Subaru Forester Review, For Sale, Colours, Specs, Models & News

Subaru Forester Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Subaru Forester here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• Issues with brakes in a 2024 Subaru Forester

  Any time the brakes (or any other system of a car) start to feel different than they have done since you bought the car, there’s probably something wrong. If it was an older car, I’d suggest a brake fluid change as the first step, but that’s unlikely to be the reason in an almost-new car. The problem sounds like there’s air in the braking system (there should only be brake fluid, and no air) but, again, that’s a wild card in such a new vehicle.

  In any case, you’re doing the right thing by having the car independently tested. If the results come back suggesting a problem, you have good ammunition to get the dealership to fix this as a warranty matter. Make sure you get a written report from the mechanic detailing the braking system’s performance, and don’t be afraid to go over the dealer’s head to Subaru Australia’s customer service department.

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• Cruise-control light is flashing even when not in use

  Your car is trying to tell you that there’s something wrong somewhere and that it has disabled its cruise-control function as a result. A flashing cruise-control light in this vehicle is often accompanied by a check engine light, so make sure that’s not lit as well. If the check engine light is illuminated, then the flashing cruise light is the car’s way of telling you you won’t be able to engage cruise-control to avoid causing a bigger problem.

  But you could have a different problem with the cruise-control - perhaps a speed sensor or brake-light switch problem – that is forcing the car to disable the cruise function.

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• Is it worthwhile using premium fuel in an engine that doesn't need it?

  The short answer is no, the extra cost is not justified in a vehicle that does not require premium unleaded. While some premium fuel products do contain detergents to help keep an engine internally clean (which is the basis of the claim you heard) the major difference (and the reason PULP costs more) is to do with the octane rating of the fuel.

  Put simply, engines in a higher state of tune require this higher octane rating to produce their potential and well as avoiding internal damage. Your Subaru, meanwhile, is tuned to be quite happy on standard 91 RON ULP, and filling it with the more expensive premium brew is a waste of money. You might gain a small improvement in performance and/or economy, but not enough to offset the higher per-litre price of PULP, and probably not enough to even notice.

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• Is my 2021 Subaru Forester Sport classed as Luxury?

  Technically, as far as local car-industry definitions go, your car is a member of the light commercial class of cars, and in the medium SUV sub-category. Whether you think it's a luxury car is up to you and will largely depend on your expectations and previous experiences.

  Luxury is a tricky thing to define and as cars gain more and more standard equipment and refinement with each passing year, what passed for luxury a few years ago might now be considered a run-of-the-mill vehicle. There was a time when velour trim and intermittent windscreen wipers were the preserve of luxury cars, but that won't cut it these days when the cheapest cars have those things and much more as standard.

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