2010 Subaru Forester Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
40/100
#10 most-complained of 16 Forester years
The 2010 Subaru Forester has a Complaint Index of 40 and ranks 10th worst of 16 model years, earning a
- Complaints
- 259
- Recalls
- 17
- Crashes / fires
- 21 / 6
- Injuries / deaths
- 9 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 20 city / 26 hwy
Top 2010 Subaru Forester problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Structure & Body81 (31%)
- Engine58 (22%)
- Airbags42 (16%)
- Brakes39 (15%)
- Electrical System15 (6%)
- Fuel System13 (5%)
- Other12 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (3%)
- Visibility & Wipers8 (3%)
- Transmission & Powertrain7 (3%)
What owners report
- Owners describe unintended acceleration when shifting into reverse, sometimes crashing into buildings or trees.
- Some drivers reported the vehicle lurching backward or forward from a stop, overriding the brakes.
- Ignition-related stalling was reported, including one case where the vehicle failed to recognize the key and stalled while going uphill.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy properly in some crashes, or deployed with the inflator shattering.
- Electrical issues included popping sounds, a burning plastic smell, and a burned wheel well near the spare tire.
- Heated seats were reported to become extremely hot, with one case producing a fire near the driver's seat.
2010 Subaru Forester recalls
17 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V838000Nov 10, 2022Seat Belts16 vehicles
Seat belts
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles. The front seat belt assembly force-limiter may not operate correctly in the event of a crash.
Risk: The seat belt assembly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRJ-22.
- NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
2010 Subaru Forester fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 26 MPG
- Combined
- 22 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2010 compared with other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Subaru Forester a good year?
- NHTSA data gives the 2010 Forester a Complaint Index of 40 and ranks it 10th worst of 16 model years, which is labeled 'Good' relative to other Forester years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Subaru Forester?
- Structure & Body complaints lead with 81 complaints (31% share), followed by Engine (58 complaints, 22%), Airbags (42 complaints, 16%), and Brakes (39 complaints, 15%).
- Does the 2010 Subaru Forester have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 17 recalls for the 2010 Forester, covering seat belts, airbags, and the electrical system, including multiple passenger airbag inflator replacement campaigns.
- At what mileage do 2010 Forester problems typically show up?
- Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 66,483 miles, though Structure & Body issues show a median of 78,569.5 miles and Engine issues 71,662 miles.
- How does the 2010 Forester compare to other years?
- The 2010 model's Complaint Index of 40 is lower than 2015 (87), 2019 (100), and 2020 (93), all rated 'Avoid,' but higher than 2011-2013, which rank 'Best.'