2003 Subaru Forester vs 2005 Subaru Forester
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2003 Subaru Forester | 2005 Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 189 | 93 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 142 | 136 |
| Investigations | 1 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 17 | 15 |
| Fire reports | 0 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 21 | 19–23 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 90,000 mi | 80,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Subaru Forester | Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 22 | 21 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 26 | 14 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 31 | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 17 |
| Air Bags | 25 | 5 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 7 |
| Structure | 19 | 4 |
| Engine | 12 | 3 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Rust / corrosion | 27 | 16 |
| Airbag warning light | 14 | 0 |
| Stalling | 11 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 6 |
2003 Subaru Forester
2005 Subaru Forester
Compare all Subaru Forester vs Subaru Forester years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.