There are 2 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2005 Subaru Foresterin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM BROKE IN 2 EXACTLY AS PREDICTED BY THE RECALL NOTICE. SUBARU SAID THE RECALL HAD BEEN COMPLETED, MEANING THEY SPREAD SOME RUST INHIBITOR ON IT AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST. THEIR FINAL RESPONSE WAS THAT THE CAR WAS TOO 'OLD' TO OFFER ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 80K MILES AND NOTHING ELSE ON THE VEHICLE HAS BROKE IN HALF.
AFTER A SCRATCHY, METALLIC NOISE THAT APPEARED SUDDENLY IN THE LOWER FRONT, WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION,STEERING WAS CEASED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED. THIS RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS DECLARED AS A TOTAL LOSS.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026