2010 Forester bought yesterday-Check Engine Light Seriously?

dvai

I bought my first new car- a 2010 Forrester yesterday with all the bells and whistles I wanted. Happy as a clam.

Today I'm driving and the CHECK ENGINE light comes on, the Vehicle Dynamic Control symbol light comes on with a slash through it (I hadn't touched the button and when I mashed the button to see if I had turned it off accidentally and needed to turn it back on, nothing happened) and the CRUISE light is flashing.

Seriously? Please tell me this is not typical. Anyone else have this problem with a brand new one? I have driven used cars all my life- old used cars. I'm sick of going to the shop!

dcm61

My first guess would be that the dealer filled it with gas and didn't tighten the gas cap properly.

Remove / replace the gas cap ... should click a couple times when tight.

If that was the issue, it may take several start / stop cycles to "extinguish" the CEL.

Or if it's not a hassle ... go back to the dealer and have them pull the code.

ateixeira

I would go back either way - especially since more than one malfunction was reported.

If they can't fix it right away then I'd demand another Forester.

I'm sure it'll be a simple fix, and no, that is not typical at all for a brand new Subie.

skarri

I bought my Subaru Forester in June 2010. After 1700 miles, today morning I am facing the same problem as you are...check engine light comes on , vehicle dynamics light comes on and flashing cruise light.

I am going in to the service center tomorrow.

I am keen to find out if you figured out why these lights are coming..Is this a major problem?

dvai

No. It turned out to be nothing. I think sometimes if the gas cap isn't on tight those lights will come on. And this will happen when the car is new because the rubber is settling.

We took it in and they adjusted something minor and it went away and hasn't returned.

ateixeira

Glad to hear it.

A friend here at work just got a Fiesta and the trans blew up at 230 miles. She needs a new trans, too.

Bad luck. :sick:

xwesx

Ouch.... and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why new cars have factory warranties! :P

sube2010

A colleague and myself also have 2010 Subaru Forresters with that problem. i.e check engine light on, vehicle dynamics light on and flashing cruise light. The cruise function of my vehicle also does not work and for the FOURTH time last Friday, I've taken the car to the dealer to sort these issues out.

The first time I took the car in to the dealer, I was told that the problem occurred because I must have put some 'bad gas' in and the electrical codes were reset so that the light came off.. (This is impossible because I only use premium gasoline)

..Three weeks later, the same thing happened, but since they could find nothing wrong with the vehicle, they simply reset the electrical codes again. After two weeks passed, the problem re-occurred. This time they found that a coolant line in the engine had busted and had to replace the line! Now, only a week later, I've had to take it in again! The problem now is that the alternator belt is in 'bad' condition (nearly busted) and they're not sure what is causing the belt to erode.

Like myself, my colleague is also experiencing similar problems with his 2010 Subaru Forrester and his alternator belt was busted one month ago. Prior to the lights coming on, we both experienced 'cold' start ups...

Does anyone have any idea as to what may be the root problem here.. My dealer seems to be as clueless as I am!!!

aatherton

"... took the car in to the dealer, I was told that the problem occurred because I must have put some 'bad gas' in and the electrical codes were reset so that the light came off.. (This is impossible because I only use premium gasoline)."

Octane should not be confused with bad gas. The naturally aspirated Forester is designed to run on 87 octane and receives no benefit from higher octane. Bad gas occurs when gas of any octane becomes contaminated with water.

Two years ago a Shell station repaid us $900 that we spent having bad gas removed from our fuel system. We were one of a dozen that they said they repaid. Their gas was bad due to water, not low octane.

foxewolf

I actually just experienced this same issue. I had just gotten my 2011 forester yesterday. I drive up a hill and the Transmission seems to slam out of gear and rev high. Next thing I see is the "AT Oil Temp" Light beginning to blink, followed by a solid "ABS" light. I pull over to the side of the road and shut off the engine. After about 10 minutes I restart the car and I receive a "Check Engine" light, a "Vehicle Dynamics Control" light, and a Flashing "Cruise" Light. I try to toggle the VDC and Cruise control, and nothing happens. I have only put 20-30 miles on this car.

ateixeira

Their gas was bad due to water

Scary - in these temps my fuel lines would freeze up!

paisan

I actually just experienced this same issue. I had just gotten my 2011 forester yesterday. I drive up a hill and the Transmission seems to slam out of gear and rev high. Next thing I see is the "AT Oil Temp" Light beginning to blink, followed by a solid "ABS" light. I pull over to the side of the road and shut off the engine. After about 10 minutes I restart the car and I receive a "Check Engine" light, a "Vehicle Dynamics Control" light, and a Flashing "Cruise" Light. I try to toggle the VDC and Cruise control, and nothing happens. I have only put 20-30 miles on this car.

I would bring the car back to the dealer and have them check out the transmission. If the AT Temp light came on there may be an internal issue with the transmission.

-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor

paisan

Whenever an engine related CEL comes on for newer subarus the VDC and Cruise Control are disabled until the CEL is reset by a dealer or an OBDII code reader. That is how the system works, my guess is so that people don't just ignore the CEL and continue to drive with a problem.

-mike
Subaru Guru and Track Instructor

foxewolf

I took it back this morning and they were doing all their diagnostic checks. An hour later, I took a test-drive with the mechanic and it did the same thing all over again. The current status of the vehicle is that it is an issue with the transmission. They did explain the CEL causing the VDC and Cruise to disable themselves, but they notice that the transmission seems to trigger a problem within the ECU. My car is being worked on while I have a complementary service loaner. The loaner is also a 2011 Forester; however, it lacks what I loved the most about my 2011: Fog Lights, Pan Sun-Roof, Navigation w/ Backup cam, Leather seats etc. I am really satisfied with Subaru despite this experience. This is my 3rd Subaru. It started with a 1992 Legacy, then 2002 Forester, and this 2011 model Forester.

aatherton

"... in these temps my fuel lines would freeze up!"

And worse. After being towed to the shop for barely running, our car had to have its gas tank removed for dewatering. We were showed a gallon milk jug half full of water, as just part of the water that was found in the tank. Fortunately it was in warm weather. In winter, there would have been a layer of ice in the bottom of the tank, maybe damaging the fuel pickup, pump and filter in there.

sube2010

Hi All, guess what.. I got my car back from the dealer about five days ago..and the lights are back on again. The dealer found nothing wrong with the vehicle this time, so, once again, simply reset the codes. What may be of interest to fellow Forrester owners is that my dealer has admitted that this problem is common to ALL the 2010 Forresters and that they have no idea what's going on!!!! The cold starts that I mentioned previously would occur maybe once everytime in four, now, the car is exactly two years old, and EVERY time I start, I experience a 'cold start' ...The sad thing is that prior to these problems, I was very satisfied with the handling of the car and was hoping to get the 2011 Forrester by the end of this year.. I think that Subaru owes us an explanation!!

xwesx

Unless you are getting a readout of the codes that pop up, it is really hard to say.

We recently clicked over 22,000 on our 2010 Forester and have yet to get a CEL. Ours has a manual transmission, but I don't know that it would make a difference... ?

sube2010

Not sure either.. But my car was perfect for the first 40,000 Km and then simply went haywire.. Other owners that I know personally experienced similar problems earlier than this though ..I'm wondering if this defect is specific to a certain batch/batches of these vehicles?? I will try to contact Subaru directly and post any findings on this website..

ateixeira

800-SUBARU3. Give them as much info as you know, including the error codes if you have them.

Our 2009 is trouble-free, knock on wood.

tomdav

My parents 2011 did about the same thing. Has about 200 miles on it and with engine running you could not shift to park or reverse. Check engine light, hot tranny fluid light TPMS, ECT ECT ECT.

Its being towed back to the dealer as we speak.

deedee59

I have a 2010 Subaru Forester with automatic transmission with 20,000 miles on it. Recently we were in slow freeway traffic for about an hour and a half and the transmission started to clunk alarmingly. Soon after this the AT oil temp warning light came on with a check engine light. We got off the expressway and put it in neutral and after the lights went off we proceeded to where we were going without incident. All weekend no further problem but we stopped at our dealer on the way home and they put the car on their machines to evaluate. Though they saw the event on the history they found nothing wrong with the auto. On the next long trip (about 5 hours) the car was cruising along at 55 miles/hour and again severe clunk followed by the AT oil temp warning light, check engine light and the sport light. A dealer has our auto and we have a loaner. They are driving it around the chicago area to see if it will do it again because they see the event on the history but can't find anything wrong. We will go to pick it up this weekend (6 hour drive) but they don't know what to do for it. Is this common problem?

xwesx

This is the first it has come up here, so I doubt it is overly common! If there is that sort of slipping happening in the transmission, I would think it should be noticeable in the fluid itself, either as a burned smell or discoloration due to the overheating of the fluid. Sounds like a fluid flow issue to me. These things operate under hydraulic pressure, so if the pressure goes funky, it will slip out of gear (or not attain a gear in the first place).

Could also be the lock-up on the torque converter; perhaps it is going from lock to unlock in rapid succession? Generally you'll notice the TC lock engaging at the end of acceleration, when you just get up to speed and after the car has shifted into drive. It is very subtle, but there is a final drop in RPM as it settles into cruising speed.

Just throwing out ideas....

ugen68

I'm having the same problem with my 2010 Forrester. I've had it in to the dealer twice. Both times they could not find the problem. The second time they reprogrammed the car's computer. Now, after a 1,000 mile trip with no problems, the problem has occurred again. I'm taking the vehicle to the dealer again next week and may consider invoking my state's "lemon law." Very frustrating ....

deedee59

We just picked it up at the dealership and they said that the car had a P0712 code for an intermitent short in transmission harness. Transmission harness was replaced and transmission relearned. We have driven about 350 miles in one trip back home with no problems exhibited. Subaru treated us well.

ateixeira

Glad to hear it.

zariesq

I have exactly the same problem:
2010 forester with automatic transmission
engine light on+dynamics control light on+blink cruise control light
send to dealer several times, they can't find any code related to this problem, recently it gets worse, one time when I stopped at red light, many lights are on and after turn green, the car just didn't move at all, so I have to restart the car to make it move.
Sube2010, how do you solve the problem finally?
The dealer seems to be clueless

ugen68

I had a similar problem this summer. It was finally fixed by my dealer by replacing a defective fluid chamber that immediately precedes the transmission. This chamber controls the flow of fluid to the transmission and hydraulically controls the functioning of the transmission. I have had no problems since this repair.

aatherton

Sounds like the torque converter, which is in the front flared end of the transmission, to the right of the differential dipstick in this photo:
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f280/vintagefortytwo/Forester/Forester4EATTran- s.jpg

rennwood

Same problem - 1st time AT temp, Stability, & ABS lights came on while I was in VA. Shut it off for 10 minutes, and all was fine - for 3 months. Last week I was on the Masspike and the car felt like it had been hit. RPM went to 4500, tranny was locked in 3rd. Couldn't even manually upshift. Then the same lights came on and it shifted. Shut it off, restarted, and all lights were off. Started pulling back on the highway, another jarring jolt (enough to chirp the tires), and the lights came back on. No check engine light though. Dealer kept it for a day, and couldn't find anything. No codes means no problems. They said it was down a quart of tranny fluid, but no signs of leaks. They car had just been serviced by them so I asked how the fluid could be low. "You have to check the transmission fluid cold. Went it comes in for service the car is hot so we can't check it." What a line of B.S. The dipstick has two marks - one cold, one hot. Needless to say, that service department has little credibility with me anymore. I reported the problem to Subaru of America, but they claim to have no history of such occurrences. Now they do. The car's going back to the dealer for a week this time after talking to the G.M. I'm not holding out any hope. Nice to have a car with less than 13000 miles on it that you can't trust.

aatherton

"... They said it was down a quart of tranny fluid, but no signs of leaks. They car had just been serviced by them so I asked how the fluid could be low. "You have to check the transmission fluid cold. Went it comes in for service the car is hot so we can't check it."

My Owners Manual contradicts that dealer's statement. It says:

"Though the fluid level can be checked
without warming up the fluid on the
“COLD” range, we recommend checking
the fluid level when the fluid is at operating
temperature.
! Checking the fluid level when the
fluid is hot
Check the fluid level monthly.
1. Drive the vehicle several miles to raise
the temperature of the transmission fluid
up to normal operating temperature..."

Your symptoms are not of low fluid, but something more serious. Maybe your Transmission Control Unit (the E in the 4EAT) has gone haywire.

rennwood

That's why I called Subaru of America to file a case with them.

Case # 1-2080411235

I recommed that anyone who has been having this sort of problem and can't get resolution call SOA at 800-782-2783, talk to a customer service rep, and file a complaint. If enough people complain, perhaps they'll realize that this is not a one of a kind problem.