2003 Subaru Forester 2.0L Petrol · PE03 RXN

The 2003 Subaru Forester is currently unroadworthy. Its most recent MOT, conducted on 22 September 2025 at 139,146 miles, resulted in a failure, and with that test now over nine months old the vehicle has no valid certificate. The maintenance trend is clearly worsening. A clean pass at 135,907 miles in September 2024 gave way to a failure twelve months later that combined electrical defects, worn brake discs, binding brakes, a worn suspension bush, and multiple serious structural corrosion items. Several of these faults, particularly the corrosion, represent a step change in severity compared with the advisory-only defects seen in earlier tests. The mileage progression tells a consistent story. Between September 2022 and September 2025 the odometer moved from 129,539 to 139,146 miles, an increase of 9,607 miles over three years or roughly 3,200 miles annually. That is lower than the vehicle's lifetime average of approximately 6,050 miles per year, suggesting recent use has been light or that the car may have spent extended periods stationary. The gap between the 2024 pass at 135,907 miles and the 2025 failure at 139,146 miles accounts for 3,239 miles, which is modest, yet the number and severity of defects recorded at the later test indicate that deterioration has been disproportionate to the mileage covered. The corrosion findings demand the closest attention. In the 2025 failure the tester identified corrosion significant enough to reduce structural rigidity at both nearside and offside rear inner body and outer sill areas, plus the offside rear inner wheel arch strut bracing and the rear sub-frame. These are load-bearing and suspension-mounting points, not cosmetic surface rust, and the fact that a 2023 failure also cited excessive corrosion within 300 millimetres of a rear suspension mounting suggests this has been a progressive, long-standing issue rather than a sudden development. Any prospective buyer should have the rear sub-frame, sills, inner wheel arches, and suspension mounting points inspected on a lift by a qualified bodywork or structural specialist before committing to a purchase. Welding repairs in these areas must meet MOT structural standards, and poorly executed patches will fail re-test. The rear braking system has also shown a persistent pattern. Binding rear brakes appeared in both the 2023 and 2025 tests, and both front brake discs were flagged as worn, pitted, or scored in the most recent failure. Combined with thin rear brake pads noted in 2023, this points to a system that has not been consistently serviced. A buyer should expect to replace discs, pads, and potentially rear calipers or sliding mechanisms. The recurring rear suspension bush wear across four consecutive tests further confirms that the rear end has been a long-term weak point, likely exacerbated by the corrosion in adjacent mounting areas. A thorough inspection of all rear suspension bushes, trailing arms, and shock absorbers, including a check for the shock absorber fluid leak noted in September 2023, is essential before any re-test or road use.