2004 Subaru Forester Suspension Problems

NHTSA component category: SUSPENSION · data through 07/12/2026

20Suspension complaints

9.1%Of all 219 complaints

#4Most-reported category

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

How suspension ranks on this vehicle

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM63 · 28.8%

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE58 · 26.5%

ENGINE23 · 10.5%

SUSPENSION20 · 9.1%

AIR BAGS19 · 8.7%

Share of the 219 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Subaru Forester overview page.

What owners report

“BACKING OUT OF DRIVE WAY, LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED, TEARING THE CV JOINT OUT. UPON INSPECTION THE CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED THROUGH AT IT'S JOINT.”NHTSA complaint 10433133 — filed 10/28/2011

“A REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED ON OUR 2004 SUBARU FORRESTER XT. WE HAVE HEARD A SOUND ON AGAIN AND OFF AGAIN A FEW MONTHS…”NHTSA complaint 10267247 — filed 04/29/2009

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

Suspension complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 Subaru Forester have suspension problems?

Suspension is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2004 Subaru Forester: 20 of 219 complaints on file (9.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2004 Subaru Forester have in total?

219 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 13 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's suspension category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SUSPENSION 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 07/12/2026.