Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Subaru Forester. 16 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
No owner complaints recorded for this model year
Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
EQUIPMENT
This bulletin announces the recommended cleaning procedures to followed when encountering vehicles with long time exposure to pollen on painted surfaces on vehicles imported from Japan. This bulletin does not apply to SIA built vehicles.
EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic essential information during diagnosis and repair of the Infotainment concerns. (Applicable to all models with Harman or Denso CP1 Infotainment).
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin is to advise of SOAâs revised catalytic converter recycling program shipping procedure.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 50.5 |
| 2025 | 87 | 3 | 0 | 62.7 |
| 2024 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 55.0 |
| 2023 | 73 | 1 | 0 | 53.0 |
| 2022 | 95 | 1 | 0 | 50.3 |
| 2021 | 207 | 0 | 0 | 43.8 |
| 2020 | 595 | 0 | 0 | 38.0 |
| 2019 | 831 | 3 | 0 | 49.4 |
| 2018 | 491 | 3 | 1 | 55.8 |
| 2017 | 581 | 1 | 1 | 51.8 |
| 2016 | 409 | 3 | 1 | 59.7 |
| 2015 | 613 | 3 | 0 | 53.6 |
| 2014 | 403 | 2 | 0 | 52.4 |
| 2013 | 77 | 12 | 0 | 58.1 |
| 2012 | 105 | 15 | 0 | 58.3 |
| 2011 | 147 | 16 | 0 | 57.3 |
| 2010 | 262 | 17 | 0 | 54.7 |
| 2009 | 178 | 18 | 0 | 56.0 |
| 2008 | 50 | 1 | 1 | 48.1 |
| 2007 | 72 | 1 | 1 | 47.8 |
| 2006 | 88 | 2 | 1 | 56.3 |
| 2005 | 93 | 1 | 1 | 48.8 |
| 2004 | 219 | 2 | 1 | 52.6 |
| 2003 | 189 | 3 | 1 | 55.0 |
| 2002 | 88 | 1 | 0 | 47.9 |
| 2001 | 139 | 0 | 0 | 43.3 |
| 2000 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 39.0 |
| 1999 | 131 | 1 | 1 | 43.3 |
| 1998 | 101 | 1 | 0 | 44.6 |
| 1997Viewing | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.