Worst 2008 Subaru Forester Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
SUSPENSION
ENGINE
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Subaru Forester.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | 11 | — | — | 128,171 mi | |
| ENGINE | 7 | — | — | 112,800 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 | 1 | — | 108,528 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 6 | 2 | — | 38,265 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 5 | 2 | 1 | 99,000 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 5 | — | 3 | 95,333 mi | |
| STEERING | 4 | — | — | 60,667 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 | 1 | — | 66,433 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 | — | — | 53,800 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 | — | — | 130,821 mi | |
| SEATS | 2 | — | 1 | 73,350 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 | — | — | 13,000 mi | |
| CHILD SEAT | 1 | — | — | — | |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 | — | — | 2,000 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | — | — | 50,000 mi | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | — | — | — | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 | — | — | — | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | 1 | — | — | — | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | 1 | 1 | — | 608 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 | 1 | — | 608 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 | — | 1 | 56,000 mi | |
| TIRES | 1 | — | — | — | |
| TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 1 | — | — | 47,600 mi | |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | — | — | 50,000 mi | |
| WHEELS | 1 | — | — | 70,000 mi |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Subaru Forester. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2008 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 2008 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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