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2015 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forester years

Owner complaints for the 2015 Subaru Forester are substantially higher than the model-year median of 131.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

410 reports with mileage · 203 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.

  • Engine. Review the 131 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 101 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 95 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

53 crash reports7 fire reports26 injury reports

What owners actually said

613 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2023
Power Train

APRIL 2022 MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE NOISES WHEN ACCELARATING. I TOOK IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. DEC. 30, 2022 I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE BRAKES AND REPLACED THEM. HE THEN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND THE NOISE REMAINED, SO HE STOPPED AT A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY SAID…

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APRIL 2022 MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE NOISES WHEN ACCELARATING. I TOOK IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. DEC. 30, 2022 I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE BRAKES AND REPLACED THEM. HE THEN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND THE NOISE REMAINED, SO HE STOPPED AT A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY SAID POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION ISSUES, NOT SURE. NO WARNING LIGHT EVER CAME ON. I WAS DRIVING ON DEC. 31, 2022 WHEN THE SOUNDS WERE LOUDER. I TURNED AROUND TO GO HOME AND WAS IN TRAFFIC AND DOWN SHIFTED TO DESCEND A HILL WHEN I DOWNSHIFTED THE CAR STOPPED AND MANY WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASHBOSRD. I SHIFTED BACK INTO REGULAR GEAR AND THE LEFT LANE WAS AVAILABLE SO I CHANGED LANES AND PULLED IN TO THE MNDOT PARKING LOT WHICH WAS ABOUT 100 FEET AWAY. I SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE SUBARU DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE CAR WITH A BROKEN TRANSMISSION AND THAT SINCE I HAVE A SALVAGE TITLE IT IS NOT COVERED. THE REPAIR COST IS OVER $9000.

NHTSA ODI #11499898

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2022
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

I parked my car in the Walgreens parking lot while shopping, less than 30 minutes. When I returned, the car would not start. I called AAA for what I thought was a battery jump. When the AAA technician arrived, checked the battery and said his equipment said to replace the battery. After several attempts he was able to finally ge…

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I parked my car in the Walgreens parking lot while shopping, less than 30 minutes. When I returned, the car would not start. I called AAA for what I thought was a battery jump. When the AAA technician arrived, checked the battery and said his equipment said to replace the battery. After several attempts he was able to finally get the car started. I drove my car to the dealer where I had just had the battery and terminal replaced five months earlier. The service person checked the battery and charged it for more than an hour after having me call a Subaru warranty line and tell them how many times the battery had to be jumped - once. Yesterday, 12/6/2022 I was attempting to leave my home to take my husband to a cancer treatment clinic for an appointment and the car would not start. I called the Subaru technician who told me to bring the car in before 5 pm, which I could not do. Today, 12/07/2022, after several attempts I was able to start the car and take it to the service center. The technician could not find evidence of the battery purchase June 22, 2022. I showed him my paid receipt and he was able to locate the purchase. He told me the service manager wanted him to test the battery before doing anything. This is my only vehicle and I can’t keep going back and forth to the repair center whenever the new battery and connector , still under warranty, do not work. Today the technician told me the recall for coil replacement needed to be done. I was told it was done in June, but the service center has no evidence in their system that it was done. I never received any notice from Subaru that it was recalled.

NHTSA ODI #11496404

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2022
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

While driving 45mph on an icy road (approximately 25 degree(F) outside temp) the car suddenly lost power as if the CVT transmission was in neutral. However, it was still in drive. Pressing the accelerator only raised the RPMs but no power was sent to the wheels. There were cars behind me and my car was slowing down due to no pow…

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While driving 45mph on an icy road (approximately 25 degree(F) outside temp) the car suddenly lost power as if the CVT transmission was in neutral. However, it was still in drive. Pressing the accelerator only raised the RPMs but no power was sent to the wheels. There were cars behind me and my car was slowing down due to no power. I was fortunately able to pull off to the side of the road, stop, put in park. I put back into drive, power returned, and car drove normally for the remaining ~10miles of my trip. No warning lights from vehicle occurred during this event. This sudden loss of power could have been very dangerous especially given the road conditions. If drivers behind me were not following at a safe distance the sudden reduction in speed could have caused an accident due to the icy roads. I have not yet taken the car to be inspected, but will do so as soon as possible.

NHTSA ODI #11496398

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2022
Steering

Started the car and began to back out of driveway when power steering warning light came on and power steering was loss as soon as I began turning the wheel. Total loss of power steering. If this were to happen at highway speeds, unexpectedly, a major life threatening collision could occur. The odds of a probable coolision would…

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Started the car and began to back out of driveway when power steering warning light came on and power steering was loss as soon as I began turning the wheel. Total loss of power steering. If this were to happen at highway speeds, unexpectedly, a major life threatening collision could occur. The odds of a probable coolision would be pretty high for even an experienced driver.

NHTSA ODI #11495957

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2022
Unknown Or Other

Check engine light keeps coming on for an O2 sensor that has been recently replaced.

NHTSA ODI #11495950

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2022
Air Bags

2015 Subaru Forester 135K miles Air bag light came on intermittently dealer replaced the front passenger seat and the problem went away . Out if warranty , but wanted to document it .

NHTSA ODI #11495859

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2022
Fuel/propulsion System

I was on the MA Pike in the middle of three lanes going 70mph and all my red lights came on, the engine revved high RPM, then seemed to be getting no gas and next stalled out. The trip computer said I had had 60 miles of gas left until empty, and I still had a bar of gas left showing on the odometer. There were no warnings light…

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I was on the MA Pike in the middle of three lanes going 70mph and all my red lights came on, the engine revved high RPM, then seemed to be getting no gas and next stalled out. The trip computer said I had had 60 miles of gas left until empty, and I still had a bar of gas left showing on the odometer. There were no warnings lights or messages prior to the failure. It was an extremely unsafe situation, as I had to pull into the “slow” uphill truck lane, lane one of three lanes. There was no shoulder to get on. Trucks were whizzing by me at 70mph. AAA was not able to assist me, as I was in an unsafe location. They called the MA State Troopers who showed up immediately, and frankly probably saved my life, while risking their lives. They ordered gas, as they indicated they had seen this problem before. Two gallons of gas and the car started right up even though it still had gas in the tank. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer, but it has been written about my many other 2015 Forester owners. Others have reported the same exact problem, sometimes resulting in accidents. How has Subaru gotten away without a recall on this extremely dangerous problem. They definitely are aware of it.

NHTSA ODI #11495514

89,000 miles · Nov 30, 2022
Air Bags

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated he notice that the front passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated indicating that there was no one seated in the passenger’s side seat, even though there was someone seated in the front passenger’s side seat. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic wh…

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The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated he notice that the front passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated indicating that there was no one seated in the passenger’s side seat, even though there was someone seated in the front passenger’s side seat. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensor mat harness needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V701000 (Air Bags). The failure mileage was 89,000.

NHTSA ODI #11495447

Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2022
SteeringUnknown Or Other

My Vehicle's horn stop working about six months ago, not long after I had to replace the battery. I took it to dealership and they had to replace the clock spring , roll connector. I use the horn only when absolutely necessary. I have never had a cars horn go out. I think they ought to last at least ten years if not longer. …

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My Vehicle's horn stop working about six months ago, not long after I had to replace the battery. I took it to dealership and they had to replace the clock spring , roll connector. I use the horn only when absolutely necessary. I have never had a cars horn go out. I think they ought to last at least ten years if not longer. Is this a defect? I just wanted to let you know.

NHTSA ODI #11494411

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2022
Power Train

My transmission is having issues after being repaired by dealer. It is stalling when I try to accelerate leaving me at risk of being rear ended.

NHTSA ODI #11493724

Official recalls

3

19V701000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Oct 3, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.

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.

16V162000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

Mar 21, 2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.

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