At a glance

Reported mileage51,156 mi

LocationNc, USA

ColorBlue

Last listed price$6,700

Open recalls1

Vehicle identity & specifications

Make

Subaru

Model

Forester

Year

2008

Trim

2.5 X

Body style

Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]

Vehicle type

PASSENGER CAR

Engine

2.5L

Drivetrain

AWD/All-Wheel Drive

Transmission

Automatic

Doors

4

Assembly plant

OTA, GUNMA, JAPAN

Manufacturer

SUBARU CORPORATION

What's a 2008 Subaru Forester worth?

What comparable 2008 Subaru Forester vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.

Low

$4,100

Typical price

$7,036

High

$9,700

Most 2008 Subaru Forester listings fall between $4,100 and $9,700, from 26 comparable cars.

Is the seller's price fair? Get this exact VIN's current market value — retail, trade-in & loan value — in the full report.

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MPG & running costs

Official U.S. EPA fuel-economy estimates for the 2008 Subaru Forester.

Combined21 mpg

City19 mpg

Highway25 mpg

Est. annual fuel cost$3,250

FuelRegular

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. EPA estimates for this year/make/model; actual mileage varies by trim and driving conditions.

Full vehicle history report

$14.99 USD · one-time

What a full report checks for VIN JF1SG63638H714280

⚠️ 1 open safety recall — shown above, free 🔒 Title & brand records 🔒 Accident & damage history 🔒 Salvage, total-loss & theft 🔒 Odometer & owner count 🔒 Liens & market valuation

A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.

📜 Title status Clean, salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood or lemon

🏷️ Title brand history Every brand ever applied, by state

🧾 Number of owners How many registrations on record

🛞 Odometer readings Reported mileage over time

🔎 Rollback check Mileage inconsistency / tamper flags

💥 Accident & damage Reported collisions and damage events

🚧 Total-loss records Insurance total-loss declarations

♻️ Salvage & auction Salvage-yard and auction history

🚓 Theft records Reported / recovered theft events

🏦 Liens & impounds Outstanding liens or impound records

🏷️ Sale & listing history Past marketplace and dealer listings

💰 Market valuation Estimated value for this exact spec

Unlock full report — $14.99 → or get up to 20 reports a month for $19.99/mo → One-time purchase · permanent access · VIN JF1SG63638H714280

Safety recalls 1

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA…

Remedy: SUBARU WILL HANDLE THEIR VEHICLES AND SAAB WILL HANDLE THEIRS. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNE

NHTSA Campaign #11V464000 · 06/09/2011

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Common problems & what to inspect

Based on 50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Subaru Forester, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.

💥 1 involved a crash

Suspension 8 reports

🔍 Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.

Engine 3 reports

🔍 Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.

Air Bags 2 reports

🔍 Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

Steering 2 reports

🔍 Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.

Electrical System 1 report

🔍 Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Power Train 1 report

🔍 Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.

Pre-purchase checklist

Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.

Owner complaints 50

Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2008 Subaru Forester.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE

Engine overheating and causing multiple problems

NHTSA ODI #11660719

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the transmission control valve detached. No warning light was illuminated. The contact did research and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to get a d…

NHTSA ODI #11635238

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a clanking and knocking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who discovered severe subframe rust and corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while backing out of th…

NHTSA ODI #11624168

AIR BAGS

The airbag on driver’s side deployed (malfunctioned)without incident while parked in my garage. It is currently at local Subaru dealer. Mechanics cannot determine what caused the malfunction. An engineer from Corporate Subaru inspected. Another team of engineers from Corporate is going to conduct a more thorough investigation once more photos of interior …

NHTSA ODI #11496909

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, there was an abnormal clanking noise coming from the steering wheel. Additionally, the steering wheel became loose without warning. The contact pulled over and upon inspection, the front lower control arm had severed due to severe corrosion. Upon investigation, the cont…

NHTSA ODI #11474441

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the lower control arm detached. The contact became aware that there was rust on the control arm. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistan…

NHTSA ODI #11454414

SUSPENSION

Right front lower control arm failed due to rust (safety recall WVX34 and NHTSA campaign 11v464000). Part of arm completely detached from connection to frame. Dealer states the recall is closed and there is nothing they will do. I notified Subaru by Email last night on the day it occurred -1 Dec 2021. Have not had reply as yet. This caused uncontrollable ste…

NHTSA ODI #11442453

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal grinding noise would emit from the vehicle without warning. The contact then stated that upon turning into a driveway, the front lower control arm detached from the vehicle without warning. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to his…

NHTSA ODI #11436596

+ 42 more complaints on record.