2010 Subaru ForesterProblems: Top Complaints, Recalls & Failures (NHTSA)

Every owner complaint and safety recall the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has on file for the 2010 Subaru Forester, ranked by the component that failed most.

Complaints on file

262

Recalls issued

Crashes reported

Fires reported

What breaks most

Seats76 complaints · 29%
Air Bags42 complaints · 16%
Service Brakes38 complaints · 14.5%
Engine34 complaints · 13%
Vehicle Speed Control24 complaints · 9.2%

Recalls on this model year

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, Amer
Campaign 19V007000 · reported 09/01/2019 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mont
Campaign 19V009000 · reported 09/01/2019 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ma
Campaign 19V008000 · reported 09/01/2019 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa,
Campaign 20V003000 · reported 02/01/2020 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbi
Campaign 20V002000 · reported 02/01/2020 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawai
Campaign 20V001000 · reported 02/01/2020 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part.
Campaign 19V297000 · reported 11/04/2019 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, Am
Campaign 18V012000 · reported 09/01/2018 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Ha
Campaign 17V014000 · reported 10/01/2017 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New J
Campaign 18V013000 · reported 09/01/2018 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Electrical System
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump
Campaign 16V738000 · reported 13/10/2016 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michi
Campaign 14V311000 · reported 10/06/2014 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshi
Campaign 14V830000 · reported 31/12/2014 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,
Campaign 16V358000 · reported 25/05/2016 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Seat Belts › Rear/Other
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 FORESTER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 26, 2007, THROUGH MARCH 13, 2012. THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR in the SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES LOCATED IN THE REAR CENTER SEATING OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DO NOT MEET LOCKABILITY REQUIREMENTS AND FAIL TO CO
Campaign 12V099000 · reported 13/03/2012 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Exterior Lighting
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to 78,650 of these vehicles may have been equippe
Campaign 12V602000 · reported 26/12/2012 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
Seat Belts
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles. The front seat belt assembly force-limiter may not operate correctly in the event of a crash.
Campaign 22V838000 · reported 10/11/2022 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer

What owners report

Seats

The bracket on the front right side of the drivers seat (if you're looking at the seat from the sunroof) that connects the seat (where you sit) to the seat frame (which moves the seat forward and back
Left front of drivers seat collapsed while driving 60mph on freeway. This caused a surprise that could have resulted in an accident. This has been reported numerous times as can be referenced here: [X
My 2010 Subaru Forester's driver seat does not raise up on with the power buttons. I can hear the motor but the front of the seat will not move. Last week, the right side was not moving and now both

Air Bags

Had a collision with another vehicle and my airbags never deployed. The other vehicles airbags did deploy.
Subaru of America refuses to authorize dealer Beyer Subaru of Alexandria Virginia to do the stipulated safety repair
On 5/24/2023 while driving with a front passenger, the passenger seat belt warning light, chime and airbag warning came on for no reason. Stopped the car at a red traffic light and turned ignition off

Service Brakes

The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the rear brakes were replaced by an independent mechanic. After 6 months, the contact noticed that the brakes needed to be replaced aga
MY BRAKES FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE SUBARU DID NOT PROPERLY ADDRESS RECALL WQK47 ON MY CAR IN 2018 EVEN THOUGH THEY CLAIMED IT WAS COMPLETED. MY BRAKE LINES ARE COMPLETELY CORRODED AND THEY A
MARCH OF 2019 A RECALL WAS PERFORMED FOR RUSTED BRAKE LINES...THIS YEAR THE BRAKES LINES SUDDENLY FAILED...APPARENTLY IF THE BRAKE LINES AREN'T LEAKING THE SUBARU FIX IS TO SPRAY SEALER OVER THE RUST.

Engine

The engine in my 2010 Subaru Forester (VIN: [XXX] ) suffered a sudden and complete mechanical failure on November 15, 2025. While driving, the vehicle abruptly lost power without any warning lights or
In brief: I purchased a used 2010 Subaru Forester in Nov. 2022. Because the vehicle gave me many problems, I decided to purchase another vehicle. In June 2025 I went to Fred Beans in Mechanicsburg, PA
The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving, the check engine warning light had illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who advised him that the fuel tank was

Vehicle Speed Control

The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while reversing out of a garage parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration causing the driver to lose cont
The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that as she attempted to park her vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated forward at a high rate of speed without warning. The contac
MY 2010 SUBARU FORESTER SUDDENLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE FOR THE 3RD TIME. THIS LAST TIME IT HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE DAMAGING IT AND KNOCKED DOWN A PERSON THAT REQUIRED EVALUATION AT THE ER. I WAS IN A CHU

Excerpts are anonymized owner complaints as filed with NHTSA, trimmed to 200 characters.

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