2009 Subaru Forester: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 228 complaints
228
Total Complaints
60,000mi
Median Mileage
AIR BAGS
Top Issue
25
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

30,387 25th Percentile
60,000 Median Mileage
99,062 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

AIR BAGS
39
ENGINE
27
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
22
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
19
SEATS
15
SERVICE BRAKES
11
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
11
POWER TRAIN
11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
8
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
7

Severity Assessment

25
Crashes
8
Fires
7
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN ENGAGING THE CLUTCH, THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION REVVED UP TO APPROXIMATELY 4000 RPM'S AND SEEMED AS IF IT WOULD SURGE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED 85% OF THE TIME. THE DEALER ALSO DUPLICATED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE DEALER THAT THEY WOULD WRITE..."
"AT 9610 MILES MY 2009 SUBARU FORESTERS ENGINE FAILED. THE FAILURE CAME; AS BEST I COULD TELL; IN ABOUT 20MILES OF OPERATION. ENGINE STARTED TO SOUND LOUDER FROM CABIN. IF I WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE DOOR OPEN THE NOISE WAS VERY LOAD MULTI TONE METAL BANGING EMANATING FROM ENGINE B..."
"IGNITION DOESN'T RECOGNIZE VALET KEY, "SECURITY" LIGHT ON DASH COMES ON, KEY WON'T TURN AND CAR WON'T START. *TR"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28