Problems · NHTSA complaints
2009 Subaru Forester problems
Owners filed 178 complaints about the 2009 Subaru Forester with NHTSA between May 2008 and Mar 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (40).
Complaints
178
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
19
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
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 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
15
13
3
10
18
15
13
18
29
17
8
5
5
1
2
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 15 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 18 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2018 | 17 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
40 reports4 crashes9 related recalls
“Airbag lights have been going on and off ever since I took it into to get my airbags recalled and Subaru will not take a look at it with out me signing a form saying I am liable to pay 200 dollars if it happens to be anything else unrelated to the recall warranty.”
Engine
27 reports2 crashes3 fires
“TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 70MPH, CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ALL POWER. WAS ABLE TO LIMP OFF THE ROAD AND WAIT 3 HOURS FOR A TOW TO DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSIS; STAGE 4 BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR SYMPTOMS AND COULD HAVE BEEN A GREATER DANGER IF HEAVIER TRAFFIC. HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS KNOW ON EARLY MODEL SUBARU'S.”
Electrical system
22 reports1 crash3 fires2 related recalls
“THE ENGINE TURNS OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE MY CAR WAS IN MOTION. I STARTED MY CAR AND THEN IT SHUT OFF AFTER A FEW MINUTES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ON MY RESIDENTIAL STREET. I BELIEVE MY CAR IS AFFECTED BY RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 19V297000.”
Vehicle speed control
19 reports12 crashes
“CAR WAS PUT INTO REVERSE. WITHOUT THE DRIVER STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR REVVED AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. ATTEMPT TO BRAKE DID NOT STOP THE CAR. CAR STOPPED ONLY WHEN IT HIT A RETAINING WALL APPROXIMATELY 20-30 FEET FROM START OF ACCELERATION. DAMAGE OCCURRED TO REAR DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR.”
Power train
17 reports2 crashes1 fire
“WE HAS THE CAR FOR 10 YEARS. CAR HAS 114K MILES AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. WE SPENT 5 K ON THE CAR FOR LEAKING GASKETS AND SUCH. HAD CAR INSPECTED AND THEY REASSURED ME MY CAR IS GOOD TO GO AND WILL LAST FOR A LONG TIME. THATS NOT THE CASE.”
Seats
16 reports
“I WAS GETTING IN INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT WHEN THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF THE SEAT COLLAPSED. I INSPECTED THE FRAME AND FOUND A BROKEN WELD WHERE THE MOTOR, THAT LIFTS THE FRONT OF THE SEAT MEETS THE FRAME, HAD FAILED.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.