At a glance

Reported mileage146,590 mi

LocationMa, USA

ColorGreen

Last listed price$2,200

Open recalls2

Vehicle identity & specifications

Make

Subaru

Model

forester

Year

2004

Trim

awd xt

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

Country of origin

Japan

Manufacturer

SUBARU CORPORATION

What's a 2004 Subaru forester worth?

What comparable 2004 Subaru forester vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.

Low

$2,300

Typical price

$4,467

High

$6,995

Most 2004 Subaru forester listings fall between $2,300 and $6,995, from 20 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 2004 Subaru forester.

Combined20 mpg

City18 mpg

Highway23 mpg

Est. annual fuel cost$3,525

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 JF1SG69634H725801

⚠️ 2 open safety recalls — 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 JF1SG69634H725801

Safety recalls 2

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

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE COVER BOLTS FOR THE ENGINE OIL CONTROL VALVE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED, ALLOWING OIL TO LEAK FROM AROUND THE COVER GASKET.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RETIGHTEN THE OIL-FLOW CONTROL VALVE COVER BOLTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 8, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

NHTSA Campaign #04V473000 · 01/10/2004

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Common problems & what to inspect

Based on 219 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Subaru forester, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.

💥 2 involved a crash 🚑 1 reported injury

Fuel/propulsion System 6 reports

🔍 Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.

Suspension 6 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.

Service Brakes 2 reports

🔍 Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.

Structure 1 report

🔍 Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.

Hydraulic 1 report

🔍 Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

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 219

Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2004 Subaru forester.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

leaking fuel lines under turbo in engine compartment when in cold weather

NHTSA ODI #11580020

STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2004 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and extended to the floor, causing the braking distance to be extended. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who discovered that the brake hoses had failed due to rusting and corrosion of the brake lines. The contact was als…

NHTSA ODI #11504474

SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES

My vehicle had a recall on the lower control arms that would rust and and break. That is exactly what happened while I was driving with my family. Control arm broke causing other parts to get destroyed. The fender breaks and other parts. The recall was performed before hand but it obviously wasn’t repaired correctly because it caused me to crash. Dave wright…

Crash · NHTSA ODI #11463133

SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

Bracket to the sway bar bushing fell off

NHTSA ODI #11456686

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2004 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while having a routine safety check performed on the vehicle, she learned that the lower control was completely rusted. The contact learned that the repair was covered under a special coverage. The contact stated that because the vehicle was not registered in a stated listed for the special cov…

NHTSA ODI #11418334

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THERE IS A FUEL LEAK ON THE LOW AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL RUBBER HOSES, AND THEY CAUSE FUEL ODOR TO ENTER THE CB VIA CLIMATE CONTROL. IT IS A VERY STRONG ODOR, THAT REQUIRES ME TO EITHER DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN OR WAIT FOR THE CAR TO CLEAR OUT THE FUEL ODOR OUT OF THE CABIN. MOSTLY OCCURS DURING COLD WEATHER DAYS. ONCE ENGINE WARMS UP, ODOR FADES AWAY. MANY…

NHTSA ODI #11406648

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

NEOPREEN HOSE TO THE RIGHT SIDE FUEL RAIL STARTED LEAKING. THIS HOSE IS NEAR THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND THE LEAK CAUSED FUEL TO RUN ALL OVER ENGINE, WHICH WAS THEN DRAWN INTO THE CABIN VIA THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, AND RAW FUEL WAS DRIPPING FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE ONCE STOPPED.

NHTSA ODI #11391059

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER HERB GORDON SUBARU (3161 AUTOMOBILE BLVD, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904, (866) 520-7894) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE HEAD COVER GASKET WITH NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, …

NHTSA ODI #11387683

+ 211 more complaints on record.