2010 Subaru Forester Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

34Engine complaints

13%Of all 262 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

SEATS76 · 29%

AIR BAGS41 · 15.6%

ENGINE34 · 13%

SERVICE BRAKES28 · 10.7%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL24 · 9.2%

Share of the 262 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2010 Subaru Forester overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE…”NHTSA complaint 10913902 — filed 10/05/2016

“THE SUBARU FORESTER 2010 FAILED THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST PERFORMED BY SUBARU. THE CAUSE FROM A SUBARU BULLETIN STATES THAT THE #1 AND/OR #4 INTAKE…”NHTSA complaint 10873998 — filed 06/13/2016

“AFTER WORK, I GOT IN MY CAR AND STARTED IT UP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY TRACTION CONTROL AND TIRE PRESSURE LIGHTS. THIS…”NHTSA complaint 10780056 — filed 10/06/2015

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2010 Subaru Forester have engine problems?

Engine is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2010 Subaru Forester: 34 of 262 complaints on file (13%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2010 Subaru Forester have in total?

262 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.