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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2011 Subaru Forester
Common Problems

Ranked from 68 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

2
Safety
1
High severity
2 problems on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

3 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Engine oil consumption

    54complaints
    High severityEngine

    Excessive oil consumption without warning lights, leading to potential engine failure.

    $400–$4,500est. oil-consumption repair (rings/pcv) · 3–14 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  2. 2

    Unintended acceleration

    20complaints
    Safety riskTransmission

    The vehicle accelerates suddenly without driver input, posing a risk of collision or injury.

  3. 3

    Engine smoke and fire

    7complaints
    Safety riskEngine

    The engine produces smoke and catches fire, potentially causing vehicle destruction.

Other years & sources

2010 Subaru Forester2016 Subaru Forester2017 Subaru Forester2018 Subaru Forester2019 Subaru Forester2020 Subaru Forester2021 Subaru Forester2022 Subaru ForesterAll NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.