Subaru Forester extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense
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Subaru Foresters are known to have average reliability, and an extended warranty offers extra protection against unexpected repairs as the vehicle ages.
We’ll break down what a Subaru Forester warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Subaru Foresters come with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightQuotes we received for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 Forester ranged from $1,021.17 to $1,039.80 a year. That’s more expensive than the average cost of an extended warranty.
Jump to insightSubaru has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on a Forester gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightSubaru Forester extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Forester comes with. For context, Subaru Foresters come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a 2-year-old truck with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 16,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Subaru Forester, you have two options:
- Buy the official Subaru extended warranty, called Subaru Added Security plan.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your truck to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
In either case, you’ll generally get the most value by purchasing whichever plan offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum). These plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive Gold, Silver and powertrain plans may be cheaper, but they tend to cover fewer parts per dollar.
A ConsumerAffairs investigation found that only 41% of American drivers surveyed had enough cash to cover a $1,000 repair bill, and 13% of respondents had no way to handle a repair bill that large, even with credit.
Auto warranties don't cover damage or accidents, and repairs generally aren't covered if you don't properly maintain the vehicle or you make aftermarket modifications. They only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from normal wear and tear.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
| Warranty type | Typically covered | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Bumper-to-bumper | ||
| Powertrain | Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Note that some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
How much does a Subaru Forester extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $1,021.17 a year from olive for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for a 2021 Subaru Forester registered in Austin, Texas, with 40,000 miles. From Endurance, the quote for similar coverage was $1,039.80 annually for 30 months of coverage for the same vehicle with the same mileage. Both quotes assumed a $100 deductible. Note that both of these are third-party extended auto warranty companies.
The “official” Subaru extended warranty is called Subaru Added Security plan, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Subaru dealer to compare your options.
In general, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Forester with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Subaru Forester were more expensive by comparison.
Prices for an extended auto warranty can vary a lot by company. Shop around to make sure that you're not getting overcharged.
All the quotes we received were for a bumper-to-bumper warranty — the most comprehensive available. A powertrain warranty will typically be much cheaper, but provide less coverage.
Remember that some extended warranty plans, particularly those from manufacturers, start from the date that the original owner purchased the car. In such a case, if you're getting a "seven-year/100,000-mile" warranty and the factory warranty is three-year/36,000 miles, you're really paying for four years or 64,000 miles (whichever comes first) of additional coverage.
Is a Subaru Forester extended warranty worth it?
Yes, a Subaru Forester extended warranty is worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Subaru as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Subaru 14th out of 29 car brands for overall dependability.
As for the Forester specifically, RepairPal gave it a 3.5 out of 5.
Many ConsumerAffairs reviewers reported issues with their Subaru Foresters.
“My 2016 Subaru Forester XT needs a new radio/navigation unit at a cost of $2308.00 plus a few hundred more for installation,” said William in California. “I don't want to spend that much every seven years.”
Subaru refused to cover the repairs under the 60,000-mile warranty because the car was just over the 5-year warranty.”
Jaime in California reported engine issues: “My 2012 Subaru Forester had serious engine failure and has required a large amount of money to repair the short block and all the related parts”
Dave in Florida wrote: “My Subaru, with 45K miles has required replacement of the control arm for the front steering, two rear wheel bearings, passenger seat sensor for airbag, air conditioner (twice), and windshield washer sensor in a lightly driven car kept in a garage. … Subaru refused to cover the repairs under the 60,000-mile warranty because the car was just over the 5-year warranty which cost me thousands of dollars in repairs.”
These stories from real customers mentioning issues with Subaru Forester maintenance suggest that an extended warranty is a good idea. The likelihood of needing repairs and the prices we found for Subaru Forester extended warranties means you’re likely to come out ahead by purchasing a protection plan.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Subaru Forester Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
