Subaru Forester: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
6,305 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Subaru Forester, model years 2000 to 2026. One model year stands out for the engine or transmission: 2011 (engine 5.2×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2008, 2007, 2000. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 75 | quiet: 3 of 20 | 0 | |
| 2001 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 138 | — | 0 | |
| 2002 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 88 | quiet: 5 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2003 Forester | 189 | — | 3 | |
| 2004 Forester | 219 | — | 2 | |
| 2005 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 93 | quiet: 7 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2006 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 88 | quiet: 6 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2007 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 74 | quiet: 2 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2008 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 50 | quiet: 1 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2009 Forester | 178 | — | 18 | |
| 2010 Forester | 262 | — | 17 | |
| 2011 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 147 | engine 5.2× | 16 | |
| 2012 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 107 | — | 15 | |
| 2013 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 78 | quiet: 4 of 20 | 12 | |
| 2014 Forester | 403 | — | 2 | |
| 2015 Forester | 617 | — | 3 | |
| 2016 Forester | 416 | — | 3 | |
| 2017 Forester | 594 | — | 1 | |
| 2018 Forester | 497 | — | 3 | |
| 2019 Forester | 834 | — | 3 | |
| 2020 Forester | 604 | — | 0 | |
| 2021 Forester | 215 | — | 0 | |
| 2022 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 100 | — | 1 | |
| 2023 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 74 | — | 1 | |
| 2024 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 31 | — | 2 | |
| 2025 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 99 | — | 3 | |
| 2026 ForesterFEW REPORTS | 35 | — | 4 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Subaru models
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 200320042009201020142015201620172018201920202021