Subaru Forester years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 29 model years of the Subaru Forester by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2019, 2020, 2017, 2018, 2015, 2025, 2016, 2021, 2014, 2022 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 34 | 34 | — | 4 | 0 | Too new to judge |
| 2025 | 100 | 50 | 5.1 | 3 | 13 | Most complaints |
| 2024 | 31 | 10 | 1.0 | 2 | 5 | Typical |
| 2023 | 74 | 19 | 1.9 | 1 | 8 | Typical |
| 2022 | 100 | 20 | 2.0 | 1 | 8 | Most complaints |
| 2021 | 214 | 36 | 3.6 | 0 | 16 | Most complaints |
| 2020 | 603 | 86 | 8.7 | 0 | 26 | Most complaints |
| 2019 | 834 | 104 | 10.5 | 3 | 37 | Most complaints |
| 2018 | 498 | 55 | 5.6 | 3 | 26 | Most complaints |
| 2017 | 592 | 59 | 6.0 | 1 | 40 | Most complaints |
| 2016 | 416 | 38 | 3.8 | 3 | 40 | Most complaints |
| 2015 | 616 | 51 | 5.2 | 3 | 53 | Most complaints |
| 2014 | 403 | 31 | 3.1 | 2 | 48 | Most complaints |
| 2013 | 78 | 6 | 0.6 | 12 | 13 | Typical |
| 2012 | 106 | 7 | 0.7 | 15 | 15 | Typical |
| 2011 | 147 | 9 | 0.9 | 16 | 21 | Typical |
| 2010 | 262 | 15 | 1.6 | 17 | 21 | Typical |
| 2009 | 178 | 10 | 1.0 | 18 | 19 | Typical |
| 2008 | 50 | 3 | 0.3 | 1 | 5 | Fewest complaints |
| 2007 | 74 | 4 | 0.4 | 1 | 13 | Fewest complaints |
| 2006 | 88 | 4 | 0.4 | 2 | 12 | Fewest complaints |
| 2005 | 93 | 4 | 0.4 | 1 | 15 | Fewest complaints |
| 2004 | 219 | 10 | 1.0 | 2 | 13 | Typical |
| 2003 | 191 | 8 | 0.8 | 3 | 17 | Typical |
| 2002 | 92 | 4 | 0.4 | 1 | 22 | Fewest complaints |
| 2001 | 142 | 5 | 0.6 | 0 | 32 | Typical |
| 2000 | 75 | 3 | 0.3 | 0 | 7 | Fewest complaints |
| 1999 | 134 | 5 | 0.5 | 1 | 5 | Fewest complaints |
| 1998 | 101 | 3 | 0.4 | 1 | 7 | Fewest complaints |
- 202634 complaints · 4 recallsToo new to judge
- 2025100 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 202431 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 202374 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 2022100 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 2021214 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
- 2020603 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
- 2019834 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 2018498 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 2017592 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 2016416 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 2015616 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 2014403 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 201378 complaints · 12 recallsTypical
- 2012106 complaints · 15 recallsTypical
- 2011147 complaints · 16 recallsTypical
- 2010262 complaints · 17 recallsTypical
- 2009178 complaints · 18 recallsTypical
- 200850 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 200774 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 200688 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
- 200593 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 2004219 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 2003191 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 200292 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 2001142 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 200075 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 1999134 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 1998101 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
Fewest complaints for their age: 2008, 2000, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2006, 2005, 1999.
About this comparison
What Subaru Forester years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2019, 2020, 2017, 2018, 2015, 2025, 2016, 2021, 2014, 2022 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 29 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.