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#BS-2004-SUBFOR-326B

2004 Subaru Forester

Based on reports from 270 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
270
Crashes
19
Fires
4
Recalls
2
TSBs
126
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 270 complaints, 19 crashes, 4 fires, and 2 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.4x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

turbo died

3 complaints • Severity 9.3/10

$X,XXX
2

sensor over gas tank failed

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
3

engine runs rough

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Fuel SystemHIGH

121 owners reported fuel system issues — failures commonly reported around 97K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

18
0–30K
36
30–60K
46
60–90K
46
90–120K
42
120–150K
36
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (46 reports) • Median: 97K 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: Fuel System (121 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

Fuel System121 (45%)
Engine30 (11%)
Suspension20 (7%)
Airbags19 (7%)
Speed Control10 (4%)
Other10 (4%)
Drivetrain9 (3%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine6 (2%)

2004 Subaru Forester: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 45% of all reports filed for the 2004 Subaru Forester, with 121 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 97,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 97K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2004 Subaru Forester, with 30 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2004 Subaru Forester, with 20 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2004 Subaru Forester, with 19 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-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

7
04
14
05
3
06
6
07
8
08
9
09
25
10
25
11
12
12
20
13
52
14
18
15
18
16
13
17
19
18
4
19
5
20
4
21
5
22
2
23
1
24

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Subaru Forester. Recent trend: decreasing.

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 (2 recalls)

04V473000Oct 2004

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE COVER BOLTS FOR THE ENGINE OIL CONTROL VALVE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED, ALLOWING OIL TO LEAK FROM AROUND THE COVER GASKET.

11V464000Dec 2011

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, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.

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.

2004 Subaru Forester vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD)

This vehicle

270

Class avg

112

2.4x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 4wd vehicles.

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. 270 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls 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 →

2004 Subaru Forester: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Subaru Forester is related to the fuel system, with 121 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2004 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2004 Subaru Forester has 270 complaints, 19 crash reports, and 4 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.4x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2004 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 2004 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
Yes, the 2004 Subaru Forester has 2 recalls 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 224 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 97,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K 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 270 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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