Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Subaru Forester problems

Owners filed 142 complaints about the 2001 Subaru Forester with NHTSA between May 2000 and Mar 2016. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (29).

Complaints
142
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
32
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
25
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control29
  2. Power train23
  3. Suspension16
  4. Engine and engine cooling16
  5. Air bags13
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic12
  7. Wheels7
  8. Fuel/propulsion system6
  9. Exterior lighting6
  10. Seat belts5
  11. Tires5
  12. Structure4
  13. Fuel system, gasoline4
  14. Visibility4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20007
200123
200216
200323
200416
200514
20068
20076
20083
20092
20103
20113
20121
20133
20145
20157
20162

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Vehicle speed control

29 reports17 crashes
“WHILE PULLING OUT OF A CURBSIDE PARKING PLACE ON A CITY STREET THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AND I COULD NOT CONTROL IT BY STOMPING ON THE BRAKES OR APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. AS I WAS WRESTLING TO KEEP THE SURGING CAR UNDER CONTROL ANOTHER CAR CAME DRIVING BY AND WAS SIDESWIPED. ON TWO PRIOR OCCASIONS I HAD TAKEN THIS CAR TO CHECK OUT THE SURGING WHICH TAKES PLACE WHEN THE CAR IS STARTING UP. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT I CONSULTED BOTH ASSURED ME THAT THEY HAD ADJUSTED THE IDLE AND THE CAR WAS NOW SAFE TO DRIVE. BUT IS IT?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2016Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10846270

Power train

23 reports
“DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET. TRIED TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL WITH STALK, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE. TRIED REPEATEDLY, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE. HIT THE BRAKES TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE (BRAKES ONLY SLOWED CAR DOWN). STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH TO CANCEL CRUISE CONTROL, IT DID NOT DISENGAGE. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED ALL THE WAY TO REDLINE AND REMAINED THERE (MEANING THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ENGAGED). COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD WITH CLUTCH IN, ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT REDLINE... CONTINUED HITTING CANCEL ON THE STALK, EVENTUALLY REVS SETTLED DOWN TO IDLE. MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS NON-OPERATIONAL AFTER THIS INCIDENT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2011Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10391168

Suspension

16 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE REAR CROSS MEMBER BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR CROSS MEMBER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 18, 2014SuspensionODI 10667117

Engine and engine cooling

16 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS EXAMINING HER VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE KNOCK SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE OF HER VEHICLE BECAME VERY WARM WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 99000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2009Engine and engine coolingODI 10286535

Air bags

13 reports12 crashes
“THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. THEN IT GETS CLOSED IN THE DOOR BECAUSE IT HANGS LOOSE. IN THE BACK SEAT, THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT HAS THE WRONG PART SO IT CANNOT BE LATCHED. BECAUSE OF THIS, I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE WITH MORE THAN 2 PASSENGERS IN THE BACK SEAT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2015Air bagsODI 10811364

Service brakes, hydraulic

12 reports5 crashes
“ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE IN A TIMELY MANNER WHEN THE TWO RIGHT TIRES WERE ON ICE ,AND THE TWO LEFT TIRES WERE ON DRY PAVEMENT. WHEN THIS OCCURRED IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. *AK *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 20, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10057624
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.