2002 Subaru Forester Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2002 Forester report a wide spread of problems, with unexpected or unintended acceleration complaints (often when parking, reversing or moving slowly) and a strong gasoline smell in cold weather appearing most often. Automatic transmission troubles, mostly hesitation or surging at low mileage, and coolant leaks traced to the head gasket are also commonly described. Many reports come from vehicles past 100,000 miles, where brake and suspension rust complaints cluster.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration at low speed or in park

   • 24 complaints (27%)
   • median 28,014 mi at 4.7 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2015

   Owners describe the vehicle revving and lurching forward or backward on its own while parking, pulling out of a space, turning at low speed or after shifting into gear, sometimes with the brake pedal pressed. Several say shifting into neutral was the only way to stop it, and a few report contact with other cars, posts or buildings. Complaints also mention a sticking or trapped accelerator pedal, including a floor mat holding the pedal down, and the dealer often said it had not seen the problem or found no fault. Reported across a wide mileage range, from roughly 12,000 to 160,000 miles, most often during slow parking-lot and driveway maneuvers.

   What to check: Test the pedal and floor mats for free movement and check that the pedal returns fully. On a test drive, try slow parking maneuvers and reverse gear and note any idle speed that hangs high.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On the green traffic signal I accelerated and the car surged into the vehicle in front of me. I jammed my foot on the brake and threw the shift into park when the car stopped, then with my foot on the brake and shift in park, the car surged in reverse hitting the car behind me. I previously experienced surging twice before this. My 2002 Subaru forrester was recalled for the parking rod replacedment in april 2003.”

   NHTSA complaint #10054693, filed 2004-01, 15,345 miles

   “I was entering a parking space at a local grocery store when the vehicle surged forward into another parked car. I had my foot on the brake and had placed the vehicle in park when it suddenly and unexpectedly lurched forward. I damaged the parked car and my own. This has happened previously when backing out of a parking space going from the park position. Am contacting Subaru to see if this has anything to do with the recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10312776, filed 2010-02, 105,000 miles
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Gasoline smell or fuel leak in cold weather

   • 13 complaints (15%)
   • median 84,000 mi at 10.3 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2017

   Complaints describe a strong raw gasoline odor under the hood and inside the cabin, most often after a cold start or while idling with the heater on, and several say they could see fuel seeping around the clamps on a small rubber fuel hose. Owners report the smell easing once the engine warms up and returning after the car sits in low temperatures. Some had clamps tightened or hoses replaced, and a service bulletin on file describes a repair procedure for a high-pitched sound from the extension housing area. Mostly described in sub-freezing weather, with reports spread from about 44,000 to 200,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a cold morning, start the car with the hood open and smell for fuel near the hose clamps below the power-steering reservoir; look for dampness or staining at the clamps.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Fuel lines in engine leak in cold weather. This is a serious hazard that I and multiple other Subaru owners that I know have had occurring and recurring. I called Subaru and they were uninterested in issuing a safety recall despite the extreme hazard leaking gasoline in the engine poses. This has now happened to me twice in two different fuel hoses in the past two years.”

   NHTSA complaint #11057152, filed 2017-12, 150,000 miles

   “2002 Subaru Forester. For the past few winters I have noticed a very strong raw gas small inside the car when the car is idled, or sitting still and the temperature is 20 degrees f or lower. Obviously something contracts below that temperature and by doing a google search I am apparently not the only one experiencing this issue. The smell is so strong it will give you a headache. So I just don't drive the car if the temps are going to be below 20f.”

   NHTSA complaint #10694410, filed 2015-03, 200,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hesitation and lurching from a stop or on hills

   • 20 complaints (23%)
   • median 28,014 mi at 4.0 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2015

   Owners describe a delay of a second or more after pressing the accelerator, followed by a lurch forward, along with rough or inappropriate shifting, especially on inclines or when trying to pass. Some report the car losing power at highway speed as if slipping into neutral and needing a stop and restart to move again. Complaints mention computer resets that helped only briefly, fuel injector cleaning offers, and one instance where the transmission failed while driving. Often reported at low mileage, with many complaints under 30,000 miles and some around 60,000 to 70,000 miles.

   Recall 02V2820002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive from a dead stop and up a grade and feel for delays or harsh downshifts. Ask whether the transmission computer has been reflashed and whether the parking-rod recall work was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “There was not any warning or indication prior to the vehicles failure and all schedule maintenance and inspections were completed and up to date. Without any prior warning the transmission failed on our 2002 Subaru Forester while we were driving on the freeway at approximately 70 miles an hour. The only indication of the failure was a sudden rise in rpms on the tachometer followed by the failure of the transmission. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10130903, filed 2005-08, 56,000 miles

   “Car hesitates then lurches forward after pressing the gas pedal. Vehicle then hestiates as if losing power. Had the same probelem in august of 2003 and dealer reset the vehicle's computer and said no problem. Dealer tried to have me pay for a fuel injector cleaning service this time. Car has 29,000 miles. I spoke a another customer at the dealership who was having the same problem and noticed the numerous complaints on the web site. Shouldn't this matter be looked at for a possible recall?”

   NHTSA complaint #10056208, filed 2004-01, 29,650 miles
4. 4
   Suspension

   Front lower control arm and subframe rust

   • 11 complaints (13%)
   • median 161,000 mi at 16.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2019

   Owners in salt-belt areas describe the front lower control arm snapping or fracturing without warning while driving, in some cases pulling the CV axle and stabilizer link with it and leaving a wheel pointed inward. Complaints also mention rear subframes and cradle assemblies rusted through and separating from the body, and one owner was told by the manufacturer that heavy rust in a salt state was normal. Repairs were done at independent shops or at the owner's expense. Reported mostly above 130,000 miles on older vehicles used in cold, road-salt regions.

   What to check: Get underneath the car and inspect the lower control arms, subframe and cradle for flaking or perforated rust, especially on vehicles from snowy states, and have a shop check them before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving I was making a right hand turn from one road to another and I hit a slight bump and then the whole thing starts swaying only to find out that my rear subframe completely rotted out and detached itself from the car due to the rust and the breaking of the subframe in the rear”

   NHTSA complaint #11271255, filed 2019-10, 235,000 miles

   “Put vehicle in reverse after being at bank and heard a huge clunk. Gentleman ran up to me and said not to move it. Got out and left front tire was about laying flat on ground. Had brother bring tow dolly and then took it apart. Ended up spending 600 just on parts as the control arms were rotted horribly. Left one as stated, was rotted in half, right was in such bad shape my brother said it would not be safe if not replaced also. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11051583, filed 2017-11, 162,500 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Coolant leaks and head gasket seepage

   • 5 complaints (6%)
   • median 76,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2009

   Complaints describe coolant dripping externally from the engine, a sweet smell as it hits hot components, and the temperature gauge climbing toward hot with the heater blowing cold. Several owners say a head gasket leak was diagnosed and that the suggested remedy was adding a sealer to the cooling system rather than replacing the gasket. Some report recurring low coolant and worry about overheating. Typically reported between roughly 50,000 and 95,000 miles, with some earlier and later cases.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look for coolant residue or crusty staining along the engine block and under the radiator, check the coolant level and condition, and ask whether the head gasket has been replaced or sealer added.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In the last week, my heater started working sporadically, putting out cool air and hot air intermittently. Then my temperature gauge started climbing quickly to the hot end. I turned my heater on full-blast to cool down the engine and this worked for about a mile, then the temperature gauge went all the way to the top in the red. I pulled over immediately, let the engine cool, and added coolant (it was slightly low, but not that low). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10205790, filed 2007-10, 84,000 miles

   “Soa is not being forthcoming about a major defect affecting many of its vehicles. On wednesday july 11, 2007 I spoke to soa and explained my concerns about the chronic leaking head gasket problems on many of your vehicles. I own a 2002 Subaru Forester which was diagnosed with a leaking head gasket in december 2006 and 68000 miles by a teape Subaru technician in arlington tx. This repair would cost $1900.00. As I had to save up the money I did not get the work done until 07/10/07 at 75,000 miles. I considered this a major safety problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10196233, filed 2007-07, 68,000 miles

Buying note. A 2002 Forester is an old vehicle, so condition matters more than the badge: check the underbody for structural rust, confirm the parking-rod recall was done, and test the transmission and idle behavior on a cold start. Be aware that the fuel-smell-in-cold-weather reports mean you should verify the fuel lines and cooling system before relying on the car in winter.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.