2017 SUBARU FORESTER

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    airbag system

    139 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    140
    incidents
    Typical range: 15,000–41,500 mi

    Median 25,500 mi, based on 119 reports (49% had no usable mileage)

    • "DRIVER'S SUBARU WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A BOX TRUCK WHILE STATIONARY ON A HIGHWAY (DRIVER HAD STOPPED JUST SHORT OF A MULTI-CAR COLLISION BUT THE BOX TRUCK BEHIND HER WAS UNABLE TO STOP); BOX TRUCK PUSHED THE SUBARU INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. DRIVER'S SEATBELT W…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1378461
    • "PURCHASED OUR 2017 SUBARU FORESTER ON 09/24/16. ON 09/05/17 THE WARNING LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON WARNING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. THIS HAPPENED WHEN A PASSENGER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE CAR WAS ON A HIGHWAY. THE WARNING LI…"~16,257 mi, complaint #1608924
    • "WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL SWITCH TO OFF. AN ERROR MESSAGE WILL APPEAR INDICATING THAT THE SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS CHECKED. ISSUES APPEARS TO BE LOCATED WITH THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. *DT *AS"~28,000 mi, complaint #1604066
    • "MY SUBARU FORRESTER 2017 AIRBAG SENSOR CAME ON FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20 AND 21 WHILE DRIVING AND STATIONERY IN MY DRIVEWAY.TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND NO ONE WAS AVAILABLE TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. SCHEDULE THIS MONDAY 23 AND THE SENSOR REQUIRED…"~43,000 mi, complaint #1606389
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the SRS warning light illuminated when a passenger entered the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired from a previous recall with the OCS wiring harness.…"~107,784 mi, complaint #1999547
  2. #2

    glass and windshield

    115 unsafe, 1 broken, 7 annoyance

    123
    incidents
    Typical range: 19,500–48,000 mi

    Median 35,000 mi, based on 103 reports (25% had no usable mileage)

    • "A SMALL ROCK FROM THE HIGHWAY HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND IT CRACKED IMMEDIATELY. THE CRACK REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. WE HAVE HAD OTHER CARD BE HIT BY ROCKS, ONES THAT HAVE BEEN A LOT BIGGER AND HAVE HARDER IMPACTS THAT DID NOT CRACK OR CHIP…"~800 mi, complaint #1616063
    • "THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED, MIDDLE PASSENGER SIDE (NOT AWARE WHEN IT HAPPENED. ONE TIME CAME OUT INTO THE GARAGE AND NOTICED IT WAS CRACKED). IT ALSO WAS SEVERELY CHIPPED ONE TIME BEFORE (2500 MILES). SO IT HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED 2 TIMES WITHIN 16,00…"~15,750 mi, complaint #1446849
    • "I PURCHASE MY 2017 FORESTER FROM THE ANNAPOLIS DEALER AS A USED LOANER CAR WITH LESS THAN 7000 MILES WITH THE ORIGINAL AND EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. AFTER READING ABOUT WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS I STARTED CHECKING THE WINDSHIELD ON MY FORESTER. THERE ARE A NUMBER…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1624197
    • "THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD OF MY FORESTER SUDDENLY CRACKED WHILE PARKED A FEW MONTHS AGO. MY INSURANCE FULLY COVERED THE REPAIR. THE REPLACEMENT AFTERMARKET WINDSHIELD FROM SAFELITE ONLY LASTED A FEW MORE MONTHS BEFORE IT TOO GOT CHIPPED FROM A SMALL PEBBLE HIT…"~47,000 mi, complaint #1625399
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED BY A FOREIGN OBJECT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WAS IN THE PROCESS TO BE REPLACED. NO DEALER W…"~127,800 mi, complaint #1701691
  3. #3

    battery and charging

    18 stranded, 26 unsafe, 1 broken, 2 annoyance

    47
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=19, median 26,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "I HAVE A TOTAL OF ELECTRICAL POWER LOST FOR 7 TIMES. 2 TIMES WHILE DRIVING I EXPERIENCE ALL ELECTRICAL LOST WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE AND WAS ABLE TO JUMP STARTED THE CAR WITH A JUMPER BATTERY 5 MINUTES LATER. OTHER 5…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1471675
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle would not start due to battery drainage. The contact stated that the battery had to be connected to a battery charger after each use. The contact sta…"~22,375 mi, complaint #1757272
    • "IN NOV 2019 WE LEFT THE CAR PARKED FOR A WEEK AT THE CRUISE TERMINAL WHILE STATIONED OVERSEAS IN ITALY. WE WE CAME BACK, THE CAR WOULDN'T START AND HAD JUMPED. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS THE CAR HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING AND WE ENDED UP TAKING THE CAR TO THE SUB…"~32,500 mi, complaint #1747370
    • "THE BATTERY ON MY 2017 FORESTER HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THREE TIMES AFTER BEING FOUND DEAD. ALL THREE TIMES SUBARU HAS SAID IT WAS A BAD BATTERY. THE BATTERY COULDN'T BE JUMPED AND MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE IF IT HAPPENED MORE THAN O…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1747544
    • "BATTERY GOES DEAD AND MUST BE REPLACED IF NOT DRIVEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE."~60,000 mi, complaint #1747504
  4. #4

    key fob and immobilizer

    23 unsafe, 15 annoyance

    38
    incidents
    Typical range: 32,000–50,000 mi

    Median 38,000 mi, based on 32 reports (41% had no usable mileage)

    • "SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR I'VE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH IT IT'S ALWAYS SAYING THAT A KEY IS NOT DETECTED EVEN THOUGH THE KEYS RIGHT NEXT TO IT OR UNDERNEATH THAT THEY ALREADY HAS BEEN A TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE ALSO THE BALANCE OF THE CAR HAS BEEN OFF-…"~10,000 mi, complaint #1631537
    • "TWICE TODAY WHEN CAR WAS OFF, IN PARK, WITH PARK BRAKE APPLIED, IGNITION WOULD NOT ALLOW KEY TO RELEASE. 'FIX' WAS TO RESTART CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE, THEN BACK TO PARK ONE OR MORE TIMES UNTIL KEY COULD FINALLY BE REMOVED."~31,500 mi, complaint #1627388
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY OCCASIONALLY SEIZED IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO THE SHIFTER SENSOR OR THE KEY SENSOR. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT…"~38,000 mi, complaint #1738903
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the key remained stuck in the ignition after multiple attempts to shut-off the vehicle. The contact stated that he had to restart the vehicle or move the shift lever back and forth from the park…"~49,000 mi, complaint #1759615
    • "PERIODICALLY UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY OVER THE PAST 2 MONTHS. KEY IS "LOCKED" IN IGNITION, UNABLE TO COMPLETELY "TURN OFF" KEY SWITCH AND THEREFORE UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY. ONLY RESOLUTION HAS BEEN TO TURN…"~114,000 mi, complaint #1725569
  5. #5

    engine stall or no start

    1 stranded, 18 unsafe

    19
    incidents
    Typical range: 5,000–50,000 mi

    Median 21,500 mi, based on 27 reports (18% had no usable mileage)

    • "CAR STALLS WHEN MAKING HARD LEFT TURN WITH LESS THAN 1/4 TANK OF GAS CAR WAS STOPPED AND LURKED LEFT. COULD EAILY REPEAT THE PROBLEM IN AN EMPTY PARKING LOT. FILLED GAS TANK AND PROBLEM DISSAPEARED."~1,500 mi, complaint #1381986
    • "07/03/17 FIRST OIL CHANGE. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER CAR HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION. 07/14 CAR STALLS WHILE MERGING INTO ROUNDABOUT. RESTART CAR & IT RUNS OK. 07/15 CAR STALLS MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE ENTERING INTERSECTION. TURN OFF EYESIGHT & CAR RUNS. DO NOT DRIVE CAR…"~5,400 mi, complaint #1400135
    • "ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THUS FAR, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 IN MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, MY 2017 SUBARU FORESTER TOURING (WITH 21K MILES) LOST POWER AND COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN. ALL THREE TIMES, I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO STEER THE…"~21,300 mi, complaint #1629632
    • "CAR NEARLY STALLS WHEN STARTING FROM STOP AFTER SITTING AT LIGHT OR INTERSECTION WHEN IN REGULAR (NOT SPORT) MODE. ESPECIALLY OCCURS WHEN HAVING TO TURN FROM A STOP AND ACCELERATE FASTER. HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES. DOES NOT OCC…"~54,135 mi, complaint #1744057
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT…"~90,000 mi, complaint #1649747
  6. #6

    unintended acceleration

    18 unsafe

    18
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=18, median 20,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "11/23/16 - AS I WAS SLOWLY ROLLING INTO A FRONT PARKING SPOT THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN - I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT SO I WOULDN'T CRASH FULL ON INTO THE BUILDING - TRYING TO CONTROL THE CAR - I WENT OVER A CURB THAT WAS JETTING OUT - DEFINING THE PA…"~2,850 mi, complaint #1336983
    • "ACCIDENT 9/24/2017, 2017 SUBARU FORESTER, 11,000. MILES. DRIVING SLOWLY IN A SHOPPING PARKING LOT, ON A DRY SUNNY MORNING, AROUND 10 AM, AFTER PUSHING ON THE BRAKES MY CAR ACCELERATED. MY CAR RAN ON IT'S OWN WHEN TURNED OFF, THEN I PUT IT IN PARK, IT LUNGED…"~11,000 mi, complaint #1507335
    • "WHEN BREAKING, THE CAR ACELLERATED ON A CITY STREET AND A SECOND TIME IN A VERY BUSY PARKING LOT! FORTUATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT> HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO LATER REPORTED THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR UNTILL…"~18,800 mi, complaint #1640558
    • "ON 9/29/18, 1:35 PM WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE AND INITIATING A TURN TO THE RIGHT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM IDLE TO FULL THROTTLE UNINTENTIONALLY AND LAUNCHED ITSELF TOWARDS A 12' X 20' WOOD FRAMED OUTBUILDING ON OUR PROPERTY WHICH HAS…"~33,000 mi, complaint #1503029
    • "The contact owned a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that after driving into a parking space in a parking lot with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle jolted and veered to the right. The passenger's side of the vehicle hit the driver's side of anoth…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1961095
  7. #7

    other

    1 stranded, 5 unsafe, 10 annoyance

    16
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=12, median 31,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "THERE IS INTERMITTENT SURGING UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION AND WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE BACK INTERIOR LIGHT WILL INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON WHILE ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT SIGN COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THERE'S NOTHING IN…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1611477
    • "I AM WRITING IN REGARD TO FBI ALERT NUMBER 1-031716-PSA. MY HUSBAND AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR 2017 SUBARU FORESTER IS BEING REMOTELY EXPLOITED. SEP. 29, 2018 WE PURCHASED OUR FORESTER FROM TUCSON SUBARU ([REDACTED ADDRESS] TUCSON, AZ 85704). OCT. 3, 2018 WE TOOK…"~23,825 mi, complaint #1573676
    • "AFTER DRIVING THE CAR AND PLACING IT IN "PARK", THE KEY COULD NOT BE EXTRACTED FROM THE IGNITION. PUTTING THE CAR INTO DIFFERENT GEARS WAS OF NO HELP. I WAS SOMETIMES ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND THEN EXTRACT THE KEY, BUT NOT EVERY TIME. MY CHOICES WERE TO R…"~39,000 mi, complaint #1671861
    • "******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS REQUESTED BY THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WISH TO HAVE IT REMOVED. DJR ******* DELETE VOQ ******* "~65,000 mi, complaint #1955484
    • "MY FIANC AND I BOUGHT THIS CAR AND WE WERE TOLD IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT, AFTER WE PURCHASED IT WE FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD BEEN IN 2 ACCIDENTS AND DURING DRIVING 1 NIGHT IT BUCKED REAL HARD AND WOULD NOW ACCELERATE AND IT SCARED BOTH OF US. SO THE NEXT DAY I TOOK…"~97,120 mi, complaint #1684839
  8. #8

    suspension arms and bushings

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "VEHICLE SHAKING ON FRONT TIRES DUE TO LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDING REPLACEMENT."~52,000 mi, complaint #1735611
    • "THE VEHICLE IS VIBRATING VIOLENTLY AND LOUDLY WHEN THE VEHICLES REACHES 50-60 MPH. A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS THE FAILURE OF THE FRONT BUSHING ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE IS ADDRESSED IN SUBARU SERVIC…"~55,500 mi, complaint #1535131
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving over 60 MPH, the vehicle would shudder and produce a loud noise coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the…"~70,000 mi, complaint #1792558
  9. #9

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    7 unsafe, 1 broken

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that she noticed that the air conditioner was blowing hot air. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the ai…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1766350
    • "AIR CONDITIONING LINES/CONDENSER IS DEFECTIVE IN 2017 FORRESTER. FIRM SHOULD BE CONDUCTING A RECALL, BUT HAS NOT. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL."~24,000 mi, complaint #1471072
    • "I WENT TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY AIR CONDITIONING WAS NOT WORKING AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO FREON AND DID SNIFFER AND COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. THEY ADDED FREON THEN TOOK IT HOME ON A FRIDAY AND BY MONDAY IT WAS BLOWING WARM ON DRIVERS SIDE AND TEPID ON PASSENGER…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1577708
    • "A/C FAILED DURING THE GUARANTEE OF THE CAR - FAULTY CONDENSER - FIRST TIME THEY ADD FREON - THEN CAR BLOW HOT AIR AGAIN - THEN THEY TRIED TO PUT DIED AND FINALLY DETERMINE THAT CONDENSER WAS THE PROBLE, AFTER THAT IT WORKS FINE . I WANT TO POINT THAT CUSTOMER…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1603324
    • "AIR CONDITIONING IS BLOWING AMBIENT AIR. PURCHASED AUGUST 1, 2016. HAS 47,900 MILES AND SUDDENLY STARTED BLOWING WARM ON JULY 3, 2019. I HAVE READ THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE COMPRESSORS IN THIS MODEL AND HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY DEALERSHIP JULY 18, 201…"~47,900 mi, complaint #1580855
  10. #10

    exhaust system

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AND NEEDED REPLACED; WAS FIRST ADVISED THAT THE CATALYT CONVERTER WAS BAD AND WOULD NEED REPLACED BY A NON SUBARU SERVICE PROVIDER. WHEN I TOOK TO SUBARU DEALER, WAS ADVISED I HAD TO PAY FOR 2 HOURS LABOR TO "DIAGNOSIS" THE EXHAUST BE…"~90,000 mi, complaint #1725576
  11. #11

    transmission automatic

    6 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "WE HAVE A 2017 FORESTER SUBARU 2.5I WITH 12,548 MILES. THE SUV WILL RANDOMLY JERK, JUMP AND HAS STALLED IN HWY & CITY TRAFFIC TWICE. OTHER TIMES IT WILL HESITATE AND SEEM TO SHIFT OUT OF GEAR FOR 30 OR MORE SECONDS. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR WITHIN A COUPLE OF MIL…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1477806
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE PARK POSITION, THE IGNITION KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER SUBARU OF MELBOURNE LOCATED AT […"~26,000 mi, complaint #1684354
    • "OFTEN I CANNOT INITIALLY REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AFTER I HAVE PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, AFTER I HAVE STOPPED THE CAR AND AM READY TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I THEN HAVE TO MOVE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO DRIVE AND THEN BACK TO PARK AT LEAST ONE M…"~41,000 mi, complaint #1607313
    • "WHILE ON DRIVING 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY DURING THE EVENING RUSH HOUR AND SUDDENLY MY ACCELERATOR WAS UNRESPONSIVE IN THAT THE RPMS JUST REVVED (AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL). I HAVE TWO SMALL, CHILDREN 2 YEAR OLD AND 6 MONTHS, AND HAD TO QUICKLY…"~46,000 mi, complaint #1611341
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the contact stated that all four wheels seized. The contact stated that the transmission had seized. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway.…"~117,000 mi, complaint #2010409
  12. #12

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    1 stranded, 6 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 29,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ITSELF AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS…"~1,500 mi, complaint #1400256
    • "VEHICLE HESITATES DURING ACCELERATION, WORSE IF AC IS ON. ENGINE NEARLY STALLS, LOSING POWER. INITIALLY HAPPENED DURING LEFT TURN AND WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS REPEATED ISSUE OVER SEVERAL MONTHS"~10,000 mi, complaint #1501609
    • "EXTREME HESITATION FROM STANDING STOP GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD AND TURNING. AT 5 SEPARATE INSTANCES THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE ROLLING STOP WITH NO ACCELERATION. AFTER 5 TO 7 SECONDS THE CAR FINALLY ACCELERATED . WHEN TURNING WITH PLENTY OF ROOM, FOR THEM, ONCO…"~10,322 mi, complaint #1471463
    • "I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, 70 MPH, GAS WAS AT ABOUT 1/8 FULL, BUT LOW GAS LIGHT ON. THE GEAR SHIFTER REMAINED IN D AND THE INDICATOR ON THE DASH SAID D. THE ENGINE REVVED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE POWER TO THE WHEELS.…"~29,000 mi, complaint #1632637
    • "THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 65-75MPH AND WE WENT UP A GRADE (CUESTA GRADE) ALONG 101 FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA AND VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS IN POWER WHILE CLIMBING UP THE HILL. ULTIMATELY, NO POWER WAS EVER REGAINED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT…"~64,500 mi, complaint #1699078
  13. #13

    engine internal

    1 stranded, 6 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "ENGINE LOW LEVEL OIL LIGHT CAME ON A FEW TIMES WHEN I DROVE UP MY DRIVEWAY OR OVER A FEW INCHES OF SNOW. MANUALLY INSPECTED OIL LEVELS THE FIRST FEW TIMES AND RESTARTED ENGINE. THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD GO AWAY. WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON WHEN DRIVING ON A FLA…"~2,800 mi, complaint #1355065
    • "UPON STARTING, RPM SURGED TO OVER 4500, AND THERE WAS LOUD GRINDING NOISE, SOUNDED AS IF THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYING ITSELF. SOUNDED LIKE SEVERE METAL TO METAL SLAPPING WITH VIBRATION THAT STOPPED WHEN KEY TURNED OFF IGNITION. SUBSEQUENT START APPEARED NORMAL.…"~4,930 mi, complaint #1432302
    • "WE HAVE A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER XT TOURING MODEL 2.0 TURBO ENGINE WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES. WIFE AND SON WERE TRAVELING TO A WEDDING WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON NO SOONER DID LIGHT COME ON HEAVY SMOKE FILLED INSIDE OF CAR FROM AIR VENTS HEAVY SMOKE W…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1662975
    • "OUR DEFECTIVE, NOW DISCONTINUED MODEL, NEW 2017 SUBARU FORESTER XT TOURING HAS BROKEN DOWN WHILE ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY TWICE DUE TO A FAULTY PISTON THUS LEADING TO OUR ENGINE BEING REPLACED. THE FIRST TIME THE CAR WAS MOVING EAST ON I-70 IN COLORADO AND…"~22,814 mi, complaint #1606474
  14. #14

    wheel bearing

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Ball bearings all broke in car. This is a known issue but not until I googled it. It causes horrible noises and potential inquiry if not corrected. "complaint #1865925
    • "Loud roaring noise came from rear of vehicle while driving. Sound increased with increasing speed. At first I thought it might have been the tires but they were properly inflated and in excellent condition. The vehicle was brought to the dealer who determined…"complaint #1872218
    • "Subaru is well aware of the rear wheel bearing prematurely due to the faulty backing [REDACTED PLATE]. They have even sent a service bulletin mentioning the problem. so the rear wheel hub and backing [REDACTED PLATE] be replaced by Subaru. They are charging $1…"complaint #1953300
    • "My wife's Subaru Forester (2017, VIN [XXX] ) at 70,131 miles started to have a loud droning sound from the rear of the vehicle on [XXX]. I took the SUV to a local mechanic, and they diagnosed the problem as two faulty rear wheel bearings. They removed the old…"complaint #2034192
    • "REAR WHELLS BEARINGS DAMAGED AT ABOUT 59 000 MILES DRIVEN ON FLAT SERFACES. CAR PARKED IN GARAGE. DEALER STATED THAT BEARINGS HAVE TO BE REPLACED."complaint #2117999
  15. #15

    brake hydraulics

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE REVERSING FROM THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE DAMAGED WAS TO THE PASSENG…"~23,000 mi, complaint #1593728
    • "WITH CAR STOPPED AND ENGINE RUNNING BRAKE PEDAL SINKS TO THE FLOOR IF STEADY PRESSURE IS APPLIED. DEALER SAW THIS BUT TOLD ME "THEY ALL DO THAT". IF THAT IS TRUE THAN SUBARU HAS A PROBLEM AND IT COULD BE DANGEROUS. *TR"~25,000 mi, complaint #1666612
    • "WHEN IN MOTION COMING TO A STOP ON LOCAL STREET, HITTING BRAKES, FORESTER MAKES SOUNDS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS BUT MORE ON FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AREA NEEDING TO BRAKE HARDER. WIFE AND SON WERE ON FREEWAY IN MOTION, HITTING BRAKES MADE CLICK CLICK SOUND AND HAVING…"~29,000 mi, complaint #1663482
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP THE CEMENT BUMPER AND THE BUSHES IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEH…"~46,050 mi, complaint #1730209
    • "I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AT A SPEED OF 35 MPH IN TOWN. I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, AS I WENT TO BREAK THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT SEEMED TO SPEED UP. IT TOOK A LOT OF FORCE ON THE BREAK TO STOP COMPLETELY."~66,180 mi, complaint #1663566
  16. #16

    catalytic converter

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and several safety features failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the check engine wa…"~140,000 mi, complaint #2044982
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being started, the contact heard an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it…"~156,774 mi, complaint #2072090
  17. #17

    control module

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONTROL MODULE SCREEN REFLECTED LIGHT ONTO HER FACE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT'S VISION WAS IMPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200."~1,200 mi, complaint #1326513
    • "I WAS MERGING ON I-95 AT 4PM AND IT WAS RAINING, I WAS ACCELERATING INTO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN SUDDENLY THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT RESPOND, THE CAR PANEL WENT BLACK,NO LIGHTS OR INFO SHOWED. I COASTED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,THE CAR WAS…"~16,500 mi, complaint #1426522
    • "CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON WHILE DRIVING. SAFETY FEATURES ADVERTISED WITH THE SUBARU FORESTER SUCH AS BLIND SPOT DETECTION, CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE ALL STOPPED WORKING. ONCE THE CODE WAS CLEARED FROM THE CAR, THESE SAFETY FEATURES…"~50,100 mi, complaint #1702128
  18. #18

    infotainment head unit

    1 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "MY WIFE TRIED TO REMOVE SD CARD SO WE COULD UPDATE MAPS VIA THE INTERNET. THE SD CARD FLEW OUT OF THE DASH, BARELY MISSING HER FACE & IS LOST IN THE FORESTER. 4 PEOPLE SEARCHED FOR MANY HOURS. I CREATED ANOTHER MICRO-SD CARD FROM A COPY OF ITS DATA I SAVE IN 2…"~10,133 mi, complaint #1532871
    • "CANNOT TURN OFF DISTRACTION OF A NOISY STEREO WHILE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN REVERSE. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN INTENTIONAL DESIGN FEATURE THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS."~15,000 mi, complaint #1458832
  19. #19

    steering electric assist

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "STEERING STICKS WHILE IN A TURN AND RESISTS THE DRIVERS INPUT TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL, CAUSING EITHER FAILURE TO STRAIGHTEN ON DEMAND OR OVER-STEERING TO OPPOSITE SIDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STRAIGHTEN. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE AND VARIES IN BOTH FREQUENCY…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1389276
    • "I WAS ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY, ROUTE 90, IN NEW YORK STATE HEADING EAST ON AUGUST 8, 2017, GOING APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MPH. I WAS GOING STRAIGHT IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE. I REACHED OVER WITH RIGHT HAND TO ADJUST VOLUME KNOB ON RADIO AND NOTICED VEHICLE DRIF…"~1,500 mi, complaint #1407629
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND TURNING RIGHT ONTO THE HIGHWAY RAMP, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY ONTO THE SHOULDER, SHUT-OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE,…"~61,000 mi, complaint #1738105
  20. #20

    steering rack mechanical

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE INTO AN INTERSECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND RECEIVED FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NECK AND BACK INJUR…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1329281
  21. #21

    transmission cvt

    1 stranded, 4 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "CVT TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER 24000 MILES."~24,500 mi, complaint #1660068
    • "AFTER 20K MILES, TRANSMISSION HESITATES MORE AND MORE. BE CAREFUL AND TRY TO AVOID SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE OR ACCELERATE WHEN YOU HIT THE GAS PEDAL QUICKLY. CVT SLIPS, ESPECIALLY FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. AT SLOW SPE…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1688401
    • "I HAVE OWNED MANY SUBARU`S AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. MY NEW 2017 FORESTER HAS AN ISSUE SHIFTING GEARS. ALTHOUGH IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE, THE TIME IT HAPPENED WAS PRETTY SCARY. AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN AT A RED LIGHT THE LIGHT CHANGED T…"~43,000 mi, complaint #1519878
  22. #22

    trunk or liftgate

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "ON MARCH 1, 2017 I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. AFTER PROCEEDING STRAIGHT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND REACHING A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH I HEARD AN ALERT IN MY CAR, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HEARD CARS BEHIND ME SOUNDING THEIR HORNS. I QUICKLY LOOKED UP…"~1,200 mi, complaint #1360798
    • "WHEN CLOSING REAR POWER LIFT GATE, A STROLLER FELL PARTLY OUT OF THE TRUNK. I INSTINCTIVELY GRABBED IT, AND THE GATE HIT THE BACK OF MY HEAD AND STARTED TO SLAM ME INTO THE CAR BEFORE I COULD PULL MY HEAD OUT. THE DOOR DID NOT STOP CLOSING. ACCORDING TO THE SU…"~3,200 mi, complaint #1379560
    • "ACCIDENTALLY PLACED MY HAND NEAR THE EDGE OF THE REAR POWER LIFT GATE WHEN IT WAS CLOSING. CLOSED ON MY FINGER AND DID NOT AUTO REVERSE. KEPT APPLYING FORCE UNTIL I MANAGED TO PULL MY FINGER OUT! DANGEROUS DESIGN"~50,000 mi, complaint #1611625
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that upon opening the tailgate, the tailgate quickly fell unintendedly and struck the contact's head while the contact was retrieving items from the trunk. The contact sustained head soreness but had…"~85,000 mi, complaint #2180824
  23. #23

    adas collision warning

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "9/24/2017 PRESSING ON BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR SPEEDED UP, I TRIED PARKING IN FRONT OF A CEMENT PLANTER HOPING THE PRE-COLLISION BRAKES WOULD STOP ME, IT DIDN'T IT LUNGED AFTER HITTING THE CEMENT DIVIDER IN THE PARKING SPACE, I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND PUT IT…"~11,000 mi, complaint #1508144
    • "PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED (SINCE I'D NOT DRIVEN QUICKLY THROUGH THE PARKING LOT - TOO MANY BACKING UP TOO QUICKLY!). SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND RAMMED INTO BRICK WALL OF THE BUILDING. MY FOOT MUST OF SLIPPED, BUT IT WAS FAST. NO COLLISIO…"~54,000 mi, complaint #1714247
  24. #24

    adas lane keeping

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "THE VEHICLE'S EYESIGHT SYSTEM EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE MALFUNCTIONS. THIS HAPPENED OFTEN DURING FOGGY AND RAINING DAYS."~30,000 mi, complaint #1554793
  25. #25

    lighting exterior

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "SUBARU OF AMERICA DOES NOT CURRENTLY OFFER AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS AS AN OPTION ON ITS FORESTER PREMIUM TRIM. SUBARU OF AMERICA'S PARTS DEPARTMENT (PARTS.SUBARU.COM), LISTS THE AUTOMATIC LIGHT SENSOR AND SWITCH AS COMPATIBLE WITH THE FORESTER PREMIUM AND GIVES CO…"~500 mi, complaint #1358295
  26. #26

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE CENTER REAR SHOULDER BELT THAT PULLS DOWN FROM THE CEILING IS TOO SHORT FOR AVERAGE SIZED PEOPLE. IT EASILY SWITCHES TO CHILD LOCK MODE OR DOES NOT FIT AN ADULT PASSENGER PROPERLY DUE TO ITS AWKWARD DESIGN."~50,000 mi, complaint #1611626
  27. #27

    throttle and pedal

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "ON A LONG TRIPS (200 MILES OF INTERSTATE DRIVING) THE CAR LOSES IT'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN HIGHWAY SPEED. THE ACCELERATOR PEDDLE DOES NOT WORK AND VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN TO IDLE. YOU HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND STOP. PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THEN BACK IN TO DRIV…"~42,000 mi, complaint #1630154
  28. #28

    transmission manual clutch

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "MY 2017 SUBARU FORESTER HAS A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHENEVER I ATTEMPT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BY DOWNSHIFTING, THE VEHICLE WILL OFTEN CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. THIS UNWANTED ACCELERATION IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING DOWN A GRADE, HOWEVER IT ALSO FREQUENTL…"~800 mi, complaint #1354136
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to shift gear into reverse, the vehicle made a strange noise, then lunged forward inadvertently. The vehicle's front driver-side tire ran over the contact's daughter's upper legs…"~90,000 mi, complaint #1771635
  29. #29

    wheel or rim

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THREE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE STUDS SHEARED, PROPERLY HAND TORQUED PRIOR, TWO LUG NUTS WITH STUDS RETRIEVED IN DRIVEWAY, 20 DEG F. PULLING OUT OF GARAGE LH TURN, 3 MPH. FAILED AND REMAINING TWO STUDS RETAINED WHEN REPLACED. POSSIBLE NIL DUCTILITY TEMP. GOOGLE REV…"~31,000 mi, complaint #1546729
  30. #30

    wiring harness

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "SCREEN BLACKED OUT EVERYTHING WENT OFF, NO LIGHTS, NO RADIO, NO DASH BOARD VISION. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES BEFORE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND ELECTRICAL CABLES WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER, JUST THIS WEEK MY VEHICLE, WHILE WAITI…"~14,000 mi, complaint #1514294
    • "THESE MODELS HAVE AMPLIFIER SOUND ISSUES THAT ROUTINELY CAUSE THE AMPLIFIER TO FAIL AND CUT THE SOUND. THIS COULD DEFINITELY CAUSE A CRASH BY DISTRACTING THE DRIVER. THE AMPS ARE EXTREMELY PRONE TO FAILING AND CAUSE EAR DEAFENING TONES, NO SOUND, CRACKLING ETC…"~40,000 mi, complaint #1728971
  31. #31

    engine oil consumption

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "I DID MY FIRST OIL CHANGE AT 1500 MILES, THEN THE NEXT TWO CHANGES AT ABOUT 3000 MILE INTERVALS. THEN I DECIDED TO STRETCH THEM TO THE 5K MILES RECOMMENDED BY SUBARU. I WAS ABOUT 4K MILES INTO THIS CHANGE INTERVAL WHEN MY OIL LEVEL LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE…"~16,266 mi, complaint #1531530
    • "2.5 MANUAL, BURNS OIL AT EXCESSIVE RATE. CHECK ENGINE OIL LIGHT TURNED TWICE SO FAR, ONCE AT 2K MILES ON A CAR AND NEXT TIME AT 16K MILES. BOTH LIGHTS WERE WELL WITHIN THE OIL CHANGE SCHEDULE AND THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN SUBDUED TO ANY UNUSUAL USE. UNABLE TO TRAVE…"~16,500 mi, complaint #1521549
  32. #32

    heater core and blower

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "DRIVER SIDE VENTS ARE BLOWING WARM AIR WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON. ONLY 1400 MILES ON SINCE I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW LAST MONTH 8/6/16."~1,400 mi, complaint #1317707
  33. #33

    power steering hydraulic

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "BACKED CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL PROPERLY. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING AND A LIGHT ON THE DASH INDICATED SAME. CALLED MY SON, WHO ASKED ME TO PULL FRONT, BACK, AND THEN PARK AND TURN OFF ENGINE AND RESTART. THIS CAUSED THE POW…"complaint #1786400
    • "Power steering failed. On January 6th 2025, night time with cold weather conditions, leaving a parking lot the power steering stopped working. Vehicle was very difficult to steer. Nearly all dash light came on. Took vehicle to dealership, they found the power…"complaint #2082173
  34. #34

    power windows and locks

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHICH IS ROLLED UP COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THERE ARE NO CRACKS NO INDENTATION THAT THE GLASS WOULD HAVE BROKEN AT TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE ONLY ISSUE LEADING UP TO THIS THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP ALL THE WAY A…"~119,201 mi, complaint #1743859
  35. #35

    software or update

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE WANTS TO STALL AND I HAVE TO FLOOR THE GAS PEDAL AND IT SLOWLY STARTS TO ACCELERATE. I'M AFRAID THAT ONE OF THESE DAYS IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND WILL CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. I BROUGHT IT IN TO PINE BELT SUBARU IN LAKEWOOD, NJ FOR SE…"~4,000 mi, complaint #1551710
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BEFORE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1727506
  36. #36

    adas blind spot

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "ON OCTOBER 4, 2019 MY CAR WAS PARKED AND THE PASSENGER REAR BUMPER WAS HIT AND DAMAGED BY A SCHOOL BUS. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES TO GET FIXED AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. THE BSD/RCTA SENSORS ARE NOT WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS "FIXED" THIS ISSUE 4 TI…"~42,195 mi, complaint #1624871
  37. #37

    corrosion and rust

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My [XXX] mother in law was told by Subaru White Plains NY her both her front control arms and both front sway bar links had to be replaced due to rust as they were not safe and would not pass the NY vehicle inspection. So I did a Google search and saw 2017 Su…"complaint #2130661
  38. #38

    engine cooling

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "AFTER ANY DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER, SMELL OF COOLANT IN RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT"~17,650 mi, complaint #1481144
  39. #39

    fluid leak unspecified

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "REFERENCE SUBARU TSB # 16-103-16R, REVISION 08/29/19. I PULLED SCREENSHOTS, BUT I HAVE A FULL VIDEO CLIP OF THE LEAK DESCRIBED IN THIS BULLETIN AND SUBARU IS DENYING COVERAGE BECAUSE THEIR DEALERSHIPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE PROPER TOOLS OR DO NOT EMPLOY TRA…"~61,690 mi, complaint #1698454
  40. #40

    fuel tank and lines

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "SMELL OF GASOLINE AT STARTUP. THE CAR HAS ONLY 30000 MILES ON IT AND SEEMS TO BE A WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM/ISSUE WITH SUBARUS OF ALL MAKES/MODELS. THIS WAS NOT IN COLD WEATHER. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! *TR"~30,606 mi, complaint #1671543
  41. #41

    instrument cluster

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 88,000, and at the time of registrati…"~88,223 mi, complaint #2093392
  42. #42

    interior trim

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "I HAVE CAUGHT THE BACK OF MY RIGHT SHOE 4 TIMES( SINCE BUYING THE CAR IN AUGUST) WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE CAR. IT CATCHES ON THE HARD PLASTIC ON THE FRONT LEFT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE FIRST THREE TIMES I WAS EXITING THE CAR IN TOWN AND COULD HAVE FALLEN INT…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1351445
  43. #43

    mirror

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I am reporting a safety issue with an aftermarket driver’s side mirror manufactured by TRQ, intended as a replacement for a 2017 Subaru Forester. The mirror does not provide sufficient side visibility, increasing blind spots significantly compared to the OEM p…"complaint #1990138
  44. #44

    seat mechanism

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The driver’s seat in my 2017 Subaru Forester suddenly became loose and moves left to right while driving. The vehicle has only 27,000 miles, has never been in an accident, and has been meticulously maintained. The Subaru dealer diagnosed failed seat frame rail…"complaint #2185940
  45. #45

    steering column

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Key Removal system is more occasionally failing to lock the steering wheel in position. When that happens. With the key turned to the completely ... off position. The key release remains locked in place and the key cannot be removed from the keyslot in the s…"complaint #2084553
  46. #46

    suspension struts shocks

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY YESTERDAY 2/9/17, THE CAR WAS SEVERELY VIBRATING AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 60- 65. IT WAS UNBEARABLE. MY WHOLE BODY WAS SHAKING AND STUFF ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS ALMOST FALLING DOWN. FUEL VS MILEAGE GAUAGE ON DIGITAL SCREEN WAS VISI…"~6,100 mi, complaint #1355052
  47. #47

    tire failure

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owned a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph and making a turn, the vehicle hydroplaned as the contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle inadvertently accelerated while hydroplan…"~28,959 mi, complaint #1773550
  48. #48

    torque converter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "VEHICLE OFTEN SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY AT LOW SPEEDS COMING TO A STOP - STALLING ITSELF ONCE. WHEN MERGING ONTO FREEWAY OR OVERTAKING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY MAKES LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ACTS AS IF IT IS DISENGAGED (LIKE A FU…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1492150
  49. #49

    tpms

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The Tire Pressure Monitoring System module failed which also disabled the key fob remotes. I had the TPMS module replaced 3 times. The first occurrence was on August 26th 2021 and was confirmed by the dealership Subaru Service Center. During the failure and ma…"complaint #1807567
  50. #50

    transfer case awd

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The oil temperature, ABS, and traction control warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the AWD failed to operat…"~154,095 mi, complaint #1869350
  51. #51

    wiper and washer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "SMALL CHIP DRIVING AUG 2017AFTER PARKING TURNED INTO LONG CRACKS JULY 2018 SMALL CHIP DRIVING TURNED INTO LONG CRACK AFTER PARKING"~7,000 mi, complaint #1634276

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for SUBARU FORESTER directly.