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.