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U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Subaru FORESTER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

88 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

87,365 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 50 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 88 complaints (22.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2326.1%
Transmission and shifting1213.6%
Fuel system concerns66.8%
Engine operation55.7%
Steering behavior44.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Vehicle Speed Control
20
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
13
Suspension
8
Engine And Engine Cooling
7
Fuel/Propulsion System
5
Unknown Or Other
5
Air Bags
4
Air Bags:Frontal
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Vehicle Speed Control20
Power Train:Automatic Transmission13
Suspension8
Engine And Engine Cooling7
Fuel/Propulsion System5
Unknown Or Other5
Air Bags4
Air Bags:Frontal4

Vehicle Speed Control: 20; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 13; Suspension: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Fuel/Propulsion System: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Air Bags: 4; Air Bags:Frontal: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
9
25,000 to 49,999
8
50,000 to 74,999
7
75,000 to 99,999
5
100,000 to 149,999
8
150,000 and above
13
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0009
25,000 to 49,9998
50,000 to 74,9997
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,9998
150,000 and above13

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 13

150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 38 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2001
2
2002
18
2003
11
2004
10
2005
6
2006
5
2007
4
2008
1
2009
4
2010
5
2011
3
2012
1
2013
1
2014
4
2015
4
2017
5
2018
1
2019
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20012
200218
200311
200410
20056
20065
20074
20081
20094
20105
20113
20121
20131
20144
20154
20175
20181
20193

2001: 2; 2002: 18; 2003: 11; 2004: 10; 2005: 6; 2006: 5; 2007: 4; 2008: 1; 2009: 4; 2010: 5; 2011: 3; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 4; 2015: 4; 2017: 5; 2018: 1; 2019: 3

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10004154 · 2003-01-17 (January 17, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004154 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10026322 · 2003-07-01 (July 1, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026322 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009728 · 2003-03-17 (March 17, 2003)

PROBLEMS GETTING RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. *MR CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 02V-282 TO REPLACE FAILED TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM. CONSUMER HAS PROBLEM WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. THE NOTICE STATES REPAIRS WILL TAKE AN 1-1/2 HOUR, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP NEEDS VEHICLE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY AND WILL NOT AUTHORIZE A LOANER CAR FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. *TT *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009728 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10033238 · 2003-08-21 (August 21, 2003)

TRANSMISSION HESITATES FROM A DEAD STOP. YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENS FOR 2 SECONDS OR SO, THEN THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 21,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033238 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056208 · 2004-01-30 (January 30, 2004)

CAR HESITATES THEN LURCHES FORWARD AFTER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE THEN HESTIATES AS IF LOSING POWER. HAD THE SAME PROBELEM IN AUGUST OF 2003 AND DEALER RESET THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER AND SAID NO PROBLEM. DEALER TRIED TO HAVE ME PAY FOR A FUEL INJECTOR CLEANING SERVICE THIS TIME. CAR HAS 29,000 MILES. I SPOKE A ANOTHER CUSTOMER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOTICED THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB SITE. SHOULDN'T THIS MATTER BE LOOKED AT FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL?

Owner-reported narrative. 29,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056208 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10215725 · 2008-01-22 (January 22, 2008)

DURING A VERY COLD DAY I FELT VERY STRONG GASOLINE SMELL RIGHT AFTER START IN MY 2002 SUBARU FORESTER S. I LOOKED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND I SAW GASOLINE O ONE OF THE RUBBER HOSES CONNECTING 2 FUEL LINES. THE SMELL DISAPPEARED AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED UP, BUT REAPPEARED AFTER THE CAR STAYED OUTSIDE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. THE CAR DID THE SAME THING A FEW YEARS AGO DURING VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. AT THAT TIME, THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS HOLDING THE RUBBER HOSE. RUBBER HOSE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10215725 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10130903 · 2005-08-01 (August 1, 2005)

THERE WAS NOT ANY WARNING OR INDICATION PRIOR TO THE VEHICLES FAILURE AND ALL SCHEDULE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED AND UP TO DATE. WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON OUR 2002 SUBARU FORESTER WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES AN HOUR. THE ONLY INDICATION OF THE FAILURE WAS A SUDDEN RISE IN RPMS ON THE TACHOMETER FOLLOWED BY THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. WE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND HAD TO INCH OUR WAY ALONG THE FREEWAY SHOULDER TO THE NEAREST OFF RAMP AND PROCEEDED SEVERA…

Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130903 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10314018 · 2010-02-24 (February 24, 2010)

INTERMITTENT ENGINE SURGING AND/LOSS OF POWER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 109,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314018 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10563314 · 2014-02-06 (February 6, 2014)

ON A VERY COLD MORNING WITH TEMPS IN THE TEENS, AFTER DRIVING THE CAR LESS THAN 10 MILES AND PARKING IT IN THE DRIVEWAY I NOTICED A STRONG RAW GAS SMELL. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW GAS LEAKING AROUND TWO METAL CLAMPS ON A SMALL RUBBER HOSE TO THE LEFT AND BELOW THE POWER STEERING FLUID CAP. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND SEEING HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS, WE WENT OUT ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AND TURNED ON THE ENGINE WITH THE HOOD UP AND WE COULD SEE THE GAS AROUND THE CLAMPS AFTER JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. WE TIGHTENED THE SCREWS ON THE CLAMPS,…

Owner-reported narrative. 198,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10563314 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10643067 · 2014-10-07 (October 7, 2014)

AFTER PURCHASING A 2002 SUBARU FORESTER, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME PRIOR TO NOTICING THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FEEL LOOSE AND UNSTABLE WHILE STEERING, AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO ONE SIDE WHILE ACCELERATING AND BRAKING. AFTER NOTICING THE INSTABILITY AND SWAYING ACTION, I CONDUCTED CURSORY INSPECTIONS OF THE FRONT END AND SUSPENSION AREAS OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT OF INSPECTIONS, I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE UNDERCARRIAGE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON 20 SEPTEMBER 2014, WITHOUT WAR…

Owner-reported narrative. 170,701 miles reported. Look up ODI 10643067 at NHTSA ↗