Worst 2003 Subaru Forester Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
AIR BAGS
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Subaru Forester.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 29 | — | — | 94,995 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 26 | — | — | 129,811 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 20 | 7 | — | 65,202 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 19 | 2 | — | 132,504 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 15 | 9 | — | 57,829 mi | |
| ENGINE | 12 | — | — | 125,008 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 10 | — | — | 121,129 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 9 | — | — | 41,950 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 8 | 1 | — | 75,666 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 5 | — | — | 131,500 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 5 | — | — | 99,405 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 4 | — | — | 7,425 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 4 | — | — | 11,150 mi | |
| STEERING | 4 | 2 | — | 157,622 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 3 | 1 | — | 66,196 mi | |
| EQUIPMENT | 3 | — | — | 6,000 mi | |
| SEATS | 3 | — | — | — | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 3 | — | — | 27,500 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS | 3 | — | — | 127,413 mi | |
| TIRES | 3 | — | — | 90,038 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 3 | — | — | 6,000 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 2 | 1 | — | 59,287 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 2 | — | — | 100,000 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 | — | — | 57,381 mi | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 2 | — | — | 52,900 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 | — | — | — | |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 2 | 2 | — | 43,144 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 | 1 | — | 35,644 mi | |
| STRUCTURE | 2 | — | — | 133,850 mi | |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | 2 | — | — | 113,000 mi |
Recalls for 2003 Subaru Forester
1 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~318,215 vehicles.
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.
Other Subaru Forester Years
Wider context: See the full Subaru Forester reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2003 Subaru Forester
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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