3rd generation (SH) · SH · 964 complaints, 682 with mileage
Owners filed 964 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009–2013 Subaru Forester, and 682 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 23,400 and 89,000 miles. The median is 56,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine (18.0% of complaints, typically around 85,000 miles), the airbag system (14.9% of complaints, typically around 44,000 miles), seats (10.2% of complaints, typically around 78,139 miles).
19 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 174 | 18.0% | 85,000 | 60,000–108,000 |
| Air Bags | 144 | 14.9% | 44,000 | 30,000–99,000 |
| Seats | 98 | 10.2% | 78,139 | 51,000–91,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 81 | 8.4% | 29,600 | 7,200–66,000 |
| Service Brakes | 76 | 7.9% | 38,062 | 25,000–75,000 |
| Electrical System | 59 | 6.1% | 60,000 | 30,517–86,700 |
| Unknown Or Other | 50 | 5.2% | 88,763 | 55,000–125,000 |
| Power Train | 43 | 4.5% | 59,167 | 10,000–99,000 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 29 | 3.0% | 65,235 | 50,000–107,000 |
| Structure | 27 | 2.8% | 28,000 | 3,200–61,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 228 | 161 |
| 2010 | 307 | 236 |
| 2011 | 195 | 127 |
| 2012 | 140 | 89 |
| 2013 | 94 | 69 |
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 56,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 18.0% of complaints (174 reports, 129 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 85,000 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 60,000 and 108,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 14.9% of complaints (144 reports, 35 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 44,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,000 and 99,000 miles.
Seats account for 10.2% of complaints (98 reports, 83 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 78,139 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 51,000 and 91,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 8.4% of complaints (81 reports, 75 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 29,600 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 7,200 and 66,000 miles.
The brakes account for 7.9% of complaints (76 reports, 55 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 38,062 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 25,000 and 75,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.1% of complaints (59 reports, 49 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,517 and 86,700 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2010 model year drew the most — 307 complaints — while 2013 drew the fewest at 94. The median year sits at 195.
NHTSA records 19 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.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (12), the seat belts (2), the electrical system (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
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.
Of the 964 complaints filed against this generation, 134 reported a crash; 31 reported a fire; 52 reported an injury; 1 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 13.9% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 23,400 and 89,000 miles, with a median of 56,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and the airbag system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 44,000, 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.
The FB25 introduced for MY2011 consumes oil excessively due to piston ring design, in some cases a quart every 1,000-1,200 miles, with owners reporting oil starvation risk between service intervals. Subject of a class action settlement covering the affected build window; Subaru extended coverage and offered a short-block ring repair.
External head gasket coolant seepage on the carry-over SOHC EJ253 in the first two model years, before the FB25 replaced it.
Takata ammonium-nitrate inflator recall population; rupture risk propelling metal fragments into the cabin.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 22V838000 | 2022-12-01 | Seat Belts |
| 20V003000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 20V002000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 20V001000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V297000 | 2019-05-10 | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch |
| 19V009000 | 2019-01-25 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V008000 | 2019-01-25 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V007000 | 2019-01-25 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V014000 | 2018-02-09 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V013000 | 2018-02-09 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V012000 | 2018-02-09 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V026000 | 2017-03-06 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V014000 | 2017-03-06 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 16V738000 | 2016-12-16 | Electrical System |
| 16V358000 | 2016-07-22 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 14V830000 | 2015-01-27 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
| 14V311000 | 2014-07-23 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings |
| 12V602000 | 2013-02-19 | Exterior Lighting |
| 12V099000 | 2012-03-26 | Seat Belts:Rear/Other |