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2000 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2000 Subaru Forester do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 131.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
75Owner complaints

Model-year median: 131

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2000 Subaru Forester

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 75 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Power Train: 21 reports
  • Suspension: 19 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 12 reports
  • Tires: 8 reports
  • Fuel System, Gasoline: 5 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    101
    1998    131
    1999    75
    2000    139
    2001    88
    2002    189
    2003
    Compare all Forester years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Power Train
    21    Suspension
    19    Engine And Engine Cooling
    12    Tires
    8    Fuel System, Gasoline
    5
    All reported categories
    Equipment
    4    Vehicle Speed Control
    4    Unknown Or Other
    3    Seats
    2    Air Bags
    1    Electrical System
    1    Fuel System, Other
    1    Latches/locks/linkages
    1    Seat Belts
    1    Steering
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    39 reports with mileage · 36 unknown

    NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

    What to inspect

    Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

    • Power Train. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    7 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

    Equipment complaints

    4 reports
    Clear category filter
    125,336 miles · Aug 21, 2009
    Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

    200 SUBARU FORESTER BLOWS HEAD GASKET FOR THIRD TIME. FIXED TWICE UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THIRD TIME, SUBARU REPORTS THEY WILL ASSIST WITH HALF OF PAYMENT BECAUSE RECALL WAS DISCONTINUED IN 2008. "REPAIR" COMPLETED UNDER RECALL, BUT WASN'T REALLY REPAIRED. THIS CONSUMER FEELS THAT I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF …

    Read full complaint

    200 SUBARU FORESTER BLOWS HEAD GASKET FOR THIRD TIME. FIXED TWICE UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THIRD TIME, SUBARU REPORTS THEY WILL ASSIST WITH HALF OF PAYMENT BECAUSE RECALL WAS DISCONTINUED IN 2008. "REPAIR" COMPLETED UNDER RECALL, BUT WASN'T REALLY REPAIRED. THIS CONSUMER FEELS THAT I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THIS. REPAIR NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED AND STAY REPAIR AT MANUFACTURER'S COST. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10281331

    45,000 miles · Feb 18, 2008
    EquipmentSuspension

    I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE REAR WHEEL BEARING ON MY 2000 SUBARU FORESTER 3 TIMES RIGHT AND LEFT REAR OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I SEE THROUGH ONLINE READING THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THE SUBARU AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PRESSURE NEEDS TO BE PUT ON THEM TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10218420

    Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2005
    EquipmentFuel System, Gasoline

    FAILURE OF OXYGEN SENSOR THAT WAS REPLACED DUE TO RECALL CAUSED GASOLINE TO BE DUMPED INTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER. OUR MECHANIC SAID THAT THE CONVERTER BECAME RED HOT AND IT WAS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. PARTS WERE REPLACED AND ARE NOT NOW AVAILABLE. *NM

    NHTSA ODI #10106423

    Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2001
    EquipmentPower Train

    FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT FAILED FROM LACK OF LUBRICATION, SUBARU STATED THAT INDEPENDENT FACILITIES MISTAKENLY DRAINED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID INSTEAD OF ENGINE OIL DURING OIL CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF PLUGS, THE DIFFERENTIAL PAN AND OIL PAN NEES TO BE PROPERLY LABELED. NLM

    NHTSA ODI #559527

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

    Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems

    Subaru Forester transmission problems →Subaru Forester electrical problems →