2010 Subaru Forester: engine and transmission complaints
NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
25%
53 of 212 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2010 Subaru Forester. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 25% of relevant complaints.
Better than 79% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 50 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 20%).
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
What owners reported
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL02/25/2011CRASH1 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED BACKWARD, CRASHING INTO A BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND A BYSTANDER WAS REPORTED AS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VE…
ENGINE12/09/2025
The engine in my 2010 Subaru Forester (VIN: [XXX] ) suffered a sudden and complete mechanical failure on November 15, 2025. While driving, the vehicle abruptly lost power without any warning lights or messages. I was able to pull off the roadway, but the loss of power posed a significant safety risk. Had this occurred …
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE07/14/2025
In brief: I purchased a used 2010 Subaru Forester in Nov. 2022. Because the vehicle gave me many problems, I decided to purchase another vehicle. In June 2025 I went to Fred Beans in Mechanicsburg, PA. They ran a Car Fax on my 2010 Subaru & found, among other things, the odometer of my 2010 Subaru had potentially been …
Three of 53 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (17)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sol…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2010 Subaru Forester
No elevated drivetrain pattern for this model year. That describes the model, not the car in front of you.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose.
17 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
