Subaru Forester owners have reported 622 problems related to equipment (under the equipment category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Subaru Forester based on all problems reported for the Forester.
Front windshield crack came out of no where. No idea ever had a stone or anything connect with windshield.
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all problems of the 2023 Subaru Forester
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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)?.
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all problems of the 2017 Subaru Forester
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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.
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all problems of the 2016 Subaru Forester
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Unknown.
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all problems of the 2024 Subaru Forester
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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.
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all problems of the 2021 Subaru Forester
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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.
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all problems of the 2025 Subaru Forester
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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.
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all problems of the 2020 Subaru Forester
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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.
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all problems of the 2015 Subaru Forester
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[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).
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all problems of the 2019 Subaru Forester
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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.
While I was driving my brand new car on a wide highway, with no other cars or buildings nearby, the driver's side rear-door window suddenly blew out with a loud "pop," shattering completely. Glass pieces came into the passenger area, and fortunately missed hurting my child who was in her safety seat. Also glass pieces damaged the paint on that side of the car. I was not aware of any previous damage to the window, nor heard anything hit the car on this trip. I had driven almost 100 miles before this happened. Temperatures were in the mid 40s. My insurance is handling the repairs, as window glass is not covered under new car warranty. I am aware that Subaru issued a 2019 recall specifically for the driver's side rear-door window in another model, so in case there is a continuing issue, I am submitting this incident.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned. A control system (I am guessing a computer or software problem occurred. The car had a sudden unexpected acceleration. On [xxx] my 2024 Subaru Forester sport while completing parking in a parking spot had a sudden unintended acceleration event. My foot was not on the acceleration. The automobile travelled at least 27 feet before I was able to stop the vehicle. The car skidded when I depressed the brakes. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the car accelerated over curbs and a planter and onto a wide sidewalk with a bus stop. The car hit the bus stop structure and a sign. If there had been a pedestrian on the sidewalk, the pedestrian might have been killed. If the car had travelled another 10 feet, I would have been crossing a busy boulevard. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? the car was taken to dalton Subaru dealership in national city, California. Dalton Subaru did an initial test of systems with their computer. Subaru of America investigated. The Subaru of America corporation stated the accident was due to driver's error and that my foot was not on the accelerator. This statement is not true! I am 100% sure that my foot was not on the accelerator when the car had a sudden unintended acceleration. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. The Subaru of America corporation has inspected the car. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? there were no warning signs. The sudden unintended acceleration event happened only once. It occurred on [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
1. The car shut off several times, with the steering wheel locking up and becoming stiff, the brakes failing to respond, and loud, erratic sounds emanating from the vehicle. The car is available for inspection. 2. Yes, the car crashed resulting in damage to the car, driver, and other driver (e. G. Car in front). 3. This is the second time the car has been brought to the dealership (the second time being Subaru south hill in pennsylvania) and they cannot identify the problem. 4. The vehicle was not inspected by police, or insurance, as far as I am aware. 5. There were no warning signs before the failure.
I had a problem. Arming the remote control. With Forester Subaru 2014 -2015 model car w/n arm. With key or electronically. I had changed battery you can arm manually sometimes , alarm will go off if you use the key to open door and shut it off with key. In ignition. Had a diagnostic test done. With code b1500. Tpms lights stays on also. Tires are good. Pressure good. Extra remote key is good batteries changed. Any info concerning this. Thank you. This happen week and half ago Nov 11,2024. Have an appt will Subaru dealer on Dec 5 to toubleshoot. Is there any recalls for this matter.
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 steering column. Restarting and moving the shift lever from park to drive and hard again into park, while twisting the steering wheel to its center position occasionally works the first, second or third repetition. This began with the vehicle at 36800 miles and continues occasionally today . Vehicle has 39500ilrs currently.
Stopped in traffic near a red light. The auto stop/start was enabled and activated when stopped at the light. When the light turned green, tried to go, but the as/s system failed. A “no eyesight” warning flashed and disappeared; various symbol lights blinked. Car would not start, hazards would not activate. After 20-30 seconds, I was able to put the car in park and restart the engine (would not start before then). No battery or check engine lights had been on previously, up to date on oil changes, 35k total miles, and I had a quarter tank of gas. This was scary as I was stuck in the middle of the road with my children while cars behind me tried to pass on either side. Many people have reported this issue in Subarus and I’d like for this dangerous problem to be formally addressed.
The auto stop start feature on the car drains the battery and alternator too much. It shouldn’t be forced on consumers. If it was a feature I wanted to use I should have the option of turning it on not be forced to always turn it off since I don’t use it. The alternator has already been replaced under warranty due to this feature. Between that and the dealership saying it would be over $700 to replace the battery is ridiculous. Today the car died while at a stop and the battery is needing to be replaced.
The automatic shutoff that occurs when the vehicle stops to prevent idling, disengaged two separate times in the span of 4 days. Both incidents occurred at very busy intersections and failed to restart both times. When attempting to restart the car, lights came up on the dash, along with beeping, and failed to restart the car after the light had turned green. To restart, the car had to be completely turned off for about 60 seconds and then could be restarted. To avoid having to experience this issue again, or worse - get into an accident - I took it to the shop where they could not recreate the issue.
When I park my car, I have to press extremely hard on the brake pedal before I move the gear shift into park. If I do not, it will not let me remove my keys from the ignition and the car stays on. It seems as though the keys get stuck and the car will not turn off. I have not taken it in for servicing yet. It started happening after I got it inspected. Sometime in July/August. It happens almost every time I drive unless I press really hard and down on the brake pedal. I am going to use today’s day, see below.
Windshield cracked after dust hit car while on road. Crack split aggressively in 1 day from 1 inch to 14 inches. This is the second time it has happened.
After two years, we had a rock hit our windshield and crack it. The car is not safe to drive and it is our only vehicle. We have learned that Subaru has used subpar glass on their windshields and they just had a class action lawsuit regarding that. Today, we were told that they have a national backorder situation with our windshield oem parts. Subaru is insisting that we only replace our windshield with oem parts with a re-cllibration to follow for eyesight, etc. Our insurance company has approved oem parts, the calibration and the repair company was ready to go today. After calling around all day with the help of multiple Subaru dealerships, we found that we cannot get these parts for a long time (no actual date provided) and that many customers have been waiting for over a year (the vehicle is two years old). Subaru's corporate customer "advocacy" area would not assist us and treated us horribly. Subaru is threatening to not honor our warranties if we use oem equivalent parts. There are laws against practices like this including the magnuson-moss warranty act. We need to get our car fixed immediately as we have no other mode of transportation right now. There is no reason for this situation as safety should be the number one priority! it seems that the entire country is affected by this and Subaru just continues to not resolve the situation. In addition, a couple of Subaru employees mentioned that Subaru has totally stopped glass production for these vehicles. If that is the actual case, they have to announce a massive recall and provide new vehicles or settlement funds to the many who are affected by this situation. Nobody should be told to drive on the road with cracks or chips in their windshield. Nobody should be told that they are on their own. Nobody should be put in impossible situations like these ones. Shame on Subaru - hold them responsible and accountable!!!.
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all problems of the 2022 Subaru Forester
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I was driving down the road and a bottle was thrown out of a vehicle going the opposite direction as me. Upon impact my windshield shattered and sent shards of glass flying into the cabin of my vehicle. The shards of glass were thrown into my face and would have gone into my eyes had I not been wearing glasses. The glass broke into small shards and splinters that could have easily damaged my eyes or blinded me or a passenger. When I took it to the dealership the staff was shocked by how easily a plastic bottle punctured through the windshield and the amount of glass debris that was thrown into the vehicle.
I bought the car certified used from a grand prix Subaru in hicksville, NY. They did not mention this issue. I’ve had the car for 2 years, drive it 1-2x a week, have it serviced regularly, etc. All of a sudden in the past week it’s needed a jump 2x, maybe a few days apart. My lights are on auto, always, & shut off when the car turns off after a few seconds. My interior lights are all set to off, after the first jump. Doors & cargo door are all closed well. Battery has been tested & they say it’s not bad & doesn’t need replacing. So what is draining the battery then? when the battery is dead, it’s completely dead. No turnover at all & the cargo door won’t open until it’s running & charged enough again. I’m shocked the cargo door can’t open without the battery!.
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all problems of the 2018 Subaru Forester
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Check engine, eyesight off, [s] flashing, check owners manual came on meanwhile driving at normal speeds, 55mph, last dealership check and oil change was June 20, 2024. Finding same error has occurred to other Subaru Forester drivers: NHTSA id # 11490232 NHTSA id # 12479843 NHTSA id # 11511658 NHTSA id # 11490977 NHTSA id # 11479843 NHTSA id # 11499756 NHTSA id # 11480952 NHTSA id # 11491752 NHTSA id # 11474804 found on [xxx] . Will take car to advanced autoparts in the morning to get a code read. Previously found to be an issue with thermo control valve. I am two hours away from a Subaru dealership. Help!!!! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Car shuts off while stopped at light. This has happened 3 times. I have taken it to Subaru service provider and keep being told nothing is wrong. Car must be put into park and restarted to work. It is unsafe. There are multiple reports online ([xxx] and [xxx] ) of people reporting the same issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
I checked on kbb. Com and my car came up as having a recall for the drive shaft. The NHTSA campaign id - 23v754000 and when I called my dealership about it, I am being told that there is no recall. This is a serious issue and I am seriously concerned. ,.
The driver side mirror is distorted. It is not only dizzying but I believe it to be a safety hazard. I have taken it into the dealership many times. They agree that it is distorted but stated that it is no different than other of that style. I have looked in the 2025 model and it does not have the same distortion. I feel that this makes the car dangerous to drive.
The problem of a sticking ignition key . I park the car, skip the shifter into park position and the shifter often does not unlock the ignition release switch. That allows the engine shut down and removal of the key from the ignition. It often requires ramming the shifter home into park position , then removing the key. I have seen other notes with this particular problem. My vehicle has just 39,000 + miles . It is a problem.
Good evening. My claim number for reported issues to suburu USA is [xxx]. Issue; on 5 or 6 occasions our 2020 suburu Forester vehicle stalled while we were driving it. The stall has happened both when we are stopped at a traffic light or slowing down for traffic or a traffic light or in one case, at a drive through. This is a safety issue as when we start to drive; the vehicle shuts down and the steering wheel locks up along with all dashboard lights coming on. Also, on at least 2 occasions a message came up to restart the car for our safety. Other cars around us were moving or had to wait for us which creates anger towards us and danger for other drivers if they try to drive around us. The issue has been ongoing since approximately July 2024. I am not able to add a mph range below, but generally we are traveling 0-10 mph because we are usually braking or going from stop (at a light) and then trying to drive when the stall happens. The vehicle has been brought to planet suburu in hanover, massachusetts each time and thus far, they have not been able to resolve the issue. Tonight, we dropped the vehicle off again due to the most recent stall that happened on Saturday [xxx] I have brought this to suburu USA’s attention and other than the dealership trying to find the issue, not much has been done that I know of. I am hoping your office can inquire with suburu because it is either an issue specific to our vehicle, or if not, there may be other suburus stalling out there which can lead to serious situations for other drivers. I feel compelled to report this because if there is a wider issue, it should be reviewed to protect others, information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Upon getting a flat tire on the front passenger side tire, two of the vehicles wheel studs and lug nuts were seized together and broke off when using hand tools to remove the lug nuts. The metal was extremely soft and broke off easily. All 5 lugs and nuts needed replacement.
I own a 2016 Subaru Forester. Approximately eight months ago, I began noticing some concerning issues with the vehicle. When applying the brakes from higher speeds, the car experiences significant shaking. Additionally, when coming to a stop, the vehicle shifts down hard, causing a jarring lunge forward. This abrupt transition is quite noticeable and uncomfortable. Moreover, when accelerating from a complete stop, the car tends to lunge forward and exhibits a stuttering sensation accompanied by jerking. These issues have raised concerns about the vehicle's performance and safety.