Check engine light on and off all the time. Have performed all recommended maintenance. Had O2 sensor replaced, it was faulty, dealer put in another. Now stuck with same problem. On and off, on and off. I am so tired of this! Go to auto repair shops and they say possibly need new gas cap, fuel injector, O2 censor, knock sensor, possible vapor leak, catalytic converter. My car has 132,000 miles so I can’t get emissions stuff done under warranty. What the hell is going on with check engine lights in Foresters? I can’t get my vehicle inspection approved with the check engine light on. I have MS & support a family so like most of us don’t have tons of money to spend on a car I have taken very good care of. Can the dealer reset the light long enough for me to get an inspection sticker until I have enough money for repairs? And how do I know for sure exactly what repairs are necessary or not? I’m no mechanic, I’m a nurse.
What you need to do first off is drop by a local AutoZone, Advance, Checkers, etc. and have them pull the codes.
They will do this for you absolutely free.
Post any results back here just as given. Do not expect the parts counter help to diagnose the problem for you. This is not their job and they will not/should not attempt it. Their job is only to pull the numbers.
It’s possible for one problem to trigger multiple codes so don’t get too irate with the Forester and CEL just yet.
Get someone to tell you what the trouble codes are indicating. It sounds to me like they are guessing. If the light comes on there are codes stored in the computer. They point to potential problems.
How many auto repair shops are you dealing with? Going to multiple shops could be part of the problem.
The problem may be with the sensor circuit and not the sensor itself. Go to a Autozone and get the codes read for free. Then let us know what they are so we can help you further with this.