Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

9

Time Required

                          30 minutes

Sections

1

  • Oil and Oil Filter
  • 9 steps

Flags

0

  • Back2014-2019 Subaru Forester

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Oil and Oil Filter
  • Park your car on a level surface.
  • Make sure to put the car in park (first gear for manual transmissions) with the emergency brake engaged.
  • Do not change oil within 2 hours of driving the car to allow the oil time to cool.

Park your car on a level surface.

Make sure to put the car in park (first gear for manual transmissions) with the emergency brake engaged.

Do not change oil within 2 hours of driving the car to allow the oil time to cool.

1024

Step 2

  • Place the oil pan under the oil drain plug. (this is located under the front end of the car)
  • You may choose to protect the ground with a tarp or piece of cardboard.

Place the oil pan under the oil drain plug. (this is located under the front end of the car)

You may choose to protect the ground with a tarp or piece of cardboard.

Step 3

  • Unscrew the oil drain plug with the 17mm wrench. This is located under the front of the car in the gap in the bottom panel.
  • Adjust the placement of the oil pan if necessary.
  • Allow the oil to completely drain into the oil pan.
  • Wear clothes that you would not mind getting oil on.

Unscrew the oil drain plug with the 17mm wrench. This is located under the front of the car in the gap in the bottom panel.

Adjust the placement of the oil pan if necessary.

Allow the oil to completely drain into the oil pan.

Wear clothes that you would not mind getting oil on.

Step 4

  • After letting the oil drain for 10 minutes unscrew and remove the oil filter. This is located to the right of the engine when the hood is opened.
  • Place the old oil filter in the oil filter disposal bag.

After letting the oil drain for 10 minutes unscrew and remove the oil filter. This is located to the right of the engine when the hood is opened.

Place the old oil filter in the oil filter disposal bag.

Step 5

  • Coat the o-ring of the new filter with oil to ensure a good seal.
  • Screw the new filter into place.

Coat the o-ring of the new filter with oil to ensure a good seal.

Screw the new filter into place.

Step 6

  • When reinstalling the oil drain plug, replace the crush washer (part# 803916010) .
  • Tighten the oil drain plug to 32 ft/lbs of torque.

When reinstalling the oil drain plug, replace the crush washer (part# 803916010) .

Tighten the oil drain plug to 32 ft/lbs of torque.

Step 7

  • Unscrew cap for engine oil. This is located directly to the left of the oil filter.
  • Place a clean funnel in the tube.
  • Slowly fill with the 5.1 quarts of engine oil.
  • Screw the engine oil cap back on.

Unscrew cap for engine oil. This is located directly to the left of the oil filter.

Place a clean funnel in the tube.

Slowly fill with the 5.1 quarts of engine oil.

Screw the engine oil cap back on.

Step 8

  • Pour the oil from the pan into the empty milk jug.
  • Your local waste disposal company will recycle this for you.

Pour the oil from the pan into the empty milk jug.

Your local waste disposal company will recycle this for you.

Step 9

  • Allow the car to run for 10 minutes in idle.
  • Check the oil level with the dipstick. This is located to the right of the engine when the hood is opened.
  • Check under the car for any dripping liquids.
  • You have completed an oil and filter change on your 2015 Subaru Forester.

Allow the car to run for 10 minutes in idle.

Check the oil level with the dipstick. This is located to the right of the engine when the hood is opened.

Check under the car for any dripping liquids.

You have completed an oil and filter change on your 2015 Subaru Forester.

To reassemble your vehicle, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      17 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 7 other contributors 


                    Matt Lee

Member since: 09/29/2015

566 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       8







                                                        +5 more badges

Team

                       Cal Poly, Team 14-2, Green Fall 2015                        

                                                  Member of Cal Poly, Team 14-2, Green Fall 2015 



                    CPSU-GREEN-F15S14G2                     


                                            4 Members                     


                                            8 Guides authored

yukon5399 - Oct 27, 2016

Reply

Have 2017 Subaru Forester. Book says nothing about removing panel to get to the oil plug and this instruction says nothing about removing the panel to get to the oil plug. Looks like I have to pry the panel off to get to the plug but will call Subaru later today to see what they say. Seems ridiculous to have a panel with 5 keepers that have to be removed every time you change the oil just to get to the oil plug and then say nothing in the book about removing the cover. Your instruction also needs updated regarding the oil plug cover on a 2017 Subaru Forester.

Jonathan Sullivan - Oct 28, 2016

If the location of the oil pan and plug has changed, then a new guide should be created for 2017 models. This is labeled 2012-2016 because it applies to those model years. I’m not familiar with the panel under the 2017, so I can’t provide any updates.

rogerruediger - Oct 28, 2016

Reply

leaders or quarts of oil? My2016 forester calls for 5.1 quarts of oil

It’s Quarts, not Liters. I had updated it in the tools a while ago but missed it in the step. Updated.

wfarr2 - Oct 29, 2016

Reply

I have a lot of problems with all of my 2016 Forester manuals. They put numbers on the illustrations, but no numbers in the manual. My Sirius XM manual is at least 6 times thicker than the owner’s manual. Why isn’t there instructions on how to refill all the fluids in the maintenance manual. I don’t need to take it to the dealer for everything!