2015 Subaru Forester, it starts after cranking more than normal and often need to crank twice

If ur car still in the shop- dont need to worry about it- They will probably fixed by relacing the ignition- timer or else Fell confident subaru warranty is great-

How long does it take to start? I have noticed the Subaru boxer engine does not turn over as fast as other engines and takes a fraction of a second longer than my other cars. Both my old one and my new one sound weak when starting but I think it is just the engine design. The high oil reading is caused by the car sitting too long before checking the oil as per my dealer. He says they shut the engine off and wait exactly 5 minutes (timed) and then check oil. Waiting longer will show the oil level as high.

My 2015 subaru forrester has trouble starting. On three separate occasions, it has cranked but not started. In each case, I pumped the gas, waited a while and tried again and it worked. Put it in the shop and was told they can't find anything wrong with the car. This shouldn't be happening with a car that is just over a year old.

This has just started happening to me. Twice I've had to be jump-started. The dealer is saying that my battery is finr and they cannot find a problem. Same 2015 Subaru Forester. I'm angry.

I have a 2015 XT that barely started today. Not sure what the problem is.

I don't think it's a battery issue, it's a fuel distribution issue. It cranks enough to start but doesn't start. Dealer said they could not find anything wrong. We had just filled it with gas and it didn't want to start. Let it sit for a minute and it started. Not the battery.

Im having trouble with my 2016 Forrester doing this same thing. It has been fine just up until a couple days ago. It cranks a few times, then starts. I turned all air flow off before I started it again , that seems to help, but not on every start. It still did it . Im taking my car in this next Saturday . I hope it doesn't get to where I cannot start it. Is this an issue with Subaru?

I am having this problem with my 2017 subaru forester. Nothing at all happens when you turn the key. Sometimes i take the key out and start again, then on the 4th or 5th try, it might work. Last night it happened again but it would not start at all. It had to be towed cos its only 1 year old and under guarantee. This morning the Subaru service people phone and say its starting perfectly. But this is not good enough; I'm scared of being stranded somewhere. Reading this forum, it seems to be a known issue!

I have a 2017 Subaru Forester with the same issue. Twice in the last few weeks it has taken multiple attempts (5-7) to get it started.

I took it to the place where it is serviced; after extensive tests (which were difficult because, of course it didn't happen while it was there). They suggest it might be the sensor underneath the clutch. This is the sensor that turns engine off when you stop if you put car in neutral. Usually you then put the clutch in to restart. So they replaced it. All i can do is wait and see if it happens again. It is difficult for them to diagnose an intermittent fault.

I just got a certified pre-owned 2015 forester. After having it for 3 months, it is hesitant to start. have to try a couple times and it sputters a bit. It is still under warranty. I am bringing it to dealer. They better fix it and not blow me off. I am hoping it is the battery or spark plugs an easy fix not a mystery or they say there's nothing wrong with it. My sis has a 2014 legacy and hasn't had any trouble. I feel like going back to Toyotas.. but thought subarus were supposed to be so great.

I have a 2014 subaru forester and I have been having hard starting problems this winter. Changed the battery and that did not solve it. Hard starts at least once a week. Took it to the dealer I bought it from. They said it is most likely the type of gas I use and suggested changing to sunoco gas. I tried that and still same problem. Dealer said that the starter and fuel pumps rarely go on these cars. Not sure what else to do but wait until the problem gets worse and then have it towed in.

Hello all - I have the same issue with my 2015 Subaru Forester. I got the battery changed about 4 months ago since I thought it was a battery problem that caused it. It seemed to have worked ok, but now again this problem has arisen again. So, I went to the dealership close by and they told me to pay $185 to diagnose the problem. I told them that this is not right for them to charge me and they told me that my warranty is over and hence they will not pay for it. Does anyone know the reason for this problem? Is there someplace you found an answer as to the root cause or how to fix it? Please post as it will be helpful for all.

My dealer said the fixed it with an update of the software. It seems to happen when filling it up with gas. It hasn’t done it since they ran the software update. Your dealer shouldn’t charge you if it is a manufacturer’s issue. Tell then to check with Subaru to run the update and bill Subaru.

Hi folks - take a look at this video that I found on youtube regarding the subaru forester start problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKdiIkfzrxY I have not tried it out yet. Will let you all know if this is real problem

My grand parents 2013 Subaru Forester does not want to start again if you turn it off for a minute or so when getting their mail from the post office. The vehicle will start, it sounds like it is going to kick over but then goes back to cranking again, when this happens it starts in about 5 to 10 seconds. This vehicle does not seem to act up upon cold start but rather when it's hot. There is no check engine light on so it is a mystery to me and my grand parents, but we are planning on making an appointment sometime to get it checked out, like most of you said it could be a problem with the software needing an update. Also the Subaru has only 90,000 km on it, but a newer SUV should not be doing this already, but i guess it is what it is.

My 2017 Forester randomly wouldn't start. Finally the next day it did. Took to dealer and they said everything was fine. Said they did a software updated. Drove from dealer to gas station. Filled up. Got in car and it wouldn't start. No sound, just silence. Finally I let it sit for 5 minutes and it started. I'm pissed. Still no answer. If anyone has any hints, please share!

Read the manual and start it exactly as it says. Do NOT press the accelerator at all when you're turning the key in the ignition. I know it sounds simple, but it worked for me.

When I brought in my 2013 Subaru Cross Trex for an oil change, the service manager mentioned that Subaru’s have a tendency to hesitate to start. He actually said that some customers like this feature. I said, “Really?” and haven’t been back there. Are they aware of this problem and spinning a tale? From what I am reading on this site, it is perhaps a software problem. My instinct was not to trust them because of the claim that customers like vehicles that start poorly. Maybe they misrepresent the problem while the warranty expires. I’m not sure what to think of this company.

Dealers are a never ending source of BS. They should bag it and sell it for fertilizer.

If your car won’t start after filling up, the purge valve could be bad. I had a vw Passat that wouldn’t start after filling up, replaced purge valve and it started just fine. What happens is it can stick open allowing gas vapor to flood the engine or air intake when filling up, causing it to not start right away, and by waiting 5 mins the vapor dissipates. But if you took it to the dealer and they didn’t say anything was bad then I don’t know, unless they are just stupid or it doesn’t work the same way as in the vw.

We have a 2017 Forester and it also has starting problems, it has 36,000 miles and started about six months ago. You can check the Technical Service Bulletins for it (DOT), I think they are online and free, they are what the manufacturer knows is wrong with the car but is not required to tell you. Hope this helps.

Have the Brake sensor checked. I had intermittent starting issue with my 2015 Forester XT. Stranded multiple times - no fun. Replaced the battery but the problem kept happening. Brought it into Subaru and at it was diagnosed as a break sensor problem. I have a push button start and you have to push the break to start the vehicle. THey replaced the break sensor and It's been working for a month or so now so knock on wood - that was the problem. Good luck all - I know how frustrating it is when you can't trust your relatively new vehicle to start.

I am an 83-year old disabled woman and need a car I can depend on. I had a 2001 Subaru Forester for many years with no problems. I purchased a 2015 Forester in the Fall of 2014. In the Fall of 2016 the excessive cranking problem began, but not all the time. The Dealership kept the car to test drive it while I had a loaner. They installed a software update and it worked fine until this week (June 2019). Here we go again. I am afraid to drive it, and it has under 13,000 miles. I am very disappointed in Subaru.

Twice now my 2015 has been slow to turn over. I hike in very isolated areas and now I am concerned I will return to my car and be stranded without cell signal.

there is a software update for extended crank time for 2015 and 16 Forester. It is listed under TSB 11-153-15R. Steve W. Subaru Sr. and ASE Master.

I don't know if this is related but very recently after driving my 2017 Forester, I have not been able to move the ignition key to the lock position so I can remove it. Had to start the car and drive it a little then try to remove the key. After a couple of tries, finally got the key out. But it has happened several times. Taking it to the dealer next week. Very disconcerting!

We have a 2016 Subaru Forester XT. Not long after we bought the car it was having trouble starting. Either it would make a clickity clack sound or it wouldn’t even attempt to start at all. We took it to Subaru and they said we needed a new starter engine... thank goodness we bought the extended warranty or else it would have cost $750. We are also having another issue though when we put the car into park, the traction control illuminates and flashes for several seconds... still trying to figure that one out.

The answer to the long cranking problem is probably a leaky fuel check valve, which maintains the fuel pressure when the engine is off, which unfortunately it is in the fuel pump in the gas tank. Turing the key to on and waiting for the electric fuel pump to come up to pressure may help reduce the cranking time.