Used car guide

2002 Subaru Forester: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2002 Subaru Foresters, from 223 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 223 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

223MOT tests in 2025
65%pass first time (all 2002 cars: 60%)
5,300typical miles a year
2.5×the usual rate for sub-frame

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2002 Subaru Foresters than on all cars registered in 2002.

  • Sub-frame2.5× usual
    Subaru Forester
    13.5% All 2002 cars
    5.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.9%, against 0.3% of all 2002 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

By area

The share of 2002 Subaru Forester MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    52% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    35% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    34% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    23% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    18% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    11% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022264Tyres 22%
2021738Tyres 24%
2020226Tyres 22%
20191,103Tyres 23%
2018921Suspension 23%
2017899Suspension 29%
20161,180Suspension 33%
2015982Suspension 36%
20141,125Suspension 41%
2013809Suspension 45%
2012410Suspension 53%
2011808Suspension 51%
2010690Suspension 58%
2009390Suspension 53%
2008515Suspension 54%
2007766Suspension 45%
2006805Suspension 45%
2005855Suspension 46%
2004702Suspension 46%
2003503Suspension 53%
2001191Suspension 47%
2000156Suspension 56%
1999103Suspension 57%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2002 Subaru Foresters registered in 2002. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score