Automatic Emergency Braking Problems of Subaru Forester - part 1

[xxx] our 2025 Subaru Forester's eye sight stopped working. The screen went completely blue, no rearview camera of course and loss of the eye sight safety system, including radio. We only have approximately 4k miles on our vehicle. I tried a reset by holding the radio on and off button for 15 seconds (didn't work). I also removed the ground wire from the battery for a few minutes (approximately 5). . . . . Didn't work. So I started doing research on this and it seems it's there is a lawsuit against Subaru that entails this. I believe it has been happening for about 10 years now. Having eye sight shut down and not having the safety options that we paid for is a terrible thing to happen on the road. Our dealership is taking care of it with a loaner tomorrow and hopefully fixing it forever, but my question is. . . . . . Why have they not been shut down until this is fixed? ten years is a long time for this serious safety issue. Thank you for letting me vent. Sincerely, [xxx] & [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I, the owner of a 2020 Subaru Forester am writing to you in regards to an issue with my vehicle’s eyesight program. Over the past month, there have been several instances where the eyesight program fails and caused the vehicle to suddenly stop without warning. This prevents me from safely moving the vehicle to the side of the road as the car stops. In other words, the car abruptly stops on the spot. This creates an immediate danger to life and health to myself and to other motorists. This issue must be addressed immediately and the necessary steps taken to ensure the safety the driver, passengers and other motorists on the road. Thank you for understanding.

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On August 12, 2025, at approximately 10:16 am, while driving at normal speed on cr-43 NW southbound just past minnesota Ave in big lake, mn, my Subaru’s eyesight driver assist system, specifically the automatic emergency braking (aeb) / pre-collision braking system, suddenly activated without warning and with no obstacle present. The braking was abrupt and unnecessary, causing the vehicle behind me to nearly rear-end mine. Road conditions were clear, dry, and unobstructed, with no pedestrians, vehicles, or hazards in my lane. This appears to have been a “false positive” from the aeb system. This sudden stop placed both my safety and the safety of other drivers at serious risk, and in different circumstances could have caused a collision resulting in injury or death. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center because Subaru requires a $200 diagnostic fee, which I have not paid. The vehicle has not been inspected by Subaru, police, insurance, or any other parties for the same reason. No warning lamps, error messages, or other indicators appeared prior to the incident. All systems appeared to be functioning normally before the unexpected braking occurred. I am concerned this defect persists beyond 48,000 miles, outside the limits of prior settlements, and believe Subaru should issue a recall covering all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage, to prevent potential crashes.

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Vehicle unexpectedly brakes for no apparent reason, has almost caused us to be rear ended. Subaru inspected vehicle, says the eyesight ada camera needs to be replaced at our cost. This vehicle is only 4 years old and has 38,000 miles. This is clearly a safety defect.

After arriving home from a short drive to the grocery store I parked my car in the drive way and went inside. On the drive home I could hear a low humming coming from the speakers and the car was decelerating when the accelerator was not being pressed, no warning lights or sounds came on. About 10 minutes after I parked a neighbor knocked on the door letting me know my car was smoking from inside the hood. Within a minute or 2 the entire hood of the car was engulfed in flames. The entire front half of the car burned to a crisp, the fire also burned half a tree. The car was burning so hot that it melted the hood of the car, had I parked it with the hood facing my house my house would have caught fire. The problem has not been reduced or confirmed by dealer or independent service. The vehicle is being stored by the insurance and for the time being is accessible for investigation. Because I was having trouble with the infotainment system, the humming coming from the speakers, and a recent warranty extension by from Subaru for the infotainment system due to known issues I suspect that the fire was caused by electrical issues.

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving on a main road at 32 mph, the forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking (aeb) system suddenly engaged while there were no objects or vehicles nearby. Additionally, the contact stated that the Subaru eyesight system was disabled due to being a seasoned driver. The contact stated that she was forced to purchase the vehicle with the feature. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was inspected and recalibrated. The dealer informed the contact that the ez pass may have contributed to the failure; however, the contact stated that the ez pass had been on the console for approximately three years. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.

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In driving our 2023 Subaru Forester at 45mph at 10:00 am in the morning, with no cars in front of us, in back of us, or on either side of us- suddenly the brakes locked up! had there been anyone behind us, there could have been a dangerous collision. We have owned this car for 2 years, done all maintenance on it, and have never had this happen before. We feel unsafe driving it now. We pulled the car over, got out to look under the car, thinking maybe we hit something in the road. . . But there was nothing. . . No warning. . . . We contacted Subaru corporate, was given a case number, but are still waiting to hear from them.

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Auto start/stop shut off engine at drive thru line. Locked up brakes and could not get it to unlock and restart car. It has happened on a number of occasions. After multiple attempts trying and letting it sit for a couple of hours, somehow got it to unlock and start. Thank goodness we haven’t gotten into an accident.

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I see black/gray spots on the headlights and sometimes I cannot detect if it is something in the road. Especially if it is raining. I called today for my maintenance and I am going to address this. Another issue that scared me to death. I was backing out of my garage, I was clear to continue backing but it kept beeping. Again I checked and nothing there, I began to continue and all of a sudden the car braked on its on hard. It was so alarming. I’m glad I was not in traffic. I am addressing this as well at my dealership. Another issue, I am feeling a hesitation when I accelerate, like it is not getting gas, then it starts going without hesitation. I am addressing this as well at my dealership. Another issue all of a sudden the eye sight crossed through came on. No reason for it to come on. I will address with the dealership.

Improper glass installed by safelight adas unable to be calibrated.

**component malfunction**: the windshield developed cracks shortly after purchase, which expanded without impact, affecting visibility and causing the safety eyesight system to malfunction. **safety risk**: the expanding crack impaired vision and led to safety system malfunctions, posing a risk to driver and passenger safety. **problem reproduction**: it is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. **inspection status**: the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. **warning signs**: there were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure; the issue appeared in the first week after purchase.

Starting up the car in the morning after a long day stuck in traffic (over 100 degree f weather), moved about 5 feet then the eyesight system stopped working, rear braking stopped, and power steering gave out - the car started and the engine ran normally. The car was abandoned as unsafe until diagnostics could be performed and a different car was used to get around . That evening the car started up fine, also the next morning to reproduce conditions. Tested the battery, which showed "good" (93% charge/40%healthy). I suspect that, in the morning the a/c, headlights, radio, backup lights, etc. . . Put a large draw on the electrical system resulting in a system wide shutdown of adaptive features - however loss of power steering is insane and can easily result in death if it happens while driving especially while making a turn if the driver is not prepared/strong enough to force it. The linking of non-critical system to help the driver to an essential system is just asking for trouble.

See all problems of the 2018 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I was driving down the main street of a small city. There is a decent amount of traffic, so I’m not sure what speed I was going but likely no more than 25 mph. All of a sudden, for no apparent reason, the pre-collision braking went into effect and slammed me to a total stop. I wasn’t too close to the vehicle in front of me, there were no pedestrians in the road, etc. Thankfully the vehicle behind me was able to stop and did not hit me. I was able to move forward and pulled into the closet parking lot. I looked and could see anything directly on my vehicle. Subaru is saying that one of my tire’s pressure was low and that may have caused it or sunlight may have caused it. There was no low tire pressure light on my vehicle. The light had been on not too long before this and I had filled the tires. But no warning light on the day this happened. I was able to successfully drive further with no issues. Subaru does not seem to be taking this seriously. But, no matter the cause, if either of these things will cause a vehicle to come to an immediate stop, that is definitely a safety issue. And it is a safety concern that should be looked into.

I was driving to work and many of my warning lights suddenly came on. This includes my check engine light, my lane assist light, my auto collision braking, my eye sight disabled and my cool engine light keeps going on and off. My cabin heating also isn’t working. There is no reason for this happening other than my thermo control valve failing.

Eyesight pre-collision braking feature and pre-collision throttle management feature malfunctioned and caused the 2020 Forester to accelerate unexpectedly and lurch forward while I was manually braking and slowing to come to a complete stop behind two other vehicles stopped at a steady red light. See class action lawsuit weston, et al. V. Subaru of America, inc. , et al. In us district court case no. [xxx] which alleges that the vehicle contains certain defects that caused sudden and unintended acceleration without driver input; acceleration while manually braking; and that these defects created a safety risk, because they severely affected the driver's ability to control the car's speed, acceleration, and deceleration, and increase the risk of a collision, which did in fact occur. The defective car was completely totaled and towed to a salvage yard by the police and the insurance company. Defect malfunction caused a collision which resulted in property damage and personal injury to three vehicles and three people. I mentioned the defect to my insurance company at the time of the accident. I do not know if they chose to follow up and inspect the vehicle. The problem occurred twice before ( not resulting in property damage or injury) and I took it to my Subaru dealer both times and they claim that they could not find anything wrong, but oddly did not note that they checked for the problem which I brought to their attention on the written summary/invoice for my service visit. See the class action lawsuit- this is apparently the typical dealer non-response to the problem. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Thermo control valve failure, p26a3 code, eyesight safety assistance warning light ,check engine light, pre collision braking light, lane assist light.

While driving temperature light, check engine light, all adas lights came on as inoperable (cameras, warning, abs, bsd/rcta), no heat (including defrost) available to defrost or for cabin. Appointment 3/13 replaced thermo control valve assembly , coolant bypass valve, intake gaskets, fuel line, coolant, total charges $2070. Luckily had extended warranty I bought, that I had to make a claim on. Dangerous to drive (no camera based safety features available, no defrost for the snowy weather, no emergency braking or other collision safety features on, this affected the entire 'eyesight' system). The engine also had no thermo control regulation during this time, affecting not just then, but possible future performance and early aging due to disregulation.

Component: eyesight camera motherboard failure due to cold weather (code b28b3). Possibly an improper conformal coating that is susceptible to cracking or building moisture which then freezes and cracks components of the camera system. Safety concern: it appears this is common in Subaru eyesight systems for all models years 2017-2019. A local mechanic shop (fairbanks, ak) has seen these systems fail repeatedly in our winter climate. I find this concerning that the system that has the ability to control steering and breaking is susceptible to what we consider normal winter climates. Subaru has been vague on the cause of this issue. Reproduced: yes, this is known and not uncommon per the Subaru dealer service center and an independent local shop. Inspected: yes the vehicle has been inspected by kendall Subaru of fairbanks ak. Warning lights: no warning before failure. Currently the display shows "eyesight" in bold indicating the eyesight system is non functional.

After ice storm and after car was cleaned of any ice, the emergency braking appeared to be confused by the ice on the road. I decided to not go forward once I was on the street as it seemed to slick and tried to back up to my house to get into my driveway which is on a slope. In reverse, the brakes kept slamming on after a foot or two and I would lose momentum and slide forward. I ended up having to drive forward around the block forward to get back to my house. The eyesight system seems to get confused very easily when there are icy reflections or snow on the road.

Check engine light came on, low temp light stays on, eyesight disabled, lane departure, emergency breaking, etc have all been disabled due to the issue. I took it to the local autobody shop and they found code p0128 | coolant thermostat issue. This has caused all safety features to become disabled as mentioned above. I was told by the local shop that I need to go to the dealership. I have not brought it to the dealership yet however, after looking online I found that this is a common issue with this make and model vehicle however, nothing has been done by Subaru to recall the component. I am going to bring the car to a dealership however, I'm upset that Subaru hasn't acted on the information that they have a faulty component in this vehicle. I am very concerned with cost of repairs since I am being forced to go to the dealer.

The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the automatic emergency braking system activated, bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.

While driving, most of the dash errors lights lit up- alerting me that the eyesight warning, rab ( reverse auto braking) and other safety functions were disabled. The check engine light was on and a flashing s next to it. Cold engine light was illuminated as well. Dealer diagnosed with a faulty thermal control valve, which somehow disabled all safety features. This is a common failure of Subarus and a recall is needed.

Hit a deer the vehicle immediately was on fire and burnt to the ground. It had 3000 miles on it.

The temperature control valve (tcv) has gone bad and so the check engine light is on and reverse automatic braking and the eyesight system is disabled. The problem with the temperature control valve is unrelated to the safety systems, however, when this valve goes bad, these safety systems are disabled automatically.

While I was traveling I stopped at a rest area and when I restarted my car, my panel lit up like a christmas tree. All my safety assist systems were disabled and my check engine light came on. When I got home I had my mechanic run the codes and it came back to the thermo control valve. This happened on 8-29-2023. I researched the problem and Subaru put out a service bulletin in February 2022 but never notified me. My car is out of warranty now and am forced to drive without my safety systems because, 1- they don’t carry the part in stock and 2- the cost to repair is over $1400. 00. Subaru was aware of the problem but kept it quiet. I feel this is a scam and Subaru should recall this part. I was warned that my car could die at any time. I bought it for those very safety systems as I am a senior citizen and rely on them now.

On 22 and 25 August my vehicle came to an abrupt stop with a pre collision braking displayed in a rectangular box in the center of my dash. The hard breaking and warning display happened for only 1-2 seconds. There were no driver or passenger physical injuries other than being startled and upset with the vehicle coming to such an abrupt stop with no other vehicles, debris, or obstructions on the roadway. After both incidents, I drove straight to the nearby Subaru dealership to have this problem diagnosed and repaired . Both times the vehicle checked out fine. I told the service manager that the vehicle is unsafe and puts me at risk especially for a rear end collision or a possible whiplash injury for me and any passengers. Two pre collision braking events in one week is not acceptable. They agreed to contact their company’s engineers for further action.

While driving home from vacation(07/23/2023), we were on the freeway. My 3 young children were in the back seat. We were going about 75-80mph, as the speed limit was 70mph on the highway. My cruise control was not on , and there were no cars in front of us. However the collision breaking went off and it put the breaks down hard. My kids all went flying forward causing the seatbelts to lock along with me and my husband being thrown forward (we were also wearing seatbelts). As scary as that is, the worst part was there was a very large truck behind us who almost slammed into the back of us. Thankfully he swerved and went into the grass to avoid hitting us. However it continued to break until we were down to about 40mph. The whole time the car was alarming and flashing the warning of collision breaking on the dash. There had been no warnings or any issues prior to the braking system going off. There hadn't previously been any hard stops, no crazy bumps or potholes in the road that had been hit. There was no indication of there being any issues before it randomly started breaking for me. I have called Subaru about the problem, and plan to bring it in to be inspected this week. Otherwise, my car is 100% up to date on all inspections and all vehicle maintenance.

As a result of code p26a3 (engine coolant bypass valve), the cars eye sight system is turned off as well as lane departure, reverse automatic braking, and pre-collision braking system. While code p26a3 may in fact refer to a serious problem with then engine, there is no reason why a safety system should be shut off!.

We were driving our vehicle westbound on u. S. Route 24, between fairbury, IL and chenoa, IL on Saturday, July 15, 2023 around 7:00 pm. We were travelling at approximately 55 to 60 mph when the brakes engaged suddenly and brought us to an almost immediate stop. This happened so quickly that it destroyed out transmission, cv joints and brakes. Had we not had out seat belts on, I feel certain that we would have been ejected. If a vehicle had ben behind us, I have no doubt that it would have collided with us. Immediately following the incident, the vehicle, which was now immobile, displayed the eyesight warning on the instrument panel.

I was driving on a paved two lane rural route and hit a small bump in the road. Immediately, my check engine light came on and all the safety features turned off. Control panel showed multiple safety features off and the sport mode indicator light blinking. My car only has 17k miles on it and I have had it just over a month. I was able to drive it safely home and when I called the dealership the next morning I was told I could continue to drive it until the service appointment six days later. When I got home, my husband checked it with his cel reader and got the code for the temperature control valve (an issue known by Subaru). This was confirmed by the dealership and I was told after having driven it for several days that it should not be driven. The repair is being covered under the power train warranty.

Dear national highway traffic safety administration, I am writing to report a safety issue with my 2019 Subaru Forester, which I believe may affect many other Subaru vehicles as well. Specifically, I have experienced a problem with the thermo control valve, which has caused the eyesight safety features to be disabled and potentially poses a safety risk. I first became aware of this issue when the eyesight safety features on my vehicle were automatically disabled due to a malfunction. I brought my vehicle to a Subaru dealership for an inspection, and they determined that the thermo control valve was faulty and needed to be replaced. It was alarming to learn that many other Subaru owners had experienced the same issue, and some had even experienced engine failure as a result. The eyesight system is a driver assistance technology developed by Subaru that uses cameras and sensors to monitor the road and surrounding environment, alerting drivers to potential hazards and providing automatic braking support if necessary. This technology has been recognized as one of the most advanced driver assistance technologies available, and is designed to help prevent accidents and reduce the severity of collisions. The eyesight system includes features such as adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane departure warning, and sway warning, which work together to provide a comprehensive safety package for drivers and passengers. These features are critical in keeping drivers safe. I am concerned that this issue may be more widespread than initially thought, and that it may pose a safety risk to drivers and passengers of affected Subaru vehicles. The faulty thermo control valve can cause the eyesight safety features to be disabled, which can lead to reduced safety performance, accidents, and potentially harm to drivers and passengers. Sincerely, davide alves.

Error code (p26a3?)for - engine coolant bypass valve. Causes the "check engine" light to come on and automatically disables all of the safety and collision mitigation systems. The engine coolant bypass valve failure is common and a known issue and Subaru has already updated the part on newer vehicle models. The common failure of the coolant bypass valve should not be disabling the safety features and the collision avoidance systems.

2019 Subaru Forester premier. 6/29/23 all ok while driving for 3 hours on highways. Never had any issues before. I stopped car to take a break, when I restarted the car. All the warning lights lit ou and eye-site was off and could not be turned on. Check engine light on along with many others. Had 30 minutes more to go, stopped a few more times to check on the engine compartment - all ok. Brought it to the dealer today, 6/30/23, they were going to need 4 hours to replace a thermo coupler valve? issued a loaner car, and said Subaru will cover it under warranty even though it has expired. Only 24500 miles on a 2019 Forester.

Rab disabled, eye sight disabled, I drive disabled, check engine light came on. Car drives like it's is in sport mode with very touchy throttle. Pulled a code and it's the tcv. It's a known issue by Subaru with a part that has since been revamped but with thousands of vehicles on the road affected. Should be a recall. Contacted Subaru of America with no response so now a $1,900-$2,500 depending on dealer cost is being pushed on the consumer. Vehicle currently has 80,000 miles but as a Subaru ambassador I used to put a lot of miles on going to events, meets and typical camping and outdoors activities you expect out of these vehicles so my milage is slightly higher than the normal work commuter.

Braking system sometimes is activated by a sign on the side of the road, by a tree if we are turning, or nothing at all. Nearly in 2 rear end collisions when the system activated incorrectly. We cannot drive into our garage with the system activated. . . Brakes keep slamming on. The only safe way to operate this Subaru is to manually turn it off every time we start the car. Subaru dealership states it cannot recalibrate the eyesight system as it does not have that ability. Dealership is in corvallis oregon. Lane notification system also has issues in construction zones (it tries to steer the car into the water barriers marking the lane changes. At least the side warning system can be permanently disabled. We have filed many complaints with Subaru to no avail. Promised return phone calls never happen, phone transfers to their technical department result in dropped calls. This system is dangergous!!!.