Table 1 shows one common seat belt related problems of the 2025 Subaru Forester.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Seat Belt problems |
I never ride in the back seat and very infrequently have back seat passengers. However, every time I do they all complain about how difficult it is to "buckle up", I never thought much about it until I started visiting my grandkids and would have to buckle them; it is very difficult to access the clip. That in itself is bad enough, but there have been two occasions now where the seatbelt has come undone after I know it was properly latched, causing my grandsons booster to not be restrained while I was driving. I scheduled an appointment with autonation Subaru in carlsbad CA on 30 September to see if the seatbelt clips could be extended for better access. When I showed up for the appointment, I was told there was nothing they could do to correct the issue. I looked online and discovered this is a common problem with this vehicle and others are complaining about similar issues such as the clip not fastening, the clip being difficult to access and an alarm sound/not sounding. As far as I could find, there are no recalls for this issue. I feel this is a significant safety issue. I'm not sure if it is the difficulty in accessing the clip, or faulty clips, but if these can't be relied upon to be stable during routine driving, I am terrified as to what might happen in a collision. This is the first time I have ever purchased a Subaru, and I did so because of their reputation for safety. I am now second guessing my choice. Could you please look into this for me and the other owners. Thank you.
While there were no reported incidents, it appears there may be manufacturing defects with this vehicle. The rear seat safety belts are reportedly quite difficult to fasten, as the receptacle is positioned deeply within the seats, sometimes making it impossible to secure the belt. This then triggers an alarm, which can be quite bothersome for the driver. Furthermore, there seems to be an issue with the fuel gauge, as it may display an inaccurate reading. For instance, upon filling the tank, the meter might show 470 ml, but while still at the gas station, it could indicate 330 ml. Additionally, the reading can fluctuate after a trip. Finally, the air conditioning vent on the driver's side does not seem to be functioning correctly. In one instance, despite a minor road hazard that was not immediately noticed, the left rear tire was completely damaged. Despite multiple attempts to address these issues at the showroom and contacting Subaru headquarters, the problems persist. Note the purchase of vehicle forced upon me ,in addition hallmark Subaru refuse to address the issues with vehicle. I have reported the matter to al state attorney general. Still no response made by state ag. Thank you.