Subaru Forester problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 2,453 owner complaints and 14 safety recalls for the Subaru Forester. That averages 45.0 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 1.11 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Compact SUVs segment it ranks #5 of 12 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 60.3.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 86% below the 2018 and 2019 models (33 early complaints per model year versus 247).
The 2019 model year has the highest rate (107.1 complaints per year) and the 2024 model year the lowest (10.8). Model years 2019 and 2020 run at least 50% above this model's average of 45.0 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2022, 2023 and 2024 run at least 40% below this model's average of 45.0 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Body & structure (41.8% of complaints), followed by Electrical (12.2%) and Unspecified or other (11.9%). Body & structure complaints are 4.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 153 complaints (6.2%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 73 injuries and 2 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 209 complaints versus 198 in the previous 12 months — up 6%. The 2025 model year generated the most recent reports (60). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 23 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 14 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2019 (3). 1 NHTSA investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure” (preliminary evaluation, opened 2019-08-06, closed 2020-01-22).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan and Jeep Compass, but fewer than Jeep Cherokee, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 498 | 56.7 | 1.41 | 32 | 3 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2019 ▲50%+ | 834 | 107.1 | 2.65 | 20 | 3 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2020 ▲50%+ | 601 | 88.5 | 2.19 | 22 | 0 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2021 | 210 | 36.3 | 0.9 | 22 | 0 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2022 | 98 | 20.5 | 0.51 | 16 | 1 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2023 | 74 | 19.5 | 0.48 | 18 | 1 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2024 Fewest complaints | 30 | 10.8 | 0.27 | 8 | 2 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 97 | 54.3 | 1.35 | 60 | 3 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 11 | 11.0 | 0.27 | 11 | 3 | Body & structure | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 209 · Previous 12 months: 198 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Body & structure ›
1,025 · 41.8% · 4.59 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Electrical ›
299 · 12.2% · 0.77 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Unspecified or other ›
293 · 11.9% · 1.33 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Engine ›
280 · 11.4% · 0.51 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Airbags & seat belts ›
140 · 5.7% · 1.5 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Transmission / powertrain ›
90 · 3.7% · 0.31 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems ›
80 · 3.3% · 0.57 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Brakes ›
58 · 2.4% · 0.39 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
50 · 2.0% · 1.1 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Fuel system ›
40 · 1.6% · 0.38 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
40 · 1.6% · 0.65 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
35 · 1.4% · 0.22 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
23 · 0.9% · 0.6 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 23 months
What owners report
Driver side rear window spontaneously failed while driving on the highway. Passenger experienced cuts due to glass fragments
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.
Wheel studs on my 2019 Forester broke or stripped during a flat tire change. In XXX, studs on this vehicle broke after dealership service where the lug nuts were overtightened; the dealer replaced them at no charge.
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that after the rear driver’s side tire became flat, the temporary spare tire was mounted to the vehicle, and the vehicle was driven to the local auto service center.
Experienced parasitic battery drain which disabled the vehicle. The drain is tied to a 30 amp fuse labeled "BACKUP" under the hood of the vehicle. This fuse controls the touchscreen, backup camera, interior lights, key fob and radio.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Compact SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda CX-5 | 862 | 18.6 | 0.46 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 3 | Engine |
| 2 | Kia Sportage | 1,017 | 29.7 | 0.74 | Worsening | Rising | 12 | Engine |
| 3 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 1,267 | 29.7 | 0.74 | Improving | Rising | 28 | Engine |
| 4 | Jeep Compass | 1,853 | 31.4 | 0.78 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 12 | Engine |
| 5 | Subaru Forester | 2,453 | 45.0 | 1.11 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 14 | Body & structure |
| 6 | Jeep Cherokee | 2,906 | 55.5 | 1.38 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 7 | Chevrolet Equinox | 2,068 | 64.8 | 1.61 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 23 | Engine |
| 8 | Toyota RAV4 | 3,158 | 67.2 | 1.67 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Engine |
| 9 | Hyundai Tucson | 2,402 | 75.3 | 1.87 | Worsening | Rising | 15 | Engine |
| 10 | Nissan Rogue | 3,149 | 79.1 | 1.96 | Improving | Rising | 26 | Engine |
| 11 | Ford Escape | 5,254 | 87.3 | 2.16 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 50 | Engine |
| 12 | Honda CR-V | 6,037 | 139.4 | 3.46 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 14
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (3) · 2019 (3) · 2020 (0) · 2021 (0) · 2022 (1) · 2023 (1) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (3) · 2026 (3)
Investigations
- Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as e…