2003 Subaru Forester Engine cooling Problems

“Strong fuel smell inside the cabin during cold weather. It gets so bad at times that it causes irritation in my throat and a burning sensation in my eyes. It also leaves a foul taste in my mouth that lasts well after I exit the vehicle.”

“I purchased a new Subaru Forester xs in july 2003 and had it serviced regularly at now defunct Subaru dealerships. While I was driving one day, the car suddenly overheated. The foreign and domestic auto service mechanic I was able to reach showed me that the engine was leaking coolant in 3 places, requiring a costly repair of the head gasket. I learned from him that this head gasket failure was a common problem with subarus. I had the car under warranty with Subaru for 60,000 miles. …”

“Took Forester into Subaru dealer for 3k oil change; was told that almost all of my anti-freeze was gone and that the head gaskets were leaking, needing replacement at $1500. Miles on vehicle: 78k, purchased 6/02 new, all maintenance performed at dealer per schedule. At this time, I'm looking into websites to identify if this is a problem that's systemic with this vehicle, and looking into alternative sources to fix vehicle to reduce cost.”

“I had regular service done to my car at clay Subaru of norwood massachusetts. The representative stated that the mechanic noticed some oil seepage from the head gasket. They recommended that I get the head gaskets replaced within a year. Since that time I have monitored the oil level and have had to replace about a quart in between regular oil change intervals. I am concerned because I know this represents major engine work. They quoted that it would cost about $2,000.00 to replace the head gaskets. The car only had about 115,000 miles on it. …”

“My 2003 Subaru Forester - purchased new - currently has 55,000 miles on it. It was last serviced 3 months ago. At that time, nothing was mentioned about coolant problems or leaks. Last week, on the turnpike, the RPM needle started swinging wildly and I lost power. I managed to get to the shoulder of the turnpike and shut down and by that time smoke was pouring out from the engine. The problem diagnosed is that the coolant had leaked at the head gaskets - a problem that I am now learning Subaru has known about for some time. I have to replace the engine at a cost of at least $2600. …”