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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
30,800 miles · Nov 7, 2018
Service Brakes

SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ALREADY LOGGED. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WARNING LIGHTS FOR ABS, EYE-SIGHT, DYNAMIC VEHICLE ASSITANCE, HILL-START ASSISTANCE COME ON. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND SAID THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. UPON DRIVING, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, THI…

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SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ALREADY LOGGED. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WARNING LIGHTS FOR ABS, EYE-SIGHT, DYNAMIC VEHICLE ASSITANCE, HILL-START ASSISTANCE COME ON. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND SAID THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. UPON DRIVING, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, THIS TIME WITH THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED BY THE VEHICLE ITSELF WHILE IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED DESPITE MY FOOT NOT BEING ON EITHER THE BRAKE OR GAS PEDAL. WITH THE DECREASE IN SPEED, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. AT THIS TIME I PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SHOULDER, PUT IT IN PARK, AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN CORRECTED. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE ULTIMATELY THE DRIVE REENGAGED. ONLINE THERE APPEAR TO BE NUMEROUS OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES: HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/SUBARU/FORESTER/2015/BRAKES/SERVICE_BRAKES.SHTML

NHTSA ODI #11149916

58,500 miles · Oct 25, 2018
Engine

MY FORRESTER XT2.0 REVS VERY LOUDLY WHEN IT IS STARTED EVERY TIME I TURN IT ON. IT GOES FROM 0 TO 2.5 ON THE GAUGE NUMBERED FROM 1-8 GAUGE. THE CAR IS AT A COMPLETE STOP.

NHTSA ODI #11142627

20,800 miles · Oct 18, 2018
Suspension

REAR COIL SPRING BROKE AFTER CAR HAD ONLY 20,800 MILES

NHTSA ODI #11141213

98,000 miles · Oct 1, 2018
Power Train

CAR HESITATES WHEN STARTING TO MOVE. HAVE HAD NEAR MISSES BECAUSE OF THE DELAY IN MOVING OUT FOR A TURN ONTO ANOTHER STREET. CAR JUST SITS THERE FOR 2 - 3 SECONDS. NOT A LONG DELAY BUT CRITICAL IN CITY DRIVING. PROBLEM IS ONGOING. CAR HAS 98000 MILES. IT HAS A CVT TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11132733

64,600 miles · Sep 27, 2018
Service Brakes

HELLO, SUBARU NEEDS TO ADD FORESTER MODELS TO ITS RECALL OF 72,000 VEHICLES DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THEIR AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS), FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH SENSORS. I JUST HAD TO HAVE MY SUBARU FORESTER'S BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 2 YEARS! BOTH TIMES, I WAS DRIVING ON OPEN HIGHWAYS FAR FROM HOME…

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HELLO, SUBARU NEEDS TO ADD FORESTER MODELS TO ITS RECALL OF 72,000 VEHICLES DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THEIR AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS), FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH SENSORS. I JUST HAD TO HAVE MY SUBARU FORESTER'S BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 2 YEARS! BOTH TIMES, I WAS DRIVING ON OPEN HIGHWAYS FAR FROM HOME DOING 55MPH ON FLAT TERRAIN WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE 3 LIGHTS CAME FLASHING ON MY CAR'S DASHBOARD: HILLSTART ASSIST SYSTEM, ABS, & VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL SYSTEMS. I WAS EXTREMELY ALARMED BOTH TIMES THAT MY VEHICLE MIGHT NOT BE SAFE TO TRAVEL, ESPECIALLY SINCE I WAS ON HIGHWAYS AND FAR FROM HOME. COULD IT BE THAT WHEN THE PART WAS REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO IT WAS REPLACED WITH YET ANOTHER FAULTY PART?? TWO YEARS AGO, THE REPAIR COST WAS COVERED UNDER SUBARU NEW-CAR WARRANTY. THIS SECOND TIME, MY EXTENDED WARRANTY PAID SOME, BUT I AM NOW OUT OF $100. DEDUCTIBLE, --- ($160. LABOR COST(?!), TO REPLACE A $16. PART! TOTAL BILLED WAS $175.68) I AM NOT CONFIDENT IN THE REPLACED SENSOR, AND AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY FORESTER FOR LONG-DISTANT TRIPS FOR FEAR IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN, SINCE IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE IN 2 YEARS. I BELIEVE THAT SUBARU SHOULD REFUND MY $100. SINCE SUBARU HAS KNOWN ABOUT FAULTY BRAKE SENSORS FORMALLY RECALLED IN OTHER MODELS. UPON SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT FAULTY BRAKE SWITCH SENSORS HAVE BEEN A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SUBARU FOR MANY YEARS, AND RECALLS FOR THIS PART SHOULD APPLY TO THE FORESTER AS WELL AS OTHER MODELS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT SUBARU NEEDS TO ADD FORESTER MODELS TO THEIR LIST OF RECALLS FOR FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH SENSORS. I/WE FORESTER OWNERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP PAYING FOR KNOWN FAULTY PARTS, NOR SHOULD WE BE SCARED FOR OUR SAFETY TO DRIVE OUR NEWER MODEL VEHICLES. PLEASE HELP! R/ MS. KOTSIRAS

NHTSA ODI #11131978

64,705 miles · Sep 25, 2018
Engine

THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 2 WEEKS AND 600 MILES OF DRIVING AFTER I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE ECM FLASH UPDATES INSTALLED TO ADDRESS SURGING AND LOSS OF POWER DURING LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. WE WERE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT, WE HEARD AND FELT A VERY LOUD 'K…

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THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 2 WEEKS AND 600 MILES OF DRIVING AFTER I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE ECM FLASH UPDATES INSTALLED TO ADDRESS SURGING AND LOSS OF POWER DURING LIGHT ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. WE WERE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT, WE HEARD AND FELT A VERY LOUD 'KNOCK' FROM THE ENGINE AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE WOULD REV AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF POWER AND THEN LOSE ALL POWER AGAIN. ESSENTIALLY WE WERE COASTING. FORTUNATELY WE WERE NEAR A FREEWAY EXIT AND WERE ABLE TO STOP AT A SHOULDER ON THAT EXIT. WE TRIED TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, WAITING AND TURNING IT BACK ON. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE TURNED OVER, IT HAD A VERY ROUGH IDLE AND SHUT OFF AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS. IF WE TURNED IT ON AND PUT THE CAR IN GEAR AND TRIED TO DRIVE FORWARD IT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THE AIR INTAKE HOSE DISCONNECTED FROM THE INTERCOOLER. THEY RECONNECTED THE HOSE, CLEARED FAULT CODES AND IT IS RUNNING NORMALLY NOW. I AM SKEPTICAL THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE PROBLEM, I HAVE A FEELING THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE CARS FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND THAT SUBARU IS ATTEMPTING TO COVER THINGS UP TO AVOID MORE EXPENSIVE RECALLS. THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT PUT OUR LIVES IN DANGER AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11131162

73,000 miles · Sep 13, 2018
Service BrakesWheels

BULLET-END OF PARKING BRAKE CABLE CAME OFF, ALLOWING BRAKE DRUMS TO FALL LOOSE AND TUMBLE INSIDE THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AT HIGHWAY SPEED, JUST AS I WAS SLOWING FOR A REST STOP. REPAIR COST $545; I HAVE DOCUMENTS BUT CAN'T SCAN THEM AT THE MOMENT -- IF THEY MATTER, I CAN COPY AND MAIL THEM.

NHTSA ODI #11129406

32,858 miles · Sep 6, 2018
Air BagsEngineStructureCrash

CAR STARTED AND BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE. WHEN GEAR SHIFT WAS PLACED IN DRIVE THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD 50 FEET AND DROVE THRU AN ALUMINUM RAIL AND MESH OVER HEAD ELECTRIC ACTIVATED DOOR. AT 81 MORE FEET THE CAR HIT A 4 X 4 STEEL COLUMN HOLDING UP TWO 27 FOOT STEEL BEAMS OF A CARPORT ROOF STRUCTURE AND COLL…

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CAR STARTED AND BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE. WHEN GEAR SHIFT WAS PLACED IN DRIVE THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD 50 FEET AND DROVE THRU AN ALUMINUM RAIL AND MESH OVER HEAD ELECTRIC ACTIVATED DOOR. AT 81 MORE FEET THE CAR HIT A 4 X 4 STEEL COLUMN HOLDING UP TWO 27 FOOT STEEL BEAMS OF A CARPORT ROOF STRUCTURE AND COLLAPSED THE COLUMN. THE SOUTHERLY BEAM FELL ON TOP OF THE CAR AND PULLED THE NORTHERLY BEAM WITH IT. THE CAR CONTINUED FORWARD 9 FEET STRIKING THE FIRST PARKED CAR IN THE REAR QUARTER. THE CAR CONTINUED ABOUT 4 FEET MORE AND STRUCK A SECOND PARKED CAR IN ITS HIND QUARTER AND PUSHED IT UNTIL IT WAS AGAINST THE NEXT CARPORT SUPPORT COLUMN. THE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR WERE ABLE TO EXIT FROM THE CAR AT EACH OF THE FRONT DOORS WHICH OPENED WITHOUT PROBLEM. EXPERIENCING LIMITED BRUISING ON THEIR LEGS BELOW THE KNEE. A MIRACLE. THE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 145 FEET NOT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE DRIVER. THE CAR DEALER HAD BEEN QUESTIONED ON WHY THE CAR DID NOT MOVE FREQUENTLY DURING A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN EVERY TIME IT WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AT THE DEALER WHO SOLD US THE CAR. THE SERVICE REVIEW WAS FIVE TIMES AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. I WAS TOLD 'IT WAS THE WAY THE CAR WORKED'. I WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH TEST RESULTS FOR THIS CONDITION. THE CAR HAD THE EYESIGHT DEVICE AND DID NOT STOP THE CAR AT EITHER AT THE DOOR OR THE COLUMN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT IMPLODE ON EITHER IMPACT LOCATION. ONE RECALL WTA-62 FOR SUBARU FORESTER 2015 AND 2016. ENGINE, MARCH 21, 2016. TURBOCHARGER AIR INTAKE DUCT CRACK STALLS ENGINE (16V162000). I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL. I THINK THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING AND A FIX WAS NOT INITIATED TO CORRECT A FAULTY CONDITION. FORTUNATELY IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY. THIS ACCIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE PICTURES THAT I CAN FORWARD FOR YOUR USE ON JPG FORMAT. *BF *TR

NHTSA ODI #11127966

21,000 miles · Aug 31, 2018
Air BagsSeats

PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED. THIS CAUSED THE AIRBAG TO BE TURNED OFF. THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. DEALER INDICATED THE SEAT HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER. THIS INDICATES TO ME THERE IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11123637

41,000 miles · Aug 27, 2018
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FORCEFULLY DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND JUMPED THE CURB. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FORCEFULLY DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND JUMPED THE CURB. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

NHTSA ODI #11122707

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