YearToAvoid

2009 Subaru Forester Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA has 19 owner complaints about body and structure problems in the 2009 Subaru Forester, 11% of all 178 complaints for this model year. That is #9 highest body and structure complaint count among 21 Forester model years. These complaints report 1 crash. Median mileage at failure: 69,000 miles.

Structure & Body complaints
19
11% of 178
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
69,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2009 Subaru Forester body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 19, 2009, latest May 22, 2021.

2009 Subaru Forester structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month2Jan 2009Jun 2009Mar 2013Mar 2015Dec 2015May 2016May 2017Oct 2018
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2009 to May 2021; peak Mar 2013 (2).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2009 Subaru Forester

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Structure & Body complaints by Forester model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20054 (4%)
  2. 20069 (10%)
  3. 20074 (5%)
  4. 20084 (8%)
  5. 200919 (11%)
  6. 201081 (31%)
  7. 201113 (9%)
  8. 20126 (6%)
  9. 20134 (5%)
  10. 201442 (10%)
  11. 201543 (7%)
  12. 201634 (8%)
  13. 201749 (8%)
  14. 201844 (9%)
  15. 201929 (3%)
  16. 202020 (3%)
  17. 20214 (2%)
  18. 20223 (3%)
  19. 20236 (8%)
  20. 20242 (7%)
  21. 20253 (3%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Subaru Forester have body and structure problems?
NHTSA has 19 owner complaints about the body and structure in the 2009 Subaru Forester, 11% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 69,000 miles.
Which Subaru Forester year has the most body and structure complaints?
The 2010 Subaru Forester has the most body and structure complaints (81), compared with 19 for the 2009.
Is there a body and structure recall for the 2009 Subaru Forester?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Subaru Forester is classified under structure & body. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.