Subaru Forester Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Subaru Forester options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Subaru Forester has 3,015 owner complaints and 17 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is VISIBILITY/WIPER. 2019 drew the most complaints; 2024 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Forester
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 3,015
- Safety recall campaigns
- 17
- Crash-related complaints
- 173
- Fire-related complaints
- 39
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2019 (831 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2024 (29 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Subaru Forester: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe SUBARU FORESTER has 3,015 NHTSA complaints and 17 recalls on record. 173 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 3,015 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 17 federal recall campaigns
- 173 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
17 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)
TIRES
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHEELS
CHILD SEAT
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
SUSPENSION:REAR
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 3,015 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
3,015 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
While driving my grandbaby home I was unable to avoid hitting a deer when it ran into the road. Neither the automatic braking nor the airbags deployed when I hit the deer at the front left side. It destroyed the headlight and damaged the fender and quarterpanel lightly and slightly bent the hood. I was able to pull over safely. When I got out to look at the damage, I could not open the hood but I could see a small flame on the passsenger side of the engine (this would be on the other side of the engine from where I hit the deer.) I grabbed a fire extinguisher from the back of my car but could not get the fire out. I got my grandbaby out safely at that point. Another driver stopped and tried to get the fire out with his fire extinguisher but to no avail. We called 911 and the fire department promptly got there. By then the entire car was in flames. The fire dept put out the car and nearby weeds that were burning. Besides the safety equipment not working, what concerns me most is that a minor accident caused the entire car to become engulfed in flames within 3-4 minutes. I had enough time to get myself and my grandson out but not his carseat base or diaperbag. The car was burnt down to the frame.
I am writing to formally request that the NTSB investigate an apparent defect in the EyeSight driver assistance system installed on the 2024 Subaru Forester. I have experienced repeated instances of unreliable and unsafe behavior, including unexpected alerts and the EyeSight system disengaging on multiple occasions, including during periods of bad weather. These issues occur in situations where the vehicle should continue to function normally and create a significant safety concern for drivers, passengers, and other road users. Given EyeSight’s role in collision avoidance and driver assistance, any defect poses an elevated risk of accidents. I believe this issue may be systemic rather than isolated and warrants independent review. I respectfully request that the NTSB investigate this matter and determine whether further action is necessary.
Windshield cracks/chips very easily even when nothing has touched it. I have had 4 cracks in less than 6 months with no reason as to why they are occurring and they are ALL on the driver side, NOTHING on passenger side, which seems very odd. This car was bought brand new in February 2025 and this should not be happening. I believe the windshield is faulty. There is a settlement but my 2024 is not included as it cuts off at 2022. but this is not ok and i can't keep submitting comprehensive windshield repair claims to my insurance.
4 Subarus and this is my 5th spontainious windshield crack (2nd on this vehicle).
On the morning of December 13, 2026, an incident occurred involving our 2024 Subaru Forester. While attempting to make a right-hand turn, the vehicle failed to decelerate as expected and subsequently struck a utility pole. The vehicle’s safety systems did not appear to activate in an effort to prevent the collision, and the airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained minor injuries, including a concussion. No vehicle inspections have been completed at this time. We are currently coordinating with the manufacturer to arrange a formal inspection. There were no warning indicators, malfunction lights, or known mechanical issues present prior to the incident.
Took to Local dealership for 20,000 mile oil change. After the oil change the service advisor informed me of an oil leak on the right side of the engine. He could not confirm where the leak was from. I have scheduled to have it repaired under factory warranty. After researching on the internet it has been noted that the valve cover/ spark plug boot seals are known to split and cause an engine oil leak. I am concerned that this oil leak could come in contact with the exhaust manifold which may lead to an engine compartment fire. Would your administration department please check into this concern.
Read 14 more owner reports
The eyesight system fails on almost a daily basis. When this happens, multiple safety features shutdown. Lane assist and departure warning stops working. Collision avoidance stops working. Cruise control stops working. Proximity warning alarms stop going off. The local dealership has repeatedly just indicated that this is how it works.
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 passenager airbag on won't activate at the 88lb weight per local Subaru of Gallatin dealership where I purchased the car from. They did a test with 88lbs in another Subaru vehicle and the passenger airbag on activated but won't activate on in the 2024 Subaru Forester. The local dealership stated that the airbag sensor is off by 10lbs in the vehicle I have. I have asked the dealership to address this issue three times. The third time they stated that Subrau is aware of the issue but there is no current solution.
On 6/10/2025 noticed a small crack on the left side drivers windshield when getting ready to go to work. Nothing hit it that I know of, it just appeared one afternoon. Since then the crack has been growing and blocking drivers view. This is 2024 Subaru Forester. There is a won lawsuit for Subaru windshields doing similar thing on 2019-2022 models.
Windshield cracked during rainstorm [XXX] in San Diego in upper right corner, After 3 days crack appeared which has now spread to 4 inches Dealer has confirmed that winsheild needs reapir and is not covered by bumper to bumber warranty Vehicle only has mileage of 7900 since delivery Estimated cost of replacement $1400 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I opened the back hatch of my 2024 Subaru Forester to retrieve an item. I then pressed the button to close the hatch. It was an extremely windy day and right when I pressed the button to close the hatch an empty grocery bag blew out of the car. I caught it and shoved it back into the car. The hatch was closing at the time and it struck me on the head. I contacted a local Subaru dealer and Subaru corporate to confirm that the hatch was supposed to stop and reverse when encountering an obstruction. It did not. I have been suffering from a severe headache since this happened a week ago. I will be taking my car in to have it repaired as well as seeing a doctor since my headache has not resolved. Please investigate and ensure this safety issue is corrected by Subaru.
Windshield cracked in same exact spot on bottom of windshield with no point of impact while sitting in our garage. Looks like it started at heating element. Our windshield was replaced for this same reason 2 months ago
Bridgestone Ecopia H/L Plus tires are M+S rated. They actually have almost no traction in the snow. I can be going under 5 mph on level ground and apply roughly 30% breaking power and the tires start to slip. They are going to kill someone.
UNKNOWN
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)
Left the house and at about 1.5 miles while approaching a stop sign the vehicle brakes did not engage even when pushing all the way down. Resulting in a collision that landed in a corn field and jumping over a ditch. Vehicle has not been inspected by a mechanic but will be heading to repair shop soon. Would like to know any information the NHTSA would like to collect during repairs to rely the information to the shop. Safety was put at risk by crossing an intersection and running a stop sign. Luckily no other vehicles were impacted. Problem has not been able to be reproduced as the vehicle is not drivable. It has not been inspected by manufacturer but is not drivable. Police report available and provided on this form. No warning or signs. Vehicle is new purchased January 2024. Currently many warning signs on dashboard post accident. Additional information needed for this report (Repair cost, insurance claim etc) will be provided once available.
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.
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while the passenger’s side front seat was occupied by an 85-pound adult carrying a purse and holding a dog weighing 19 pounds, the air bag warning light was off. The contact stated that the air bag was inoperable. The contact stated that while the passenger’s side front seat was occupied, the air bag warning light was on. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unsure of the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The Car is available for Inspection. Front Passenger Side Air Bag. When My Wife Sits in the Front Passenger Seat, The Air Bag indicator Indicates the Air Bag System is Off. This Means My Wife seated in the front passenger seat is not protected by the air bag system, this is un acceptable. This Condition Existed Since the car was new. Current Car Milage is 14,052 11/12/2024.
Showing 20 of 3,015 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Subaru Forester
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Subaru Forester, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Subaru Forester has 3,015 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Subaru Forester has 17 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 173 of the Subaru Forester's 3,015 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Subaru Forester vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Subaru Forester vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Subaru Forester has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Subaru Forester.
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Subaru Forester reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Subaru Forester reliable?
Poor. The Subaru Forester has 3,015 NHTSA owner complaints and 17 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is VISIBILITY/WIPER. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Subaru Forester years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2019 (831 complaints), 2020 (595 complaints), 2017 (582 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Subaru Forester problems?
Top reported issues: VISIBILITY/WIPER (989 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (538 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (473 complaints).
Does the Subaru Forester have recalls?
Yes — 17 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Subaru Forester. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.