Most common 2005 Subaru Forester problems
Share of the 93 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Subaru Forester complaints by model year
Best Forester years: 2013, 2024. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020, 2017, 2015, 2018. Compare all years →
2005 Subaru Forester recalls (1)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 impreza, model year 2003-2008 forester, and model year 2005-2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured from September 5, 2000 through November 26, 2007 originally sold, or currently registered in, massachusetts, maryland, michigan, new hampshire, new york, pennsylvania, vermont,…
Remedy: Subaru will handle their vehicles and Saab will handle theirs. Dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2005 Subaru Forester:
Front suspension control arm failure
On September 6, 2011, Fuji Heavy Industries USA, Inc, on behalf of Subaru of America, Inc notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) it would be conducting a safety recall of certain model year (MY) 2002 through 2007 Subaru Impreza, MY 2003 through 2008 Subaru Forester, and MY 2005 through 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold or currently registered in one the salt belt states including the District of…
What 2005 Subaru Forester owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 22 →
Moved car 30' from gas pumps to air pump. Slowed to almost complete stop to move closer to air tank. Car accelerated at extremely high speed over curb, knocking over air pump. Car proceeded to smash through landscaping shrubs and hit a tree and nearby pole which stopped the car dead. Felt like a fighter plane pushed me. Entire incident probably lasted a minute. Air bags failed to deploy. Car was totaled. I suffered severe facial and othet bruising and have ongoing fatigue and am eadily winded.
During cold weather starts there is a significant fuel leak underneath the intake manifold, with gas pooling on top of the engine block, next to the turbo on the passenger side of the vehicle. There are several rubber gas hose connections between hard lines underneath the intake manifold and it seems the cold causes the rubber to shrink. This makes the hose clamps not effective enough to keep pressure on the lines and gas is seeping out from those connections (which are pressurized). With raw gas pooling not only on a hot engine block (close to several electrical connections) but also next to a very hot turbo on 2003-2005 Forester xt's which are factory equipped, this seems to pose a safety issue.
Suspension all 21 →
The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond to the steering wheel turning. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle decelerated but the front passenger's side of the vehicle was sliding. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger's side control arm had fractured, and the axle was damaged. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension), which he related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could assist because of the age of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop at approximately 25 MPH, the front passenger's side subframe emitted an abnormally loud sound, and the front passenger's side tire detached from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road where he noticed that the front passenger's side lower control arm was fractured. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer where it remained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 210,000.
Speed control & acceleration
Moved car 30' from gas pumps to air pump. Slowed to almost complete stop to move closer to air tank. Car accelerated at extremely high speed over curb, knocking over air pump. Car proceeded to smash through landscaping shrubs and hit a tree and nearby pole which stopped the car dead. Felt like a fighter plane pushed me. Entire incident probably lasted a minute. Air bags failed to deploy. Car was totaled. I suffered severe facial and othet bruising and have ongoing fatigue and am eadily winded.
I was backing up my 2005 Subaru Forester in a downtown, street-level corner parking lot. When I put my vehicle into reverse, a sudden unintended acceleration propelled my vehicle backwards across the parking lot, across a two-lane downtown street, up onto the opposite sidewalk and culminated in my vehicle crashing into a city light pole, which stopped the vehicle. I estimate I was traveling at 25-30 MPH when I hit the light pole. I missed two pedestrians by mere inches and fortunately missed hitting any other cars. I had my foot hard on the brake the entire 4-5 seconds of the incident, and almost broke the gear shift, madly trying to shift into park. My vehicle is totaled and I am totally freaked out by the entire nightmarish experience! This was a deadly sequence of events which easily could have changed my life and others' lives. I will never own another Subaru. …
2005 Subaru Forester engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 22 / 19 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Subaru Forester a good car?
Based on 93 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Forester rates better than average: 52% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Forester at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Subaru Forester?
The fuel & propulsion system — 22 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings. Next are the suspension (21) and speed control & acceleration (17).
How many recalls does the 2005 Subaru Forester have?
There is 1 recall for the 2005 Subaru Forester, the most recent from September 6, 2011 (lower arm). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Subaru Forester?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2020, 2017, 2015 and 2018. See the full Subaru Forester years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Subaru Forester problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 35% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.