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2011 Subaru Forester problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
65% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2011 Subaru Forester are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 86% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 34 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 50%).
Does the 2011 Subaru Forester have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 73 of 113 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Subaru Forester concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (65%), and the largest group is filed under engine (60). For comparison, the 2010 scores 25% and the 2012 scores 46%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2011 compares with other Subaru Forester years
Of the 14 Subaru Forester years with enough complaints to score, the 2011 is the worst on engine and transmission share (65%). The best is the 2023 (16%). By volume, the 2011 drew 147 complaints (73 drivetrain), against 262 for the 2010 and 105 for the 2012.
Subaru Forester years to avoid and best years →
2010 Forester problems · 2011 · 2012 Forester problems · 2013 Forester problems · 2014 Forester problems · 2015 Forester problems · 2016 Forester problems · 2017 Forester problems · 2018 Forester problems · 2019 Forester problems · 2020 Forester problems · 2021 Forester problems · 2022 Forester problems · 2023 Forester problems
The rest of the picture on the 2011 Subaru Forester
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2011 Subaru Forester said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 73 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2011 Subaru Forester engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns on the 2011 Subaru Forester, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
16 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2011 Subaru Forester? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2011 Subaru Forester have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 73 of 113 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Subaru Forester concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (65%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Subaru Forester?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2011 Subaru Forester is engine: 60 of 147 complaints (41%) name it, followed by air bags (29) and service brakes (20). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2011 Subaru Forester reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 65% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 86% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Subaru Forester years we score, it ranks worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2011 Subaru Forester?
No. NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns on the 2011 Subaru Forester, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Subaru Forester years are better?
Among the Subaru Forester years we track, the 2018 (16%), the 2023 (16%) and the 2019 (18%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2011 (65%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/subaru-forester
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.