The Lemon Index2005 Subaru Forester.
The 2005 Subaru Forester has too few complaints to score: 14 in its first 3 years. Owners complain most about speed control, it has 1 recall, and it gets 19 to 23 mpg combined. The best Subaru Forester year is 2013.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 93 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Subaru Forester year. 2005 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 40K to 132K miles on the car (79 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- suspension complaints mostly came at 80K–156K miles
Recalls 1
- suspension 2011
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 CURRE…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Government investigations
- ClosedFront suspension control arm failure2011
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2800–4200 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.5L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
First cold day, put on wiper de-icer. Pebble hit windshield at de-icer level and windshield cracked (1,800 miles on car).
2005 Subaru Forester owner · NHTSA complaint 10110219
More owner reports
My 2005 Subaru Forester suddenly accelerated on its own while my foot was on the brake. I had to push really hard on the brakes to avoid surging ahead into traffic.
NHTSA complaint 10116913
Quick answers
Is the 2005 Subaru Forester reliable?
There isn't enough data to score it: owners filed only 14 complaints in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2005 Subaru Forester problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are speed control (29%), visibility (14%) and electrical (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2005 Subaru Forester have?
1 safety recall (latest: suspension). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2005 Subaru Forester get?
19 to 23 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2005 Subaru Forester problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 40,000 and 132,400 miles. The middle report was at 80,000 miles, from 79 complaints.
Does the 2005 Subaru Forester have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2005 Subaru Forester cost in fuel a year?
About $2800 to $4200 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2005 Subaru Forester have?
2.5L 4-cyl.
What Subaru Forester year is better than the 2005?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2013, 2011 and 2012.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works