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#BS-2002-SUBFOR-326B

2002 Subaru Forester

Based on reports from 109 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints
109
Crashes
29
Fires
1
Recalls
1
TSBs
117
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 109 complaints, 29 crashes, 1 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

blown head gasket

3 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

bad bearing

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

wheel bearing failure

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Speed ControlHIGH

20 owners reported speed control issues — failures commonly reported around 93K miles.

!Inspect the Power Train:automatic TransmissionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

14
0–30K
7
30–60K
7
60–90K
12
90–120K
3
120–150K
17
150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (17 reports) • Median: 93K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Speed Control (20 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Speed Control20 (18%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission13 (12%)
Fuel System9 (8%)
Suspension8 (7%)
Engine8 (7%)
Other5 (5%)
Air Bags:frontal4 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip4 (4%)

2002 Subaru Forester: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 2002 Subaru Forester, with 20 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 93,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 93K-mile mark.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2002 Subaru Forester, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2002 Subaru Forester, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2002 Subaru Forester, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

2
01
22
02
15
03
15
04
6
05
5
06
5
07
1
08
4
09
6
10
3
11
1
12
1
13
7
14
5
15
6
17
1
18
4
19

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Subaru Forester. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

02V282000Jan 2003

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Subaru Forester is the 2014 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2002 Subaru Forester vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD)

This vehicle

109

Class avg

124

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other sport utility vehicle - 4wd vehicles from 2002.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 109 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Subaru Forester Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
View all Subaru Forester years →

2002 Subaru Forester: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Subaru Forester is related to the speed control, with 20 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2002 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2002 Subaru Forester has 109 complaints, 29 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2002 Subaru Forester problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2002 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
Yes, the 2002 Subaru Forester has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Subaru Forester problems start?
Based on 60 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 93,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 109 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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