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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.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales 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

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

Suspension complaints

15 reports
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190,000 miles · Dec 18, 2014
Suspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE REAR CROSS MEMBER BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR CROSS MEMBER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE REAR CROSS MEMBER BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR CROSS MEMBER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

NHTSA ODI #10667117

87,500 miles · Dec 8, 2008
Suspension

2001 SUBARU FORESTER 87500 MILES ON IT. 12/2007 HAD REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED AT INDEPENDENT SHOP. NOW IT IS 12/2008 WITH ONLY 92K MILES ON IT, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL BEARING IS HOWLING LIKE A BANSHEE. PASSENGER REAR WHEEL BEARING GETTING LOUDER BUT NOT AS BAD. MIGHT HAVE DEALER REPLACE THEM THIS TIME AND CHECK …

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2001 SUBARU FORESTER 87500 MILES ON IT. 12/2007 HAD REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED AT INDEPENDENT SHOP. NOW IT IS 12/2008 WITH ONLY 92K MILES ON IT, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL BEARING IS HOWLING LIKE A BANSHEE. PASSENGER REAR WHEEL BEARING GETTING LOUDER BUT NOT AS BAD. MIGHT HAVE DEALER REPLACE THEM THIS TIME AND CHECK HUB ASSEMBLY FOR DAMAGE ETC. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10251058

45,000 miles · Dec 18, 2007
Suspension

LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED NOW. DEALER SERVICE PERSONNEL TOLD ME THAT THE WHEEL WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF OF THE VEHICLE THE FIRST TIME I HAD THE BEARING REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10212246

67,332 miles · Dec 16, 2007
Suspension

01 FORESTER WAS BOUGHT FROM VAN BORTEL SUBARU ON 4/24/04 COMING OFF A LEASE WITH 29,000 MILES. I HAD TO NEGOTIATE THAT DEALER TO CHECK CAR FOR SERVICE BULLETINS AND RECALLS AND ASKED FOR THE 30K MAINTENANCE TO BE COMPLETED. MINIMAL WORK WAS COMPLETED AND SUBSEQUENTLY MAJOR PROBLEMS SUCH DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS SUCH AS HEAD GASKET…

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01 FORESTER WAS BOUGHT FROM VAN BORTEL SUBARU ON 4/24/04 COMING OFF A LEASE WITH 29,000 MILES. I HAD TO NEGOTIATE THAT DEALER TO CHECK CAR FOR SERVICE BULLETINS AND RECALLS AND ASKED FOR THE 30K MAINTENANCE TO BE COMPLETED. MINIMAL WORK WAS COMPLETED AND SUBSEQUENTLY MAJOR PROBLEMS SUCH DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS SUCH AS HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND WHEEL BEARING FAILURE HAD TO BE DONE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED AT DEALER AND COMPLAINTS OF ROAD NOISE HAD BEEN SHARED WITH DEALER. TIRES WERE REPLACED AT OWNER EXPENSE IN RESPONSE. HEAD GASKET COST WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT ONE REAR WHEEL BEARING ($400) WAS NOT COVERED AND PAID BY OWNER. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED BY OTHER OWNERS SINCE 2002 AND NEITHER SUBARU NOR VAN BORTEL INFORMED OWNERS OF PROBLEMS. AS A RESULT THEY PLACED OWNERS AT RISK OF SERIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE AND INCREASED COST OF REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE REAR AXEL AND POSSIBLE SERIOUS ACCIDENT/INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10212011

71,400 miles · Aug 4, 2006
Suspension

SUBARU 2001 FORESTER, 71,440 MILES, ONE OWNER, PURCHASED 04/2000. WHILE DRIVING, GRINDING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. TALKED WITH SUBARU AND TWO INDEPENDENT GARAGES, AND ALL WITH SAME CONCLUSION - DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARING. ALL STATED THIS WAS/IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE PART WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH. SUBARU MECH…

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SUBARU 2001 FORESTER, 71,440 MILES, ONE OWNER, PURCHASED 04/2000. WHILE DRIVING, GRINDING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. TALKED WITH SUBARU AND TWO INDEPENDENT GARAGES, AND ALL WITH SAME CONCLUSION - DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARING. ALL STATED THIS WAS/IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE PART WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH. SUBARU MECHANIC DIAGNOSED RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING IS PROBLEM AND IT WAS REPLACED. ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED REPLACED PART. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10164509

Mileage unknown · May 28, 2006
Suspension

FAILURE OF REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10158477

28,017 miles · Sep 3, 2005
Suspension

I OWN THREE SUBARU VEHICLES ONE OF WHICH IS A 2001 FORESTER-L. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE R/R WHEEL BEARING ON MY FORESTER TWICE @ 28017 MILES AND AT 75375 MILES. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS COVERED UNDER THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. I WAS REIMBURSED BY SUBARU FOR HALF THE COST FOR SECOND INCIDENT. IN DISCUSSION WITH OTHER FORESTER OWNERS AN…

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I OWN THREE SUBARU VEHICLES ONE OF WHICH IS A 2001 FORESTER-L. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE R/R WHEEL BEARING ON MY FORESTER TWICE @ 28017 MILES AND AT 75375 MILES. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS COVERED UNDER THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. I WAS REIMBURSED BY SUBARU FOR HALF THE COST FOR SECOND INCIDENT. IN DISCUSSION WITH OTHER FORESTER OWNERS AND LOCAL MECHANICS THIS APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM (PLEASE SEE VQ 7510621 AND VQ 7510621). I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY 1998 LEGACY L WAGON, BUT IN FAIRNESS THIS WAS AT 112, 000 MI. MY FEAR HERE IS THAT I WILL ALSO INCUR THIS REPAIR ON MY 2002 IMPREZA. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10135252

36,716 miles · Jun 24, 2005
Suspension

DT: THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE BACK WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. GOT LOUDER ON TURNS, MOSTLY TO THE RIGHT. *AK *SB *NM

NHTSA ODI #10121902

10,972 miles · Apr 29, 2005
Suspension

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY LIMITS CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE. AS SOME TIME PASSED THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. WITHIN TWO YEARS THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED TWICE. SEVERAL MILES LATER, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED TWICE. CURRENTLY, NOISE RECURRED AGAIN WITH OWNER NOT SURE WHICH REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10119348

80,000 miles · Nov 4, 2004
Suspension

CONSUMER STATED REAR WHEEL BEARING WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THIS PART WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10099414

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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