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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 →
88Owner complaints

Model-year median: 131

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
131
199975
2000139
200188
2002189
2003219
200493
2005
Compare all Forester years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Vehicle Speed Control
23Power Train
16Engine And Engine Cooling
14Air Bags
10Service Brakes, Hydraulic
9
All reported categories
Suspension
9Fuel System, Gasoline
6Fuel/propulsion System
5Unknown Or Other
5Structure
3Engine
1Parking Brake
1Service Brakes
1Steering
1Tires
1Visibility
1Wheels
1

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 2004
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER PRESSED THE ACCELERATE PEDAL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP AND ACCELERATE AT THE SAME TIME. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THIS COULD BECOME A POTENTIAL DANGEROUS SITUATION. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED…

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WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER PRESSED THE ACCELERATE PEDAL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP AND ACCELERATE AT THE SAME TIME. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THIS COULD BECOME A POTENTIAL DANGEROUS SITUATION. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10103122

Mileage unknown · Nov 22, 2004
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE, HE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A MEDIAN WALL HEAD ON. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *JB *SC

NHTSA ODI #10099180

38,482 miles · Oct 25, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2002 SUBARU FORESTER S - DEALER CLAIMS THAT NORTHEAST CLIMATE (SALT & WET ROADS) WILL CORRODE DISC BRAKES, CAUSING PADS TO FAIL TO RETRACT COMPLETELY AND THEREFOR CONTINUOUSLY RUB ON THE ROTORS, HEATING THEM AND CAUSING WARPING. DEALER CLAIMS BRAKES SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND CLEANED EVERY 15,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER'S MAINTENANCE S…

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2002 SUBARU FORESTER S - DEALER CLAIMS THAT NORTHEAST CLIMATE (SALT & WET ROADS) WILL CORRODE DISC BRAKES, CAUSING PADS TO FAIL TO RETRACT COMPLETELY AND THEREFOR CONTINUOUSLY RUB ON THE ROTORS, HEATING THEM AND CAUSING WARPING. DEALER CLAIMS BRAKES SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND CLEANED EVERY 15,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE MAKES NO MENTION OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM. REPAIRS COST $600.00. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10096386

Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 2004
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

I ALMOST HAD A BAD ACCIDENT, AND I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN OUR SUBARU FORESTER. I CAME TO A RED LIGHT, BEGAN TO SLOW USING THE BRAKE, AND FOUND THE CAR TRYING TO SURGE AHEAD INTO THE PASSING TRAFFIC: MY FOOT HAD CONTACTED THE ACCELERATOR AS WELL AS THE BRAKE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT MY FOOT OF…

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I ALMOST HAD A BAD ACCIDENT, AND I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN OUR SUBARU FORESTER. I CAME TO A RED LIGHT, BEGAN TO SLOW USING THE BRAKE, AND FOUND THE CAR TRYING TO SURGE AHEAD INTO THE PASSING TRAFFIC: MY FOOT HAD CONTACTED THE ACCELERATOR AS WELL AS THE BRAKE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, BUT IT WAS A SCARY MOMENT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10091082

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND TECHNICIAN INDICATED VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY.*AK THE PROBLEM THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED WAS SIMILAR TO A REC…

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WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND TECHNICIAN INDICATED VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY.*AK THE PROBLEM THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED WAS SIMILAR TO A RECALL ISSUED FOR 1998 AND 1999 MODELS. AFTER THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED THE PROBLEM SUBSIDED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10063272

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2004
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

CONSUMER STATED BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE. SOMETIMES WHEN BRAKING THE DRIVER PRESSES THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, ALMOST RESULTING IN CRASHES. *AK *MR

NHTSA ODI #10053684

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2003
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE UNTIL CONSUMER PUSHES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10026322

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT FUNCTION, HAD TO USE HAND PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE. TS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10004154

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2002
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

WHEN PARKING AND BRAKES APPLIED VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. ON 27 JUNE 2002 WHILE PARKING VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD, BRAKES WERE APPLIED, AND VEHICLE HIT A POST, CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURY. VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8012861

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.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems

Subaru Forester transmission problems →Subaru Forester electrical problems →