2021 Forester acting up all of a sudden… what now?

Turned the car on today and a bunch of warning lights popped up on the dash. Checked my Subaru app, and it shows three different issues. Took it to the closest dealership, and they hit me with a $3k-$5k repair quote.

They mentioned the 30k maintenance service as part of the cost, but I feel like something’s off. Car has 32k miles, and it was running fine before this. Anyone dealt with this before? Any ideas on what might be going on?


3k to fix what exactly?

Thermal control valve maybe? I just saw a lawsuit about that this morning…

Floyd said:
Thermal control valve maybe? I just saw a lawsuit about that this morning…

Had mine replaced right before the warranty ran out at 54k miles. Would’ve been $1600.

If you haven’t already, grab a cheap OBD-II scanner to check the codes yourself before letting the dealer take all your money.

Sounds like it could be the TCV issue.

Ashwin said:
Sounds like it could be the TCV issue.

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Ashwin said:
Sounds like it could be the TCV issue.

No check engine light? This sounds more like an ABS or stability control issue.

Could be the thermostat valve?

How many miles on it? What exactly did the dealer say needs fixing?

Lily said:
How many miles on it? What exactly did the dealer say needs fixing?

32k miles. They quoted $3k-$5k for repairs plus the 30k maintenance package.

Amber said:

Lily said:
How many miles on it? What exactly did the dealer say needs fixing?

32k miles. They quoted $3k-$5k for repairs plus the 30k maintenance package.

Did they say what the actual repair is?

Amber said:

Lily said:
How many miles on it? What exactly did the dealer say needs fixing?

32k miles. They quoted $3k-$5k for repairs plus the 30k maintenance package.

What exactly are they charging you for? If they gave you an itemized quote, you should post it. Also, your car might still be under warranty.

Amber said:

Lily said:
How many miles on it? What exactly did the dealer say needs fixing?

32k miles. They quoted $3k-$5k for repairs plus the 30k maintenance package.

How much would it be without the 30k service? My wife has a 2021 Forester Sport with 36k miles and no big issues so far. Only thing we had was the driver’s window acting up, and they replaced it under warranty.

I had this happen a couple of times on mine. Disconnected the battery for five minutes and it reset everything.

Did the dealer actually tell you what’s wrong, or just give you a giant bill?

I have a 2015 without the app, but when all those lights turn on, it usually means a check engine light came on at some point. Plug in a scanner at a shop or auto parts store and check for any error codes.

What exactly are they saying needs to be fixed?

And this is why I don’t trust EyeSight…

Since you’re seeing the first two warnings, I’d guess it’s something with the ABS module. Stability control (VDC) is tied to it. Check your battery voltage—low voltage can cause weird electrical problems, especially in cold weather.

This probably isn’t the TCV issue. That’s engine-related, and this sounds more like a sensor problem.