Case file · SUBARU-FORESTER-2014-2018 · Field document

Subaru Forester 2014–2018 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes — not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   Ask the seller how often they add oil between changes. A car needing a quart every 1,000–1,200 miles is exhibiting the known FB25 consumption problem — pull the dipstick yourself and check the level and color.

2. Check 02

   Confirm whether the oil-consumption warranty extension (8 yr/100,000 mi) or any consumption-test repair was ever performed on this VIN — a Subaru dealer can check.

3. Check 03

   Test-drive for CVT behavior: feel for shudder, hesitation, or jerking on light throttle and from a stop. Any of those is a red flag on an early car.

4. Check 04

   Check the CVT warranty status (10 yr/100,000 mi) by VIN at a Subaru dealer; a car still inside coverage is a much safer bet.

5. Check 05

   Inspect the windshield closely for chips, stars, or stress cracks, especially on 2017–2018 cars — replacement plus EyeSight camera recalibration is expensive.

6. Check 06

   Have the battery and parasitic draw checked, particularly on later cars that have sat; weak/dead-battery complaints are common.

7. Check 07

   Look underneath for rear coil-spring corrosion or breakage (more common on early, salt-belt cars) and check for any rear differential weeping.

8. Check 08

   Confirm all maintenance: CVT fluid service, differential fluid, and timing-chain-driven engine means no belt — but oil history is everything.