Subaru Forester Problems by Model Year

NHTSA recorded 6,528 consumer complaints across the 29 model years of the Subaru Forester (1998–2026) that have at least 5 complaints. 2019 has the most, with 834. Across all years, the part named most often is visibility (1,263 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.

Best and worst Forester years →

All Forester model years

Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.

Parts named most often, all years

Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.

• Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)1,263 21%
• Other or unknown839 14%
• Engine830 13%
• Air bags819 13%
• Electrical system802 13%
• Transmission and drivetrain557 9.0%
• Vehicle speed control532 8.6%
• Fuel system513 8.3%

Example complaints

One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

Other Subaru models

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