Worst 2009 Subaru Forester Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
AIR BAGS
ENGINE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2009 Subaru Forester.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 39 | 3 | — | 65,690 mi | |
| ENGINE | 27 | 2 | 3 | 98,435 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 22 | 1 | 3 | 63,589 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 19 | 12 | — | 49,512 mi | |
| SEATS | 15 | — | — | 79,593 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 11 | 1 | 1 | 70,988 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 11 | 2 | — | 76,819 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 11 | — | 1 | 130,653 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 8 | — | — | 27,030 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 7 | 1 | — | 98,600 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 6 | — | — | 109,682 mi | |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 5 | — | — | 28,129 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 5 | — | — | 35,974 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 4 | — | — | 40,338 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 | 1 | — | 4,532 mi | |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 4 | — | — | 114,038 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 | — | — | 12,000 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 | — | — | 28,521 mi | |
| STEERING | 3 | — | — | 45,777 mi | |
| VISIBILITY | 3 | — | — | 19,710 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 | — | — | 108,000 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 | 1 | — | 49,831 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 2 | — | — | 39,500 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 2 | — | — | 3,500 mi | |
| WHEELS | 2 | — | — | 32,000 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 | 1 | — | 11,000 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 | — | — | 6,131 mi | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 | — | — | — | |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 | — | — | — | |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 | — | — | 100 mi |
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Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2009 Subaru Forester. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2009 Subaru Forester
16 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,874,508 vehicles.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles. The front seat belt assembly force-limiter may not operate correctly in the event of a crash.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
+ 6 more recalls
Other Subaru Forester Years
Wider context: See the full Subaru Forester reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2009 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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