2009 Subaru Forester

ateixeira

Don't worry - yours is their Best. Period. No small print.

kurtamaxxxguy

Aside from its rather cheap interior (especially wrt paint and plastic) and mediocre city mileage, I have no regrets wrt the XT.

The RAV4 V6 test drive was not terribly impressive (noisy on Oregon roads, felt heavy, touchy throttle, sluggish transmission, etc). It does get better mileage, though.
The Outback XT I passed on would be guzzling gas by comparison.

billwv

I also am confused about all the different information about torque split with the AT.

One difference with the 09 Forester, seems to be the integration of the AWD electronics with the VDC electronics (new for 09 in the Forester) -- possibly that accounts for some changes in the 2009.

My experience this winter in snow is that it is very effective -- I am amazed at how well it performs -- its very clear to me that it continually adjusts quite effectively.

As another poster described, I was most impressed, while dileberately accelerating hard up a snow covered hill with many turns -- no other traffic -- the rear would begin to slide out but then self correct as power shifted to the front under acceleration. Very impressive and great fun.

Bill

ateixeira

Oh, it's not perfect, nothing is. It's just the closest you can get for this price class.

Don't feel regrets about passing on the RAV4 V6+auto. The 2GR V6 is a gem, don't get me wrong, but the auto tranny is kinda frustrating, with some hesitation. Hit the gas and wait...by the time is shifts the V6 comes alive and give you too much acceleration.

The great engine compensates for the slow-brained tranny but our Forester's drivetrain is much more responsive.

I'm still happy with the Sienna, though.

board_jay

I smell it after the car sits for a while and it is primarily on days that are >30 degrees. On cold days below freezing, it's a lot harder to smell. When I turn the heat/fan on, the smell goes away and then when I park the car in the garage and come out the next day, it smells again if it's above freezing! Forester is still at the dealer they are waiting for more parts, said it looks like an issue with the AC compressor leaking which is used when the defroster is on. Also are replacing the cabin air filter. I sure hope that they find it and if they are right looks like your suggestions are correct as well. Maybe will know more by this Tues.

board_jay

The Geos stink in real snow, anything more than a few inches and they are useless. I took them off and put on Nokian WRs and those stick like glue. Hard to get the ESP to kick on unless it's super slippery/icy. Add a 50K warranty and I don't need to swap snows in New England climate. I had WRs on a golf prior and never got stuck with them on that FWD car. Lost 1/2mpg with the WRs which is nothing seeing as I lost almost 2mpg putting on my ski rack.

kurtamaxxxguy

My service technician is also impressed by Nokian's. He's looking at the WRG2, which I'm using. They made a big change in the Forester's ride and winter traction.

We have a lot of ice in Portland and too many comments at Edmunds and elsewhere told me Geos don't work well on ice. The Nokians do OK on ice, and very well on snow.

birdboy

I am finding more and more that when I open the rear cargo door, things fall out of the cargo area onto the street. I stopped by subaru today and they have a cargo net that gets installed right in front of the cargo door. It is $28 and an additional $41.00 to install it. The parts dept told me there are two hooks that need to be installed. Has anyone done a self install? Is it easy. I feel $69.00 is way too much for a net.

ateixeira

I installed a cargo net on a few cars and it's very easy. You drill a hole and screw in the anchor, or if you can get behind it, you can use a nut and bolt to secure it a little better. I guess it depends on how much weight you plan to put in that net.

Fairly easy. Just make sure you test fit so that the anchors and in a good position, and the net is stretched out a bit, not sagging.

froggy3

To end my story, I took the car to the dealership.

They took a test drive = OK, checked the AWD system = OK, and put the car on a lift to show me that when in gear ALL wheels spin.

So, I guess the root cause of my problems is just bad driving on my part.

Thanks for all the replies.
Froggy

tschaley

First off I have been the proud owner of 3 Subaru's prior to this one and have never had a major problem with any of them. I have had my 09 Forester for about a year now and it is the worst car I have ever owned. two weeks after purchase it started rattling from the passenger and drivers side doors, then from the dash. After 11,000 trouble free miles it needed to go back for a faulty weld on the exhaust center pipe. A week later I had to take it back for a vibration/rubbing sound from the manual transmission. Apparently it had been machined wrong where the driveshaft enters it. They put in a brand new transmission and guess what, two days later the noise started again along with clicking from the passenger side CV joint. Now Subaru recommends that the dealership replace the transmission again and the CV joint. I am sure the sound will return in a few days after they fix it. This might be the last Subaru I buy, what a piece of garbage!!! I am hoping the lemon law may apply after this attempted repair. :mad:

kurtamaxxxguy

Sorry to hear you got a dog.
If after the parts are replaced, and the clicking starts again, try a different dealer. Unfortunately dealer service quality is highly variable from one dealer to another.

The door rattles are a TSB issue and are fixable if the dealer knows what it is doing (mine rattled too but are now quiet per the fix).
Dash rattles can occur if the I-pod adaptor is installed.

ateixeira

Pretty cool that the dealer went to that length to make sure the AWD system was functioning properly.

That would be neat, actually, to see the wheels moving up on the lift.

birdboy

Kurtamaxxxguy, What is meant by a TSB issue. I have door and overhead rattles at the end of the sunroof liner.

kurtamaxxxguy

TSB = Technical Service Bulletin.
My servicing dealer confirmed there is a TSB issue for Forester door rattles. They did need to hear them before doing the work, however (cold weather made them rattle incessantly).

The rattle in the sunroof liner could possibly be due to the middle rear seat buckle not fitting properly in the roof recess (mine rattled until I got the buckle to fit the holder properly).
Or it could be something hidden behind the headliner fabric. Does the rattle go away if the moonroof is partly opened?

Also, if you have the rear cargo cover, it too can rattle against the plastic rectangular slots the covers' aluminum housing rests in. Adding small felt disks to the aluminums' sides next to the plastic stopped those rattles for me.

kurtamaxxxguy

I don't know if the '09s' door glass is thinner than the '08, but it's definitely thinner than what was on either my Saturn Ion or Malibu Maxx.
Guess is they did it to save weight and cost.

If the windshield is the same thickness, I'm not surprised that small rocks will break it.

kurtamaxxxguy

Just curious.
I've had some fairly hard acceleration and braking on occasion in my '09 XT with Nokian WRG2's.
To date, on dry or wet (rainy) pavement, all I've heard are tiny chirps from the tires.
The XT just goes, or stops, with little fuss.

On icy or snow roads, you can break them loose.

packrfan

There were comments some time ago about the thinness of 09 Forester's windshields, and yes, ours cracked, likely beginning with a stone chip near very bottom of driver side :mad: . Quotes for replacement range from $873 for delaer installed Sub windscreen to $500 for "similar" - both include heating elements. These seem high or is it just Chicago-area prices. Thnx in advance for any thoughts?

Panos

My windshield also has a small stone chip at the bottom of the drivers side, more like a crack now! It's seems to be getting bigger as time goes on. It happened after a few months of having the car. At this point there are a few stone chips and scratches from the wipers from ice...Once i have the windshield changed i'll have them adjust the wiper so they actually sit on the de-icers.

Doesn't your insurance cover the windshield? I have a $0 glass deductible (Boston, MA.)

Panos

I'm running General Altimax Artic winter tires on my 2.5X Premium. I heard mostly negative things from forester owners regarding the Geo's. A few people said they were OK in the snow when they were fairly "new" but after some mileage on them, snow traction would really decrease. Tirerack.com had a good deal on some 16" alloy wheels and i decided i would just run a set of dedicated wheels and tires. I went with 215/65-16's.

The Forester was unstoppable this winter. I went through all kinds of nasty winter weather and the forester handled everything with ease. You would really have to push it to break the tires loose or for the rear end to kick out and even when it did, it was minimal and would quickly regain traction. It was very predictable. Made my old SUV with 4x4 and horrible all-seasons tires feel like a RWD sports car in the snow! I'll use the Geo's for spring, summer and fall driving...

birdboy

My 09 windshield has cracked for the second time. Both times a small rock it it. The impact felt minimal, however the glass cracked . This is my second replacement within 6 months. I live in New York. The windshield with the heated wiper defroster cost the insurance company $913.00 each time. The breakdown was 668.77 for windshield, $100.00 labor, this also included $28.00 for adhesive and $57.00 for moulding. My insurance company i am sure is not happy with my 2 claims.
I am going to call Subaru to report these 2 cracked windshields in the event that there is by any chance , a defect.

p0926

My windshield also has a small stone chip at the bottom of the drivers side, more like a crack now!

You should always get chips repaired before they develop into cracks. I believe that all insurance companies waive any deductible for windshield repairs.

FYI, some states require insurance companies to provide windshield replacement coverage but in others you have to pay extra for it.

-Frank

ateixeira

I would not be surprised if the side glass is thinner because there are now door frames to support them.

Before they were frameless, so only the glass itself held up the entire window.

packrfan

thnx for all the comments. we dont have a specific windshield rider so the standard $250 deductible applies. while we've fortunately avoided claims for a few years, i am concerned any claim could impact either current or future rates.

will advise after a little more research

kurtamaxxxguy

The dealer does not have to remove all the door trim. They simply undo a screw inside the arm rest, pull it off, snap a new one back into place and replace the screw.

Unfortunately the new arm rest has no more protection for its paint than the old one.
My guess is if your hands have any kind of solvents on them (residues from gas additives, etc.), you should wash 'em before grabbing the door handle rest.

sgloon

Well, I'm still sick and have recently gone to National Jewish Hospital for my respiratory problems and cough that I believe are caused by the car. (Unfortunately, the Dr.s will not listen to me when I say the car is making me sick. They don't have any other real answers yet though, and I'm going through additional tests.) I recently had the heater box replaced... then went for a long drive (2-1/2 hours) got sicker again.

So, I had a friend look under the hood. He noted that the presta type valve that is used to charge the refrgerant (HFC 143a) might be leaking. There was oily spattering in this area, and when he removed the little blue cap, it hissed. We recapped it, waited a bit, then removed the cap again. It hissed again. He said he wasn't sure, but this might mean a bad valve.

Questions:
1. Does this indicate a bad valve?
2. We found refrigerant in the valve that we could access. Does anyone know if the cooling coil is contained within the heater box or is it a separate piece?
3. If within the heater box, if they recharged the refrigerant, would there be refrigerant left in the area of the valve stem?

Thanks!

momfreund

Hi, bikerguy3, just curious to see how the issue was resolved with your Forester. I'm having the same problem with severe chipping around the rear fender (and the gray plastic piece that runs along the bottom of the doors) on my '09. Took it into the dealer this morning. They took some pictures and said they'd talk to Subaru headquarters about what could be done. I kind of got the feeling that they're going to try to shrug me off, but hopefully I'm wrong. I've only had the vehicle for 4 months and am very disappointed. This is the main problem but there are also little issues such as rattling coming from somewhere in the dash. I wouldn't have purchased the '09 if I'd known about the fenders being a problem with the new design this year. I'm praying that these issues get resolved without too many headaches, because I'd really like to be a repeat Subaru customer.

tschaley

I am appalled at Subaru for putting out such a cheaply made vehicle. I also have been noticing excessive paint chipping around the rear fender. The interior is a joke, it looks like a cheaply made kids toy with all the silver trim that scratches or chips off if anything touches it. Here are my repairs to date: Replaced center exhaust pipe, transmission (manual), passenger side CV joint, door rattles and will be going back next week for another NEW transmission. How can two transmissions go bad in less than 12,000 miles??? I know I posted on the previous page but I can't tell you how frustrating this car is!!! I am thinking lemon here!

barneyapple

i wonder if the rav's interior is as cheaply made as the forester. if it wasn't for that side swinging door, that might have been the way to go. this is my first subaru and probably my last... too bad. potential was there

kurtamaxxxguy

The RAV4 interiors I saw were not impressive. Same cheap plastics and, in many versions, mouse fir headliners.
Toyota's relentless cost cutting drive has taken its tole on interior quality and reliability.

kurtamaxxxguy

I chatted with both dealer and their collision repair department about how the Forester's inside trim might be better protected from scratches and wear.

They were at a loss. Most clear coatings could end up peeling or yellowing, and there are no "clear-bra" materials designed for Subaru Armrests or center consoles.

A pity. Perhaps Subaru might offer a "tuff inside" option where they mold the color in, or encase the surfaces in a clear, durable plastic.

oregonboy

Let's see... you could take all the offending pieces out and have them sprayed with "Rhino" bed liner material. They would be ugly and chunky, but they would be durable! :P

birdboy

I have the arm rest creaking and rattle until the spring when the weather is warm. I still have a ticking sound towards the rear of the sunroof headliner when the roof is open and it is not the rear middle seat belt. Yesterday a rattle began above in the map light area. I loosened the two screws and put some foam between the connectors and metal up their. I hope this will fix the issue. Usually I have the not to wonderful upgraded xm radio on and do not hear most of these annoying sounds.
I have searched the forum for fixes that worked and only found one for door rattles which I do not have as of yet. can someone suggest to me what i can do about the sunroof liner noise and overhead map light area rattles. Thanks and I hope someone from Subaru quality control reads these postings to help improve future vehicles.

groinster

Kurt, if you don't mind...what dealership did you get your forester from? I've read every post on the Forester and will start test driving them soon. I'm looking for the best dealer in Portland. I've done extensive research on many different cars, trucks, suvs, and cross-overs and the Forester has everything I need/want in the price range I am looking at. Just trying to figure out where to start dealership-wise.

kurtamaxxxguy

My best dealership visits were Lithia Subaru in Oregon City, and Royal Moore Subaru in Hillsboro. Both dealers seem to have good service departments.
Wentworth comes right after them but can be hard to get to.
Carr and Dick Hannah are "old school" .

I bought from Lithia because of their 3 day assurance plan allowing return of lemons (mine wasn't, fortunately). Lithia no longer offers that plan because customers abused it.

It will help if you are a member of COSTCO, and go through their internet group.

If you are near Salem, Capital Subaru's a low pressure, pleasant place, but does not offer Subaru factory extended maintenance.

groinster

Thx for the info. I'm in Sherwood, but I don't mind driving down to Salem, if they can offer me the best deal. This will be my first Subaru and I wish I would have had one this past winter! Even though I had no probs with my AWD Astro this winter. Thx again. :shades:

kurtamaxxxguy

Oregon City is relatively close to Sherwood, too. That is where Lithia is.
Good luck!

Also seriously consider switching to Nokian WRG2 tires later in the year. They've made quite a change for the better to my '09.

tsxowwner

i just bought a forester x limited. i have about 700 miles on it and just noticed a crack on the windshield.

the crack forms a U right around where the mirror is attached to the windshield.

i don't feel any sort of chip on the outside. it is bizzare how perfectly centered the crack is around where the mirror is attached.

this has to be a defect.

thoughts?

rsholland

Have you hit any big potholes? Sometimes that can generate a windshield crack.

Bob

svskyus

Groinster, I emailed most of the Oregon dealers when I bought mine last summer, and Kendal in Eugene beat them all. I went with them even tho I live in Sisters.
One of the salesmen remembered me from when I owned a Legacy in the '90's. Low turnover of staff, which is unusual in that business.
Enjoy your new subi.

kurtamaxxxguy

It is a defect, for sure. Mine has no such crack -- yet. :surprise:

My guess is, if you have a homelink/auto-dark mirror, :confuse:
the stupid mirror's wiring was pinched between headliner and glass, and may have pushed back enough to crack the glass.

That's really ironic for a vehicle that IIHS claims its roof to have a 4.25 strength-to-weight ratio.

tsxowwner

i do have the homelink mirror.

the crack starts just below the lower square where the mirror unit is attached to the window (not up near where the window attaches to the roof). It forms a U around the square and then at the top of each point of the U, a curly q is forming towards the outside.

do you still think this is the cause - guess not following how it would create a crack below where mirror is attached (of course i am no expert)

thanks

kurtamaxxxguy

if there is no crack at top of windshield, then it's probably not wiring or headlight related.
in any event, the glass should not be cracked. If it was that way on delivery, then it's definitely a production or shipping defect unrelated to your use of the vehicle.

groinster

Thx for the info, I'll check them out. :shades:

volkov

I'm not sure how the mirror is changed, but it is not a factory installed option. It's either port or dealer installed so is it possible the crack is related to the install process?

ericbecho

I have a 2009 forester with 35000 miles. Bought it last May. Has been great but am hearing an air compresser whooosh sound randomly. Also shifts on the auto trans at around 30-35 miles per hour is starting to get rough. Already had the 30000 mile service with new plugs brake flush ect.. Any suggestions as to what the problems might be?

Any ideas would be great.

Eric

kurtamaxxxguy

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/performance_truck- - - s_suvs/subaru_forester_xti_concept_first_drive_review

They loved the Turbo Rush.
Subaru staff said if you raid their parts bin, you can convert your Forester to be very close to the XTI tested. They also said Subaru has no plans to build it.

blindgoldfish

I currently have an 08 Impreza 2.5i and am considering getting an 09 Forester. My questions are these: How does the ride compare between the two? I have found my Impreza to be slightly jarring, with rattles and shakes, and a fair amount of road noise at 65+. Is the Forester any better?

I also get around 32 mpg on the highway at 65, and 26 for city driving (with the 5 spd). Maybe I have a freak of a car, but I'm hoping to get similar with the 2.5X Premium forester.

Last thought... I may wait until they release the 2010 model with hopefully minor upgrades, and possibly the diesel? Anyone know if that is at all likely? Thanks.

samiam_68

How does the ride compare between the two?

The Forester will have a softer ride.

I have found my Impreza to be slightly jarring, with rattles and shakes, and a fair amount of road noise at 65+. Is the Forester any better?

No, the 09 Forester also has a lot of rattles and failry poor sound insulation.

I also get around 32 mpg on the highway at 65, and 26 for city driving (with the 5 spd). Maybe I have a freak of a car, but I'm hoping to get similar with the 2.5X Premium forester.

You will get about 10% less MPG with the Forester. It is heavier and less aerodynamic.

Last thought... I may wait until they release the 2010 model with hopefully minor upgrades, and possibly the diesel? Anyone know if that is at all likely?

The 2010 models will be out in just a couple of months. We will all know very soon what is being offered.

blindgoldfish

Thanks for the reply.