IllustrationTHE EYE SIGHT SYSTEM WILL TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHICH IN TURN TURNS OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. AND THE AUTOMATIC BRAKE THEN DOESN'T WORK, WHICH BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC.
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Forester years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1270–25K
10125–50K
9750–75K
5175–100K
29100–150K
5150K+
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 reportsDRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAVE WORN OUT TWICE WITH IN 24 MONTHS. ON ANY STREET OR HIGHHWAY WAS GETTING A KNOCKING NOISE. FIRST TIME MY PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS BAD. TOOK IT TO DEALER THEIR MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. FEW WEEKS LATER WENT BACK TO DEALER FOR SAME REASON. THEN THEY ADMITTED IT WAS BAD AND REPAIR…
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DRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAVE WORN OUT TWICE WITH IN 24 MONTHS. ON ANY STREET OR HIGHHWAY WAS GETTING A KNOCKING NOISE. FIRST TIME MY PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS BAD. TOOK IT TO DEALER THEIR MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. FEW WEEKS LATER WENT BACK TO DEALER FOR SAME REASON. THEN THEY ADMITTED IT WAS BAD AND REPAIRED. NOW ON 2/18/19 I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WENT TO THE DEALER THEIR MECHANIC SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE . EVERYTHING NICE AND TIGHT. TOOK THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS STILL MAKING THE NOISE FOR STATE INSPECTION HE STATED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS BAD . NOW I MUST GO BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THEM TO GET WARRANTY APPROVAL TO REPAIR. THIS IS CONSTANTLY MAKING ME DO EVERYTHING TWICE BECAUSE THE DEALER MECHANIC FAILS TI BE HONEST.
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THROUGH A PARKING LOT OR SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC THE CAR WILL STALL. IT'S A 2015 FORESTER TURBO WITH A CVT TRANSMISSION. IF PUT IN PARK, IT WILL RESTART AND GO AGAIN. STALLING ON THE ROADS AND IN PARKING LOTS IS UNSAFE. IT DOESN'T THROW ANY CODES SO THERE'S NOTHING THE DEALER CAN DO.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO AN ELECTRICAL BOX. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GRESHAM SUBARU (1925 E POWELL BLVD, GRESHAM, OR 97080, 866-58…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO AN ELECTRICAL BOX. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GRESHAM SUBARU (1925 E POWELL BLVD, GRESHAM, OR 97080, 866-584-3109), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1-39999345391. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TR
EXCESSIVE OIL LOSS, 1 QT PER 3,000 MILES. STARTED AROUND 90,000 MILES. MILEAGE NOW 129,000 MILES. AT 129,000 MILES, MAJOR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ISSUE. FOUND OIL IN COOLANT. AT OIL TEMPERATURE LIGHT FLASHING. EVALUATING COST OF REPAIR THIS WEEK OF FEB 12 2019. AT 126,000 MILES, BOTH FRONT AXLES WERE REPLACED. HEARD CLI…
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EXCESSIVE OIL LOSS, 1 QT PER 3,000 MILES. STARTED AROUND 90,000 MILES. MILEAGE NOW 129,000 MILES. AT 129,000 MILES, MAJOR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ISSUE. FOUND OIL IN COOLANT. AT OIL TEMPERATURE LIGHT FLASHING. EVALUATING COST OF REPAIR THIS WEEK OF FEB 12 2019. AT 126,000 MILES, BOTH FRONT AXLES WERE REPLACED. HEARD CLICKING AT 125,000 MILES. AT 100,000 MILES, UPPER AND LOWER FRONT SUSPENSION ARMS REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOTICED IT WAS STIFF. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOTICED IT WAS STIFF. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
WHILE COMPLETING A TIRE ROTATION, I PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE HUB AS A PLACEHOLDER WHILE I MOVED ON TO OTHER WHEELS. I HAND TIGHTENED THE LUGNUTS HOLDING THE SPARE ON (NO WRENCH, NO OVER TORQUEING). I LEFT THE DRIVER FRONT JACKED UP SUPPORTED BY A JACK STAND WHILE I COMPLETED THE REST OF THE TIRE ROTATION; THE SPARE WAS NEVER…
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WHILE COMPLETING A TIRE ROTATION, I PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE HUB AS A PLACEHOLDER WHILE I MOVED ON TO OTHER WHEELS. I HAND TIGHTENED THE LUGNUTS HOLDING THE SPARE ON (NO WRENCH, NO OVER TORQUEING). I LEFT THE DRIVER FRONT JACKED UP SUPPORTED BY A JACK STAND WHILE I COMPLETED THE REST OF THE TIRE ROTATION; THE SPARE WAS NEVER LOWERED TO THE GROUND AND WEIGHTED, IT WAS SIMPLY INSTALLED AS A BACKUP TO MY JACK STAND. WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE DRIVER FRONT TO REMOVE THE SPARE AND INSTALL THE NORMAL WHEEL, 2 OF THE 5 LUGNUTS THAT I HAD HAND TIGHTENED SEIZED. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THEM AFTER APPLICATION OF PENETRATING OIL, TWO OF THE STUDS SNAPPED RENDERING THE CAR ENTIRELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN I WENT AROUND THE CAR WITH A TORQUE WRENCH SET TO THE MANUAL SPECIFIED TORQUE OF 89 FT/LBS A THIRD STUD STRIPPED. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE STUDS TO SNAP OR STRIP. I DID NOT OVER TORQUE THE LUGNUTS, THEY WERE HAND TIGHTENED LESS THAN 30 MINUTES PRIOR. THERE IS NO REASON FOR HAND TIGHTENED LUGNUTS TO SEIZE ON A WHEEL STUD AND CAUSE THE LUGNUTS TO SNAP OTHER THAN DEFICIENCY OR WEAKNESS OF THE WHEEL STUD. I HAVE NEVER OVER TORQUED THE WHEELS; I ALWAYS USE A TORQUE WRENCH SET TO 89FT/LBS AS SPECIFIED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO TIGHTEN THE LUGNUTS. I DID NOT CROSS THREAD THE LUGNUTS; I RAN THEM DOWN BY HAND TO ENSURE THAT THEY WERE CORRECTLY INSTALLED. MY RESEARCH ON VARIOUS SUBARU ONLINE FORUMS SUGGESTED THAT THE WHEEL STUDS COMMONLY FAIL AND MANY USERS SUGGESTED REPLACING ALL WHEEL STUDS WITH AFTERMARKET HARDENED RACING STUDS RATHER THAN INSTALLING NEW OEM PARTS. WHEN I CONTACTED SUBARU I RECEIVED THE RESPONSE "SUBARU APPRECIATES YOUR TIME IN COMMUNICATING WITH US, HOWEVER WE DO NOT INVESTIGATE EVERY CONCERN THAT IS REPORTED TO US."
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND THE CAR BEGINS TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE. ENGINE RPMS CLIMB, BUT NO POWER IS AVAILABLE. HAVE TO RACE TO THE SHOULDER TO GET OUT OF TRAFFICS WAY, WHERE EVENTUALLY THE CAR WILL START AND DRIVE NORMALLY.
ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO MY CAR DID SOME BUCKING AND SHUDDERING AND THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOPPED POSITION SO I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION THAT'S GONNA COST $9000 MY VEHICLE DOES HAVE A 150000 MILES ON IT BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND ALL THE MILES ON IT HAV…
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ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO MY CAR DID SOME BUCKING AND SHUDDERING AND THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOPPED POSITION SO I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION THAT'S GONNA COST $9000 MY VEHICLE DOES HAVE A 150000 MILES ON IT BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND ALL THE MILES ON IT HAVE BEEN HIGHWAY MILES DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE NOT CITY STOP AND GO
MY 2015 FORESTER CONSUMES A 1/2 QUART OF OIL EVERY 4000 MILES. MY OIL LIGHT COMES ON.
Official recalls
319V701000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.