2010 Subaru Forester Seats Problems
- Complaints
- 76about this part
- Share
- 29%of 262 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 79,500miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 76 complaints about the seats of the 2010 Subaru Forester, 29% of the 262 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 79,500 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The seat on my Forester is broken. After looking online I found this to be an extremely common issue of the welds breaking due to insufficient quality or strength. This seems like an issue Subaru should have remedied by now. Car was adult owned and driven by a small female.”
NHTSA complaint #11321344, filed 2020-04, 80,000 miles“About one year ago I had the left side of my drivers seat collapse from bad welds. Now this february 2019 the right side of the same seat collapsed ,there seems to be other 2010 Subaru owners with the same problem but just do nothing about it. The collapse happened while driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11176007, filed 2019-02, 51,220 miles“As I got in my 2010 Subaru Forester the driver's seat with less than 60,000 miles snapped. The car was stationary at the time, and I weigh 180 pounds. The welding on the left side of the seat snapped and the seat then sat on the metal bracket underneath. If this had happened while I was driving it could have been very dangerous.”
NHTSA complaint #10938506, filed 2016-12, 60,000 miles“When getting into the driver's seat I noticed the left side of my seat was 1-2 inches lower than the right side. When trying to adjust the seat, the controls moved the right side up and down, but the left side remains stationary at the bottom. Also the lumbar support controls no longer function.”
NHTSA complaint #10854540, filed 2016-04, 79,000 miles“The front left weld on the driver's seat broke around 90,000 miles. This is a problem that at least 40 other drivers have bothered to report on this website. I was driving about 35 MPH at the time the front left side of my seat sunk down and it's been stuck like that ever since.”
NHTSA complaint #11051304, filed 2017-11, 95,000 milesSeats: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1% |
| 2023 | 3 | 4% |
| 2022 | 1 | 1% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0% |
| 2020 | 4 | 1% |
| 2019 | 4 | 0% |
| 2018 | 30 | 6% |
| 2017 | 34 | 6% |
| 2016 | 24 | 6% |
| 2015 | 22 | 4% |
| 2014 | 14 | 3% |
| 2012 | 2 | 2% |
| 2011 | 4 | 3% |
| 2010 | 76 | 29% |
| 2009 | 16 | 9% |
| 2008 | 2 | 4% |
| 2007 | 2 | 3% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% |
| 2004 | 1 | 0% |
| 2003 | 3 | 2% |
| 2001 | 1 | 1% |
| 2000 | 2 | 3% |
| 1999 | 1 | 1% |
| 1998 | 1 | 1% |
Other parts of the 2010 Subaru Forester
42 complaintsBrakes
37 complaintsEngine
34 complaintsVehicle speed control
24 complaintsElectrical system
13 complaintsFuel system
13 complaintsOther or unknown
12 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
9 complaintsBody and structure
7 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
7 complaintsEngine cooling
6 complaintsSeat belts
6 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2010 Subaru Forester
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology