try.vin
Log in

NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 Subaru Forester Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2005 Subaru Forester has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 93 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Subaru dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2005 Subaru Forester, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2005 Subaru Forester owner complaints

Owners have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Subaru Forester, describing incidents dated December 16, 2004 to March 10, 2023.

Most-cited components

  • Fuel/Propulsion System 22 complaints
  • Suspension 21 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 17 complaints
  • Engine 10 complaints
  • Service Brakes 7 complaints
  • Air Bags 5 complaints

Of the 93 complaints on file, 15 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 93 complaints, owners report 11 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11520398 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond to the steering wheel turning. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle decelerated but the front passenger's side of the vehicle was sliding. The contact was…

  • ODI #11514233 · Filed

    Moved car 30’ from gas pumps to air pump. Slowed to almost complete stop to move closer to air tank. Car accelerated at extremely high speed over curb, knocking over air pump. Car proceeded to smash through landscaping shrubs and hit a tree and nearby pole which stopped the car dead. Felt like a…

  • ODI #11513189 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed…

Read all 93 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2005 Subaru Forester in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM/TRANSVERSE LINK

NHTSA #11V464000 · Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Arm · NHTSA notice

Reported September 6, 2011 · SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 318,215 vehicles

Subaru campaign WVX-34 · Owners notified December 31, 2011 · Vehicles built September 5, 2000 – November 26, 2007 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.

Safety consequence

A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

SUBARU WILL HANDLE THEIR VEHICLES AND SAAB WILL HANDLE THEIRS. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

Notes

THIS IS SUBARU'S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER WVX-34.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

Other Subaru Forester model years

Check your 2005 Subaru Forester VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Subaru Forester at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Subaru VIN