The Forest River Forester spans 2005–2011 with 4 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 4.5/5 ForCar reliability score. The years to approach with caution are 2006, 2005, 2011 (most owner complaints); the cleanest are 2007, 2008, 2009. It delivers competitive fuel economy and NHTSA-rated safety.
How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.
Overview
The Forest River Forester is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 2005 to 2011 across multiple generations.
Decode or check a Forest River Forester by VIN
Enter a 17-digit VIN to decode this Forest River Forester — trim, engine, plant and full specs — and instantly pull its open recalls, safety ratings and original window sticker.
How to read a Forest River Forester VIN — every digit explained
Every Forest River Forester carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. 4T1 = Toyota, built in the USA.
- VDS (4–8) — model line, body style, engine & restraint system.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built. H = 2017.
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled this Forester.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
Model-year code (10th digit)
The 10th character is the model year. It cycles through letters and numbers, skipping I, O, Q, U, Z and 0 to avoid confusion:
Where to find your Forester VIN
- Dashboard — driver's side, visible through the windshield from outside.
- Driver's door jamb — on the manufacturer sticker when you open the door.
- Paperwork — vehicle registration, title and insurance card.
- Engine bay & frame — stamped on the firewall or chassis on many models.
How many recalls does the Forest River Forester have?
The Forest River Forester has 4 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2005–2011. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.
2011 Forest River Forester recalls 1
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer:lpg Systems:lines And Fittings
What's wrong. Forest River, Inc., (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Sunseeker 2860, 3120, 3170, Forester 2861, 3121, 3171, and Lexington 283 Class C motorhomes, manufactured from August 18, 2009, through September 12, 2012. The liquid propane gas (LPG) fuel line that supplies fuel to appliances in the slide out, can become damaged.
Risk. A damaged LPG fuel line can lead to an explosion and/or fire, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Fix. Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will repair the affected vehicles free of charge. The recall began on, or about October 23, 2012. Owners may contact Forest River at 1-574-206-7600.
2010 Forest River Forester recalls 1
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer:lpg Systems:lines And Fittings
What's wrong. Forest River, Inc., (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Sunseeker 2860, 3120, 3170, Forester 2861, 3121, 3171, and Lexington 283 Class C motorhomes, manufactured from August 18, 2009, through September 12, 2012. The liquid propane gas (LPG) fuel line that supplies fuel to appliances in the slide out, can become damaged.
Risk. A damaged LPG fuel line can lead to an explosion and/or fire, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Fix. Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will repair the affected vehicles free of charge. The recall began on, or about October 23, 2012. Owners may contact Forest River at 1-574-206-7600.
2006 Forest River Forester recalls 1
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer
What's wrong. Forest river is recalling certain my 2003-2006 motor homes, fifth wheel and travel trailers equipped with a two-door refrigerator manufactured by the dometic corporation. The refrigerator may have a defect in the boiler tube. Pressurized coolant solution could be released into an area where an ignition source (gas flame) is present.
Risk. If this solution is exposed to an ignition source under certain specific circumstances, it can result in a vehicle fire.
Fix. Forest river is working with dometic to repair these refrigerators (please see 08e032). Dometic will repair these refrigerators by installing a secondary burn housing, a thermal fuse, and a melt fuse free of charge. Dometic has retained stericycle inc. To manage this campaign. Stericycle will assist the owner in locating dealerships or service centers and will provide assistance with scheduling of appointments. Owners may contact dometic/stericycle at 1-888-446-5157 or forest river at 1-574-389-4600.
2005 Forest River Forester recalls 1
Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer
What's wrong. Forest river is recalling certain my 2003-2006 motor homes, fifth wheel and travel trailers equipped with a two-door refrigerator manufactured by the dometic corporation. The refrigerator may have a defect in the boiler tube. Pressurized coolant solution could be released into an area where an ignition source (gas flame) is present.
Risk. If this solution is exposed to an ignition source under certain specific circumstances, it can result in a vehicle fire.
Fix. Forest river is working with dometic to repair these refrigerators (please see 08e032). Dometic will repair these refrigerators by installing a secondary burn housing, a thermal fuse, and a melt fuse free of charge. Dometic has retained stericycle inc. To manage this campaign. Stericycle will assist the owner in locating dealerships or service centers and will provide assistance with scheduling of appointments. Owners may contact dometic/stericycle at 1-888-446-5157 or forest river at 1-574-389-4600.
Best and worst years for the Forest River Forester
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 7 tracked years, the worst years are 2006, 2005, 2011 and the best (fewest complaints) are 2007, 2008, 2009.
ForCar aggregate — our own analysis of complaint volume, not published by NHTSA.
| Year | Owner complaints | Top issue | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Forester | 1 | Tires | Avoid |
| 2006 Forester | 1 | Tires | Avoid |
| 2007 Forester | 0 | — | Best |
| 2008 Forester | 0 | — | Best |
| 2009 Forester | 0 | — | Best |
| 2010 Forester | 0 | — | Average |
| 2011 Forester | 0 | — | Avoid |
What are the most common Forest River Forester problems?
The most-reported Forest River Forester problems are Tires (2 reports) — out of 2 owner complaints NHTSA holds for the model. Here's how they break down:
Most-reported components — tap a category to read what owners actually experienced:
Tires 2 Read
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 forest river forester equipped with ironman tires, size: lt225/75r16 (na). While driving 50 mph, the interior passenger side tire blew out. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and replaced the tire with a spare. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the tire was replaced. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 35,586 and the tire failure mileage was 6,403. The dot number and vin were not available.
We had two cooper discoverer at3 tires, size 225/75/16, that had 26,500 miles of use, peal the tread completely off within 100 miles of each other. They were part of a set of 4 on the duels of my ford class c mh. At the time of separation the temp was 75 my speed was under 60, tire pressure was 86 on my monitor. The tires still had good tread. The dot code on them was: dot upil !an 2812 with 55703-1r 43858 below..
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.
Forest River Forester specifications & dimensions
The 2011 Forest River Forester. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN.
| Specs cache warming… |
Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.
Forest River Forester cargo space, seating & interior room
How much the Forester holds — passengers and cargo. Seating, cargo and interior dimensions vary by trim and seat configuration — decode your VIN for the exact build.
Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim.
Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Forest River Forester tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What MPG does the Forest River Forester get?
MPG cache warming… reload in a moment.
What engines does the Forest River Forester have? Power & range
Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.
How much does a Forest River Forester cost to own?
A Forest River Forester depreciates at about an average rate. A typical example keeps roughly 46% of its value after five years — losing about 54% to depreciation. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.
| Age | Value retained | Est. resale value | Lost to depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 80% | — | — |
| Year 2 | 70% | — | — |
| Year 3 | 61% | — | — |
| Year 4 | 53% | — | — |
| Year 5 | 46% | — | — |
What goes into the five-year cost to own:
- Depreciation — the biggest cost: this Forester loses about 54% of its value over five years.
- Fuel — based on EPA economy at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
- Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the Forester ages.
- Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.
Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.
Is the Forest River Forester safe?
NHTSA crash-test ratings aren't published for the Forester yet.
How many miles does a Forest River Forester last?
A well-maintained Forest River Forester typically lasts 250,000–300,000+ miles. It's exceptionally durable — with routine maintenance many owners report 250k+ on the original powertrain. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 4.5/5.
Decode your Forest River Forester’s window sticker & build
Original options, specs, recalls and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.
Decode VIN →All Forest River Forester model years
A year-by-year snapshot of the Forest River Forester — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.
| Year | Recalls | Best MPG | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Forester | 1 recall | — | — |
| 2010 Forester | 1 recall | — | — |
| 2009 Forester | 0 | — | — |
| 2008 Forester | 0 | — | — |
| 2007 Forester | 0 | — | — |
| 2006 Forester | 1 recall | — | — |
| 2005 Forester | 1 recall | — | — |
Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Forester?
By owner-complaint volume, 2006, 2005, 2011 drew the most reports. 2007, 2008, 2009 have the cleanest records.
How many recalls does the Forester have?
4 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2005–2011. Always check open recalls by your VIN.
How many miles does a Forester last?
A well-maintained Forester typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.
Is the Forester reliable?
Our ForCar Reliability Score for the Forester is 4.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.
What's the Forest River Forester warranty?
New Forest River models carry a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 5 years / 60,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a Forest River dealer.
Where is the Forest River Forester made?
The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your Forester's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; Forest River may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.
How much ground clearance does the Forester have?
Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.