10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
43,712 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Subaru Forester body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2011 Subaru Forester Owner Comments

problem #8

Feb 072019

Forester

  • 74,651 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased this vehicle from an estate and had to wait 3 months to get the proper documentation for the dmv. I put it on the road 1/31/19. I went through the car to verify the spare tire and jack were in good order. The spare tire well located in the rear of the vehicle under the floor mat had 3 inches of water in it. I removed the tire and wet vacuumed then dried out the well. I noticed some rust on the bottom of the well as well as the rim of the spare leading me to the conclusion it has been a persistent problem. I googled it to find that many owners of this vehicle are having the same issue with detailed notes of trying to figure out the issue. With today's rain as I drove to work, I looked in the well to find another inch of water in it.

- South Easton, MA, USA

problem #7

Nov 302017

Forester

  • miles
When I parking my car into the parking place, the car suddenly gave a roar and rushed into someone's backyard. Although I pushed the brake pedal as deep as possible, the car rushed around 10 meters(?) and fully stopped after the car hit the rods of wood staircase(two of the rods of staircase was boken by my car). At that moment I just want shift the car from "D" to "R" (but not yet), the unintended acceleration happened to this car. Time: It happened between 2:30 to 3:00 pm on Nov 30, 2017. Place: Rushed into the backyards of 8352 kavanagh rd, dundalk md 21222, this backyards located on sandy plains road. Consequence: 1. scratchs to front bumper. 2. front bumper became loose after collision happened to the rod of staircase. 3. I have stiff muscles on both thighs for two days after this accident.

- Dundalk, MD, USA

problem #6

Sep 082015

Forester

  • 60,000 miles
Inside rear view mirror came loose and dangled from the electric cord in front of the driver's vision. This happened after the mirror was replaced under warranty.

- Carmel, CA, USA

problem #5

Jun 082015

Forester

  • 61,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On June 8 2015 I attended a meeting. When the meeting ended at 8 pm, it was raining hard. I hurried to the car, opened the driver"S door with my left hand and smacked the corner of the door into my left eyebrow. The bleeding was substantial, dripping large drops onto the ground and onto my dress. A stranger stopped, advising me to keep continual pressure on the wound until it stopped bleeding. Eventually it did so and I drove home one-handed with the other keeping pressure on my forehead. Since the bleeding had ended, a pressure bandage kept it stopped for the night. The black eye has faded. There is no permanent damage except for a 5/8" scar across my eyebrow and a ruined dress. Inspecting the door the next morning, I realized the corner of the door comes to an acute angle. The door itself is weatherstripped and has a rubber gasket. But the exposed metal corner of the door has no protection. It is totally exposed! I have the misfortune of being a 5?8? female whose eye height meets the corner of the door. I also have the misfortune of being left-handed so I open the door with my primary hand. (opening a driver"S door with the right hand offers some protection because of the location of the arm.) subsequent to this event, I wrote Subaru corporate as well as the local dealer. Their reply thanked me for suggesting a design concept (I think that was the phrase). A 'goody box' from Subaru arrived shortly thereafter.

- Rochester, NY, USA

problem #4

Sep 082014

Forester

  • 81,743 miles
My car was stopped at a red light behind at least 2 other cars at around 4:45 P.M. on 9-8-14. My engine suddenly started racing and pulling my car toward the car sitting in front of mine. I already had my foot on the brake because I was stopped. I pressed even harder on the brake as the car took off out of my control. The brakes stopped working and my car crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front of mine.

- Timonium, MD, USA

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problem #3

Jun 102014

Forester 4-cyl

  • 34,000 miles
Car was brought to dealership on June 3rd for knocking sound, I was told it needed a new engine which was replaced, car picked up June 10 after repair was completed. While driving on June 10th in the evening, the car began to buck and kick and not respond to pushing on gas pedal, at one point started to accelerate and then slowed down, pulled over to the side of the road and noted that black smoke and flames were seen coming out from hood. Car burned significantly while firefighters tried to put it out.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #2

May 172013

Forester 4-cyl

  • 28,000 miles
Pulled into a parking space at a local train station. Car was stopped and shut off. Not sure if keys were in ignition or not. When reaching over to get handbag and tote I heard the engine rev up very suddenly and loudly, car jumped 6" curb and propelled forward about two feet when right front bumper hit tree and car stopped. Air bags did not deploy and I was not injured. Before I even knew about this website I told the adjuster and the dealership that the car took off on its own. The only reaction I got was strange looks. Told by body shop that car was "totally fixable" within two weeks. $7,000 in body work 3 weeks later was told engine was "running rough" and it was sent to Subaru dealer where purchased. Told that engine had to be rebuilt - machining head; valve replacement; new gaskets etc. Five weeks later Subaru still has my car. About 3 weeks ago prior to knowing about this website and seeing how many other people have reported this problem I ordered a new Subaru using this one as a trade in. Subaru won't give me a trade in value until car is fixed and they have had the car five weeks and still haven't fixed it. I live in the suburbs am 62 years old and I've been taking trains, buses, my bike and walking to get to work and to do everyday errands. No offer of a loaner from Subaru although I've asked twice. Contacted corporate Subaru and reported what I read on this website and my own experience and was told that it would be hard to prove. Last week corporate said they would try to offer assistance with the purchase of the new car in the way of loyalty incentive. As of today I have no car, no idea when or if the old one will be fixed, how much it will be worth as a trade in, a new car that I can't have and that has no definitive price, and a lot of talk but no action from the dealership and corporate Subaru.

- Bellmore, NY, USA

problem #1

Dec 292012

Forester

  • 10,300 miles
Pulling out of a parking space at the cvs drug store, pine island rd and del prado blvd in cape coral fl., put the car into drive and the car accelerated on its on across the parking lot, hitting a parked car head on. My air bag deployed and my car hit the parked car so hard it drove it over a concrete barrier out of the lot. The damage to my car alone was $10,000. The other car was destroyed. I have had Subaru cars for 33 years. This Forester was my 8th Subaru. When the car accelerated, I was thrown back, my foot was not on the brake or gas pedal. The car kept running after the accident until I turned it off. State farm insurance sent a safety director over to check the car (after it was fixed), the body shop also had an inspector check the codes on the computer. I got rid of the car even though it had it have 11 months on the lease because I did not trust it.

- Cape Coral, FL, USA

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