2023 Subaru Forester: engine and transmission complaints
NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
16%
10 of 62 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2023 Subaru Forester. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 16% of relevant complaints.
Better than 92% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 11 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 14%).
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
What owners reported
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN07/19/2026
Tires are wearing badly on the inside edge only. Suspension and drive train components make noise during normal operation.
ENGINE06/10/2026FIRE
Vehicle caught fire after oil change. Oil leaked from engine onto catalytic converter and causes catastrophic engine fire
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM03/20/2026
Vehicle suffered a major oil leak at under 60k miles. My low oil light didn’t turn on but I was actually extremely low on oil. The dealer confirmed the issue and had to replace multiple components related to the oil filter, caps, etc. If I hadnt noticed/waited any longer I would have had no oil in my car at all.
Three of 10 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 (1)
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek, Impreza, 2023-2024 Forester, and 2023 WRX vehicles. The front driveshaft assemblies' outer race may…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2023 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.
1 recall campaign 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. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.