Subaru Forester 2003–2008 problems by year and mileage
2nd generation (SG)
NHTSA data through 24 September 2026713 complaints, 582 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2003 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 90,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 189
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2003
- Fuel system31 reports · median 91,000 mi
- Fuel and propulsion system26 reports
- Airbag system25 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2003: Suspension — front; Seat belts — front; Power train — automatic transmission. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2004 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 96,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 219
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
Most reported on the 2004
- Fuel and propulsion system63 reports · median 122,000 mi
- Fuel system61 reports · median 95,000 mi
- Suspension25 reports
2 recall campaigns name the 2004: Suspension — front; Engine and engine cooling. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2005 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 80,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 93
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2005
- Suspension21 reports
- Throttle and speed control17 reports
- Fuel and propulsion system14 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2005: Suspension — front. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2006 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 51,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 88
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
Most reported on the 2006
- Throttle and speed control20 reports
- Suspension12 reports
- Engine11 reports
2 recall campaigns name the 2006: Suspension — front; Air bags — frontal. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2007 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 57,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 74
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2007
- Suspension12 reports
- Transmission and driveline11 reports
- Engine9 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2007: Suspension — front. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2008 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 89,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 50
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2008
- Suspension11 reports
- Engine7 reports
- Airbag system6 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2008: Suspension — front. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2004 reports latest and the 2006 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2004 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2003–2008 Subaru Forester reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 85,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 160,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 582
- Recalls
- 5
Most reported
- Fuel and propulsion system16.4% of complaints · median 120,000 mi
- Fuel system16.0% of complaints · median 85,000 mi
- Suspension14.4% of complaints · median 126,000 mi
Documented problems
- Head Gaskets (EJ253 Sohc)2003–2008
- Turbocharger (EJ255, Xt Only)2004–2008
- Engine (EJ255 Pistons)2004–2008
- Wheel Bearings2003–2008
Owners filed 713 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003–2008 Subaru Forester; the fuel and propulsion system leads with 16.4% of them, and half of the 582 that record an odometer reading came by 85,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 48,000 and 125,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2003–2008 Subaru Forester last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2003–2008 Subaru Forester, half of the 582 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 85,000 miles and 90% by 160,000 miles.
77 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 11 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Forester reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Subaru Forester 2003–2008 · 582 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 44 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 11 complaints (1.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 14,000
- 25%
- 48,000
- Median
- 84,786
- 75%
- 125,000
- 90%
- 160,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 41 | 7.0% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 32 | 5.5% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 17 | 2.9% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 25 | 4.3% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 40 | 6.9% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 44 | 7.6% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 37 | 6.4% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 38 | 6.5% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 37 | 6.4% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 37 | 6.4% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 39 | 6.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 32 | 5.5% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 32 | 5.5% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 36 | 6.2% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 18 | 3.1% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 18 | 3.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 17 | 2.9% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 15 | 2.6% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 9 | 1.5% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 7 | 1.2% |
| 200,000+ | 11 | 1.9% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Forester problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Subaru Forester 2003–2008
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Throttle and speed control78 reports51,00016,000–82,000Throttle and speed control: 78 reports, median 51,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 82,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system61 reports60,00020,000–95,000Engine and its cooling system: 61 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 20,000 to 95,000 miles.
- Airbag system69 reports61,00037,000–92,000Airbag system: 69 reports, median 61,000 miles, middle half 37,000 to 92,000 miles.
- Fuel system114 reports85,00055,000–114,000Fuel system: 114 reports, median 85,000 miles, middle half 55,000 to 114,000 miles.
- Engine65 reports108,00076,000–133,000Engine: 65 reports, median 108,000 miles, middle half 76,000 to 133,000 miles.
- Fuel and propulsion system117 reports120,00083,000–150,000Fuel and propulsion system: 117 reports, median 120,000 miles, middle half 83,000 to 150,000 miles.
- Suspension103 reports126,00089,000–158,000Suspension: 103 reports, median 126,000 miles, middle half 89,000 to 158,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel and propulsion system | 117 | 16.4% | 120,000 | 83,000–150,000 |
| Fuel system | 114 | 16.0% | 85,000 | 55,000–114,000 |
| Suspension | 103 | 14.4% | 126,000 | 89,000–158,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 78 | 10.9% | 51,000 | 16,000–82,000 |
| Airbag system | 69 | 9.7% | 61,000 | 37,000–92,000 |
| Engine | 65 | 9.1% | 108,000 | 76,000–133,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 61 | 8.6% | 60,000 | 20,000–95,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 43 | 6.0% | 50,000 | 13,000–112,000 |
| Body structure | 36 | 5.0% | 90,000 | 42,000–137,000 |
| Electrical system | 28 | 3.9% | 70,000 | 30,000–95,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 85,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 16.4% of complaints (117 reports, 99 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 120,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 83,000 and 150,000 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 16.0% of complaints (114 reports, 107 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,000 and 114,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 14.4% of complaints (103 reports, 81 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 126,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 89,000 and 158,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 10.9% of complaints (78 reports, 64 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 51,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,000 and 82,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 9.7% of complaints (69 reports, 50 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 37,000 and 92,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 9.1% of complaints (65 reports, 57 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 108,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 76,000 and 133,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2003–2008 Forester
Head Gaskets (EJ253 Sohc) 2003–2008
External head gasket coolant seepage on the naturally aspirated SOHC engine, same mechanism as the late first generation - slow coolant loss, weeping at the head-to-block joint.
Turbocharger (EJ255, Xt Only) 2004–2008
Turbocharger failure from oil starvation, commonly traced to the banjo bolt filter screen in the turbo oil feed line clogging with sludge or debris. Subaru later deleted the screen. Failing turbos frequently send debris into the engine, escalating cost.
Engine (EJ255 Pistons) 2004–2008
Ringland failure on the turbocharged EJ255 - the piston ring land fractures under detonation, producing loss of compression and blow-by. Heavily concentrated on tuned or hard-driven cars.
Wheel Bearings 2003–2008
Continued front and rear wheel bearing failure across the generation.
Before you buy a 2003–2008 Forester: the 3-minute check
Generated from 582 mileage-tagged complaints, 5 recall campaigns, 4 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 5 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check head gaskets (EJ253 sohc) on 2003–2008 cars. External head gasket coolant seepage on the naturally aspirated SOHC engine, same mechanism as the late first generation - slow coolant loss, weeping at the head-to-block joint.
- Check turbocharger (EJ255, xt only) on 2004–2008 XT cars. Turbocharger failure from oil starvation, commonly traced to the banjo bolt filter screen in the turbo oil feed line clogging with sludge or debris. Subaru later deleted the screen. Failing turbos frequently send debris…
- Check engine (EJ255 pistons) on 2004–2008 XT cars. Ringland failure on the turbocharged EJ255 - the piston ring land fractures under detonation, producing loss of compression and blow-by. Heavily concentrated on tuned or hard-driven cars.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 48,000 and 125,000 miles, with a median of 85,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the fuel and propulsion system and the fuel system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The fuel system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 85,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Forester problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi34% below | At 90k mi53% below | At 120k mi72% below | At 150k mi87% below | At 200k mi98% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel and propulsion system | 83,000–150,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Fuel system | 55,000–114,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Suspension | 89,000–158,000 | later | in window | in window | in window | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 16,000–82,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 37,000–92,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 76,000–133,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 20,000–95,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Subaru Forester 2003–2008 · 582 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 34% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 53% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 72% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 87% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 98% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 98%: the remaining 1.9% of reports (11) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2003–2008 Subaru Forester recalls (5)
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Sep 2011 · 2003–2008 · SuspensionA broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. 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…
What can happen. A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Subaru will handle their vehicles and saab will handle theirs. Dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them. This service…
Feb 2007 · 2006 · Air BagsThe passenger's front air bag could become disabled and may not deploy in the event of a crash increasing the…
The defect. On certain vehicles, the wiring harness for the air bag occupant detection system in the front passenger seat may have been pinched during production. Pinching of the wiring harness between the floor crossmember and the seat mounting bracket could result in a…
What can happen. The passenger's front air bag could become disabled and may not deploy in the event of a crash increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant. Also an electrical short circuit could cause a fire.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect to see if the wiring had been incorrectly routed under the seat bracket. If so, the dealer will repair any damaged wiring, reroute and secure the wiring harness in the correct…
Oct 2004 · 2004 · Engine and Engine CoolingIf leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, a fire could result in the engine…
The defect. On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the cover bolts for the engine oil control valve may not be sufficiently tightened, allowing oil to leak from around the cover gasket.
What can happen. If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, a fire could result in the engine compartment.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and retighten the oil-flow control valve cover bolts. The recall began on october 8, 2004. Owners should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Feb 2003 · 2003 · Seat BeltsIn the event of a crash, the front seat belts could unlatch, which could result in personal injury to the…
The defect. Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "Seat belt assemblies." The left and right front seat belt buckle/latch assemblies were improperly manufactured.
What can happen. In the event of a crash, the front seat belts could unlatch, which could result in personal injury to the seat occupant.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the left and right front seat belt buckle/latch assemblies. Owner notification began february 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
Oct 2002 · 2003 · Power TrainThe vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park…
What can happen. The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. Owners who take their…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 713 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 75 (10.5%)
- Fires
- 16
- Injury reports
- 35
- Fatality reports
- 2
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Forester problems by model year
The 2004 drew the most complaints of this generation, 219, most of them about the fuel and propulsion system, and the 2008 the fewest, 50. A typical year drew about 90.
That makes the 2004 stand out at roughly 2.4 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 189 | 151 | 90,000 | Fuel system (31) | 3 |
| 2004 | 219 | 188 | 96,000 | Fuel and propulsion system (63) | 2 |
| 2005 | 93 | 79 | 80,000 | Suspension (21) | 1 |
| 2006 | 88 | 69 | 51,000 | Throttle and speed control (20) | 2 |
| 2007 | 74 | 56 | 57,000 | Suspension (12) | 1 |
| 2008 | 50 | 39 | 89,000 | Suspension (11) | 1 |
What Forester owners reported
The contact's friend owned a 2007 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while reversing in the driveway, the vehicle suddenly violently accelerated and crashed into the retaining wall and unit across the street. The vehicle was then shifted into drive from reverse when the vehicle violently accelerated a second…
2007 · 120,000 miles · Throttle and speed control
The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the transmission control valve detached. No warning light was illuminated. The contact did research and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was…
2008 · 144,000 miles · Suspension
The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a clanking and knocking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who discovered severe subframe rust and corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
2008 · 116,000 miles · Suspension
The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle and the contact became aware that the power steering was not functioning properly. After a visual inspection of the exterior of the vehicle, the…
2003 · 117,000 miles · Suspension
Built from 582 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Forester generations
- Forester 1998–2002 230 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline
- Forester 2009–2013 539 reports with mileage, most about the engine
- Forester 2014–2018 1,488 reports with mileage, most about the airbag system
- Forester 2019–2024 800 reports with mileage, most about visibility/wiper