Does the 2005 Subaru Forester have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2005 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 2005 Subaru Forester?

Owners have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is suspension (21 complaints), followed by vehicle speed control (17).

How many 2005 Subaru Forester complaints mention a crash or fire?

15 of 93 complaints report a crash and 1 a fire; 11 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2005 Subaru Forester recalls and problems

1 recall and 93 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2005 Subaru Forester.

recalls

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.

2005 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.

Most reported problems

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

Suspension21
Vehicle speed control17
Fuel/propulsion system14
Fuel system, gasoline8
Engine and engine cooling7
Air bags5
Power train5
Service brakes4
Structure4
Electrical system3

What owners report

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

May 4, 2023 · Suspension · 175,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond to the steering wheel turning. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle decelerated but the front passenger's side of the vehicle was sliding. The contact was able to veer to the…

Mar 28, 2023 · Air bags · crash reported
Moved car 30’ from gas pumps to air pump. Slowed to almost complete stop to move closer to air tank. Car accelerated at extremely high speed over curb, knocking over air pump. Car proceeded to smash through landscaping shrubs and hit a tree and nearby pole which stopped the car dead. Felt like a fighter plane pushed…

Mar 22, 2023 · Power train · 183,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not…

Feb 7, 2023 · Unknown or other
A part of the front frame was recalled because of rusting and was breaking on 3-20-12 they put a rust proof on the part knowing it would only last a few years instead of replacing the parts. The part is broken and they say the recall was complete but really they only put a bandaid on a serous problem knowing it…

Oct 13, 2022 · Suspension · 210,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop at approximately 25 MPH, the front passenger's side subframe emitted an abnormally loud sound, and the front passenger's side tire detached from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able…

Forester model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
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
2008	1	50	5	3

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

Questions

Does the 2005 Subaru Forester have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2005 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 2005 Subaru Forester?: Owners have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is suspension (21 complaints), followed by vehicle speed control (17).
How many 2005 Subaru Forester complaints mention a crash or fire?: 15 of 93 complaints report a crash and 1 a fire; 11 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received May 4, 2023.