Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Forester, and it carries 12 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 22 | 29% |
| Air bags | 9 | 12% |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 9% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 8% |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 5% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 5% |
| Visibility | 4 | 5% |
| Power train | 2 | 3% |
| Structure | 1 | 1% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I had a family member driving an 2013 Subaru Forester all-wheel drive with a manual transition. The car had crash and rolled. The car at the most rolled twice and none of the air bags never deployed. I have photos of the
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an exc
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owned a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while idled in reverse with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated in reverse on its own, colliding with a deck, after which the vehicle shift
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
On 7/31/23 I was driving on the highway when I started to hear a knocking sound. I got off the highway and my car stalled at the light off the exit. I was able to restart it after three tries and get it about 50 ft to th
NHTSA complaint: Engine
While driving, the engine suddenly went dead with no warning. No lights came on no over heating signal, no warnings. Just gone. I could have been killed in other circumstances. Fortunately, I was going down hill in the
NHTSA complaint: Engine
I was driving on the highway and the oil light came on as well as a ticking noise and vibration throughout the car. The engine shut off and now will not start. There is plenty of oil, gas, and the battery is charged. The
NHTSA complaint: Engine
When the clutch is depressed the engine kills without indication anything is happening. All the dash lights come on and the power steering goes out. It has been happening repeatedly since last June. More frequently over
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
My 2013 Subaru Forester had some noise (grinding) from the rear passenger side brake pad. I set up an appointment to have it inspected later that week. I then used my car to run an errand several days later. I was d
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2013 Subaru Forester. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, Amer
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-
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, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mont
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-3
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 sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ma
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part.
Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer
| Reliability raw | 54 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 69 | good |
| Maintenance | 73 | good |
| Depreciation | 74 | good |
| Performance | 60 | average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 22 of them (29%). There are 12 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 54/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 69/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2013 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 65/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.