Safety Score
62
Average
Recalls
2
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars
—
Recalls (2)
| Date | NHTSA ID | Component | Units | Completion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-06 | 11V464000 |
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | 318,215 | — | Details |
| 2003-02-20 | 03V047000 |
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 326 | — | Details |
Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)
| Date | Component | Crash | Injuries | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-23 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | No | 0 | I bought a used vehicle and looked at it and they erased the codes I saw then erased it then I confronted them and was … |
| 2023-05-23 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER | No | 0 | Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while investigating the vehicle m… |
| 2022-08-17 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The cont… |
| 2022-02-11 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | The 2003 Subaru Forester Sub Frame is rusted. I live in Illinois. |
| 2021-12-30 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | Safety Recall: WVX34 NHTSA Campaign: 11V464000 The front lower passenger side control arm completely rusted in half. … |
| 2021-05-11 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 1 | I bought the 2003 Forrester off Craig's list While driving the car the steering is very loose and sways on the road . I… |
| 2021-02-08 | ENGINE | No | 0 | WHEN AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE IS COLD (BELOW ABOUT 20-30 F), THE VEHICLE GIVES OFF A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL. THIS IS CAUS… |
| 2021-02-08 | ENGINE | No | 0 | THE HEAD GASKET FAILED IN A MANNER WHICH CAUSED ENGINE OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. A STRONG BURNING ODO… |
| 2021-02-01 | EQUIPMENT | No | 0 | I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE PROPOSED RECALL REMEDY FOR NHTSA ID: 21E002000 . THE NOTICE SAYS, "NINGBO WILL NOTIFY D… |
| 2020-11-08 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, … |
| 2020-10-09 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the contact heard an abn… |
| 2019-08-09 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 0 | MY MOTHER WAS PULLING HER CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED & SHOT DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, ACROSS THE STREE… |
| 2019-04-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | FRONT SUBFRAME ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE RUSTS AWAY CAUSING FAILURE. COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE … |
| 2018-10-20 | SUSPENSION | Yes | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THERE WA… |
| 2018-08-10 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT NOTICED EXTENSIVE RUST, CORROSION, AND HOLES AROUND THE FRONT … |
| 2018-03-13 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATED AT THE WELD SEAM WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THE PASSEN… |
| 2018-01-05 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | FUEL LEAKS FROM THE FUEL LINES AROUND THE ENGINE WHEN IT'S COLD. |
| 2017-12-23 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | FUEL LINE LEAKING UNDER 20 DEGREE TEMPS, SMELLS STRONGLY OF GAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IDOLING AS WELL… |
| 2017-05-26 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY RECALLED IN 2011/2012 FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V464000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11011. AT T… |
| 2017-04-28 | STEERING | Yes | 0 | DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND LEFT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH. LUCKY WAS ONLY DR… |
| 2017-03-11 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT… |
| 2017-01-02 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | THREE YEARS AGO, WE STARTED TO NOTICE A FUEL SMELL WHEN DRIVING OUR 2003 SUBARU FORESTER ON VERY COLD DAYS (BELOW 20 DE… |
| 2016-10-23 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE CONTACT WAS INF… |
| 2016-10-12 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE CONT… |
| 2016-04-22 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | No | 0 | I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, GOING STRAIGHT, WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STARTED ACCELERATING AT FULL SPEED. I CHECKED AND MA… |
| 2016-02-01 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | I WAS GETTING NEW TIRES PLACED ON MY VEHICLE WHEN MY MECHANIC NOTICED THAT MY CONTROL ARMS AS WELL AS THE SUBFRAME WAS … |
| 2016-01-11 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | LAST WINTER ON COLD DAYS I NOTICED STRONG FUEL SMELL COMING INTO INTERIOR CABIN OF CAR, ATTRIBUTED IT TO DIRTY AIR FILT… |
| 2016-01-10 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | EVERYONE THE TEMPERATURE GETS BELOW FREEZING THERE IS A TERRIBLE GASOLINE SMELL THAT FILLS THE CABIN OF THE CAR. IT IS … |
| 2015-12-14 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, … |
| 2015-09-01 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TODAY I WAS AT MY MECHANICS TO REPLACE A MUFFLER. AFTER RAISING THE CAR UP ON THE RACK HE NOTICED DESTRUCTIVE RUST THAT… |
| 2015-04-22 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AN… |
| 2015-02-08 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | BAD RAW FUEL ODOR IN CABIN IN COLD WEATHER, HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR WEEKS. WENT ONLINE, FOUND TONS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINT… |
| 2015-01-08 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | No | 0 | IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE IS OVERCOME WITH FUEL FUMES. IT HAPPENS AT IDLE AND LOW SPEEDS, D… |
| 2015-01-06 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPS TO LOW DOUBLE DIGITS (TEENS OR BELOW) THE CAB OF THE CAR BEGINS TO SMELL OF GASOLINE. I HAVE HA… |
| 2015-01-05 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS COLD THERE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN IT HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN IDLE MODE WHEN DRIVI… |
| 2015-01-01 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | MY SON WAS DRIVING FROM NEW JERSEY. SUDDENLY THE FRONT HOOD OPENED AND CRASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. HE WAS ABLE TO MO… |
| 2014-12-30 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | A RUBBER HOSE CONNECTING TWO METAL GAS LINES HAS STARTED TO LEAK. THIS IS DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER. SUBARU ISSUED A RECA… |
| 2014-12-01 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | ON WINTER DAYS, WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE NOT UNUSUALLY LOW FOR A NORTHERN STATE, THE FUEL LINES ON THE FORESTER WILL SHRI… |
| 2014-12-01 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE DURING COLD WEATHER, A… |
| 2014-12-01 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | FIRST EVENT WAS IN DECEMBER 2014, LONG ISLAND, NY: AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 3 MILES, STOPPED WITH CAR SHUT OFF FOR ABOUT… |
| 2014-11-19 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | IN FREEZING WEATHER A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE FILLS THE CAR. I HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN THAT RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE AND … |
| 2014-11-12 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | COLD WEATHER FUEL LINE LEAK. *TR |
| 2014-11-11 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | WHEN TEMPERATURE IS LESS THAN 32, THE INSIDE OF THE CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS. IT GETS WORSE WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. FU… |
| 2014-11-10 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN COLD WEATHER. *JS |
| 2014-11-03 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE REVERSING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL FRACTU… |
| 2014-09-27 | ENGINE | No | 0 | WE WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE BACK WINDOW HAD A GREASY FILM THAT… |
| 2014-09-05 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | UPON CHANGING THE OIL IN MY 2003 SUBARU FORESTER I NOTICED THAT MY SUB FRAME IS TOTALLY ROTTED OUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MY… |
| 2014-08-04 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | 2003 - SUBARU - FORESTER - BODY HARDWARE, FENDER, STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS & RAILS, LOWER FRAME LEFT IS COMPLETELY ROTTED … |
| 2014-06-11 | STEERING | Yes | 1 | I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH WHEN MY RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM SNAPPED. I LOOKED TO ENSURE NO VEHICLES WERE COMING, AND MADE T… |
| 2014-06-11 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 1 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO AV… |