Problems · by component

2004 Subaru Forester suspension problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Subaru Forester cite suspension, 11% of all 219 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
25
11% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the suspension

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“My vehicle had a recall on the lower control arms that would rust and and break. That is exactly what happened while I was driving with my family. Control arm broke causing other parts to get destroyed. The fender breaks and other parts. The recall was performed before hand but it obviously wasn’t repaired correctly because it caused me to crash. Dave wright auto Subaru retailer in Iowa is refusing to repair my failed recall attempt. Consumer stated failed repair caused the consumer to crash and damaged more of my vehicle.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2022Suspension, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11463133
“The contact owns a 2004 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while having a routine safety check performed on the vehicle, she learned that the lower control was completely rusted. The contact learned that the repair was covered under a special coverage. The contact stated that because the vehicle was not registered in a stated listed for the special coverage, the vehicle was not eligible for the free repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and opened a case. The manufacturer confirmed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2021SuspensionODI 11418334
“CONTROL ARMS ROTTEN OUT WITH FRONT CRASH BARS... SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THEM AS THE CONTROL ARMS ARE ABOUT 200 EACH PLUS LABOR... AND TO FIND SOMEONE WHO HAS THE FRONT CRASH BARS CAUSE THEY ROT OUT DO TO THE AC LEAKING ON THEM AND ROTTEN THEM OUT.... *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2020SuspensionODI 11329674
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS TURNED OUTWARD. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ON HIS OWN AND REPLACED THE GEARING ASSEMBLY (AXLE SHAFT, LOWER CONTROL ARM, AND BOLT JOINT). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION) IN 2012. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 211,000. *LN PICTURES OF CONTROL ARM. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 31, 2019SuspensionODI 11277340
“12-2017; DRIVING , STRAIGHT AT 40MPH, STATE HIGHWAY, RIGHT CONTROL ARM SNAPPED , ALMOST LOST CONTROL, RIGHT TIRE WAS BOUNCING BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP. TOWED CAR TO SUBARU DEALER , CARBONE, UTICA, NY. CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA CASE # 1-28524133057. WAS DIRECTED TO HAVE DEALER INSPECT DAMAGE. DEALER INSPECTED DAMAGE RT. CONTROL ARM BROKEN, SEPERATED, FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY DAMAGED, STABILIZER LINK DAMAGED AND LEFT CONTROL ARM EXTREMELY RUSTED. SOA WILL PROVIDE ALL PARTS BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAY LABOR. OK HAD WORK DONE, ALL PARTS WERE NEW EXCEPT AXLE (REFERB.) . NOTE; RUST COAT FIX WAS DONE 2012. PER RECALL. (SPRAY RUST PROOF ON AN ALREADY SUSPECT PART NOTED IN A NHTSA DIRECTIVE). PRESENT DAY: CALLED SOA AND INQUIRED AS TO WHY I HAD TO PAY LABOR? I RECENTLY NOTICED THE RECALL VERBAGE , STATES; REPAIRS WILL BE HANDLED BY DEALER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM WILL BE FREE OF CHARGE. SOA SAID MY CAR IS TOO OLD AND HAS TOO MANY MILES ( 130, 214) AND WE GAVE YOU GOOD WILL. NO FURTHER GOOD WILL PROVIDED. AND SUBARU CLAIMS , '98 PERCENT OF SUBARU VEHICLES SOLD IN THE LAST 10 YEARS ARE STILL ON THE ROAD TODAY.' ???? IS THIS AN ADMISSION THE VEHICLE HAS LONGEVITY? I PLAN ON…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 7, 2019SuspensionODI 11206025
“MY DAUGHTER (DRIVER) AND A PASSENGER PULLED SLOWLY OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE, HEADING OFF TO COLLEGE (100 MILES AWAY) BUT JUST AFTER PULLING OUT IN THE STREET, THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM OF HER 2004 SUBARU FORESTER BROKE IN HALF DUE TO RUST/CORROSION. I WAS ABLE TO INCH THE CAR BACK INTO MY GARAGE AND ON JACKS ONLY TO FIND THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE IN HALF. I CHECKED THE OTHER LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM AND IT WAS VERY RUSTED. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST SUBARU DEALER. THE SUBARU DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT SUBARU RECALL WVX-34: FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM/TRANSVERSE LINK, ISSUED 09/11 HAD BEEN COMPLETED FOR THIS 2004 FORESTER IN 12/11. I WAS TOLD THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE NOT REPLACED IN 2011, BUT THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE TREATED WITH THE RECALL-PRESCRIBED RUST/CORROSION PREVENTION. THIS "FIXED" RECALL LASTED ONLY 7 YEARS! INITIALLY, THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT COVER THE COST TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS; HOWEVER, AS I PLACED A CALL WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA), I RECEIVED ANOTHER PHONE CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP STATING THAT THEY CONTACTED THEIR "REP" AND AGREED TO PAY 50/50 TOWARDS THE COST OF REPLACING BOTH FRONT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2018SuspensionODI 11154321

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Suspension: lower arm

Free remedy

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.

SuspensionReported Sep 6, 2011NHTSA 11V464000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 31, 2026

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