2002 Subaru Forester power train problems
16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2002 Subaru Forester — 18% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“After purchasing a 2002 subaru forester, the vehicle was driven for a very short period of time prior to noticing that the front end of the vehicle began to feel loose and unstable while steering, and the vehicle began to pull to one side while accelerating and braking. After noticing the…”
filed Oct 7, 2014
“When parking vehicle in garage, engine revved and car drove forward causing damage to car and garage even though car had been placed into park. *jb”
filed Mar 5, 2007
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE…Campaign 02V282000 · Oct 30, 2002
Related service bulletins
This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
SubaruNet Announcement (R · Other · issued May 4, 2026This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.
03-97-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
Power Train problems in other Forester years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Forester | 4 | 5% |
| 2023 Forester | 4 | 5% |
| 2022 Forester | 4 | 4% |
| 2021 Forester | 14 | 7% |
| 2020 Forester | 30 | 5% |
| 2019 Forester | 38 | 5% |
| 2018 Forester | 23 | 5% |
| 2017 Forester | 44 | 8% |
| 2016 Forester | 49 | 12% |
| 2015 Forester | 95 | 15% |
| 2014 Forester | 41 | 10% |
| 2013 Forester | 6 | 8% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2002 Subaru Forester
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.