2000 Subaru Forester: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 75 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (26% of complaints).
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
75
owner complaints
0
fire reports
82,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Among the quietest Forester years (#28 of 29 by complaints, age-adjusted)No fire reportsNo recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 82,000 mi)Weak spot: power train (26%)
Common problems
Computed from 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)26% · 19 complaints
Suspension (shocks, springs, ride quality)24% · 18 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)14% · 10 complaints
Tires11% · 8 complaints
Fuel System, Gasoline (fuel pump, tank, lines)7% · 5 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control (unintended acceleration, cruise control)5% · 4 complaints
“Tl-the contact owns a 2000 subaru forrester. The contact stated while driving 50 mph the vehicle started over heating. He pull to the side of the road and notice coolant coming from underneath of the vehicle. He notices the vehicle has a blown head gasket and leaking radiator coolant. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop who repaired the vehicle. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 85,000...mw”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Feb 2011
“Had 2000 subaru forester (83,000 mi) at dealer for inspection. Dealer notified us that car failed due to external head gasket leak. Dealer says there is oil dripping on the exhaust system and it is a fire hazard so unless we replace head gasket the car fails. Subaru previously acknowledged a defect with this 2.5l engine and had a campaign where the "fix" was adding a conditioner to the coolant. Obviously the "fix" didn't do the job and others out there are a risk of a catastrophic fire. *tr”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Apr 2010
“200 subaru forester blows head gasket for third time. Fixed twice under manufacturer's recall. Third time, subaru reports they will assist with half of payment because recall was discontinued in 2008. "repair" completed under recall, but wasn't really repaired. This consumer feels that I should not be responsible for any of this. Repair needs to be completed and stay repair at manufacturer's cost. *tr”Owner report · Equipment · Aug 2009
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* the contact owns a 2000 subaru forester. While driving 55 to 65 mph the engine began to over heat. A local mechanic stated that the head gasket cracked. The engine was replaced; however, the transmission has also failed. The contact is aware of the safety risk. The current mileage was 170,000 and the failure mileage was 169,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Aug 2009
“Tl* the contact owns a 2000 subaru forester. While driving between 35-55 mph the manual transmission slipped out of gear. He was able to continue vehicle operation. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle has not been inspected at this time. The failure mileage was 95,000. The current mileage was 101,000. Updated 1/14/10 *cn updated 01/15/10.*jb”Owner report · Power Train · Dec 2008
“Tl*the contact owns a 2000 subaru forester. While driving between 35-40 mph, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that there was an evaporation leak in the fuel filler pipe. The pipe and the valve were replaced at the cost of $315. The failure mileage was 46,792.”Owner report · Fuel System, Other · Aug 2008
“I have had to replace rear wheel bearing on my 2000 subaru forester 3 times right and left rear over the last four years. I see through online reading that this is a common complaint with the subaru and they have done nothing to fix the problem. Pressure needs to be put on them to remedy the situation. *tr”Owner report · Equipment · Feb 2008
“Fuel filler pipe and associated mounting and emissions hardware are rusted out. Check engine light is on and code retrieved is 0440. Danger of leaking fuel during fill up. *tr”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · Feb 2008
“If I place my 2000 subaru forrester into drive it will not move, it will sit there for several minutes until suddenly it jerks forward into gear. Place into reverse it works well, moves in reverse. Visit several reputable car repair forums online you will literally see hundreds of customers with these same problems posting from 2004-present. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Oct 2007
“10/19/04 right rear wheel bearing replaced on my 2000 subaru forester at 56,886 miles (previous maint performed on 3/2/04) at a cost of $324.40. Right rear wheel bearing replaced again on 4/2/07 at 88,569 miles at a cost of $331.86 (previous maint performed on 6/20/06). Replacing the rear wheel bearing 3 times in less than 100,000 miles? *tr”Owner report · Suspension · Apr 2007
When filing, owners marked a crash in 7 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2000 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
Body stylesSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
How other years compare
Check your exact Forester by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Subaru Forester reliable?
NHTSA has 75 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2000 Subaru Forester. The most complained-about area is power train (26% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2000 Subaru Forester problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 82,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.