2010 Subaru Forester: common problems and reliability

The 2010 Subaru Forester has 262 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 17 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are seats and air bags. Owners most often flag cvt transmission longevity concerns — concerns about long-term reliability beyond 100,000 miles, with strong owner consensus recommending proactive fluid changes every 30,000-60,000 miles despite some manufacturer guidance. frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2010 model year

262
Owner complaints
17
Recalls
21
Crash reports
6
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2010 Subaru Forester vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

seats
76
air bags
42
service brakes
38
engine
34
vehicle speed control
24

Recalls affecting the 2010 Forester

air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Campaign 19V007000

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, G…

air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Campaign 19V009000

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Col…

air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Campaign 19V008000

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, A…

air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Campaign 20V003000

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, …

What owners say across generations

Overwhelmingly positive sentiment across multiple generations, with the Forester consistently praised for its practicality, safety, all-weather capability, and long-term reliability when properly maintained. Owners express deep satisfaction with the vehicle's

  • CVT transmission longevity concerns — Concerns about long-term reliability beyond 100,000 miles, with strong owner consensus recommending proactive fluid changes every 30,000-60,000 miles despite some manufacturer guidance. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Infotainment system glitches — Occasional screen freezes, slow response, or connectivity issues. Noted as an annoyance but not a dealbreaker. Frequency: recurrent.
  • Windshield/glass cracking — Described as an "Achilles' heel"; prone to cracks and chips, necessitating comprehensive glass insurance. Frequency: recurrent.
  • Front control arm bushing wear — Bushings reported to fail relatively early, sometimes between 60,000-100,000 miles, affecting ride quality. Frequency: recurrent.
  • Oil consumption — Some models, particularly older generations, noted to consume more oil than average, requiring monitoring between changes. Frequency: recurrent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Forester.

Typical used price

Used Forester listings typically run $14,131–$28,173 across 2012 to 2026 model years.

Other Forester model years

2025 Forester2024 Forester2021 Forester2018 Forester2016 Forester2012 Forester2011 Forester2007 Forester2005 Forester2002 Forester1998 Forester
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