Used car guide · 1997–2026

Subaru Forester common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Subaru Forester, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 48,011 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

48,011MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
19,278on the UK register
2019best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

202620252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997

What usually goes wrong with a Subaru Forester?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Subaru Forester in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Subaru Forester MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 6.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 16.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Wheel bearings

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013 and 2014.

    Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.

Diesel

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 5.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 23× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Ball joint

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Wheel bearings

    up to 5.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

    Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints

    up to 3.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Coil springs

    up to 2.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

Hybrid

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2019 and 2021.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

Subaru Forester MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2019 Subaru Forester did best (90% passed first time, 5 points above all 2019 cars) and the 2010 did worst (58%, 2 points below all 2010 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202293%89% +4282 (small sample)
202191%87% +41,470
202089%87% +2700
201990%85% +53,291
201885%83% +22,755
201783%80% +32,699
201677%77% +03,545
201574%74% +02,960
201471%70% +13,403
201369%67% +22,494
201264%64% +01,291
201163%62% +12,609
201058%60% -22,342
200958%59% -11,367
200861%57% +41,682
200762%57% +52,529
200660%56% +42,721
200562%57% +52,982
200463%57% +62,426
200360%57% +31,866
200261%58% +3835
200157%60% -3669
200058%61% -3512
199956%63% -7382 (small sample)
199864%65% -1199 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Subaru Forester

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 5.9× as often on the Subaru Forester as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 21× as often on the Subaru Forester as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.3× as often on the Subaru Forester as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Subaru Forester?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score