2011 Subaru Forester: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 195 complaints
195
Total Complaints
54,000mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE
Top Issue
41
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

23,500 25th Percentile
54,000 Median Mileage
81,371 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE
60
AIR BAGS
29
SERVICE BRAKES
17
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
12
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
11
STRUCTURE:BODY
8
POWER TRAIN
8
SEAT BELTS
7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
6

Severity Assessment

41
Crashes
7
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOU..."
"CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 472 MILES. CALLED DEALER REPAIR, WHICH INSTATED THAT IT WAS JUST THE GAS CAP LOOSE, WHICH HE HAD US REMOVE AND RETIGHTEN. WE WERE ADVISED TO KEEP DRIVING IT AND THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD EVENTUALLY GO OUT. WE DROVE IT FOR A FEW MORE ..."
"CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 472 MILES. CALLED DEALER REPAIR, WHICH INSTATED THAT IT WAS JUST THE GAS CAP LOOSE, WHICH HE HAD US REMOVE AND RETIGHTEN. WE WERE ADVISED TO KEEP DRIVING IT AND THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD EVENTUALLY GO OUT. WE DROVE IT FOR A FEW MORE ..."

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