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What 77 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Forester Wilderness

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (77)Crash / fire / injury (15)Engine (26)Airbags (13)Brakes (9)Speed control (7)Transmission & drivetrain (6)Visibility & wipers (5)Body & structure (4)Lights (4)Electrical system (3)Seat belts (3)

4 of 77 complaints match · Lights · clear filters

Nov 9, 2022Lights

The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the headlights and taillights became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who changed the taillight light bulbs approximately 10 times. The headlight light bulbs were replaced 4 times. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11492886

Dec 21, 2017Lights

SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE WE HAVE REPLACED THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT 6 TIMES. IN THIS SAME TIME PERIOD WE HAVE REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ONLY ONCE. THIS CONCERNS ME, AS IT MAKES ME THINK THERE IS A WIRING PROBLEM & A POSSIBILITY OF A MORE SEVERE PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11055843

Mar 9, 2017Lights

HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS 4 TIMES IN A YEAR. ONE TIME I HAD TO DRIVE HOME WITH JUST MY BRIGHTS ON BECAUSE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT BULBS BLOWN OUT AT THE SAME TIME.

NHTSA ODI 10959759

Feb 8, 2015Lights

REAR TAIL LIGHTS CONSTANTLY HAVE MOISTURE IN THEM. THEY SAY THIS WILL EVAPORATE WHEN IT WARMS UP. DOESN'T WARM UP IN WISCONSIN DURING LONG WINTERS - HELLO! *JS

NHTSA ODI 10681990

Working with the data? Download all 77 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Subaru Forester Wilderness verdict →