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2014 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forester years

Owner complaints for the 2014 Subaru Forester are substantially higher than the model-year median of 131.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

298 reports with mileage · 105 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Suspension. Review the 94 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

48 crash reports3 fire reports18 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

44 reports
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43,000 miles · Aug 21, 2015
SuspensionUnknown Or OtherWheels

DRIVING AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND CAR STARTING VIBRATING VIOLENTLY FOR A FEW SECONDS. CONTINUED DRIVING AND 10 MINUTES LATER SAME THING FOR SAME LENGTH OF TIME HAPPENED AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #10758495

19,285 miles · Aug 8, 2015
Unknown Or OtherCrash

PRIOR SURGING OCCURRED WITH THIS VEHICLE. AUTO IS DUE FOR A NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND WE WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. WE TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT WITH WORKERS AT THE CORNER AND SLOWED DOWN. WE CONTINUED INTO THE PARKING LOT AND MADE A TIGHT LEFT HAND TURN INTO A SLOT. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS WE EASED INTO THE SPOT. THE…

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PRIOR SURGING OCCURRED WITH THIS VEHICLE. AUTO IS DUE FOR A NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND WE WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. WE TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT WITH WORKERS AT THE CORNER AND SLOWED DOWN. WE CONTINUED INTO THE PARKING LOT AND MADE A TIGHT LEFT HAND TURN INTO A SLOT. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS WE EASED INTO THE SPOT. THE BRAKES WERE HIT PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE. THE TRUCK IN THE FRONT PARKING SPOT WAS HIT BUT NOT DAMAGED. OUR VEHICLE RECEIVED A DENT AND SCRAPINGS ON THE FRONT END. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT THE BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THE SURGING AND THE POSSIBILITY OF IT HAPPENING AGAIN. DATE OF INCIDENT: 8/7/2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 P.M.

NHTSA ODI #10747169

7,000 miles · May 4, 2014
Electrical SystemSeatsUnknown Or Other

I WAS DRIVING MY 6 MONTH OLD 2014 SUBARU FORESTER AT ABOUT 50 MPH AT NIGHT AND MY DRIVER'S SEAT BEGAN RECLINING. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE MECHANISM TO STOP IT WAS NOT WORKING. IT HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES AFTER THAT OCCURRENCE. ALSO, THE POWER LIFT GATE WAS INOPERABLE. I HAD TO CRAWL INTO …

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I WAS DRIVING MY 6 MONTH OLD 2014 SUBARU FORESTER AT ABOUT 50 MPH AT NIGHT AND MY DRIVER'S SEAT BEGAN RECLINING. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE MECHANISM TO STOP IT WAS NOT WORKING. IT HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES AFTER THAT OCCURRENCE. ALSO, THE POWER LIFT GATE WAS INOPERABLE. I HAD TO CRAWL INTO THE BACK CARGO AREA TO TRY TO OPEN THE REAR LIFT GATE. IT WOULD NOT OPEN, EVEN FROM THE INSIDE. IT WAS REINITIALIZED SEVERAL TIMES BY KINGERY RYE SUBARU IN RYE, NY AND THEY FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY THEY REPLACED THE PART BUT THE OPERATION OF LIFT GATE REMAINS UNPREDICTABLE. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE THE POWER LIFT GATE AT ALL TIMES TO PUT A WHEELCHAIR IN THE BACK. I WAS INFORMED BY SUBARU OF AMERICA (IN WRITING) THAT SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE OCCURRING ARE BECAUSE KINGERY RYE SUBARU INSTALLED AN AFTER MARKET REMOTE STARTER INTO MY CAR WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL. I HAVE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA STATING THE DEALERS MUST INSTALL SUBARU PARTS. I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR A SUBARU REMOTE STARTER. RYE SUBARU PUT A CHEAP AFTER MARKET STARTER INTO MY CAR. THAT IS FRAUD. MY CAR IS STARTING RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION. A CO-WORKER CAME INTO WORK AND TOLD ME MY CAR WAS LOCKED AND RUNNING IN THE PARKING LOT. RECENTLY I CLOSED THE LIFT GATE, USING THE BUTTON ON THE LIFT GATE AND THE CAR STARTED ITSELF AS I WAS WALKING AWAY FROM IT. THE CAR HAS STARTED ON ITS OWN MANY TIMES. THERE ARE MULTIPLE DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT ARE PUTTING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY'S LIVES AT RISK. THE SIDE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S WINDOWS FOG UP WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. THE DE-FOGGER DOES NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AT ALL. I AM UNABLE TO SEE ANYTHING OUT THE SIDE WINDOWS WHICH POSES A BIG SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER. I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE IT HAD A HIGH SAFETY RATING. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE.

NHTSA ODI #10586411

25 miles · Sep 20, 2013
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

AFTER I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED A HESITATION BETWEEN 20 - 40 MPH. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THE FORESTER'S TO HAVE A CVT ENGINE SO I THOUGHT IT NEEDED BROKEN IN. I ALSO WENT THROUGH 3 CYCLES OF FILLING UP MY GAS TANK FROM 3 DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS AND THE HESITATION CONTINUED. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THE TECHNI…

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AFTER I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED A HESITATION BETWEEN 20 - 40 MPH. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THE FORESTER'S TO HAVE A CVT ENGINE SO I THOUGHT IT NEEDED BROKEN IN. I ALSO WENT THROUGH 3 CYCLES OF FILLING UP MY GAS TANK FROM 3 DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS AND THE HESITATION CONTINUED. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE OVERFILLED THE OIL A SLIGHT BIT, REMOVED IT, AND I SHOULD NOTICE A DIFFERENCE. NO DIFFERENCE. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ADDRESSING THE SAME ISSUE. THEY PERFORMED THE TESTS SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA) SUGGESTED AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, > MONTH AGO, I FEARED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT HESITATED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE WANTING ANSWERS. SUBARU SENT OUT THEIR OWN TECHNICIAN TO GATHER INFORMATION TO SEND TO FUJI AND WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS THAT THEIR EQUIPMENT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR A CVT ENGINE. I TEST DROVE SEVERAL MORE FORESTERS AND THEY ALL HAD VARYING DEGREES OF HESITATION AND ALL HAD DIFFERENT MILEAGE ON THEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10544552

Official recalls

2

19V149000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Feb 28, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.

13V159000 · Equipment

Apr 24, 2013

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle's clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace each of the vehicle's four (4) carpeted floor mats with new ones. These services will be performed free of charge. Subaru issued an interim notification during April 2013. Notification that the remedy is now available was mailed to owners on June 5, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQH-44.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems