Does the 2004 Subaru Forester have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2004 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 2004 Subaru Forester?

Owners have filed 219 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is fuel/propulsion system (63 complaints), followed by fuel system, gasoline (61).

How many 2004 Subaru Forester complaints mention a crash or fire?

13 of 219 complaints report a crash and 4 a fire; 8 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2004 Subaru Forester recalls and problems

2 recalls and 219 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Subaru Forester.

recalls

219

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.

2004 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.

Engine and engine cooling

NHTSA campaign 04V473000 · reported October 1, 2004 · SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. · 26 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the cover bolts for the engine oil control valve may not be sufficiently tightened, allowing oil to leak from around the cover gasket.
The risk: If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, a fire could result in the engine compartment.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and retighten the oil-flow control valve cover bolts. The recall began on october 8, 2004. Owners 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/propulsion system63
Fuel system, gasoline61
Suspension25
Engine23
Air bags21
Engine and engine cooling16
Power train12
Vehicle speed control12
Unknown or other9
Electrical system4

What owners report

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

Mar 28, 2024 · Fuel/propulsion system
leaking fuel lines under turbo in engine compartment when in cold weather

Jan 30, 2023 · Structure · 28,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and extended to the floor, causing the braking distance to be extended. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who discovered that the brake hoses had failed due to rusting and…

May 2, 2022 · Suspension · crash reported
My vehicle had a recall on the lower control arms that would rust and and break. That is exactly what happened while I was driving with my family. Control arm broke causing other parts to get destroyed. The fender breaks and other parts. The recall was performed before hand but it obviously wasn’t repaired correctly…

Mar 14, 2022 · Suspension
Bracket to the sway bar bushing fell off

May 24, 2021 · Suspension · 145,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while having a routine safety check performed on the vehicle, she learned that the lower control was completely rusted. The contact learned that the repair was covered under a special coverage. The contact stated that because the vehicle was not…

Forester model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
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
2007	1	74	13	1

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

Questions

Does the 2004 Subaru Forester have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2004 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 2004 Subaru Forester?: Owners have filed 219 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is fuel/propulsion system (63 complaints), followed by fuel system, gasoline (61).
How many 2004 Subaru Forester complaints mention a crash or fire?: 13 of 219 complaints report a crash and 4 a fire; 8 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received March 28, 2024.