NHTSA has received 98 owner complaints about the 2022 Subaru Forester, or 20.5 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.51, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 92 model-year 2022 vehicles we track, it ranks #42 of 92 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Subaru models its rate is 44% lower; against other Compact SUVs it is 66% lower.
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
Complaints filed between 2022-02-25 and 2026-09-13. Median delay from incident to filing: 3 days.
98Complaints
20.5Complaints per year on the road
0.51Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls
11.2%Share involving a crash or fire
16Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2021) drew 36.3 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2023) drew 19.5 per year, about the same. In its first two years on the road the 2022 model collected 61 complaints, 17% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Body & structure (24.5% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (14.3%) and Engine (10.2%). Body & structure complaints are 2.7 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 11 reports (11.2%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 5 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 15 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the first year (42% of incidents). In the last 12 months 16 new complaints were filed, versus 12 in the 12 months before — up 33%.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.51
vs. other Subaru models0.56
vs. other 2022 models0.52
vs. other Compact SUVs0.34
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (61)0.83
I hit a deer going 45 mph, the air bags deployed, and my engine caught on fire. Within 10 minutes my car burned to the ground.
Engine · 2025-10-04 · ODI 11691363 · Crash · Fire
The vehicle was started with the remote start to warm up. It was about -15F. It ran for 10 minutes and then shut off as it is supposed to. The driver got in the car, started the car, all the gauges went crazy and all the dash lights lit up.
Engine · 2024-01-18 · ODI 11566263 · Fire
On two occasions now, one on XXX and another in XXX our vehicle initiated a pre collision breaking sequence with no visible object in our path. On XXX this occurred while turning off of a main road into a shopping center located on route XXX in [XXX].
Driver-assist systems · 2026-09-13 · ODI 11763953
The affected product is a Kuat Sherpa 2.0 hitch-mounted bicycle rack (2-bike, [1.25" / 2"] receiver), purchased new in January 2023, mounted on a 2022 Subaru Forester.
Unspecified or other · 2026-08-27 · ODI 11759893
On 8/15/2026 my car's EyeSight system falsely automatically engaged Pre-Collision Braking on a clear road with no cars, obstacles or potholes ahead, on a sunny day, accelerating at 10–15 mph from a traffic light stop.
Brakes · 2026-08-19 · ODI 11758116
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH Campaign 23V755000 · 2023-11-09
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
