Worst Complaints About the Subaru Forester

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Forester owners are having the most trouble with the engine (40%), transmission (10%), and the interior (9%). We've listed the most common owner complaints below. The full list is available on CarComplaints.com.

  1. Head Gaskets Leak 5 complaints at an average of 72,753 miles in the 2009 Subaru Forester.
  2. Shuddering and Jerking 16 complaints at an average of 2,603 miles in the 2017 Subaru Forester.
  3. Head Gasket Failure 3 complaints at an average of 77,667 miles in the 2006 Subaru Forester.

What's Wrong with the Forester?

You should avoid the 4th generation (2014–2018) Forester because of its overall PainRank™ of 16.69.

Generation Model Years Reliability Complaints PainRank (?)
4th Gen Forester 2014–2018
260 16.69
3rd Gen Forester 2009–2013
134 9.68
2nd Gen Forester 2003–2008
107 6.72
1st Gen Forester 1998–2002
57 6.28

The most common Forester problems

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