How much oil does a 2019–2024 Subaru Forester take?

4.4 quarts (4.2 L) of 0W-20 full synthetic with a filter change: same number for every US trim and year of this generation, straight from the 2020 and 2023 owner's manuals. Low to full on the dipstick is 1.1 quarts, and you judge the level by the lower of the dipstick's two sides.

Do all four tires on a Forester really have to match?

Yes, this is the AWD-killer mistake. Subaru's manual requires all four tires to match in size, speed rating, load index, circumference, construction, manufacturer, brand, and even degree of wear. One new tire on three worn ones makes the AWD system work constantly against the difference and can cause (the manual's words) serious mechanical damage to the drivetrain. If one tire dies young, have its replacement shaved to match the others' tread depth, or replace all four.

What CVT fluid does the Forester take, and is there a warranty extension?

Genuine Subaru CVT fluid only: the manual won't even print a type, it says 'consult your SUBARU dealer.' Total system capacity is 12.7 quarts, but a service exchange uses less. And no: the famous 10-year/100,000-mile CVT extension ended with 2018 models. These years carry the standard 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty: our Subaru warranty guide at /warranty/subaru/ has the full picture.

Why does my Forester's battery keep dying?

You're not imagining it: 2015–2020 Foresters were part of a class-action settlement (In re Subaru Battery Drain) over batteries drained by the car's electronics. The fixes were software updates and an extended battery warranty. If yours keeps dying: confirm the updates were done, insist on a parasitic draw test rather than a third new battery, and always replace with a start-stop-rated Q-85; a bargain standard battery will be dead by next winter.

Is it normal for the FB25 to use some oil?

Some consumption is normal and Subaru says so in print: the manual lists conditions (short trips, high RPM, towing, heavy traffic) under which it tells you to check the oil at least every second fuel fill-up. The car also has a low-oil-level warning light as a backstop. A quart between 6,000-mile changes is within the realm of normal; faster than that is worth a documented consumption test at a dealer: in writing, while you're under warranty.

Does the 2019–2024 Forester come with a turbo?

No. Unlike earlier Forester XT generations, every US 2019–2024 Forester has the same naturally aspirated 2.5L FB25: there was no turbo option at all. The 2025 redesign didn't bring one back either; it added a hybrid instead. If someone's selling you a 'turbo' SK Forester in the US, it left the factory without one.

2019–2024 Subaru Forester Oil Capacity & Fluid Specs

Quick answer

Every US 2019–2024 Forester has the same engine (the 2.5L FB25 boxer) and it takes 4.4 quarts of 0W-20 full synthetic with a filter change. Coolant is Subaru Super Coolant only, lug torque is 89 lb-ft, and on this AWD all four tires must match. The manual is emphatic about that last one.

Specs verified against Subaru's own owner's manuals (2020 and 2023 editions) for the fifth-generation 'SK' Forester. The lineup is refreshingly simple: one naturally aspirated 2.5L direct-injection boxer and one Lineartronic CVT across every US trim, all years, no turbo, no options, no capacity tables to decode. Two things are religion here: Subaru Super Coolant only (the factory fill is rated 11 years/137,500 miles, and the manual warns that mixing in anything else cuts that life short), and four matching tires. Subaru's symmetrical AWD is famously intolerant of mismatched circumference, enough that the manual prints an eight-point matching checklist. If your Forester is still inside factory coverage, our Subaru warranty guide at /warranty/subaru/ maps exactly what's covered before you pay for anything below.

Want the full owner’s manual? It’s free: we link you to your make’s official download →

2.5L FB25 direct-injection boxer (every US trim, 2019–2024; no turbo was offered)

Specification	Capacity / type
Engine oil (with filter)	4.4 qt (4.2 L), printed in the 2020 and 2023 manuals; low-to-full on the dipstick is 1.1 qt
Oil viscosity	0W-20 (synthetic required for optimum performance per Subaru)
Oil filter	Subaru 15208AA170 (verify), mounted on TOP of the engine
Lineartronic CVT (TR580, total system capacity)	12.7 qt (12.0 L) total, NOT a drain-and-refill amount · Wilderness: 12.4 qt (11.7 L) · Subaru CVT fluid only, the manual literally says 'consult your SUBARU dealer'; never generic 'universal CVT' fluid
Coolant (engine)	9.0 qt (8.5 L): SUBARU Super Coolant ONLY (factory fill rated 11 years/137,500 mi; mixing anything else shortens it, per the manual)
Front differential gear oil	1.4 qt (1.3 L) · GL-5 75W-90 (factory fill: Subaru Extra MT; don't mix brands)
Rear differential gear oil	0.8 qt (0.8 L) · GL-5 75W-90

Capacities compiled from the owner’s manual. Always confirm with your own manual before servicing.

Quick reference

Battery type	Q-85 (EN/JIS start-stop spec, both manuals); replace like-for-like
Lug nut torque	89 lb-ft (120 N·m), printed in the 2020 and 2023 manuals
Spark plugs	NGK DILKAR7Q8 iridium (per the manuals)
Factory tire sizes	225/60R17 99H · 225/55R18 98H (Wilderness 2022–2024: 225/60R17 99T A/T)
Tire pressure	Use YOUR door-jamb placard, the printed spec changed by year (2020 manual: 33/32 psi on 17s; 2023 manual: 36/35)
Fuel	16.6 gal (63 L) tank · 87-octane regular

A/C refrigerant & compressor oil

Years / engine	Refrigerant	Charge	Compressor oil
2019-2024 all engines/trims (2.5L NA; turbo where applicable)	R-1234yf	15 oz (425 g)	PAG 46 (Subaru genuine = Idemitsu PAG Oil 1234yf, ISO VG 46 / 42.7 cSt @40C)

⚠ Refrigerant type and charge can change by model year and trim. Always confirm against the under-hood A/C charge label on your specific vehicle before recharging: that decal is the authoritative source. A wrong charge, or the wrong oil (PAG vs. POE), can damage the compressor.

How to read A/C gauges: pressure chart & diagnosis →

Maintenance schedule highlights

Item	Interval
Engine oil & filter	Every 6 months / 6,000 mi per Subaru's US maintenance schedule
Tire rotation	Every 6,000 mi: the manual itself recommends it, and on this AWD even wear is mechanical protection
Engine air filter	Every 30,000 mi (sooner on dusty roads)
Cabin air filter	Every 12,000 mi (it lives behind the glove box)
CVT fluid	Officially 'inspect' only; Subaru's severe-use schedule calls for replacement, and a dealer fluid exchange around 60,000 mi is cheap insurance
Spark plugs (NGK DILKAR7Q8)	Every 60,000 mi per the maintenance booklet (verify for your year): boxer access makes this a dealer-or-patient-DIY job
Coolant (Subaru Super Coolant)	First change at 11 years/137,500 mi: printed in both manuals; never top up with anything else

Exact products for this vehicle

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DIY oil change: quick steps

1 Set up

Warm the engine, then shut it off on truly level ground: boxers are level-sensitive, and the Subaru dipstick has marks on both sides that you judge by the LOWER reading. The 2023 manual says to wait at least 5 minutes for oil to drain back before reading.
2 Drain

Drain plug is under the center of the engine. Use a new gasket every time. Subaru doesn't print a torque spec in the owner's manual, so snug it firmly without gorilla force and check for seepage after the first drive.
3 Filter and refill

Here's the Subaru gift: the spin-on filter sits on TOP of the engine, reachable from the engine bay, no crawling for that part. Keep a rag handy for the dribble, oil the new gasket, hand-tight plus a bit. Refill with 4.4 quarts of 0W-20.
4 Verify and reset

Start it, check for leaks, shut down and wait a minute: the manual notes the low-oil-level warning light can stay on briefly right after a change while the level settles. Read both sides of the dipstick, trust the lower one, then reset the maintenance reminder in the dash display.

How to reset the oil maintenance light

1 Open the meter display settings

With the ignition on, use the steering-wheel/meter switches to bring up the combination-meter setting screen (the gear icon on the color LCD).
2 Maintenance → Engine Oil

Select Maintenance, then Engine Oil (Oil Filter is its own entry, reset both if you changed both).
3 Update and set

Choose 'Update' to reset the notification distance to its default, then 'Set' to save. The self-check screen at startup will show the oil item green again.

Common problems on this vehicle

Batteries that keep dying (the settlement is real)

Repeated dead batteries on these cars were litigated: In re Subaru Battery Drain Products Liability Litigation (D.N.J., No. 1:20-cv-03095) settled with a class that includes 2015–2020 Foresters; software updates to the charging logic, an extended battery warranty, and reimbursement of past battery costs up to 165%. The claims window has closed, but if you own a 2019–2020, confirm with a dealer that the settlement software updates were applied. 2021–2024 models weren't in the class, yet owner complaints about short battery life continue: these cars run a start-stop-rated Q-85 battery, so never replace it with a cheaper standard battery, and if a healthy battery keeps dying parked, ask specifically for a parasitic draw test (the telematics/DCM module was the original suspect).

Windshields that crack from nothing

2019–2022 Foresters are inside Subaru's windshield class-action settlement: it created an extended warranty of 8 years/100,000 miles covering a one-time windshield replacement for qualifying cracks. The cash-reimbursement claim deadline passed in January 2025, but the extended-warranty clock runs from your in-service date: a 2019–2022 car may still be inside it, so have a dealer check your VIN before paying for glass out of pocket. 2023–2024 models aren't in the settlement; document any spontaneous crack anyway.

CVT honesty: no warranty extension for these years

Subaru's well-known CVT warranty extension to 10 years/100,000 miles (TSB 16-115-18) ended with the 2018 model year: the 2019–2024 Forester carries only the standard 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty on its TR580 Lineartronic. The good news: this chain-type CVT has a better record than the early units that forced the extension. The honest advice: fluid 'inspection' is all Subaru requires, but heat is what kills CVTs, if you tow, climb mountains, or plan to keep the car past 100k, a dealer fluid exchange with genuine Subaru CVT fluid is the cheapest transmission you'll ever buy. Judder or hesitation under light throttle is the symptom to report while you're still under warranty.

Thermal control valve failures

The FB25's electronic coolant-control valve (Subaru calls it the thermal control valve) is a repeat offender on 2019+ models: failures typically set a check-engine light with coolant-temperature-logic codes and can leave the engine running cooler or warmer than designed. There's no recall; it's a known repair pattern reported widely by owners and shops. On a car under the 3/36 basic warranty this is a free fix: another reason not to ignore a check-engine light that 'seems fine.'

Auto start-stop and EyeSight acting up

Two complaints that are usually the car protecting itself: the auto start-stop quits working when the battery is weak, the CVT fluid isn't warm, or climate demand is high (the manual lists a full page of conditions), so 'start-stop stopped working' is often really a battery-health warning. EyeSight disables itself in heavy rain, snow, low sun, or with a dirty windshield, throwing alarming-looking warnings that clear on their own. Persistent EyeSight faults in good conditions, though, deserve a dealer scan: the cameras are covered under the basic warranty.

Codes this vehicle is known for

Recall results below are shown for 2024 models; check your exact year with the free VIN tool.

Open recalls

Checking NHTSA for open recalls…

Service bulletins (TSBs)

Manufacturer communications and technical service bulletins for this vehicle are available on NHTSA’s site:

View TSBs on NHTSA.gov ↗

Frequently asked questions

How much oil does a 2019–2024 Subaru Forester take?: 4.4 quarts (4.2 L) of 0W-20 full synthetic with a filter change: same number for every US trim and year of this generation, straight from the 2020 and 2023 owner's manuals. Low to full on the dipstick is 1.1 quarts, and you judge the level by the lower of the dipstick's two sides.
Do all four tires on a Forester really have to match?: Yes, this is the AWD-killer mistake. Subaru's manual requires all four tires to match in size, speed rating, load index, circumference, construction, manufacturer, brand, and even degree of wear. One new tire on three worn ones makes the AWD system work constantly against the difference and can cause (the manual's words) serious mechanical damage to the drivetrain. If one tire dies young, have its replacement shaved to match the others' tread depth, or replace all four.
What CVT fluid does the Forester take, and is there a warranty extension?: Genuine Subaru CVT fluid only: the manual won't even print a type, it says 'consult your SUBARU dealer.' Total system capacity is 12.7 quarts, but a service exchange uses less. And no: the famous 10-year/100,000-mile CVT extension ended with 2018 models. These years carry the standard 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty: our Subaru warranty guide at /warranty/subaru/ has the full picture.
Why does my Forester's battery keep dying?: You're not imagining it: 2015–2020 Foresters were part of a class-action settlement (In re Subaru Battery Drain) over batteries drained by the car's electronics. The fixes were software updates and an extended battery warranty. If yours keeps dying: confirm the updates were done, insist on a parasitic draw test rather than a third new battery, and always replace with a start-stop-rated Q-85; a bargain standard battery will be dead by next winter.
Is it normal for the FB25 to use some oil?: Some consumption is normal and Subaru says so in print: the manual lists conditions (short trips, high RPM, towing, heavy traffic) under which it tells you to check the oil at least every second fuel fill-up. The car also has a low-oil-level warning light as a backstop. A quart between 6,000-mile changes is within the realm of normal; faster than that is worth a documented consumption test at a dealer: in writing, while you're under warranty.
Does the 2019–2024 Forester come with a turbo?: No. Unlike earlier Forester XT generations, every US 2019–2024 Forester has the same naturally aspirated 2.5L FB25: there was no turbo option at all. The 2025 redesign didn't bring one back either; it added a hybrid instead. If someone's selling you a 'turbo' SK Forester in the US, it left the factory without one.