CarOutlay

2023 Subaru Forester reliability record

Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2023 Subaru Forester — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.

Source-verified · 2026NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Official source
NHTSA complaints
102
102 in the last 5 years
Top problem area
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
19 complaints
Recalls on record
1
see below
Reported harm
10 reported crashes · 6 injuries · 7 fires

How this record compares

raw NHTSA counts, not defect rates

Complaint rank

#4,113

of 4,194 vehicle records

Vs Subaru median

-80

median 182 across 97 Subaru records

Vs 2021-2025

-96

median 199 complaints in 350 records

Top component share

19%

Unknown Or Other: 19 complaints

Subaru hub Unknown Or Other

What owners report fails — 2023 Subaru Forester

  • UNKNOWN OR OTHER 19
  • VISIBILITY/WIPER 11
  • FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING 7
  • AIR BAGS 6
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6

1 recall on record for the 2023 Subaru Forester

  • NHTSA 23V754000 · 2024 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT A broken driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power while driving or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park withou
Look up these campaign numbers at NHTSA.gov →

Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2023 Subaru Forester

A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.

Open TCO calculator

These are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2023 Subaru Forester units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Subaru Forester reliable?

NHTSA has 102 consumer complaints on record for the 2023 Subaru Forester and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is unknown or other (19 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2023 Subaru Forester units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.

What are the most common problems with the 2023 Subaru Forester?

Owners most often report problems with: unknown or other (19), visibility/wiper (11), forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking (7), air bags (6). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

How much does it cost to own a 2023 Subaru Forester?

Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.

Related vehicles

Browse all vehicle reliability records →