Subaru Forester Rear Shock Absorber: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

Genuinely worth knowing: older self-levelling rear shocks use a completely different air/oil chamber design that's physically a different length from a standard shock.

Illustration of a rear shock absorber and coil spring

Illustration for editorial purposes

Confirmed: Self-Levelling Shocks Are a Genuinely Different, Older Technology

Genuinely worth knowing on older Foresters: self-levelling rear shocks use a built-in air/oil chamber to automatically maintain ride height under load, a completely different design from a standard non-levelling shock. Owners converting from self-levelling to standard shocks report the two are a physically different length, meaning the spring perch position and effective ride height change if you switch types — worth researching this specific conversion carefully rather than assuming a straightforward swap.

A further genuinely important distinction: the rear shock and spring are commonly sold together as a complete strut assembly on this model rather than always as separate parts — check whether a listing is for the complete assembly or the shock alone before ordering, since prices and part numbers differ significantly between the two.

The Part That Takes Every Bump Before You Feel It

Front suspension tends to get most of the attention since it also handles steering, but the rear shock absorbers wear too — often more subtly, with symptoms that are easy to write off as road noise until they get worse.

Before you buy: self-levelling vs standard, turbo (XT) vs naturally aspirated, generation, and left/right side all affect fitment. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Subaru Forester Rear Shock Absorber reference plate

OEM Part Numbers

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: owners have documented Subaru changing the rear shock's spring perch diameter between generations even where the overall shock design looks similar — aftermarket lowering springs designed for an earlier generation can sit slightly off-centre on a later generation's perch, worth checking fitment carefully rather than assuming cross-generation compatibility.

Standard (non-self-levelling), right	Genuinely a different part number from the left-side shock — Subaru's own parts catalogue lists these separately
Standard (non-self-levelling), left	A genuinely different reference from the right-side shock above
Self-levelling (older models), where fitted	Genuinely a different technology from a standard shock, using a built-in air/oil chamber to maintain ride height — physically a different length, not a like-for-like swap
Turbo (XT) models	A genuinely different shock from the naturally aspirated 2.5 version, confirmed as separate part numbers across multiple generations

Shock absorbers should always be replaced in pairs.

What It Does

The rear shock absorber controls how quickly the rear suspension compresses and rebounds over bumps. A worn rear shock lets the back of the car bounce excessively after a bump instead of settling quickly, and can make the suspension feel like it's bottoming out more easily than it used to.

Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Rear Shock Absorber Guide for symptoms of a worn shock, confirming fitment against your VIN, and OEM vs aftermarket guidance.

More Subaru Rear Shock Absorber

The same part, covered across other Subaru models.

Subaru Forester Rear Shock Absorber: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

Confirmed: Self-Levelling Shocks Are a Genuinely Different, Older Technology

OEM Part Numbers

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