Subaru Forester problems

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Subaru Forester is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

On the NHTSA data, the 2008 Subaru Forester does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 8.0/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is suspension, with 11 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 128,171 miles. Average repair cost runs about $900 at an independent shop.

The suspension is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $900 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 128,171 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 50 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $900, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.