Reliability & cost of ownership
Subaru Forester Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Subaru Forester? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Subaru Forester problems by model year
116 recall entries and 6473 owner complaints on file across 29 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Subaru Forester, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- visibility/wiper1060 complaints
- engine820 complaints
- unknown or other815 complaints
- air bags810 complaints
- electrical system791 complaints
- power train551 complaints
- vehicle speed control530 complaints
- suspension409 complaints