2009 Subaru Forester Reliability
The 2009 Subaru Forester has 178 owner complaints and 18 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with other Forester model years, it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Forester's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
178
NHTSA owner complaints
18
Recall campaigns
19
Complaints citing a crash
7
Complaints citing a fire
2009 Subaru Forester complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 model year, filed between 2008 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 40 | 22% |
| Engine | 27 | 15% |
| Electrical system | 22 | 12% |
| Speed control / throttle | 19 | 11% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 17 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 16 | 9% |
| Seats | 16 | 9% |
| Engine & cooling | 12 | 7% |
2009 Subaru Forester recalls
18 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2009 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08V460000 | Sep 11, 2008 | Engine & cooling — engine | Subaru is recalling 16,715 my 2007-2008 legacy sedans and wagons, my 2008 impreza sedans and wagons, and my 2009 Forester vehicles. Some vehicles may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled. |
| 09E011000 | Apr 2, 2009 | Equipment | Thule, inc. Is recalling 2,323 owner-installed roof-mounted fit kits, models 3068 and 3069, manufactured between January 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009 that are used with thule podium foot packs, models 460 and 460r. These fit kits were sold as aftermarket… |
| 12V099000 | Mar 13, 2012 | Seat belts — rear/other | Subaru is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Forester vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2007, through March 13, 2012. The automatic locking retractor in the seat belt assemblies located in the rear center seating of the affected vehicles do not meet… |
| 12V602000 | Dec 26, 2012 | Exterior lighting | Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to 78,650… |
| 14V311000 | Jun 10, 2014 | Service brakes — foundation components / hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana,… |
| 14V830000 | Dec 31, 2014 | Service brakes | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,… |
| 16V358000 | May 25, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in… |
| 16V738000 | Oct 13, 2016 | Electrical system | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air… |
| 17V014000 | Jan 10, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of… |
| 17V026000 | Jan 11, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas,… |
| 18V014000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana,… |
| 18V013000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,… |
| 18V012000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,… |
| 19V297000 | Apr 11, 2019 | Electrical system — ignition / switch | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition… |
| 20V001000 | Jan 2, 2020 | 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, in the states of… |
| 20V002000 | Jan 2, 2020 | 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 the states of… |
| 20V003000 | Jan 2, 2020 | 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, in the states of… |
| 22V838000 | Nov 10, 2022 | 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. |
How the 2009 compares with nearby Forester years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Forester analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 74 | 1 | Suspension | Solid |
| 2008 | 50 | 1 | Suspension | Better year |
| 2009 (this page) | 178 | 18 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2010 | 262 | 17 | Seats | Caution |
| 2011 | 147 | 16 | Engine | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2009 Subaru Forester
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 18 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2009 Subaru Forester can be better or worse than its model year. 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.
2009 Subaru Forester reliability FAQ
Is the 2009 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2009 Subaru Forester has 178 owner complaints and 18 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Compared with other Forester model years, it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Forester's typical year.
What are the most common 2009 Subaru Forester problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 Subaru Forester are air bags (40), engine (27), electrical system (22), speed control / throttle (19). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2009 Subaru Forester have recalls?
NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the 2009 Subaru Forester, including 08V460000 (engine & cooling — engine) and 09E011000 (equipment). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2009 Subaru Forester compare with the 2008 and 2010 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2008 has 50 complaints and 1 recall (better year); the 2010 has 262 complaints and 17 recalls (caution). The 2009 has 178 complaints and 18 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2009 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.
More Subaru Forester research
Other Subaru Forester model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2009 Forester, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.