Does the 2003 Subaru Forester have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2003 Subaru Forester, the most recent reported on September 6, 2011 (Suspension: front, control arm, lower arm). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Subaru Forester?

Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is fuel system, gasoline (31 complaints), followed by fuel/propulsion system (26).

How many 2003 Subaru Forester complaints mention a crash or fire?

17 of 189 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 9 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2003 Subaru Forester recalls and problems

3 recalls and 189 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Subaru Forester.

recalls

189

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2003 Subaru Forester recalls

Suspension: front, control arm, lower arm

NHTSA campaign 11V464000 · reported September 6, 2011 · SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. · 318,215 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 impreza, model year 2003-2008 forester, and model year 2005-2006 saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured from september 5, 2000 through november 26, 2007 originally sold, or currently registered in, massachusetts, maryland, michigan, new hampshire, new york, pennsylvania, vermont, wisconsin, connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, maine, minnesota, missouri, new jersey, ohio, rhode island, west virginia and the district of columbia. The front lower control arms may break at the hanger brackets due to corrosion if the hanger bracket is exposed to salty and humid environments such as roads containing snow melting agent.
The risk: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Subaru will handle their vehicles and saab will handle theirs. Dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during december 2011. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

Seat belts: front, buckle assembly

NHTSA campaign 03V047000 · reported February 20, 2003 · SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. · 326 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the left and right front seat belt buckle/latch assemblies were improperly manufactured.
The risk: In the event of a crash, the front seat belts could unlatch, which could result in personal injury to the seat occupant.
The fix: Dealers will replace the left and right front seat belt buckle/latch assemblies. Owner notification began february 19, 2003. 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.

Power train: automatic transmission

NHTSA campaign 02V282000 · reported October 30, 2002 · SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. · 172,564 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Fuel system, gasoline31
Fuel/propulsion system26
Air bags25
Suspension22
Engine and engine cooling19
Structure19
Vehicle speed control15
Engine12
Service brakes, hydraulic10
Power train9

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Aug 23, 2025 · Unknown or other
I bought a used vehicle and looked at it and they erased the codes I saw then erased it then I confronted them and was told nothing is wrong with the vehicle after telling them there is a recall on the suspension. Went to go get a alignment and was told it's severely unsafe to drive and the subframe is about to snap!…

May 23, 2025 · Electrical system · 220,251 miles
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while investigating the vehicle mileage at […] , it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 21,084; however, the contact later discovered…

Dec 7, 2023 · Suspension · 117,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle and the contact became aware that the power steering was not functioning properly. After a visual inspection of the exterior of the vehicle, the…

Aug 18, 2022 · Suspension · 105,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where an inspection was performed but nothing was replaced. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speed, the lower control arm cracked…

Feb 11, 2022 · Suspension
The 2003 Subaru Forester Sub Frame is rusted. I live in Illinois.

Forester model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2000	0	75	7	0
2001	0	139	31	0
2002	1	88	21	1
2003	3	189	17	0
2004	2	219	13	4
2005	1	93	15	1
2006	2	88	12	7

Across all years, the 2019 Forester has the most complaints (834). All Subaru Forester years →

Questions

Does the 2003 Subaru Forester have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2003 Subaru Forester, the most recent reported on September 6, 2011 (Suspension: front, control arm, lower arm). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Subaru Forester?: Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is fuel system, gasoline (31 complaints), followed by fuel/propulsion system (26).
How many 2003 Subaru Forester complaints mention a crash or fire?: 17 of 189 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 9 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received August 23, 2025.