Subaru Forester Problems by Year
NHTSA has 6,512 owner complaints and 43 safety recalls on file for the Subaru Forester, across 29 model years (1998–2026). The 2019 model year has the most complaints (834). The most reported problem area overall is visibility/wiper.
Subaru Forester years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Forester year: 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2019 Forester: 834 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2015 Forester: 615 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2020 Forester: 603 complaints, 0 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2026 Forester: 28 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2024 Forester: 30 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2008 Forester: 50 complaints, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Subaru Forester problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper problems | 1,061 | 20 | 0 |
| Engine problems | 827 | 28 | 57 |
| Air Bags problems | 817 | 28 | 142 |
| Electrical System problems | 797 | 28 | 27 |
| Power Train problems | 556 | 28 | 51 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 532 | 29 | 248 |
| Suspension problems | 415 | 24 | 13 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 350 | 25 | 32 |
| Service Brakes problems | 273 | 23 | 77 |
| Seats problems | 248 | 24 | 3 |
| Structure problems | 212 | 27 | 49 |
| Visibility problems | 204 | 24 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 188 | 21 | 6 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance problems | 187 | 13 | 24 |
| Steering problems | 180 | 27 | 24 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 159 | 21 | 4 |
| Wheels problems | 114 | 22 | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 106 | 19 | 22 |
| Exterior Lighting | 95 | 21 | 4 |
| Seat Belts | 95 | 22 | 22 |
| Lane Departure | 73 | 13 | 4 |
| Tires | 65 | 21 | 6 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 64 | 12 | 7 |
| Back Over Prevention | 23 | 13 | 4 |
| Equipment | 23 | 12 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 20 | 14 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Traction Control System | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tether, Lower Anchor (on Car Seat or Vehicle) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Subaru Forester problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2021: visibility/wiper (76)
- 2020: visibility/wiper (252) · electrical system (103) · engine (81)
- 2019: visibility/wiper (370) · electrical system (134) · engine (106)
- 2018: visibility/wiper (135) · air bags (99) · electrical system (71)
- 2017: air bags (165) · electrical system (106) · visibility/wiper (104)
- 2016: air bags (99) · electrical system (93) · engine (60) · power train (51)
- 2015: engine (131) · air bags (102) · power train (95) · electrical system (82) · vehicle speed control (70) · suspension (66) · fuel/propulsion system (56)
- 2014: suspension (94) · engine (69) · air bags (57)
- 2011: engine (60)
- 2010: seats (76)
- 2004: fuel/propulsion system (63) · fuel system, gasoline (61)
All Subaru Forester model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 28 | 3 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2025 Forester | 97 | 3 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 Forester | 30 | 2 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Forester | 74 | 1 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 Forester | 98 | 1 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Forester | 210 | 0 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | More complaints than other years |
| 2020 Forester | 603 | 0 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2019 Forester | 834 | 3 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 Forester | 498 | 3 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 Forester | 590 | 1 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 Forester | 415 | 3 | 5★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2015 Forester | 615 | 3 | 5★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 Forester | 403 | 2 | 5★ | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 Forester | 78 | 12 | 4★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 Forester | 105 | 15 | 4★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 Forester | 147 | 16 | 4★ | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2010 Forester | 262 | 17 | — | Seats | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2009 Forester | 178 | 17 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2008 Forester | 50 | 1 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 Forester | 74 | 1 | — | Suspension | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Forester | 88 | 2 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2005 Forester | 93 | 1 | — | Suspension | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2004 Forester | 219 | 2 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | More complaints than other years |
| 2003 Forester | 189 | 3 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 Forester | 88 | 1 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2001 Forester | 139 | 0 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 Forester | 75 | 0 | — | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1999 Forester | 131 | 1 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1998 Forester | 101 | 1 | — | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
More from Subaru: all Subaru models · Subaru VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Forester years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2010 (262), 2014 (403), 2015 (615), 2016 (415), 2017 (590), 2018 (498), 2019 (834), 2020 (603) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Forester year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Subaru Forester?
Visibility/wiper, with 1,061 complaints across 20 model years.
How many recalls does the Subaru Forester have?
43 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.