2011 Subaru Forester Reliability
The 2011 Subaru Forester has 147 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and air bags. 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
147
NHTSA owner complaints
16
Recall campaigns
21
Complaints citing a crash
6
Complaints citing a fire
2011 Subaru Forester complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 model year, filed between 2011 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 60 | 41% |
| Air bags | 29 | 20% |
| Service brakes | 20 | 14% |
| Speed control / throttle | 13 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 12 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 11 | 7% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 8 | 5% |
| Body structure | 8 | 5% |
2011 Subaru Forester recalls
16 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2011 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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… |
| 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,… |
| 19V008000 | Jan 9, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of… |
| 19V007000 | Jan 9, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,… |
| 19V009000 | Jan 9, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine,… |
| 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… |
| 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… |
| 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… |
| 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… |
| 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 2011 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 178 | 18 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2010 | 262 | 17 | Seats | Caution |
| 2011 (this page) | 147 | 16 | Engine | Solid |
| 2012 | 106 | 15 | Engine | Solid |
| 2013 | 78 | 12 | 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 2011 Subaru Forester
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- 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.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 16 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 2011 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.
2011 Subaru Forester reliability FAQ
Is the 2011 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2011 Subaru Forester has 147 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and air bags. 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 2011 Subaru Forester problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Subaru Forester are engine (60), air bags (29), service brakes (20), speed control / throttle (13). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2011 Subaru Forester have recalls?
NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns for the 2011 Subaru Forester, including 12V099000 (seat belts — rear/other) and 12V602000 (exterior lighting). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2011 Subaru Forester compare with the 2010 and 2012 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2010 has 262 complaints and 17 recalls (caution); the 2012 has 106 complaints and 15 recalls (solid). The 2011 has 147 complaints and 16 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2011 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 2011 Forester, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.