IllustrationTHE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. THEN IT GETS CLOSED IN THE DOOR BECAUSE IT HANGS LOOSE. IN THE BACK SEAT, THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT HAS THE WRONG PART SO IT CANNOT BE LATCHED. BECAUSE OF THIS, I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE WITH MORE THAN 2 PASSENGERS IN THE BACK SEAT.
2001 Subaru Forester
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 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 →139Owner complaints
Model-year median: 131
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
2001 Subaru Forester
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 139 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)
- Vehicle Speed Control: 29 reports
- Power Train: 23 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 16 reports
- Suspension: 15 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 13 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
Compare all Forester years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
80–25K
2225–50K
1450–75K
1775–100K
6100–150K
6150K+
73 reports with mileage · 66 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.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports0 fire reports20 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
12 reportsWHILE DRIVING 55 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, OWNER SAW A DEAD COW LEFT IN THE ROADWAY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANUEVER DRIVER STRUCK THE COW AND VEHICLE BECAME AIR-BORN. VEHICLE HIT THE GROUND WITH NOSE/FRONT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
VEHICLE WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE JUMPED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES ALREADY.*AK
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON AND FRONT AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS GOING 35MPH. CONSUMER HAD NO IDEA IF SUBARU DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER LISTED THERE WERE 3 INJURIES AND 3 FATALITIES, HOWEVER DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION IN THE STATEMENT OF ANY DEATHS. *SLC
I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WAS HIT HEAD ON DAMAGING THE RIGHT FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE TOTALED OVER 8000.00 . DAMAGE INCLUDED THE FRONT HOOD, RIGHT FRONT FENDER, FRONT BUMPER COVER AND REINFORCEMENT , RADIATOR SUPPORT AND THE RADIATOR. ALSO, THE AC CONDENSOR, THE WHOLE FRONT WAS BENT TO THE LEFT RESULTING IN DAMAGE T…
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I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WAS HIT HEAD ON DAMAGING THE RIGHT FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE TOTALED OVER 8000.00 . DAMAGE INCLUDED THE FRONT HOOD, RIGHT FRONT FENDER, FRONT BUMPER COVER AND REINFORCEMENT , RADIATOR SUPPORT AND THE RADIATOR. ALSO, THE AC CONDENSOR, THE WHOLE FRONT WAS BENT TO THE LEFT RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE CHASSIS. THE ENGINE WAS TILTED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, AND THE SUB RAIL , WHERE THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS, CRACKED IN TWO. THERE WAS ADDITIONAL DAMAGEALSO. WITH ALL THIS DAMAGE, THE AIRBAGS, FAILED TO DEPLOY, SHOCKING THE POLICE , THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE REPAIR SHOP. I CONTACTED SUBARU TO INFORM THEM THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD NOT TO TOUCH THE CAR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEND ENGINEERS TO INSPECT THE CAR WITHIN 72 HOURS. A WEEK LATER,I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND THEY REQUESTED COPIES OF THE POLICE REPORT AND INSURANCE INFORMATION. I COMPLIED AND FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS , I WAITED FOR AN ANSWER. FINALLY, AN EMPLOYEE OF SUBARU CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR TO A DEALER TO CHECK IF THE AIR BAGS ARE WORKING. I TOLD THEM OBVIOUSLY, THEY DIDN'T WORK WHEN I NEEDED THEM TOO, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE IMPACT WAS RIGHT OVER THE SENSOR. HE THEN SAID WHY WAS I WORRYING , THAT THE DAMAGE WAS PAID. I EXPLAINED THAT I NO LONGER FELT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE AND THAT MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. TO DATE, I AM DRIVING A RENTAL CAR AND INCURRING EXPENSES FOR THE RENTAL AND ALSO STORAGE FEES OF MY DAMAGED VEHICLE. ON A TV PROGRAM, FEATURING BRIAN O'NEILL, FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAYTEST SAFETY, AIR BAGS SHOULD DEPLOY AT AN IMPACT OF 12-25 MPH, RESULTING IN DAMAGE COST OF $585. MY QUESTION TO SUBARU WAS, WHY DIDN'T THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY IN A IMPACT THE RESULTED IN $8000 IN DAMAGE?*AK
PARKING WITH FOOT ON BRAKES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OVER CEMENT BLOCK. HAD HIT A FEW BUSHES AND THEN A BUILDING. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC BASED ON REFERRAL FROM DEALERSHIP.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH WAS HIT ON FRONT QUARTER, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. VEHICLE HAS SIDE AIRBAGS. LIKELY TO BE TOTALLED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH ON SNOW WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN CONSUMER RAN OFF ROAD .AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITH FRONT END DAMAGE. *AK THE SEAT BELT NOT ADQUATELY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. *YH
BRAKES LIGHTLY APPLIED DUE TO SLUSH ON ROADWAY,BRAKES DID NOT WORK VEHICLE CRASHED, DRIVER SUFFERED CONCUSION AS HEAD HIT WINDSHIELD AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPOLY. SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD DRIVER FIRMLY. SUBARU HOME OFFICE NOTIFIED, CHRIS, CUSTOMER SERVICE REP APPEARS NOT VERY CONCERNED AND ALMOST CALLOUS IN RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS…
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BRAKES LIGHTLY APPLIED DUE TO SLUSH ON ROADWAY,BRAKES DID NOT WORK VEHICLE CRASHED, DRIVER SUFFERED CONCUSION AS HEAD HIT WINDSHIELD AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPOLY. SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD DRIVER FIRMLY. SUBARU HOME OFFICE NOTIFIED, CHRIS, CUSTOMER SERVICE REP APPEARS NOT VERY CONCERNED AND ALMOST CALLOUS IN RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS. INS CO HAS ELECTED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE VEHICLE. *AK
Recall campaigns
0No 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
0No 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.