Subaru Forester Reliability
Quick answer
The Subaru Forester has 2.92 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Forester places 13th: about average for the group. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 5,341 complaints with NHTSA, most often about windshield visibility and the electrical system, and NHTSA lists 40 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2014–2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
2.92
Complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022)
5,341
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
40
Recall campaigns
7
Years to avoid
Most-reported Subaru Forester problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2008–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility / wipers | 1,235 | 23% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 770 | 14% | 26 | 28 | 8 |
| Engine | 767 | 14% | 52 | 40 | 14 |
| Air bags | 727 | 14% | 97 | 7 | 62 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 403 | 8% | 40 | 2 | 12 |
| Speed control / throttle | 384 | 7% | 185 | 1 | 62 |
| Service brakes | 296 | 6% | 80 | 2 | 30 |
| Suspension | 238 | 4% | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Of all 5,341 complaints, 414 (8%) report a crash, 83 (2%) a fire and 179 (3%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (1,158 complaints), the most-reported areas are windshield visibility (460), the electrical system (176), the engine (140), automatic emergency braking (114).
Subaru Forester complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Forester model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 50 | 1 | Suspension | Better year |
| 2009 | 178 | 18 | Air bags | — |
| 2010 | 262 | 17 | Seats | — |
| 2011 | 147 | 16 | Engine | — |
| 2012 | 107 | 15 | Engine | — |
| 2013 | 78 | 12 | Engine | — |
| 2014 | 403 | 2 | Suspension | Avoid |
| 2015 | 617 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2016 | 416 | 3 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2017 | 593 | 1 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2018 | 498 | 3 | Visibility / wipers | Avoid |
| 2019 | 834 | 3 | Visibility / wipers | Avoid |
| 2020 | 603 | 0 | Visibility / wipers | Avoid |
| 2021 | 215 | 0 | Visibility / wipers | — |
| 2022 | 100 | 1 | Visibility / wipers | — |
| 2023 | 74 | 1 | Forward collision avoidance | — |
| 2024(new) | 31 | 2 | Air bags | — |
| 2025(new) | 100 | 3 | Visibility / wipers | — |
| 2026(new) | 35 | 4 | Electrical system | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Subaru Forester recalls
NHTSA lists 40 recall campaigns across Subaru Forester model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years (campaigns with a park advisory first). Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26V685000Oct 19, 2026 | 2026 | Suspension — front / control arm / lower ball joint | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek and Forester vehicles. The castle nut on the left-front lower control arm ball joint may be improperly fastened, which can lead to the ball joint separating from the…NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 22V838000Nov 10, 2022 | 2009–2013 | Seat belts | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles. The front seat belt assembly force-limiter may not operate correctly in the event of a crash. |
| 20V003000Jan 2, 2020 | 2009–2013 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered,… |
| 20V002000Jan 2, 2020 | 2009–2013 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in… |
| 20V001000Jan 2, 2020 | 2009–2013 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered,… |
Best and worst Forester years
- Years to avoid: 2014–2020.
- Better years: 2008.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Subaru Forester years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Subaru Forester
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Visibility: test the wipers at every speed, washers, defrosters and the climate system (fogging is a common complaint).
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Driver aids: ask about false automatic-braking events and check for warning messages on the dash.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Subaru Forester can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Subaru Forester reliability FAQ
Is the Subaru Forester reliable?
The Subaru Forester has 2.92 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Forester places 13th: about average for the group. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 5,341 complaints with NHTSA, most often about windshield visibility and the electrical system, and NHTSA lists 40 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2014–2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008 as a better year. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Subaru Forester problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are windshield visibility (1,235), the electrical system (770), the engine (767) and air bags (727). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are windshield visibility, the electrical system and the engine. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Subaru Forester should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2014–2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008 as a better year. Each model year is compared only with other Forester years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Subaru Forester last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 1.3% of 25,070 used Forester listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 7.7% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 4.8% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Subaru Forester have?
NHTSA lists 40 recall campaigns covering Subaru Forester model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 26V685000 (suspension, 2026). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Subaru Forester?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Forester reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Subaru Forester, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Complaints per 1,000 sold divides the 3,876 complaints for the 2015–2022 model years by 1,328,955 vehicles sold in the US in those calendar years (published sales figures), times 1,000.
- The SUVs ranking uses the same complaints and sales, weights serious complaints double and adjusts for vehicle age, then compares 26 models. See the full ranking.
- Year flags compare each Forester model year only with other Forester years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Forester compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
More Subaru Forester research
Subaru Forester reliability by model year: