Equipment 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).

This complaint is in relation to a 2023 Subaru Forester. The car was purchased new at white river Subaru in white river junction, vt less than two years ago. Before it reached 30,000 miles the following problem has arisen 1) rusty brakes and pads 2) a wheel bearing had to be replaced 3) a faulty tire pressure gauge. However, must concerning, I noticed greasy film was forming on the inside of the windshield. I took it dealership and was told there was an ac leak in the engine bay. The service shop told me the substance on the windshield was condensation. I do not believe this to be true. The substance created a visible film across the glass, when it did met with condensation and cold it turned a solid milky color with almost no visibility through the windsheild. When touched the film smudgles and has a greasy texture. I am concerned as this has serious health implications.

See all problems of the 2023 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Air bag warning light comes on intermittently so passenger air bag system is off.

See all problems of the 2018 Subaru Forester 🔎.

The ignition key kept getting stuck in the ignition. Subaru acknowledged a defect in the shifter plate and parking range switch. They replaced it on 8/30/25 under service bulletin 16-12-18r but the dealer charged me $584. 94 and Subaru north America refused to reimburse, stating that they had extended the warranty period to 2022, and therefore I was not covered for repair. However, they acknowledged that the original parts had failed for certain customers and that they had better parts available if the original parts failed before the extended warranty period lapsed in 2022. They should have issued a recall and replaced the original parts. I was unable to remove the keys and could not secure and lock my car. I was also concerned that the steering wheel would lock up while driving.

See all problems of the 2015 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I bought a used vehicle and looked at it and they erased the codes I saw then erased it then I confronted them and was told nothing is wrong with the vehicle after telling them there is a recall on the suspension. Went to go get a alignment and was told it's severely unsafe to drive and the subframe is about to snap! the mechanic gave me photos and a report to return it imatelt but the used car lot said well u had every chance and I did it the mechanical stuff checked but the car place said everything is in good condition!.

See all problems of the 2003 Subaru Forester 🔎.

While driving the vehicle I began to hear a loud grinding noise from the engine compartment when the a/c was engaged. I pulled over to look under the hood and it sounded like the noise was coming from the serpentine belt. Upon inspection by a Subaru dealership it was determined that the a/c compressor is failing. I was informed that there was a known issue with the 2018 Forester a/c compressor and the compressor has been redesigned. I was also informed that if I postponed repair then the compressor could seize up with would cause the serpentine belt to break which would then cause immediate engine failure. Such failure could be extremely dangerous if it happens when driving on a highway, etc. There was no warning light that appeared when the grinding noise started. I also listen to music when I drive so it was lucky that I heard the noise before the compressor seized. If Subaru had to redesign the compressor then it seems reasonable that a recall should be issued to prevent engine failure. All routine maintenance has been preformed on this vehicle at the dealership in a timely fashion. There is 78,000 miles on the vehicle and I am the original owner.

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.

See all problems of the 2021 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I’m facing a really big issue here. I’ve been experiencing all the textbook issues in my vehicle for both of the recalls that did exist for my vehicle. I purchased my vehicle in [xxx], and I was just in to walser Subaru in st. Paul mn where they said my recalls were completed in April 22, 2022. That is absolutely not true. I was at the dealership all day that day. So I called miller hill Subaru in duluth mn where it said it was done, and all they provided me with was the 2 dates I had brought it in for a general inspection and for an a/c issue. All I had done there was a transmission flush and both of those times were well after April 22nd. I purchased my vehicle from anderson auto in rice lake township. So now I have my car with recalls that were falsified that they were done, but I am expected to pay for them. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2017 Subaru Forester 🔎.

My Subaru smelled like gas and caught on fire while I was driving to work less than 72 hours after it left the service department at the local Subaru dealership. Earlier that week I dropped the car off for service due to a check engine light and multiple other warning lights on the dashboard. The check engine light was determined to be due to a faulty thermo control valve (a known issue on several models of 2019-2021 Subarus). During that service appointment, the thermo control valve was replaced under warranty, the 60000 mile service, state inspection, and an oil change/tire rotation were completed. The morning of the incident, the car smelled like gas, but there were no warning lights on the dashboard and the temperature and gas gauges were all in range. While looking for a safe place to pull over on the side of the road, the gas smell worsened, I heard a pop, the check engine light and every single other light on the dashboard lit up, it smelled like burning jet fuel, and the front of the car was smoking and there were flames, and all mechanical and electrical control of the vehicle was compromised. The car coasted to the side of the right lane. I was unable to operate the gear shift to put the car in park. I opened the driver’s side door, removed my seatbelt, grabbed my backpack, lunch bag, and phone, and exited the vehicle while it was still rolling. I ran around the back of the car to get onto the side walk. Flaming, melting pieces of plastic were coming off the bottom of the car. Flames and smoke were visible on the front hood of the car. I called 911 while the car continued to roll across several lanes onto the other side of the road. The burning car rolled and hit a guardrail on the opposite side of the road and continued to burn until the local fire department arrived on scene. Local police and the fire inspector wrote reports. My insurance declared the car a total loss. I have informed the local dealership and worked to get them access to the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I was on the freeway when the check engine light came on with an alert I couldn't read in time before it disappeared. Then the gas pedal stopped working. I got to a safe place and shut off the car. My brother-in-law then drove the car the 5 miles back home on local roads - he videod the throttle ramping up when he was either braking or the foot wasn't on the gas pedal, which happened 4-5 times. Subaru service pulled fault code p2138.

See all problems of the 2014 Subaru Forester 🔎.

We purchased a 2021 Subaru Forester touring SUV on [xxx] at the el cajon Subaru dealer and this July, I experienced the transmission (cvt) inadvertently shift from drive to neutral twice in one day. This was a concern to me and after I did research online, I was very surprised to discover that this has been an apparent issue with the cvt transmission. We then arranged to have the vehicle towed to the kearney mesa Subaru in san diego for them to diagnose the problem. They found no issues! I contacted the Subaru manufacturer at Subaru. Com and received a case # and jorge, a customer service individual called us today, 8-6-2025 , to address my inquiry. He informed us that if the dealership was unable to duplicate the problem then he was unable to request further action. This was an issue that he was unfamiliar with, or had ever even heard of, and could only suggest that we have the vehicle seen, again, by another dealership to see if they can determine the problem. This is very disappointing as we have only driven this vehicle less than 1000 miles since purchasing. And since I'm now reluctant to drive any distance in this vehicle, or on freeways, will need to have it, again , towed to another dealership as suggested! I would very much appreciate any information you can provide on how to approach this circumstance and if you have encountered any additional complaints specifically related to the Subaru cvt transmission shifting unexpectedly into neutral. Thank you for your attention to this request as we find this a significant safety concern that needs to be addressed. . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I had been driving for 30 minutes from mokena towards rosemont. I was on [xxx] near rosemont when the rear passenger-side window spontaneously shattered without warning. There was a loud pop, and tempered glass collapsed inward into the rear cargo area and passenger footwell. Some of the glass traveling quite far. I did not hear or see any object strike the vehicle, and there is no visible damage or point of impact on the exterior or interior trim. I have also not been able to locate any evidence of an object. All glass remained inside the vehicle, which I have read is consistent with spontaneous failure rather than impact. Safety concerns: the sudden breakage was extremely loud and could easily startle or distract a driver to cause an accident or injure the driver with glass. I was alone, but this could pose a serious injury risk if a child or passenger had been seated in the back. The volume and distribution of shattered tempered glass throughout the car will require extensive cleanup. While I suppose it could have been object, this appears consistent with a known safety risk involving nickel sulfide inclusion or internal glass stress in tempered automotive windows. Action taken: I have documented the incident with extensive photographs. I am in contact with Subaru, but they are looking into prices for us to fix that window. I am submitting this report to ensure visibility and support further investigation into whether this issue is occurring in other 2023 Foresters or related Subaru models. If it was an object, then should that be noted as well given it was on a highway. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Cracked windshield - Subaru windshields are weak and crack easily. I've been driving 45 years, never had a cracked windshield. I bought a new 2019 Subaru Forester and have had 3 cracked windshields. Ridiculous and dangerous. They need to be recalled and pay for replacements. The first crack happened about 1 1/2 years after purchase, I took to dealership for replacement and paid ~$1,200. Then second crack was a star crack, and I had it sucked out/fixed (~$250). And now, vehicle is 5 years old 45k miles on it and has a huge crack in the middle of the windshield in front of the passenger side.

I commute with my car and recently it started to speed up all by itself. I removed my floor covers thinking the gas pedal might be stuck on it but that wasnt the problem. While accelerating from a stopped position, it revs up and accelerates rapidly all by itself. Tapping the break pedal to deactivate accidendal cruise control doesnt work. I have to slam the break just to stop it from accelerating on its own. This is the fourth time it's happened. I have my personal mechanic change the oil every 3k miles and follows the factory recommendations on all other manufacturers recommendations. Very scary to drive because it happens at random.

The horn on my Subaru doesn’t work a mechanic told me it happens a lot to Subarus the clock spring broke now nothing works in the steering wheel and I feel this should be a recall since this is happening to many other Subaru it has not been inspected and no lights came on to warn me I have seen it’s been a recall in the past to other years of Subaru so I feel mine should be included.

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Air leak puncture on my left front tire driver side.

Automatic stop activated at traffic light. When the brake was disengaged, the star would not start. The occupant was stalled at the traffic light during rush hour in a thunderstorm with limited visibility for approximately 15 minutes. Winter haven police department was dispatched but did not arrive probably due to other weather-related traffic situations. After that time, the engine did start and was moved into a lot without incident. The good samaritan that assisted stated he had just stopped down the street on another disabled vehicle in traffic due to malfunctioning auto stop/start. Here is the issue. The alternator and battery have both been checked twice and were in proper order. The oe battery was in use. There was no warning to indicate any issue with the batter. In fact, the Subaru app was reporting the vehicle was operating normally while the vehicle was dead in the road. I work with a local law enforcement agency and have worked fatal crashes on that road. It is unacceptable for the vehicle to not have some type of redundant system to warn owners that the vehicle battery is failing before they are thrust into a possible deadly roadway breakdown.

For a couple years I have been battling with the ignition and my key getting stuck. We have tried switching to the second key we received when we bought the car but that hasn't made a difference. It has gotten worse and I have been stuck a many times in parking lots, unable to remove my key so I can't leave my car safely. I have been late for appointments because of this problem. We did contact the local Subaru dealer today and was told this could be a $700. 00+ repair but after seeing there were 17 complaints on the NHTSA site alone, it appears Subaru needs to do a fix/recall to address this faulty ignition system.

Infotainment system not working correctly. Cannot connect apple car play. If is does a partial connection, just my phone contacts show when screen states “iphone connected” when and if a partial carplay installation shows up, it automatically turns off the wifi on my iphone. All updates are up to date on the phone dealer contacted and unaware that there was a new software update on 3/24/25.

I’ve experienced recurrent failures with my Subaru’s ac system, and it’s become more than just an inconvenience—it’s a real safety concern. In hot weather, the cabin can become unbearably warm, making it difficult to concentrate and increasing the risk of fatigue or even heat-related illness, especially for passengers who are older, very young, or have medical conditions. What’s even more frustrating is the poor quality of the system and Subaru’s lack of communication about what appears to be a known defect. Despite numerous complaints from other owners and repeated service visits, there’s been no clear explanation or long-term fix offered. The situation is not only uncomfortable—it’s unsafe, and the lack of transparency and accountability from Subaru has been incredibly disappointing.

I purchased my 2025 Subaru forrester from ciocca Subaru in flemington, new jersey in October, 2024. In March, 2025, a rock hit my windshield and cracked it. I spoke with both ciocca and open road Subaru about it and they informed me there is a back order on the windshield that could take 2 months and that I should file an insurance claim. I filed the isurance claim and was assigned to get a windshield from safelite, but safelite doesnt have any windshields for this vehicle either. Neither do any new jersey dealers. I then contacted the manufacturer in March, but was told these matters were handled by the dealerships, and thus left with no remedy. I have since called again yesterday, but other than assigning me a new customer service rep named brendan, Subaru has done nothing else. And now it's been over two months and I am stuck with a beautiful new vehicle that has a significantly cracked, ugly and unsafe windshield. I need a windshield replacement immediately or a new vehicle or a refund and forgiveness of any loan incurred in the purchase of this vehicle. If I had known this windshield would crack easily and that no replacements were available, I would not have purchased the vehicle.

Front windshield crack came out of no where. No idea ever had a stone or anything connect with windshield.

Hello. Please explain the difference between the Subaru exhaust pipe (front) warranty extension, (wi22-013) and the Subaru exhaust pipe front (epf) bellows cracking (wuj-95). Please explain why exhaust pipe front (epf) bellows cracking (wuj-95) is a NHTSA recall but exhaust pipe (front) warranty extension, (wi22-013) is only a warranty extension. Please explain why Subaru has chosen to void warranty extensions for rebuilt/restored titled cars? if a recall is a mandatory action taken by a manufacturer to address a safety concern, and a service bulletin is a non-critical notification about a performance or reliability issue, isn’t exhaust fumes coming from cracks at the bellows section of the front exhaust pipe which includes the catalytic converter a safety concern? isn’t a leak occurring at the front exhaust pipe which may result in deterioration of emission performance resulting in the vehicle’s failure to meet emission levels certified by the epa and/or California arb a safety issue? why isn’t exhaust pipe (front) warranty extension, (wi22-013) a recall like exhaust pipe front (epf) bellows cracking (wuj-95)?.

The airbag sensor (ods) malfunctions for front passenger seat. The "airbag off" warning lights up when the seat is occupied. This was fixed by dealer back in 2020 under recall wum-98/NHTSA id 19v-701000. However, this problem recurred intermittently about five months ago. I called capitol Subaru in san jose, CA and spoke with service advisor, dan padilla, who informed me that the recurrence of this safety issue would no longer be covered under this recall. He offered to schedule an appointment for a diagnosis, but I declined since it would cost $300. I also spoke with jorge, case specialist, from Subaru of America who reiterated that the aforementioned recall only covers a one-time repair and cannot be reopened. It is my understanding that safety recalls do not expire and that "federal law often mandates the manufacturer to provide free repairs for safety recalls on vehicles up to 15 yrs old. " how can NHTSA help in resolving this car safety issue with Subaru? the ods system is unreliable and poses a risk to my passengers.

Unknown.

See all problems of the 2024 Subaru Forester 🔎.

In the summer of 2024, my Forester started completely stall out when I was stopped at a stop light. The auto start/stop system seemed to not turn back on. I would have to put the car in park, turn the car off and turn it back on. It was very scary being in traffic and people getting upset behind me. This happened multiple times. I took my car to the dealership. I was told an update needed to be installed and it was not anything I could do at home. After that point, it worked better, but still started back up hard at times. When I remembered, I typically started turning the feature off each time I drove it because I do not trust the feature. Unfortunately, it happened again yesterday. We were at a stoplight, and the car did not start back up, it stalled out. My husband had to quickly try to put the car in park, turn it off and then back on. Cars started honking at us. I am very concerned about this feature.

Bought 2025 Subaru Forester in January 2025. Within 300 miles of driving brought it back to place I bought it, complained about constant vibraton in sterring wheel at high speeds around 55 - 65 mph. They said the wheels were out of balance, they re balanced them and the problem was resolved, but it wasn't. I brought it back to them at 600 miles they looked it over and took it for a ride they said they did not feel the wheel vibration. I said how could you not feel it. I brought it back a 3rd time at 800 miles. They took it for a ride with me in passanger seat . Even as I told them I could feel it in armrest they still said they did not feel it. I opened a case with Subaru of America advocates. They advised me to take it to a different dealer which I did. The second dealer acknowledge the wheel vibration at high speeds. They had my SUV for about 10 days they tried several different brands of tires . They same result happended . Then they said one brand of tires the vibration was less but it is not less it is about the same. They are trying to get me some new tires but I don't think it is the tires. The supension has been looked over by both Subaru dealers. They say it is safe to drive. But it still vibrates it is not just road noise. I just want the vehicle fixed properly.

Unknown or auto stop-start on two occasions when I stopped at a red light (auto stop-start activated) the car stalled out when I hit the gas. There was a warning message that alerted on the dash as well as flashing lights and beeping. The only way to restart my car was to put it in park, turn it off, then turn it back on. These were both at heavily used intersections and I had to use my emergency lights to try prevent being rear-ended and both times I have struggled to quickly resolve the issue which caused danger to others as well. My car has been serviced and inspected in the last 2 months so I am unsure the cause. I had received no alerts or warnings on my car prior to these instances and assumed the first instance was a fluke. I have scheduled a service with a Subaru dealer in the near future.

See all problems of the 2020 Subaru Forester 🔎.

I was stopped at a red light when, suddenly, my car engine completely shut down, a loud and high-pitched alarm began to squeal and many alerts flashed on my screen. One of the alerts stated that the eye--sight was not functioning. The car would not move when the traffic light turned green and I applied the gas pedal. Cars behind me and those in oncoming traffic had to swerve around me. I was in the center lane of traffic. Fortunately, I was able to put the emergency blinkers on. The traffic light turned red again. It occurred to me to shift into park and attempt to restart the car. The car did restart and I was able to drive home when the traffic light again turned green. I made an appointment to take the car into concordville Subaru and, there, I was told that the battery was low and I was given a new battery since the car is under warranty. I am reading from other owners that this is a temporary fix only and that it does not address the real problem.

An off market part from api snapped after just 10 months and 7000 miles of driving on gentle paved roads. It was the lower control arm bolt. (2703-535960) would have caused a very dangerous situation if happened at speed! we got lucky but this was a very dangerous part to break.

[xxx], driving home, dark at [xxx] in airway heights wa. About 10 mins to home, lights in dashboard suddenly lit (brake, check engine, battery icon, water temp icon, 2 yellow colored pictures that had the word “off”, park, abs, exclamation point next to a circle that had a symbol in circle like a Mercedes Benz, and another symbol colored yellow). I kept driving with very little power in the car and it was hard turning the wheels to left or right turns. I was so scared thinking I would be stranded in the middle of the street! made it to my carport and drove it in. Turned off car; attempted to restart but didn’t, and during the times I started the car, it would make a stuttering noise. The lights that lit up remained, wouldn’t turn off until attempt to start again when the lights all turned off. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Cracked windshield.

My dealer diagnosed issues with my car the gasket around my sunroof failed and allowed water to infiltrate the cabin and the electrical system over time. This caused corrosion in the electrical harness, which caused battery failure, failure of the adaptive headlight system, and random electrical glitches. My interpretation of their diagnosis was that this was a cascading failure that might have led to problems with other electrical components such as power brakes, other adaptive systems, etc. , and affected safety, if it had not been diagnosed in time. An insurance appraiser confirmed the dealer's diagnosis. Repairs (including replacing the electrical harness) have been completed and so the situation is not available for further inspection. When the adaptive headlight system stopped working, this was reported on the dashboard, but the cause of this and the base problem was not.

12/14/24-I was stopped at a red light at a very busy intersection. The engine was in stop mode by the start/stop feature. When the light turned green, the car failed to start. The entire car shut down, with alarms sounding and dash lights flashing. The entire system had to reboot before I could restart the car. It was a freighting experience. Fortunately, I wasn't killed by traffic zooming by or by some person with road rage. 12/16/24-issue evaluated by local Subaru dealer. Their evaluation was that when the auto start feature was activated, my car battery was too low to work. There was zero warning about a low battery before this failure in traffic. I had to buy a new battery. The auto start/stop feature is not an enhancement, but a safety hazard. Owners should be able to permanently disable this unnecessary drain on batteries and starters. I did a search, and there are plenty of others that experienced similar issues with their Subarus.

Recently, my mother died in a car accident. A bystander reported that she was driving normally and then suddenly drove off the road. The police investigated and found that the conditions weren't likely to contribute to an accident. There was no immediate explanation for what happened. The car did catch fire as a result of the accident after it struck a tree. We just received a notice in the mail that states there's been a safety recall on the wheels of the 2025 Subaru forrester that may contribute to accidents. We don't know for sure that it was related, but are concerned that it may be.