2002 Subaru Forester

Documented records held locally from official US and Canadian sources. Each record shows its official identifier so it can be confirmed at the source; nothing here is a score or a prediction.

Vehicle coverage

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Coverage held for this vehicle

  • OFFICIAL ACTION 1 US Recalls
  • MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION 128 Manufacturer Bulletins
  • INVESTIGATION 0 Investigations
  • CONSUMER REPORT 88 Consumer Complaints
  • CANADIAN RECALL 1 Canada Recalls

These are counts of distinct official records held locally. They are not combined into any score, and a record count is not a failure rate. A zero means no record is held here, not that none exists.

US Recalls

NHTSA Recall US

  • 02V282000 2002-10-30

    Recall 02V282000

    CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM, THAT IS INTENDED TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE, MAY NOT ENGAGE.

    Recorded model years: 2002

A further 44 records exist for the Subaru Forester where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

Campaign applicability can depend on build date, equipment and market, and a remedy may already have been completed. Confirm any campaign against the official record using the VIN.

Manufacturer Bulletins

NHTSA Manufacturer Communication US

  • 11034249 2026-06-12

    SubaruNet Annoucement (E

    This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.

    Recorded model years: 2002

  • 11033069 2026-05-18

    01-167-08R

    This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.

    Recorded model years: 2002

  • 11033056 2026-05-04

    SubaruNet Announcement (R

    This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.

    Recorded model years: 2002

Showing 3 of 128 records held. The full set is available from the official source named above.

A further 1,726 records exist for the Subaru Forester where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

A manufacturer communication is service guidance issued to dealers. It is not a safety recall, and its existence does not mean this vehicle has the described condition.

Investigations

NHTSA Investigation US

No matching records were found in the currently integrated dataset. This does not mean none exist for this vehicle — always check the official source using the VIN.

See all model years Go to the Subaru Forester page

A further 3 records exist for the Subaru Forester where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

An investigation records that a regulator reviewed a suspected defect. It is not itself a finding of defect and not a recall.

Canada Recalls

Transport Canada Recall CA

  • 2002200 2002-11-05

    Transport Canada recall 2002200

    On certain vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions, the parking pawl actuating rod ("parking rod") spring retainer may be defective. The parking pawl may not engage the parking gear fully and could cause the vehicle to move if the parking brake is not applied. Correction: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Replacement parts will not be available until…

    Recorded model years: 2002

A further 32 records exist for the Subaru Forester where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

Canadian campaigns are recorded separately from US campaigns and do not imply one another.

Consumer Complaints

NHTSA Complaint US

88 complaint records in the dataset for this vehicle and year.

Outcomes stated in those reports

  • reports mentioning a crash 21
  • reports mentioning a fire 1
  • reported injuries 8

Outcomes as stated by the person who filed the report. They are not verified, not adjudicated, and carry no exposure denominator, so they cannot be turned into a rate.

By system

  • Speed control & accelerator23 (21.1%)
  • Powertrain (transmission & drivetrain)18 (16.5%)Official recall records for this system: 6, covering model years 2002–2024.
  • Engine12 (11.0%)Official recall records for this system: 7, covering model years 2004–2024.
  • Brakes11 (10.1%)Official recall records for this system: 7, covering model years 1998–2016.
  • Fuel system11 (10.1%)Official recall records for this system: 4, covering model years 2018–2026.
  • Air bags (restraint system)10 (9.2%)Official recall records for this system: 22, covering model years 2006–2018.
  • Suspension9 (8.3%)Official recall records for this system: 5, covering model years 2003–2019.
  • Body & structure3 (2.8%)Official recall records for this system: 3, covering model years 1998–2026.

Other / uncategorized: 5 classifications (4.6%) were not assigned to a specific system by the source. They are counted but not treated as an issue area.

A single report can name several systems, so these figures overlap and must not be added together — their sum is larger than the report total above.

A further 6,461 complaint records exist for this vehicle where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

These are owner-submitted allegations, not confirmed defects. Counts are record counts in the dataset. No exposure denominator exists, so no failure rate or reliability score can be derived from them.

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