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2002 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Subaru Forester do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 131.

About this comparison →

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

50 reports with mileage · 38 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 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

5 reports
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150,000 miles · Dec 28, 2017
Fuel/propulsion System

FUEL LINES IN ENGINE LEAK IN COLD WEATHER. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD THAT I AND MULTIPLE OTHER SUBARU OWNERS THAT I KNOW HAVE HAD OCCURRING AND RECURRING. I CALLED SUBARU AND THEY WERE UNINTERESTED IN ISSUING A SAFETY RECALL DESPITE THE EXTREME HAZARD LEAKING GASOLINE IN THE ENGINE POSES. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN TWO …

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FUEL LINES IN ENGINE LEAK IN COLD WEATHER. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD THAT I AND MULTIPLE OTHER SUBARU OWNERS THAT I KNOW HAVE HAD OCCURRING AND RECURRING. I CALLED SUBARU AND THEY WERE UNINTERESTED IN ISSUING A SAFETY RECALL DESPITE THE EXTREME HAZARD LEAKING GASOLINE IN THE ENGINE POSES. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN TWO DIFFERENT FUEL HOSES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.

NHTSA ODI #11057152

145,000 miles · May 25, 2017
Fuel/propulsion System

TAKATA RECALL MY CAR HAS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN WALKING UP TO THE CAR AFTER IT HAS SAT AND IT IS EVEN STRONGER WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF AFTER DRIVING. IN THE WARMER WEATHER THE SMELL HAS INCREASED.

NHTSA ODI #10991698

200,000 miles · Mar 16, 2015
Fuel/propulsion System

2002 SUBARU FORESTER. FOR THE PAST FEW WINTERS I HAVE NOTICED A VERY STRONG RAW GAS SMALL INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THE CAR IS IDLED, OR SITTING STILL AND THE TEMPERATURE IS 20 DEGREES F OR LOWER. OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING CONTRACTS BELOW THAT TEMPERATURE AND BY DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH I AM APPARENTLY NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSU…

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2002 SUBARU FORESTER. FOR THE PAST FEW WINTERS I HAVE NOTICED A VERY STRONG RAW GAS SMALL INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THE CAR IS IDLED, OR SITTING STILL AND THE TEMPERATURE IS 20 DEGREES F OR LOWER. OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING CONTRACTS BELOW THAT TEMPERATURE AND BY DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH I AM APPARENTLY NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. THE SMELL IS SO STRONG IT WILL GIVE YOU A HEADACHE. SO I JUST DON'T DRIVE THE CAR IF THE TEMPS ARE GOING TO BE BELOW 20F. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10694410

198,000 miles · Feb 6, 2014
Fuel/propulsion System

ON A VERY COLD MORNING WITH TEMPS IN THE TEENS, AFTER DRIVING THE CAR LESS THAN 10 MILES AND PARKING IT IN THE DRIVEWAY I NOTICED A STRONG RAW GAS SMELL. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW GAS LEAKING AROUND TWO METAL CLAMPS ON A SMALL RUBBER HOSE TO THE LEFT AND BELOW THE POWER STEERING FLUID CAP. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND SE…

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ON A VERY COLD MORNING WITH TEMPS IN THE TEENS, AFTER DRIVING THE CAR LESS THAN 10 MILES AND PARKING IT IN THE DRIVEWAY I NOTICED A STRONG RAW GAS SMELL. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW GAS LEAKING AROUND TWO METAL CLAMPS ON A SMALL RUBBER HOSE TO THE LEFT AND BELOW THE POWER STEERING FLUID CAP. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND SEEING HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS, WE WENT OUT ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AND TURNED ON THE ENGINE WITH THE HOOD UP AND WE COULD SEE THE GAS AROUND THE CLAMPS AFTER JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. WE TIGHTENED THE SCREWS ON THE CLAMPS, THEY WENT AT LEAST THREE TURNS EACH. HOPING THIS SOLVES THE PROBLEM SINCE LEAKING GASOLINE IN THE ENGINE AREA SEEMS PRETTY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10563314

44,220 miles · Nov 24, 2012
Fuel/propulsion System

FUEL LEAK UNDER THE HOOD. COULD NOT SEE ACTUAL LEAK BUT A STRONG FUEL ODOR FILLED THE VEHICLE UPON IDLING WITH THE HEATER ON. THIS ALSO HAPPEN TODAY AFTER DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE(~4 MILES) A STRONG FUEL ODOR WAS DETECTED UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE ODOR SEEM TO COME FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AREA ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485918

Official recalls

1

02V282000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 30, 2002

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM, THAT IS INTENDED TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE, MAY NOT ENGAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE COULD THEN MOVE/ROLL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION JANUARY 8, 2003. AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT DURING NOVEMBER 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

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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