Recalls ·2003 Subaru Forester AWD

2003 Subaru Forester AWD recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2003 Subaru Forester AWD; the most frequently affected component is suspension — lower arm. Owners filed 191 complaints, most often about suspension. Among the 25 model years of this model in the database, 2003 ranks #6 for number of recalls.

Recalls3
Complaints191
Crashes reported3in stored complaints

Check your own vehicle by VIN at NHTSA →

Recalls (3)

Suspension — Lower armCampaign 11V464000 · 06 Sep 2011

Problem: Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 impreza, model year 2003-2008 forester, and model year 2005-2006 saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured from september 5, 2000 through november 26, 2007 originally sold, or currently registered in, massachusetts, maryland, michigan, new hampshire, new york, pennsylvania, vermont, wisconsin, connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, maine, minnesota, missouri, new jersey, ohio, rhode island, west virginia and the district of columbia. The front lower control arms may break at the hanger brackets due to corrosion if the hanger bracket is exposed to salty and humid environments such as roads containing snow melting agent.

Risk: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will handle their vehicles and saab will handle theirs. Dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during december 2011. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

Seat belts — Buckle assemblyCampaign 03V047000 · 20 Feb 2003

Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the left and right front seat belt buckle/latch assemblies were improperly manufactured.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the front seat belts could unlatch, which could result in personal injury to the seat occupant.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right front seat belt buckle/latch assemblies. Owner notification began february 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

Power train — Automatic transmissionCampaign 02V282000 · 30 Oct 2002

Problem: Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, may not engage.

Risk: The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

What owners complain about

Share of the 40 most recent complaints stored for this model year, by component. Owners can list more than one component.

Suspension15 · 38%
Fuel/propulsion system11 · 28%
Structure6 · 15%
Unknown or other4 · 10%
Engine4 · 10%
Steering3 · 8%
Vehicle speed control2 · 5%
Fuel system1 · 2%

When complaints were filed

201510
20166
20176
20185
20192
20201
20215
20222
20231
20252

From owner complaints

Safety Recall: WVX34 NHTSA Campaign: 11V464000 The front lower passenger side control arm completely rusted in half. It occurred while parking vehicle, fortunately not driving at high speed. The recall was previously completed by Subaru dealership in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2011. According to service records, they had…

Steering · Dec 2021 · NHTSA complaint record

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru forester. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle during cold weather, an odor of fuel was present inside the vehicle. The failure would only occur in temperatures below 25 degrees. The vehicle was taken to neil huffman subaru dealer located at 4916 dixie hwy, louisville,…

Fuel system · Dec 2017 · NHTSA complaint record

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru forester. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, the contact was notified that the front suspension had severe corrosion and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the lower control arms was corroded. The vehicle was previously repaired…

Suspension · Dec 2015 · NHTSA complaint record

The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle and the contact became aware that the power steering was not functioning properly. After a visual inspection of the exterior of the vehicle, the…

Suspension · Jul 2023 · NHTSA complaint record

How this year compares

Recalls per model year for this model.

Related pages

Source

Recall and complaint records from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A recall listed here may not apply to every vehicle of this model year — always check your VIN with NHTSA or a dealer.