 report)

2011 Subaru Forester

Excessive oil consumption in the 2011 Subaru Forester is the second worst model and year. The typical repair cost is $3,100, and the average is 48,800 miles. The severity rating is 7.9, which is "pretty bad," according to Car Complaints.

Most common solutions

• Replace engine (8 reports)
• Short block replaced per Subaru of America (4 reports)
• Add oil (1 report)
• Sell the car (1 report)

2013 Subaru Outback

Excessive oil consumption in the 2013 Subaru Outback is the third worst model and year. The typical repair cost is $1,590, and the average mileage is 59,350. The severity rating is 7.8, which is "pretty bad," according to Car Complaints.

Most common solutions

• Buy a different car, or get a new engine block (7 reports)
• Engine rebuild (1 report)
• Replace oil rings (1 report)
• Replace rings (1 report)
• Replace short block (1 report)

That brings up a good question that customers ask. Is burning a quart of oil every 1,000 miles normal? Car Complaints says, "It depends on who you ask. " Subaru says it's within "normal specifications," yet owners wonder why they need to top off their oil reservoir four times between every 5,000-mile oil change."

My Take

I have repeatedly documented Subaru's class action lawsuit for excessive oil consumption. I reported in a 2021 story that in the wake of the oil consumption class-action lawsuit, Subaru extended the factory warranty on some models (previously five years or 60,000 miles) to eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Read the full class-action lawsuit report here.

The vehicles affected most seem to be the 2011-2014 Forester (2.5-liter engine), 2013 Legacy (2.5-liter engine), 2013 Outback (2.5-liter engine), 2012-2013 Impreza (2.0-liter engine), and 2013 XV Crosstrek (2.0-liter engine).

Has Subaru corrected the oil consumption issue?

According to Consumer Reports, there were significant improvements in the three Subaru engines listed above after the 2014 model year. Owners reported not adding oil between regular service appointments in 2015 and newer models.

What about newer Subaru Forester and Outback models?

In Consumer Reports annual surveys, owners now report zero problems in 2019 and newer Subaru models. New car shoppers will find the 2024 Subaru Forester, 2024 Outback, 2024 Crosstrek, and Impreza fuel-efficient and reliable. There should be no oil consumption issues. 

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed the 3 worst reported Subaru problems story. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

For additional articles related to new Subaru models, here are a few of my top stories you may enjoy. 

My Must-Read Top Picks

• New Subaru Model Reliability Ranked Best To Worst, One Stands Above The Rest
• The Top 10 Things Every Subaru Customer Needs To Know
• Head To Head Redesigned 2025 Subaru Forester Vs. All-New 2024 Subaru Crosstrek

Watch Consumer Reports’ 2024 Cars Reliability Results

I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

I’ve got you covered! - I cover all Subaru all the time - It’s called the “Subaru Report.” Check back daily for my expert Subaru analysis!

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photo credit: Subaru USA