- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- The seat belt assembly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRJ-22.
Vehicle safety record
2009 Subaru Forester Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 178 complaints about the 2009 Subaru Forester with NHTSA, most often about the airbags (40) and the engine & cooling (39). Those complaints describe 19 crashes, 7 fires, 5 injuries and 1 death. It is covered by 18 recalls, the latest in November 2022 for the seat belts. For comparison, the 2008 has 50 and the 2010 has 262.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Forester year, for its age
#50 most complained-about 2009 vehicle
- Complaints
- 178
- Recalls
- 18
- Crashes
- 19
- Fires
- 7
- Injuries
- 5
- Deaths
- 1
Most common 2009 Subaru Forester problems
Share of all 178 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2009 Subaru Forester recalls 18
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
- The problem
- 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 Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
- The problem
- 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, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- The problem
- 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. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
- The risk
- The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-18.
- The problem
- 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 Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-18.
- The problem
- 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, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-18.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-17.
- The problem
- 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, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-17.
- The problem
- 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 to continuously operate and overheat.
- The risk
- If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
- The problem
- 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, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-16.
- The problem
- 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 Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia that were remedied under recall 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014. The brake lines may experience brake line corrosion due to salt water splashing on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector.
- The risk
- Brake fluid may leak due to the brake line corrosion and may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will apply an anti-corrosion wax to the four-way joint connector area of the brake line system, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQQ-52. Notes: This recall is specific to affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI customers who had their car remedied under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014. Subaru has determined that this remedy was inadequate due to incomplete repair instructions provided to dealers. Affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI vehicles that were not repaired under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014 will continue to be processed under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311. Affected vehicles not currently, or formerly, registered in the salt belt states identified in this recall are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
- The problem
- 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, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
- The risk
- Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
- The problem
- 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 equipped with accessory puddle lights that, when illuminated, brighten the area under the doors of the vehicle. A short circuit can develop when either the puddle light or connector are exposed to an electrolytic moisture source (such as road spray that has road salt in it) and it penetrates the circuit board of the puddle light or the pins of the puddle light connector(s).
- The risk
- Over time, migration of the moisture into the circuit board and/or into the connector cavity, may result in a short circuit of the puddle light system. This may generate heat which may melt the plastic resulting in smoke or fire.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
- The problem
- 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 comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, Occupant crash protection. Specifically, the assemblies may not permit proper installation and secure attachment of a child restraint in that seating position.
- The risk
- An insecure installation of a child restraint can increase the risk of injury to a child during a crash.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear center seat belt assembly with a newly modified automatic locking retractor, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed on march 26, 2012. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
- The problem
- Thule, inc. Is recalling 2,323 owner-installed roof-mounted fit kits, models 3068 and 3069, manufactured between january 1, 2008 and february 28, 2009 that are used with thule podium foot packs, models 460 and 460r. These fit kits were sold as aftermarket equipment for use on the vehicles listed above. The bolt(s) used to secure the foot to the vehicle was manufactured to a hardness that may cause the bolt(s) to be brittle and potentially break under stress.
- The risk
- This may result in the bolt(s) snapping off during use or without a load. The unsecured rack and load can then come loose while driving creating a potential road hazard, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Thule will mail a retro fit kit along with repair instructions to owners free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before april 13, 2009. Owners may contact thule toll-free at 1-800-238-2388.
- The problem
- Subaru is recalling 16,715 my 2007-2008 legacy sedans and wagons, my 2008 impreza sedans and wagons, and my 2009 forester vehicles. Some vehicles may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled.
- The risk
- Vibration would occur while driving and, over time, could eventually result in cracking the pipe which would allow oil to leak. If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, an engine compartment fire could occur.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect for cracking or an oil leak at the oil supply pipe at the cylinder head-side. An additional bracket will be installed to increase rigidity of the pipe and the pipe assembly will be replaced with a modified part. The recall began on october 20, 2008. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
What owners say
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178 complaints about the 2009 Subaru Forester
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 8.
Airbag lights have been going on and off ever since I took it into to get my airbags recalled and Subaru will not take a look at it with out me signing a form saying I am liable to pay 200 dollars if it happens to be anything else unrelated to the recall warranty.
- I bought a set of 4 Cooper Adventurer P225 55 R17 tires from Pep Boys in La Habra , CA on [[redacted]]. - On [[redacted]], I had to replace one due to a flat, and they noticed that I had a serious bulge in another. I replaced those two tires, putting the new ones in the front. - On around [[redacted]], friends helping me with adjusting my side mirror noticed that I had two serious bulges, one in each of the front tires that had been replaced. - They were suspicious about the same damage in two tires, so they...
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checked & found that similar number Cooper Adventurers sold at Pep Boys at the same time as mine were among a number of Cooper tires that had been recalled for sidewall separation bulges. They suggested I contact you. - There are already 5 complaints about these particular tires for sidewall bulges; mine will make 6. Yet one of the recalled tires only had 2 complaints. - I have photographs of the tire bulges in my phone, but I'm having trouble sending them to my laptop. I will contact you to add the pictures to this report as soon as I sort out the difficulty. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
No local dealer to complete recall NHTSA Recall Number 20V002000. Vehicle is too old, too high miles to be trusted to take on an extended road trip to a dealer. Contacting Subaru wasn't any help.
fuel tank leaking gasoline from tanks seams and hose nipple, second owned vehicle with same problem. now the vehicle has strong gas smell and is leaking gasoline when driven in a incline. It threw a p0442 "evap leak small" thats why i checked the fault. All these steel tanks seem to rust where the seam of the tank is, and also the filler neck tube connects to the tank, one of the evap hoses was just hanging next to the fuel tank, the nipple that holds it to the tank rusted and came off.
* Fuel tank leak * Could have exploded or caught fire * Confirmed at independent service center * Inspected by independent service center * Check engine light and gas tank icon on dash. Appeared 1/31/2023 This car has had so many recalls and has been a problem for a long time. We have contacted Subaru and will contact them today regarding this issue.
The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that he had initially received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V830000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was serviced. Recently, the contact stated that while going downhill in the reverse(R) position, he heard an abnormal popping sound upon depression of the brake pedal without warning. The brake pedal failed as it depressed to the floorboard; the contact managed to stop the vehicle with his hand...
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brake. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who discovered that the brake lines had failed. The mechanic also informed him that there was no evidence that any rust prevention sealant was applied to the brake lines. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 76,340.
Sudden collapse of drivers seat bottom cushion. Now lower on one side.
Traveling on an interstate at 70mph, car check engine light came on and car lost all power. Was able to limp off the road and wait 3 hours for a tow to dealership. Diagnosis; stage 4 blown head gasket. There was no prior warning or symptoms and could have been a greater danger if heavier traffic. Head gasket problems know on early model subaru's.
2009 Subaru forester. Consumer writes in regards to issue with airbag. *Ld the consumer stated the airbag is on recall as well as many others on the island of hawaii. The manufacturer declined to send a certified repair technician to the consumers. Instead, the manufacturer suggested that the consumers send the vehicle fro lana'i, hawaii to oahu, hawaii to have the vehicle repaired. The consumer stated the trip would cost at least 900.00 Per owner. The consumer requested to have a repair technician to come to lana'i. *Js *js
I have love in town and have been replacing rotors and pads every 6 months. I purchased this vehicle in 2018 and have put under 30000 miles on the car. I have also been replacing wheel bearings constantly.
You really need to reign in the new headlights and how bright they are. They might be ok in flat places, but I'm hilly areas, when an oncoming car is at a higher level, it's like getting high beamed in the face. It happens all the time here in new hampshire. It's going to get someone killed. Also, I don't know if new card have automatically changing high and low beams, but I have noticed that people are becoming very last in turning down there lights when approaching me. It's crossed my mind that it's probably a...
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new automatic system that doesn't work very well. But the new headlights that are really bright down low, that is huge safety risk. At the right spots in the road, it's absolutely blinding. Cars with the older style lights, no problem. New ones, but problem.
Turbo failure caused by design flaws in lubrication delivery system identified by multiple tsb wvf-16, tsb#02-103-07, tsb # 02-97-05. Manufacture refuses to acknowledge tsb and class action law suit about 2.5 Liter turbo car. Leading $3500.00 Repair being forced on consumers in spite of this condition being a engineering defect.My car had the turbo replaced by dealership at 50,000 miles nad now 50,000 miles later the turbo has failed again. Contacted subaru of america, who stated that soa would not be assisting in repairs of the same failure.
The engine turns off unexpectedly while my car was in motion. I started my car and then it shut off after a few minutes in the middle of the road on my residential street. I believe my car is affected by recall nhtsa campaign id: 19v297000.
My 2009 subaru forester has been nothing but problems. In the past month I've put $3,000 in parts and maintenance. Radiator blew, coolant sensor, whole new exhaust, all new hub barings, 2 new catalytic converters and my main problem is not fixed!!! The car idles at the stop light and during the acceleration it stalls! I took it to 4 dealers and they tell me my gas is to rich???? What is that???? I'm upset with this car and it sucks. I've had this car not even a year.
The rear window spontaneously cracked/shattered. When entering the car the rear window was in one piece. I put the car in reverse and when I took my foot off the brake a chunk of my window fell in. The pattern around the cracked window appears as a cluster of thermal breaks. I have looked and there are more subaru's reported with this issue as well which has to deal with how the car de-frosts the glass. *Tr
Subaru dealer (mark shaw subaru 1650 w 104th ave, denver, co 80234, phone (720) 724-9280) refuses to replace the passenger air bag that is on recall because it was deployed. They refuse to provide any written documentation on why or what is needed for them to perform the recall work.
Weird things have been happening with my car, I know that someone is using the satellite radio port to tamper with the safety of my car. I took it to the shop it has a brand new engine in it, the steering light system flashing isn't even relevant to a problem that it could have. Everything listed on targeted cars, has happened with my car.
The function of the radio and windshield wipers is intermittent. Upon start these devices do not appear to have electrical power and do not function. I suspect there are other items that do not work either, but I have not confirmed them. They both function properly when the engine is restarted. This has happened on 2 occasions over a 1 week period. This is a safety issue since in a rainstorm, the visibility would be nil. Otherwise the vehicle functions normally.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 subaru forester. While driving 60 mph, the engine stalled and the check engine and traction control indicators illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The failure mileage was 108,000.
I keep getting a timing over-advanced code with a bad cat code.
We has the car for 10 years. Car has 114k miles and transmission failed. We spent 5 k on the car for leaking gaskets and such. Had car inspected and they reassured me my car is good to go and will last for a long time. Thats not the case.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 subaru forester. While the vehicle was undergoing routine maintenance at competition subaru of smithtown (601 middle country rd, st james, ny 11780, (631) 361-4500), it was diagnosed that antifreeze was leaking and the head gasket needed to be repaired. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 54,000. *Tt*jb consumer stated it was the 3rd complaint.*Jb
This vehicle has a tire pressure monitoring system (tpms) that is faulty and unnecessary. When the tires are at the correct amount of pressure the tpms light appears on the instrument panel during cold weather and will not turn off. If you want it to go away you have to pay a technician to reset it. I have been told that the manufacturer made it so it cannot be disabled. As I stated it is faulty and unnecessary and people should not have to continually pay to have it reset or replaced. As well I own a 2008 impreza...
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with the same issue. The windshield defrost/wiper situation is also a serious issue! Either the defrost does not heat the windshield enough for the wipers to clear the windshield or the wiper arms are not strong enough to apply enough pressure to clear the windshield. In rain and snow conditions the windshield is very hard to see through and quite frankly dangerous. I have spoken to many people with this model vehicle covering many generations with very few to very high miles and this appears to be an issue with all generations of this model.
Fairly recently I had my radiator replaced due to a leak. Couple weeks into my new one, I went to start my car and a proof of white smoke shot out the exhausts which I new was not ok. I put the car in reverse and all of the sudden it felt like it was in limo mode and the check engine, traction control, and cruise control lights all started blinking - they weren't on before. So I shut my car off and took my mom's to work. I later found out that I had no coolant, but there was no warning or indication that I was low....
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From that day on my car has been going through full reservoirs of coolant by the day with no visible leaks, heating+cooling, fand a ull radiator up to the brim. I'm assuming my issue is a head gasket leak at only 86,000 miles...That is terrible product quality - I can't just go around and pay $2000 in repairs for a car I relied on and have only driven for 10k miles. That's just ridiculous and theres nothing I can do about it without $2000 to spend but sell it and screw someone else over.
Was driving about 20 mph on a 2 lane secondary road when an approaching vehicle's driver got my attention and said my car was on fire. I found a place to safely pull off the road and directed my spouse to quickly get out, move away from our car and call 911. There was smoke coming from under the hood so I opened it carefully and saw a wall of flame, just above the catalytic converter, and approximately the width of the radiator and about 6 inches in height. I had a bottle of water with me which I used to douse the...
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flames before the fire department arrived. I had the car towed to my local repair shop where our mechanic found a burst transmission fluid cooling line which had sprayed fluid into the lower engine compartment and onto the hot catalytic converter which ignited the fluid. Just before I pulled off the road the transmission stopped operating effectively as I now know the fluid would have been low. At a higher speed the vehicle operation would have been dramatically hampered and the potential for a more explosive situation would have occurred if the flames had been forced further under the vehicle.
Subaru Forester: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 78 | 12 | B |
| 2012 | 107 | 15 | B |
| 2011 | 147 | 16 | C |
| 2010 | 262 | 17 | D |
| 2009 | 178 | 18 | C |
| 2008 | 50 | 1 | A |
| 2007 | 74 | 1 | A |
| 2006 | 88 | 2 | B |
| 2005 | 93 | 1 | B |
2009 Subaru Forester vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Subaru Forester | 178 | 18 | C | |
| 2009 Ford Escape | 1,696 | 3 | D | Compare |
| 2009 Honda CR-V | 386 | 12 | F | Compare |
| 2009 Toyota RAV4 | 327 | 15 | F | Compare |
| 2009 Nissan Rogue | 320 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan | 167 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2009 Kia Sportage | 80 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2009 Jeep Compass | 64 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander | 46 | 13 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2009 Subaru Forester
Does the 2009 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 18 recalls for the 2009 Subaru Forester: seat belts (November 2022); inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Subaru Forester?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the airbags (40), engine & cooling (39), electrical system (22).
How many complaints has the 2009 Subaru Forester had?
178 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on May 23, 2008 and the latest on March 12, 2025. Of these, 19 describe a crash and 7 a fire, and together they report 5 injuries and 1 death.
Is the 2009 Subaru Forester a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 47 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Subaru Forester year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Subaru Forester years have the most complaints?
2019 (834), 2015 (618), 2020 (603). See every Subaru Forester year compared.
What should I do if my 2009 Subaru Forester has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data