2013 Subaru ForesterProblems: Top Complaints, Recalls & Failures (NHTSA)

Every owner complaint and safety recall the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has on file for the 2013 Subaru Forester, ranked by the component that failed most.

Complaints on file

Recalls issued

Crashes reported

Fires reported

What breaks most

Engine26 complaints · 33.8%
Air Bags13 complaints · 16.9%
Service Brakes9 complaints · 11.7%
Vehicle Speed Control7 complaints · 9.1%
Power Train6 complaints · 7.8%

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
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
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 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
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 (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
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

Engine

The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle
On 7/31/23 I was driving on the highway when I started to hear a knocking sound. I got off the highway and my car stalled at the light off the exit. I was able to restart it after three tries and get
While driving, the engine suddenly went dead with no warning. No lights came on no over heating signal, no warnings. Just gone. I could have been killed in other circumstances. Fortunately, I was goi

Air Bags

I had a family member driving an 2013 Subaru Forester all-wheel drive with a manual transition. The car had crash and rolled. The car at the most rolled twice and none of the air bags never deployed.
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while coasting downhill into his carport to park his vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated forward and crashed his camper. The
The contact owned a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving at 58 mph, another vehicle behind the contact rear-ended their vehicle which caused the vehicle to spun out of control and h

Service Brakes

When the clutch is depressed the engine kills without indication anything is happening. All the dash lights come on and the power steering goes out. It has been happening repeatedly since last June.
My 2013 Subaru Forester had some noise (grinding) from the rear passenger side brake pad. I set up an appointment to have it inspected later that week. I then used my car to run an errand several d
SQUEAKY BRAKES, SEATBELT RECOIL

Vehicle Speed Control

The contact owned a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while idled in reverse with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated in reverse on its own, colliding with a deck, after whi
ON 4/3/21 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30 PM, THE 2013 SUBARU FORRESTER WAS SLOWLY BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, GEAR WAS IN REVERSE, FOOT ON ACCELERATOR WITH SPEED OF <1 MPH; JUST ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET CAR OUT OF
THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT ON THE DASH HAS COME ON BY ITSELF AND IS FLASHING CONSTANTLY AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON. IT CANNOT BE TURNED OFF OR ON WITH THE CONTROLS. THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED THE

Power Train

The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while coasting downhill into his carport to park his vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated forward and crashed his camper. The
THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO COMPLAINT NUMBER 11387558. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER..THE CAR WAS GETTING WORSE WITH SHAKING, SHUDDERING AND STALLING. THEY REP
THE CAR ENGINE WANTS TO STALL OUT WHEN CHANGING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHILE PULLING ONTO THE STREET. IT USUALLY DOES THIS WITHIN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. IT ALSO WANTS TO STALL OUT WHEN I COM

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

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