RecallMyCar

2002 Subaru Forester Recalls, Complaints & Specs

1 safety recall lists the 2002 Subaru Forester, and owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

1
safety recall
88
owner complaints to NHTSA
21 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire
21
MPG combined (EPA)

1 safety recall for the 2002 Subaru Forester

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Automatic transmission (power train)

    NHTSA 02V282000 Reported 172,564 vehicles potentially affected SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

    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.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized…

88 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 Subaru Forester have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA; 21 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 8 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 91,637 miles. Complaints peaked in 2002 with 18 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“I was driving i was making a right hand turn from one road to another and i hit a slight bump and then the whole thing starts swaying only to find out that my rear subframe completely rotted out and d”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 26, 2019 · Suspension

“The subframe completely fell off my car. This is my second subaru is has happened to i had to scrap the first one. I didn't notice it till i came home, i checked it because it was driving funny.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 18, 2019 · Unknown or other

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2002 Subaru Forester (Forester AWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined21 mpg
City / Highway19 / 25
FuelRegular
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine4 cyl, 2.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Subaru Forester model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Subaru Forester model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1998 Subaru Forester1101
1999 Subaru Forester1131
2000 Subaru Forester075
2001 Subaru Forester0139
2002 Subaru Forester188
2003 Subaru Forester3189
2004 Subaru Forester2219
2005 Subaru Forester193
2006 Subaru Forester288
2007 Subaru Forester174
2008 Subaru Forester150
2009 Subaru Forester17178
2010 Subaru Forester17262
2011 Subaru Forester16147
2012 Subaru Forester15105
2013 Subaru Forester1277
2014 Subaru Forester2403
2015 Subaru Forester3615
2016 Subaru Forester3415
2017 Subaru Forester1587
2018 Subaru Forester3498
2019 Subaru Forester3833
2020 Subaru Forester0601
2021 Subaru Forester0209
2022 Subaru Forester198
2023 Subaru Forester174
2024 Subaru Forester229
2025 Subaru Forester396
2026 Subaru Forester324

Checking a specific 2002 Subaru Forester

How do I know if my 2002 Subaru Forester has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2002 Subaru Forester; your car may already have been repaired under it.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Subaru dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V282000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Subaru models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.