Subaru Forester Reliability
8,510 NHTSA complaints (1998–2026). Complaint rate: 69.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Subaru Forester Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 1998–2002 | 667 | 90 | Show years | |||
| Gen 2 | 2003–2008 | 890 | 114 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 2009–2013 | 962 | 133 | Show years | |||
| Gen 4 | 2014–2018 | 3,496 | 366 | Hide years | |||
| 2014 | 575 | 84 | View 2014View→ | ||||
| 2015 | 884 | 89 | View 2015View→ | ||||
| 2016 | 601 | 77 | View 2016View→ | ||||
| 2017 | 775 | 63 | View 2017View→ | ||||
| 2018 | 661 | 53 | View 2018View→ | ||||
| Gen 5 | 2019–2024 | 2,407 | 160 | Show years | |||
| Gen 6 | 2025–present | 87 | 13 | Show years |
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2014–2020 Subaru Forester (473 crash-related complaints). The 2023 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: VISIBILITY/WIPER.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Subaru Forester Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1,054 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE | 803 | 7.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 784 | 6.8% |
| AIR BAGS | 733 | 15.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 728 | 3.7% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 490 | 45.9% |
| POWER TRAIN | 399 | 10.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 336 | 9.2% |
| SUSPENSION | 323 | 3.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 266 | 28.2% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Gen 1 | 138 | 9 | 5 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999 | Gen 1 | 156 | 6 | 1 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000GOOD | Gen 1 | 95 | 7 | — | View 2000View→ |
| 2001 | Gen 1 | 169 | 39 | — | View 2001View→ |
| 2002GOOD | Gen 1 | 109 | 29 | 1 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | Gen 2 | 238 | 28 | — | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | Gen 2 | 270 | 19 | 4 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005GOOD | Gen 2 | 105 | 23 | 1 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006 | Gen 2 | 121 | 20 | 10 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007GOOD | Gen 2 | 89 | 16 | 1 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008GOOD | Gen 2 | 67 | 8 | 6 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009 | Gen 3 | 228 | 25 | 8 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010AVOID | Gen 3 | 306 | 28 | 8 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011 | Gen 3 | 195 | 41 | 7 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012 | Gen 3 | 139 | 22 | 4 | View 2012View→ |
| 2013GOOD | Gen 3 | 94 | 17 | 3 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014AVOID | Gen 4 | 575 | 84 | 6 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015AVOID | Gen 4 | 884 | 89 | 12 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016AVOID | Gen 4 | 601 | 77 | 6 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017AVOID | Gen 4 | 775 | 63 | 1 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018AVOID | Gen 4 | 661 | 53 | 1 | View 2018View→ |
| 2019AVOID | Gen 5 | 1,082 | 63 | 26 | View 2019View→ |
| 2020AVOID | Gen 5 | 791 | 44 | 11 | View 2020View→ |
| 2021 | Gen 5 | 271 | 28 | 7 | View 2021View→ |
| 2022 | Gen 5 | 132 | 11 | 10 | View 2022View→ |
| 2023GOOD | Gen 5 | 97 | 10 | 6 | View 2023View→ |
| 2024TOO NEW | Gen 5 | 34 | 4 | — | View 2024View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | Gen 6 | 87 | 13 | 1 | View 2025View→ |
See also: Subaru Foresteraccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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