Used Subaru Forester Parts
Request a quote for used Subaru Forester parts—engines, transmissions, electrical, and body components. Share your VIN or full vehicle details and review fitment, condition, warranty, shipping, and final pricing before purchase.
About Used Subaru Forester Parts
The first thing to pin down on a used Forester is which boxer it has: older Foresters run the EJ-series 2.5L (EJ25), the head-gasket-prone engine, while later cars use the redesigned FB25 — a different engine that does not interchange despite the shared 2.5L displacement. Because every Forester is all-wheel drive, the axles, rear differential and driveshaft are AWD-specific, so confirm engine family, transmission (automatic vs Lineartronic CVT) and AWD driveline by VIN before buying.
Generations & fitment boundaries
The generation and platform decide whether a used part interchanges. Match yours before you request a quote.
- 2003–2008 (SG (2nd gen)) — 2.5L EJ25 boxer four; the Forester XT of this era adds the turbocharged EJ255. 4EAT automatic or manual — pre-CVT.
- 2009–2013 (SH (3rd gen)) — Starts on the EJ25, then the redesigned FB25 boxer arrives on the Forester around the 2011 model year, so an early-SH and a late-SH 2.5 may not share an engine. Uses a 4-speed automatic or manual — pre-CVT. Turbo XT continues on the EJ255.
- 2014–2018 (SJ (4th gen)) — FB25 2.5L paired with the Lineartronic CVT, new to the Forester this generation; the XT switches to the FA20 direct-injection turbo boxer.
- 2019–present (SK (5th gen)) — FB25 2.5L on the CVT; the turbo XT is dropped from this generation. Later trims add EyeSight driver-assist. Post-redesign parts do not drop into an SJ.
Engines & transmissions — how to tell them apart
The volume engine across every Forester generation is the 2.5L boxer four, but which 2.5 you have decides everything. SG-generation cars (2003–2008) and the early 3rd-gen use the EJ25 with a timing belt; from the FB redesign (around the 2011 model year) the Forester 2.5 becomes the FB25 with a timing chain, and the two do not interchange despite the shared displacement. Read the engine family off the block/VIN, not the badge.
The turbocharged Forester XT is a separate pool from the naturally-aspirated cars. SG and SH XTs use the EJ255 turbo boxer; the SJ-generation XT (2014–2018) switches to the FA20 direct-injection turbo, and there is no turbo XT in the SK generation. A turbo engine, its turbo plumbing and its supporting parts are not a substitute for a naturally-aspirated Forester's, so match XT to XT.
On the transmission side the Forester moved from a conventional automatic (4EAT) and manual to the Lineartronic CVT with the SJ (4th gen) redesign for 2014, so a pre-CVT car and a CVT car use different transmissions and driveshafts. Every Forester is Symmetrical AWD, so the front axles, rear differential and driveshaft are AWD-specific — match the whole driveline to a Forester of the same transmission type. The Forester shares much of its boxer and AWD hardware with the Impreza and Outback, but body panels are Forester-specific.
Known issues that drive used-part demand
- EJ25 (older naturally-aspirated Foresters) external head-gasket leaks — coolant or oil weeping at the head seam, overheating and coolant loss. It's a cooling-integrity issue; have a mechanic confirm the leak source before condemning the engine.
- The FB25 that replaced the EJ25 is a newer redesign and the safer used four-cylinder buy, but still get a mileage and compression/leak-down record on any donor engine before committing.
- Turbo XT engines (EJ255, then FA20) run hotter and are more sensitive to oil and cooling history than the naturally-aspirated boxers, so treat oil-change and overheating history as part of the buying decision on any used XT engine.
Safety- and emissions-related parts should be diagnosed and installed by a licensed mechanic.
Most-requested used Forester parts
Most-requested used Forester parts we quote are the 2.5L boxer engine (specify EJ25 vs FB25), the XT turbo engine (EJ255 or FA20), the Lineartronic CVT or earlier 4EAT automatic, and AWD driveline parts (front axles, rear differential, driveshaft). Have your VIN ready so we confirm generation (SG/SH/SJ/SK), engine family and transmission type before quoting.
Browse more used Subaru parts, or search by VIN for an exact Subaru Forester match.
Popular Used Subaru Forester Parts
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Why Buy Used Subaru Forester Parts?
A used part can be a lower-cost alternative to new OEM for a Subaru Forester. Compare condition, fitment, warranty and return terms, shipping, and final price before deciding whether an option is right for your repair.
- Vehicle details — include your VIN or full Subaru Forester configuration for fitment review.
- Terms before purchase — review the written warranty and return terms.
- Shipping options — confirm the applicable method, timing, and cost for your destination.
New to buying used? Read our buying guides or how to decode your VIN.
Used Subaru Forester Parts — FAQ
Which Forester years have the head-gasket problem?
The older EJ25-powered Foresters — the 2003–2008 SG generation and the early 3rd-gen cars — are the ones documented for external head-gasket leaks and overheating. The redesigned FB25 that arrived around 2011 is a different, later engine. Confirm EJ25 vs FB25 by VIN before buying.
Will an FB25 engine fit my older EJ25 Forester?
No — the EJ25 and FB25 are different engines (different heads, timing belt versus timing chain, mounts) and don't interchange despite both being 2.5L. Match the engine family to your car; send the full VIN and we'll confirm before quoting.
Can I put a naturally-aspirated engine in a Forester XT (or vice versa)?
No — the XT is turbocharged (EJ255 on 2004–2013 XTs, FA20 on 2014–2018 XTs) with its own turbo plumbing, cooling and supporting hardware, so it isn't interchangeable with a naturally-aspirated Forester's engine. Match XT to XT and confirm the transmission type by VIN too.
Is the CVT in a Forester 2.0XT the same as a 2.5i's?
No. From the 2014 redesign the 2.0XT came standard with a high-torque version of the Lineartronic CVT, with 6-speed and 8-speed manual shift modes and steering-wheel paddles, while the 2.5i offered a choice of a 6-speed manual or the Lineartronic. The XT unit and a 2.5i unit are different transmissions, so match the trim and the model year, not just the year.
Is the 2.5 in a 2019 Forester the same engine as my 2017 Forester's?
No. The 2019 redesign brought a new version of the 2.5-liter Boxer with direct fuel injection, higher compression and exhaust-side active valve control, rated 182 horsepower against 170 in the previous Forester, with auto stop/start and the Subaru Global Platform. Treat 2019-and-later 2.5 engines as their own pool and order by model year.
Will a rear differential from another Forester fit mine?
Only if the gearing and the AWD type match. On Subaru all-wheel drive the front final drive, which lives in the transmission, and the rear final drive must share the same ratio or the center differential is damaged. Manual Foresters use a viscous-coupling locking center differential; CVT and automatic cars use an electronically managed transfer clutch. Send the VIN and your transmission type with the quote request.
Does my Forester's EyeSight camera need calibrating after a windshield swap?
Yes. Subaru's procedure, as summarized by I-CAR, calls for the EyeSight stereo camera to be inspected and adjusted whenever the windshield is removed or replaced, the camera is removed or replaced, suspension components are changed, or a wheel alignment is done. The camera's aim can shift in a minor collision with no warning light, so route the calibration to a shop that follows the Subaru steps.
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