Subaru Forester Subaru Forester

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Subaru Forester repairs by problem area

Engine (40%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (9%)

Brakes and Traction Control (6%)

Suspension and Steering (13%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (21%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (7%)

Other (4%)

Chart based on 2788 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the Subaru Forester.

Subaru Forester repair cost distribution

$2500+ (5%)

$1000 - $2499 (11%)

$500 - $999 (17%)

$100 - $499 (36%)

< $100 (31%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 1623 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

Subaru Forester problems by year

before 2000 (3%)

2001 - 2002 (9%)

2003 - 2004 (17%)

2005 - 2005 (7%)

2006 - 2006 (4%)

2007 - 2008 (9%)

2009 - 2010 (19%)

2011 - 2013 (10%)

2014 - 2018 (22%)

2019 - 2021 (1%)

Chart based on 2813 repair trips.
See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs
See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.

What Our Members Are Saying about the Personal Experiences of the Subaru Forester

Subaru Forester Personal Experiences: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2010 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed shiftable automatic AWD
Reliable vehicle. Gets you to where you want to go in any weather conditions. full 2010 Subaru Forester review
2009 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
Interior space, cargo capacity and flexibility, good dealership, confident handling and comfortable ride on (mostly) bad road, all-wheel drive a very important feature when you get more than 10 feet of snow during winter full 2009 Subaru Forester review
2007 4dr SUV turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
I gave my 2006 base-engine Forester to my daughter for a college graduation present and she loves it. full 2007 Subaru Forester review
2007 4dr SUV 173-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
Car works well for my needs. full 2007 Subaru Forester review
2006 4dr SUV turbocharged 230hp 2.5L H4
5-speed manual AWD
We used to have an 07 Forester X Premium and I loved it, but always regretted not having gotten the turbo. We had that car for 2 years and had ZERO maintenance problems. When it came time to buy a car in 2011, I wanted to go back to that generation of Foresters that I liked more. My father in law has had a Forester since 1998 and had very little problems with it as well. This was a big personal endorsement towards buying Subaru. We've bought two used Foresters in less than a year. full 2006 Subaru Forester review
2004 4dr SUV turbocharged 210hp 2.5L I4
4-speed automatic AWD
We liked our first one so much we bought another. full 2004 Subaru Forester review
2003 4dr SUV 165-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
Had a Subaru Outback Sport and a Saab 9-2X (basically a Subaru WRX) and both were equally as reliable as the Forester has been. full 2003 Subaru Forester review
2002 4dr SUV 165-horsepower 2.5L H4
4-speed automatic AWD
Had another one before this one. I enjoy the quality of workmanship, the responsive ride and power, the well thought out interior design. It is just a comfortable, functional, nice to drive, practical small SUV. full 2002 Subaru Forester review
 

Subaru Forester Problems and Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently Subaru Forester problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.