Subaru Forester Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 5,201 NHTSA complaints, the Subaru Forester years to avoid are 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 — the worst logged up to 4.6× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by electrical failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 50 | 24 | 1 | BEST |
| 2009 | 178 | 92 | 18 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 262 | 112 | 17 | CAUTION |
| 2011 | 147 | 102 | 16 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 105 | 70 | 15 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 77 | 52 | 12 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 403 | 176 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 611 | 302 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 405 | 164 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 578 | 149 | 1 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 487 | 101 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 831 | 190 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 591 | 134 | 0 | AVOID |
| 2021 | 207 | 55 | 0 | CAUTION |
| 2022 | 94 | 30 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2023 | 69 | 17 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2024 | 28 | 6 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 78 | 28 | 2 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Subaru Forester. Full methodology.
Common Subaru Forester problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Subaru Forester are electrical, engine, drivetrain. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Front passenger airbag sensor malfunction / ODS failure
· Subaru Forester 2014–2018Corroborated by 27 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 390 electrical complaints across 2014–2018, typically 78,255–135,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $200–$2,800.
Engine stall while driving
· Subaru Forester 2009–2015Corroborated by 8 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 341 engine complaints across 2009–2015, typically 73,000–148,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $3,000.
Unintended acceleration without brake override
· Subaru Forester 2010–2021Corroborated by 20 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 261 drivetrain complaints across 2010–2021, typically 66,000–148,000 miles.
Why these years stand out
2014 Subaru Forester: 403 owner complaints on federal record, 176 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Forester.
2015 Subaru Forester: 611 owner complaints on federal record, 302 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Forester.
2016 Subaru Forester: 405 owner complaints on federal record, 164 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Forester.
2017 Subaru Forester: 578 owner complaints on federal record, 149 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Forester.
2018 Subaru Forester: 487 owner complaints on federal record, 101 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Forester.
2019 Subaru Forester: 831 owner complaints on federal record, 190 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Forester.
2020 Subaru Forester: 591 owner complaints on federal record, 134 of them severe — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Subaru Forester.
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FAQ
What years of the Subaru Forester should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Subaru Forester years to avoid are 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by electrical issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Subaru Forester?
The 2008 Subaru Forester shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Subaru Forester verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Subaru Forester's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Subaru Forester before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Subaru Forester reliable?
The Subaru Forester's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 5,201 NHTSA owner complaints, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 rate "avoid", while 2008 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Subaru Forester?
The most-reported problem area for the Subaru Forester is electrical, followed by engine and drivetrain. Confirmed failures include front passenger airbag sensor malfunction / ods failure, engine stall while driving, unintended acceleration without brake override. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Subaru Forester across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Subaru Forester, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.