Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

2003 Subaru Forester

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

3
Open recalls
189
NHTSA complaints
1
Defect investigations
139
Service bulletins

NCAP safety

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover

Consumer complaints

189 filed
17
Crashes
0
Fires
9
Injuries reported
2
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Fuel SYSTEM, Gasoline
    29
  • FUEL/PROPULSION System
    26
  • AIR Bags
    20
  • Suspension
    19
  • Vehicle Speed Control
    15
  • Engine
    12
  • STRUCTURE:BODY
    10
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE
    9

Recalls

3 campaigns
11V464000·SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM2011-09-06

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, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.

RiskA BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

FixSUBARU 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 WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

03V047000·SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2003-02-20

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.

RiskIN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE FRONT SEAT BELTS COULD UNLATCH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

FixDEALERS 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 SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

02V282000·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2002-10-30

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 MECHANISM, THAT IS INTENDED TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE, MAY NOT ENGAGE.

RiskTHE VEHICLE COULD THEN MOVE/ROLL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

FixDEALERS 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 VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

NHTSA investigations

4 actions
PE11011·SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM2011-04-07 → 2011-09-23

Front suspension control arm failure

Led to recall11V464000

PE11011·SUSPENSION:FRONT2011-04-07 → 2011-09-23

Front suspension control arm failure

Led to recall11V464000

PE11011·SUSPENSION2011-04-07 → 2011-09-23

Front suspension control arm failure

Led to recall11V464000

PE11011·SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM2011-04-07 → 2011-09-23

Front suspension control arm failure

Led to recall11V464000

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