Reliability & cost of ownership
Forest River Forester Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Forest River Forester? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Forest River Forester problems by model year
55 recall entries and 34 owner complaints on file across 28 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2026 Forester | 2 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2025 Forester | 2 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2024 Forester | 2 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2023 Forester | 4 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2022 Forester | 3 | 2 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2021 Forester | 5 | 2 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2020 Forester | 3 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2019 Forester | 2 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2018 Forester | 3 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2017 Forester | 2 | 2 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2016 Forester | 3 | 7 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2015 Forester | 1 | 6 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2014 Forester | 3 | 3 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2013 Forester | 4 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2012 Forester | 1 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2011 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2010 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2006 Forester | 1 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2005 Forester | 1 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2004 Forester | 2 | 3 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2003 Forester | 2 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2002 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2001 Forester | 1 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2000 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 1999 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 1998 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 1997 Forester | 1 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Forest River Forester, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system9 complaints
- structure7 complaints
- tires5 complaints
- equipment4 complaints
- exterior lighting3 complaints
- suspension2 complaints
- unknown or other2 complaints
- engine2 complaints