Power Train Problems of Subaru Forester - part 1

Valve control assembly failure. A known TSB. Disables safety features of the car. Should be a recall.

See all problems of the 2017 Subaru Forester 🔎.

On Thursday October 1st upon leaving work the dashboard and infotainment system glitched and rebooted while driving. I thought I was seeing things. I was stopping at a stop sign ad paying attention to the road. Everything seemed fine at that point. On October 3rd while driving approximately 45 mph our 2026 Subaru Forester stalled and quit running without any warning or warning lights. Both the dashboard lights and the infotainment system went black then came back on. After restarting the car the transmission would not engage. Subaru of America had it towed to the closest dealership. A loaner was obtained. Said dealership found nothing and said car was good to go. Upon pick up a buzzing sound was noted upon start. Left the car again. The phone charger was replaced. Still nothing found of the original stall while driving. Under duress, the was driven to the original dealership it was purchased from. Still nothing found of the original stalling issue.

The transmission very suddenly (perfectly fine one day, bad the next) developed a severe transmission slip. Like getting rear ended feeling transmission slip. Dealership quotes the cvt control valve body.

See all problems of the 2021 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Transmission light over heating comes on.

Component/system defect: failed thermo control valve (tcv) leading to sudden vehicle power loss / limp mode. Description of safety incident: while operating my vehicle at highway speeds late at night, the thermo control valve (tcv) failed catastrophically without warning. The vehicle instantly experienced a massive loss of engine power and entered an aggressive "limp mode," causing a drastic, uncommanded deceleration in active traffic lanes. Due to the sudden reduction in speed and the low-visibility night conditions, a commercial semi-truck traveling directly behind my vehicle was nearly unable to brake in time and narrowly avoided rear-ending us. My family—including an elderly senior and a [xxx] child—was trapped inside the vehicle during this near-miss collision. The vehicle became an immediate hazard on a high-speed highway. The authorized dealership subsequently confirmed a failed thermo control valve (tcv) and replaced the unit under Subaru's extended warranty program. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2020 Subaru Forester 🔎.

Transmission slipped, stranded me in the middle of a road xxx. Stopped wouldn’t go. Started locking down in reverse 1 month after I purchased the vehicle. Xxx, my husband was backing down a road that had no turnaround. The rab locked down, slammed so hard, the car slid six feet and the motor shut down. I found out a week later that l-5 was fractured in my back. The lockdown has hurt my [xxx] mother’s neck also, in March of this year. The friction clutches is fried in my transmission. My transmission is jerking, slipping, clanking, shaking from multiple lockdowns. I took vehicle to [xxx] Subaru xxx for service. I told [xxx] about it locking down, what is sounded like and what it done. He brushed me off, said that’s what it’s supposed to do and that it had something to do with backup camera. [xxx] went to my car and showed me how to turn backup camera off. Put car in reverse and hold rab until off. Xxx xxx, a dry rotted hose blew out. Rab light was on, check engine and more. I had it towed to [xxx]. I plainly told them it locked down in reverse. They told me my dog tore it up and gave me a bill for a new transmission. Only 14 k miles. I took it to hallmark Subaru xxx. I had 3 complaints. Clanking, locking down in reverse, jerking. They replaced 3 parts, said it should solve all my problems. And as the usual the old phrase cannot duplicate problems. Now the rab system has gone haywire, it does whatever it wants to. My transmission is becoming to a point it sounds like it is going to fall out of my car, 25k miles on this vehicle, haven’t even had it 3 years. The new parts really messed things up. I was going to take it back to hallmark, but I’m afraid to drive in interstate traffic. Believe me when I tell you Subaru corporate knows about this problem. The only thing they dont know yet is that it is messing transmissions up. It takes a while. Subaru is trying to stop a class action l information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2023 Subaru Forester 🔎.

We purchased a used car for my [xxx] daughter on August 4th. Of this year. On her trip to [xxx] on xxx. , appoximently 5pm, the drivers side rear wheel fell off, causing damage to the wheel, lugs, shocks, caliper and tire. She was able to pull over into a parking lot, where a stranger helped her out till I arrived. When I arrived I was able to put the wheel back on, but all lugs nuts were gone and one lug was broken. We had to remove lugs nuts from the other wheels to secure the wheel back on. While removing the lug nuts from the other wheels, the passenger side real wheel lug nuts were all loose. Once we got the car back on the road, check warning lights were flashing and after scanning the codes, come to find the transmission is bad. We were very lucky that this did not happen the 70mph highway. There were no warning signs prior to any of this occurring. This happened at mile post 14 on [xxx] I have sent a certifide letter to safford Subaru mannassas, attn. The general manager, [xxx], which was received on signed off on Saturday xxx. At 10:18 am, but has been ignored. 1 week later, I sent him an email, which he acknowledged, but has again, ignored me. I have a copy of the letter that was sent to him and all of the pictures information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Forester 🔎.

When I drove the car, all most all light on the dashboard are on onthe road, and when I stop and tried to go, the car is somewhat not controled. I immidieatly went to dealership and dignosed p2764 cvt balve problem. And they add wheel bearing is problem. Subaru noticed these problems but my 88,278 mile 2016 Forester has all the lights on and it was very scared and it took 4400 dollars for fixing.

The contact's spouse owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop or at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended. The hill assist and automatic transmission oil temperature warning lights flashed, and the abs, traction control, and vdc warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off to cool down on each occurrence. After approximately 45 minutes, the vehicle was restarted and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Subaru Forester 🔎.

The shift guide plate in my 2017 Subaru Forester failed, causing the ignition key to become stuck and not release when the engine is off. The component is available for inspection upon request. The failure was confirmed by a Subaru dealer, who diagnosed the defective shift guide plate and provided a repair estimate of $685. 23. The safety risk is significant - an inability to remove the key from the ignition can prevent the driver from securing the vehicle and creates confusion about whether the engine is truly off. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. The problem presented suddenly and has been reproducible consistently since it first appeared. This is a known manufacturing defect. Subaru acknowledged it by issuing an 8-year extended warranty extension (TSB 16-112-18r) specifically covering this component. My vehicle has only 71,000 miles - well below average for a 9-year-old vehicle - and falls just outside the 8-year window. I contacted Subaru of America requesting goodwill assistance, which was denied with no explanation beyond the warranty expiration. I am filing this complaint to establish an official record of this defect and the manufacturer's failure to stand behind it.

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed inhibitor switch. The contact was informed that the inhibitor switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that parts were on back order. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

See all problems of the 2022 Subaru Forester 🔎.

2017 Subaru Forester with 40,000 miles, rear wheel bearings and plate are bad. $2100. 00 to fix. Seems a little early in mileage for such an expensive repair. I have read about bad rear wheel bearings and plate from several people.

Vehicle stopped at light,auto start stop engine off,stepped on gas to go engine didn’t restart,my passenger and I jumped out and grabbed a noco gb40 jump box I carry and jump started car,we were on a road trip out of town and could not wait for the dealership so finished our trip with the auto start stop turned off and if we had a problem starting used the jump box.

I was pulling into a parking spot almost stopped when the vehicle suddenly surged forward. I slammed on the brake and put the car in reverse since it had driven upon the walkway. This happened earlier today and I plan to have it checked out as soon as possible . Never have had this problem before, no warning lights or messages.

The vehicle will move from park to drive and reverse while the engine is off. It moves an good distance and only flashes a red light on the dash with a sound that the engine is not on. It is a huge safety concern and has happened multiple times. Also when moving it into park and taking your foot off the gas, shutting the car engine off, it has moved forward.

See all problems of the 2025 Subaru Forester 🔎.

The contact owned a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 4 mph and slowing to park, the vehicle accelerated on its own. The contact stated that the vehicle drove out of the parking lot and crashed into a wall. The contact stated that the air bags deployed and that the vehicle had then shifted into reverse (r) and driven out away from the wall and crashed into a parked vehicle and stopped. The contact stated she was unaware of any warning lights. The contact stated that she had 1 passenger in the front seat and 2 passengers in the rear seat. The contact stated that everyone was shaken and achy, but no cuts or other injuries. The contact stated later that the passengers went on their own to seek medical attention. The contact stated that the passenger front bumper, hood, and wheel well were damaged, and the rear bumper on the passenger side had damage from the crash with the parked vehicle. The contact stated that the other vehicle had minor damage to the right rear quarter panel. The police were called and issued a report. The vehicle was towed to a collision repair shop, but had not been repaired. The vehicle had not been diagnosed for the independent acceleration and reverse failures. The contact stated that her insurance provider had not yet declared the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

After traveling for unknown number of miles on repeated occasions, arriving at the destinations to the smell of burning oil. Smell was evident while driving as well. Subaru was able to diagnose this issue to a leaking cvt pump seal causing cvt fluid to leak and run down on top of the transmission pan onto the hot exhaust system. Subaru has acknowledge this is an issue back in 2016 due to the sealant us from the factory. Customer was quoted $1400 for the repair this known issue. Vehicle had 90,000 miles at the time of occurrence.

Vehicle: 2015 Subaru Forester mileage at failure: 85,000 miles component: powertrain – cvt transmission my 2015 Subaru Forester is experiencing a premature safety?related cvt transmission failure at approximately 85,000 miles. The vehicle developed a pronounced whining noise that increases with vehicle speed, consistent with internal cvt bearing or pulley failure. This is a known defect pattern in Subaru Forester cvts and is not related to maintenance or wear. The noise is continually progressing and the risk of sudden catastrophic failure makes the vehicle unsafe to operate. An authorized Subaru dealer and the district parts & service manager (dpsm) both confirmed that the cvt has failed and requires full replacement. This failure occurred well within Subaru’s extended cvt warranty mileage limit of 100,000 miles, and matches the defect pattern Subaru acknowledged when it extended cvt coverage nationwide for this model. However, Subaru is refusing to replace the cvt due to the 10 calendar year extension expiration. Subaru’s maintenance schedule for this vehicle does not require any cvt fluid replacement interval, so there is no missed maintenance that contributed to the failure. A failing cvt creates a safety hazard due to to the risk of sudden loss of power, hesitation, or inability to accelerate. I am filing this complaint so NHTSA is aware of this premature cvt failure and the associated safety concerns of soa's refusal to replace the cvt under their extended warranty.

I bought a used 2015 Subaru Forester with 117,000 miles from an auto shop/used car dealer in March of 2024. In September of 2025, 11,000 miles of driving later, a bunch of lights came on my dash. Check engine, traction control, abs, at oil temp, and incline assist. I took it to autozone to get the codes read and the part it suggested was the transmission oil pressure sensor. I then took it to a trusted mechanic who said they weren’t able to get the lights to turn back on and told me to come back when the lights reappeared. In December of 2025, the lights came on and they were on long enough to take it back to the mechanic. The mechanic told me that it looked to be the transmission valve body and recommended a local transmission shop. I took it there and the mechanic told me there was a speed sensor that was failing and the transmission and valve body would need to be replaced. He said that they don’t sell the speed sensor anywhere and it is impossible to obtain. I got quoted 9,100 to fix my car (I originally paid around 8,500 for it). I was told it would not be worth my time or money to fix the transmission. The transmission guy told me that Subaru cvt transmissions are horrendous and to take this is a lesson to never buy a Subaru. I heeded to this advice and traded her in for $2000 towards a 2010 rav4. Additional info: it had a rebuilt title and had been in an accident before I got it. Lived its entire life between kentucky and tennessee. I replaced the engine oil and filter every 4,000-6,000 miles. Tire treads were very mismatched for the time I had it (almost two years) which I was told by a Subaru dealership can damage the transmission. Back tires had significantly lower tread than front. I had front left lower control arm, rear spring coils, brake switch lamp, and one of the battery terminals replaced during the time I had it. My tpms light was always on. My front right headlight went out frequently. My brake light assembly also broke and wasn’t worth fixing.

The contact owned a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while at a complete stop with her foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated without warning and crashed into a fire hydrant. While the foot was still on the brake pedal, the vehicle continued to accelerate and struck a street sign. The vehicle continued to accelerate across the street and accelerated up a hill. The vehicle headed straight towards a home and crashed into the home, which caused the vehicle to stop. The air bags deployed upon impact, with white smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle without severe injury. Due to a setting on her iphone, the contact's family members and police were alerted immediately that there was a crash. The crash into the residence caused a pipe inside the home to burst and flooded outside the home. The crash caused damage to the home, the street sign, and the fire hydrant. Authorities arrived at the scene, and the contact’s vital signs were checked. The contact sustained a severe bruise to the left shin and severe mental anguish. The contact was transported to a hospital and was given an mri; no further injuries were discovered. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and declared a total loss. A police report was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Report of failed recall remedy (recall 19v-149 / wue-90) my 2015 Subaru Forester experienced a total recurrence of the defect addressed in 2019. The vehicle became trapped in 'park' intermittently on several occasions before remaining immobilized. During one incident, the manual shift-lock override failed to function. While the brake lights functioned during these incidents, the failure to shift is a documented symptom of a failing brake light switch. I had the switch replaced by a technician who initially suggested a full shifter assembly replacement. However, replacing only the brake light switch immediately and permanently resolved the issue. This confirms the recall-related part was the point of failure. Subaru of America was notified but declined to acknowledge this as a failure of the safety remedy. I am also reporting intermittent 'ghost' activations of the right turn signal stalk.

The electrical system fails, and the battery is not charging sufficiently. When the auto start/stop engages, the car does not restart in traffic. Requested a battery test at the dealership in may 2025; was told it could not be done that day because it would require leaving the dealer service shop. Eventually, the electrical system became unstable, and the car stopped in traffic on 11/07/2025. Replaced battery following oem specs. In February 2026, symptoms reappeared with a new battery failing on 02/15/2026, resulting in all saftey systems failing in traffic when auto start/stop enages.

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Forester 🔎.

50k mileage mark: when the vehicle turned off at the stop light to save gas, the car stalled. I had to frequently put the car back in park, and restart the engine. Since then, I had to turn off the “auto turn off” function for fear of the car stalling on the road. This has caused unnecessary anxiety and fear while driving, harming my psychological wellness. Since the 50k mark this has happened about 10 times. The most recent issue was this month.

- *incident 1 (2023):* while driving, my vehicle suddenly stopped while in drive gear, accompanied by a high-pitched alarm and multiple engine service lights. It took over 30 seconds to shift into park and restart the vehicle. The incident occurred at an intersection, and I was fortunate to avoid any collisions. - *incident 2 (September 2025):* the same problem recurred on two separate occasions- after certified repairs. The vehicle came to a complete stop while driving uphill at a decelerated speed, and also while stopped at an intersection. In both instances, the gear was in drive, and the vehicle shut down completely, displaying engine service lights. *previous repairs:* - replacement:* the thermo control valve was replaced under warranty due to a faulty issue affecting the eyesight system. - *battery replacement:* the battery was replaced under warranty in 2023 after the initial incident. Whats concerning is that my dealer said to have found an “after market” appliance hooked up. This said feature was placed by certified Subaru dealership when vehicle was purchased. This said item was never identified as to causing the said issue. Which raised even more safety concerns.

I am writing to report a serious safety concern involving my '22 Subaru Forester, which is equipped with the auto start/stop feature. This issue created a dangerous driving situation that could have resulted in severe injury or death to myself, my family, or other drivers on the road. While driving on the highway, our Forester's auto start/stop system malfunctioned causing the engine to shut off completely while the vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle shut down in the left lane of traffic and failed to restart immediately leaving us unexpectedly immobile. Fortunately, my husband remained calm and immediately placed his foot back on the brake, placed the vehicle in park and restarted the vehicle manually by pressing the ignition button. However, had he hesitated during the confusion by not placing his foot back on the brake we could have been rear-ended, possibly by a large semi-truck which would have propelled us into the vehicle in front of us. Our dealer said the auto start/stop system failing to restart the vehicle due to a weakening battery—for which there is no warning. The fact that a non-critical feature like fuel-saving start/stop is allowed to override the engine's operability based on battery voltage is deeply concerning. Batteries degrade over time. But a degraded battery should not be allowed to disable a moving vehicle. Having spoken directly with Subaru of America about this issue, they acknowledged and documented my case however I was told that it would be used as data for potential future action if other similar cases arise. In the meantime, no corrective action is being taken by Subaru, with me as an owner or proactively with the feature design. I respectfully urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter as a potential safety defect. The auto start/stop system, as implemented in certainsubaru models (specifically the 2022 Forester in my case) may compromise safe vehicle operation when battery voltage drops below a certain threshold which is a safety flaw.

This vehicle is not safe to drive since Subaru could not replicate the original overheating problem in the transmission. They made an educated guess repair to see if it fixes the overheating problems in the transmission which may malfunction during driving the vehicle,slippage, to lockingup. This afternoon, while my daughter was driving through the mojave desert on her way back home to mammoth lakes, CA. ; her dash light came on- at oil temp warning, forcing multiple stops to cool the vehicle. The trip back to hacienda heights took over four hours (4) in extreme heat. I’ve attached a photo of the dash warning for your reference. After she called me from the road, I instructed her to turn around and wait for the warning light to turn off. (google’s guidance emphasized cooling the transmission before resuming travel). Thankfully, the route [xxx] from mojave was mostly downhill, which helped reduce strain on the vehicle—but it was still a stressful and exhausting experience. My letter Subaru I need to be candid: my time and patience are wearing thin. I’ve remained cooperative throughout this process and paid about $644 out-of-pocket for repairs specifically recommended by ocean Subaru—including the initial solenoid replacement, cvt oil cooler, and thermostat. While I appreciate that the remaining repairs were performed under goodwill, the original overheating issue remains unresolved, and its root cause is still uncertain. Subaru hasn't repaired the problem. S regarding future repairs or services, we cannot guarantee coverage until the details of any needed repairs are identified and thoroughly reviewed. If there are any updates or if further repairs are recommended, please feel free to let me know in a direct reply, and I will do my best to assist you. Thank you again for your understanding and patience. Sincerely, michael Subaru of America, inc. Customer advocacy department 1-800-subaru3 (1-800-782-2783) ext. 119949 case number: 250725-1500342 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informa.

The thermo control valve failed and the engine overheated in April 2025. The car has only been driven 1,200 miles since then and the engine failed at 65,000 miles likely due to the tcv failure and engine damage.

Sounds like the differential in the transmission is making a horrendous noise.

The contact stated that while pulling into a parking spot with the brake pedal pressed, the vehicle displayed unintended acceleration, crashing into the wall of the building in front of the parking space. The air bags did not deploy. The contact immediately placed the vehicle in reverse, with the brake pedal still pressed, and the vehicle accelerated at approximately 20 mph in reverse on its own. The vehicle suddenly came to a stop before crashing into a nearby tree. The contact immediately turned the vehicle off and exited the vehicle. The contact received no injuries, and no medical attention was needed. The police came and filed a police report. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.

Tires are wearing badly on the inside edge only. Suspension and drive train components make noise during normal operation.

Cvt transmission failed and not repairable. 6 months out of warranty but under mileage for warranty at 37,000 miles. Fairly new vehicle that is useless w/o $9,000 for a replacement transmission. Exact same defect in 2018 and older models that Subaru is covering repairs and extended warranty for those years.

Subaru transmission is wonky! makes noise. . . Feels unsafe. . . Sent to shop. . . They say it needs a new transmission.

I purchased a brand new 2025 Subaru Forester wilderness and immediately noticed a persistent vibration in the steering wheel, seat, and footwell area. The vibration is present at all times — while driving at various speeds and even while idling. It is very distracting and uncomfortable. This ongoing vibration creates a constant sensation of movement that affects my comfort and ability to stay fully focused on the road. I have arthritis in both hands, and the steering wheel vibration causes physical discomfort, pain, and fatigue, especially on longer drives. I previously owned a 2024 Subaru [same model], which did not have this issue. I have also spoken with other owners of the 2025 model who are not experiencing this problem, so I do not believe this is typical for the vehicle. Subaru of America sent an engineer to inspect the vehicle, but the evaluation was limited to measuring vibration levels. He did not place the vehicle on a lift or inspect any physical components, such as the suspension, wheels, or drivetrain. Despite this limited assessment, he concluded the vibration was “normal. ” I respectfully disagree with this conclusion, as the vibration significantly affects the drivability, comfort, and confidence I feel while operating the vehicle. I am reporting this issue because I believe it may indicate a defect that deserves further investigation.

When cruising about 25mph the car gave a jolt, stalled, and then would speed back up again. All lights then flashed on. I brought it to the dealer and they did a diagnostic check coming back for cvt transmission. They also confirmed it is a known problem and had extended the warranty to when 100,000 miles or 10 years which is around or prior to when most people confirm the issue. There was no warning signs I was aware of leading up to the failure of the transmission.

See all problems of the 2014 Subaru Forester 🔎.

At 40936 the valve body needed to be replaced. With such low milage vehicle is having problems.