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Subaru ForesterModel year report

2009 Subaru Forester Problems

Compared with other Subaru Forester years

Typical for this model

52/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2008, 2011, 2012

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
178filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
57,000miles, 121 complaints with mileage
Recalls
17campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 2.5L 4-cyl 4WD/AWD · 20 city / 27 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Subaru Forester (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owner complaints on this model year cluster around a few recurring themes: an intermittent electrical glitch that knocks out the radio, dash display and windshield wipers until the car is restarted; reports of unintended acceleration at low speeds; premature engine and turbo problems, often on turbocharged cars; and a passenger-side air bag inflator recall that many owners say was hard to get completed. Seat frame welds, hydraulic brake-line rust and a range of engine-cooling concerns also appear, typically from the tens of thousands of miles upward.

  1. Engine

    Turbocharger and engine failure

    • 23 complaints (13%)
    • median 54,928 mi at 5.5 yrs old (19 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2008–2021

    Owners of turbocharged cars describe a loud bang or grinding noise, loss of power and a car that will not accelerate, sometimes needing a tow and an engine or turbo replacement. Some say the turbo failed again after an earlier replacement, and others report the dealer attributing failure to internal oil supply or lubrication issues. A few complaints involve head gasket failure with coolant loss and white exhaust smoke. Spanning a wide range, from a few thousand miles up to roughly 160,000 miles, with several reports in the 20,000-60,000 mile band.

    Recall 08V460000

    What to check: Ask for service records on oil changes and any turbo replacement, check for coolant loss and white exhaust smoke, and listen for whining or grinding on a cold start; a recall covers an oil supply pipe assembly issue on some 2009 vehicles, so confirm by VIN whether it was done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Stopped to fill up car with gas on way to work and when I restarted the engine I heard a real loud knocking noise. As I pulled away the car was very sluggish and the noise from the engine started getting louder. I went to get off the road and turn into a parking lot and the car died and I narrowly missed hitting a baltimore city work truck as the power steering and power brakes were non responsive because the engine had cut off. I was very lucky to not crash into the work truck. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10450265, filed 2012-03, 39,000 miles

    “2009 Forester bought in july '08. Less than a year and 20,000 miles, the engine failed. I was driving long distance, and had stopped at a sign when I noticed a load banging noise from hood. As I placed pressure on the accelerator, the car didn't react appropriately - it was slow. The car was towed, and a replacement engine is being installed. I have called Subaru of america for possible buy-back, but no return call. I've read of other similiar cases occurring with the 2009 turbo models.”

    NHTSA complaint #10275354, filed 2009-06, 20,000 miles
  2. Vehicle speed control

    Unintended acceleration at low speed

    • 21 complaints (12%)
    • median 24,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (19 state mileage)
    • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2008–2018

    Complaints describe the engine revving and the car surging forward while the driver's foot is on the brake, most often at parking-lot or stop-sign speeds, in a few cases ending in a collision. Several owners say dealers could not find a cause or reproduce the event. Some reports involve the car creeping or lurching while maneuvering into a parking space. Reported at widely varying mileage, from a few thousand to about 100,000 miles, usually at low speed and often when pulling away or braking.

    What to check: Test the car at crawling speed in a lot, including light brake pressure while in gear, and ask whether any throttle-body or pedal work has been done; note that complaints describe the event as intermittent and hard to reproduce.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Vehicle: 2009 Subaru Forester limited, on 6/20/09 I experienced an incident of unintended acceleration. Cruise control was on. Before our exit I canceled the cruise control but left it on . On the ramp, I let the car slow. At about 40 MPH I moved the shift lever into 'sport' mode, downshifted to 3rd gear, then 2nd, then braked to a stop. The car was stopped, in gear, idling. My foot was on the brake. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10274421, filed 2009-06, 7,064 miles

    “I started the car from a parked position on a fairly level driveway(slight upgrade), in order to bring it into my garage--approximate distance 20 feet. Started engine and with foot on brake pedal which is required, I engaged automatic transmission, from park to drive. The engine roared, rpms soared, and with my foot still firmly planted on the brake pedal, the car ran through the garage, crashed into my atv, which was parked parallel to back wall of garage. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10704117, filed 2015-04, 99,062 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Intermittent loss of wipers, radio and dash display

    • 7 complaints (4%)
    • median 75,000 mi at 8.7 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2012–2019

    Owners describe starting the car to find the radio, clock and temperature display dark and the windshield wipers dead, sometimes in rain. Shutting the engine off and restarting restores everything, and the problem may not return for months. Dealers reportedly could not reproduce the fault or found nothing, and owners note the intermittent pattern makes it hard to diagnose. Reported from roughly 38,000 to 120,000 miles, with no clear seasonal pattern.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: When test driving, check that the radio, dash display and wipers all work after several start cycles; ask the seller whether the battery and grounds have been checked. Some service bulletins describe diagnostic procedures for battery drain and dark-current issues.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Three separate times my wiper blades would not work, which is dangerous during a downpour. I've brought the 2009 Forester in for repair and the mechanic could not find the issue as it was working when I brought it in. Also the radio did not work during these times. I thought it might be a fuse, but that is not the cause. This is an intermittent problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11033351, filed 2017-10, 75,000 miles

    “I went to the grocery store today; it was off and on rainy weather, so I had been running my windshield wipers a little. Turned off car; went in store, came back out, started car up - I noticed the time/temp/mileage display was black, then, I noticed the radio had lost power; then I noticed the wind shield wipers did not work, but not until I was out in the highway and needed to use them. This was dangerous and should never have happened. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10472991, filed 2012-08, 45,000 miles
  4. Air bags

    Passenger air bag inflator recall not completed

    • 35 complaints (20%)
    • median 60,000 mi at 7.9 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2025

    Many complaints are about the passenger-side frontal air bag inflator recall rather than a new failure: owners say parts were unavailable or back-ordered, repair appointments were repeatedly postponed, or a dealer declined to do the work. Some describe air bag warning lights coming on, and a few report non-deployment in a crash. One owner reports a short in the passenger seat occupant detection system setting off the air bag light. Complaints filed mainly between 2016 and 2021, at mileages from about 49,000 to 108,000.

    Recall 20V001000Recall 20V003000Recall 20V002000Recall 18V012000Recall 18V014000Recall 18V013000Recall 17V026000Recall 17V014000Recall 16V358000

    What to check: Before buying, check the VIN against open recalls and ask for documentation that the passenger air bag inflator campaign was completed; also confirm the air bag warning light is off with a passenger seated.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall I have attempted through 3 separate Subaru dealers to complete my air bag recall completed. One dealer claimed they could not obtain the part, another stated it was back ordered for months & would contact me when part was available, another stated the repair would take 3-4d ays & I would be w/o my car. I attempted to contact Subaru national without resolution or support. I have been waiting over 1 yr for repair work. There only advise is not to have anyone sit in the driver side front seat. Really!! …”

    NHTSA complaint #10947452, filed 2017-01, 60,000 miles

    “The contact owned a 2009 Subaru Forester. While driving 40 MPH, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 16v358000 (air bags). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #10920177, filed 2016-10, 108,000 miles

Buying note. Check the VIN for open air bag and seat belt recalls and get proof the work was done, and have a pre-purchase inspection look specifically at the electrical system, the driver's seat frame and, on turbo cars, the turbo and oil supply. Service records and a careful low-speed test drive are worth more than a clean exterior on this model year.

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.

NHTSA recorded 178 consumer complaints for the 2009 Subaru Forester. 121 of the complaints include a mileage, and 40% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 57,000 miles. Of all complaints, 19 involved a crash, 7 a fire, 5 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 17 recall campaigns and 228 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Subaru Forester model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 52 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Fuel system (10), Suspension (6), Electronic stability control (5), Exterior lighting (4), Steering (3), Seat belts (2), Body and structure (2), Tires (2), Wheels (2), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Takata recall : I received the recall notice, called the only Subaru dealer in the area, and was told they do not have any replacement airbags and don't know when they will get more. I am concerned for my family's safety and I am upset about the hardship not having a useable front passenger seat causes for my family with no timeline for remedy.”

NHTSA complaint #11080795, filed 2018-03, 110,000 miles

Engine: “Takata air bag: I am writing to complaining about Subaru's inability to complete two NHTSA recall notices: in the fall of 2016 we got two recalls on our car, 16v738000 (air injection pump) and 17v026000 (passenger airbag). We have been working for over 16 months with their customer service personnel to get the required parts shipped to a german Subaru dealership to get our car back on the road. …”

NHTSA complaint #11060717, filed 2018-01, 60,000 miles

Electrical system: “My 2009 Subaru Forester has been nothing but problems. In the past month I've put $3,000 in parts and maintenance. Radiator blew, coolant sensor, whole new exhaust, all new hub barings, 2 new catalytic converters and my main problem is not fixed!!! The car idles at the stop light and during the acceleration it stalls! I took it to 4 dealers and they tell me my gas is to rich???? What is that???? I'm upset with this car and it sucks. I've had this car not even a year.”

NHTSA complaint #11340821, filed 2020-07, 140,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “Shifted from park to reverse with normal brake depression; vehicle immediately accelerated to 20 MPH, no brakes and the dash control center completely lit up. The only way I was able to stop vehicle was by shifting to neutral and engaging the parking brake. I then tried the same procedure in forward with the same results except this time resulting with the car colliding with the garage wall causing approximately $6000.00 worth of damage between the car and house.”

NHTSA complaint #10629193, filed 2014-08, 105,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

40% of the 121 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 30,000 and 93,000 miles.

17%0–107%10–2517%25–5021%50–7516%75–10015%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (121 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 57,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’13’1629’19’22’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Subaru Forester. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Forester · sedan AWDnot rated5 / 5——4 · 17.9% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Subaru Forester version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Forester AWD2.5L 4-cyl5-speed manual202722$3,050
Forester AWD2.5L 4-cyl4-speed automatic202622$3,050
Forester AWD2.5L 4-cyl4-speed automatic192421$3,900

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 17 recalls for the 2009 Subaru Forester → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 228 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 228 bulletins →

Other model years of the Subaru Forester

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026323,5004528Too new to compareToo new
2025992,8004528Too new to compareToo new
2024315,0002529Too new to compareToo new
2023746,750152921 · FewerToo new
20221005,500152927 · FewerStable
20212128,000052948 · TypicalStable
20206035,800052994 · MoreFalling
20198348,5753529100 · MoreFalling
201849816,000352585 · MoreFalling
201759230,000152569 · MoreFalling
201641639,000352559 · TypicalFalling
201561543,919352574 · MoreFalling
201440353,500252545 · TypicalFalling
20137850,000124238 · FewerFalling
201210645,7021542328 · FewerFalling
201114760,0001642330 · FewerFalling
201026265,00017—2255 · TypicalFalling
200917857,00017—2252 · TypicalFalling
20085088,9001—220 · FewerFalling
20077456,7501—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20068851,0002—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20059380,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200421996,5002—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200318990,0003—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20028887,3651—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200113957,0000—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20007578,0000—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199913173,0001—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199810193,9981—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Subaru Forester model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Subaru Forester?

Owner complaints on this model year cluster around a few recurring themes: an intermittent electrical glitch that knocks out the radio, dash display and windshield wipers until the car is restarted; reports of unintended acceleration at low speeds; premature engine and turbo problems, often on turbocharged cars; and a passenger-side air bag inflator recall that many owners say was hard to get completed. The issues reported most often: Turbocharger and engine failure; Unintended acceleration at low speed; Intermittent loss of wipers, radio and dash display.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Subaru Forester have?

NHTSA recorded 178 consumer complaints for the 2009 Subaru Forester as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Subaru Forester is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 40 complaints (22% of the total), followed by engine with 27.

Has the 2009 Subaru Forester been recalled?

NHTSA lists 17 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Subaru Forester get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Subaru Forester (Forester AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 20 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Subaru Forester reported?

Among the 121 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 57,000 miles and the middle half falls between 30,000 and 93,000 miles; 40% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.