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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
59,000 miles · Jan 11, 2018
Wheels

FRONT WHEEL BEARING NEEDS REPLACED IN JUST TWO YEARS.

NHTSA ODI #11062275

60,148 miles · Jan 5, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO PASS ANOTHER AUTO, OCCASIONALLY THE AUTO SURGES FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, NOT 5-10 MILES AN HOUR BUT MORE LIKE 25-30. TAKING YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS DOES NOTHING AS THE CAR CONTINUES TO GET FASTER AND FASTER. APPLYING THE BRAKE PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN BARELY SLOWS THE CAR. WHEN YOU LET UP ON THE…

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WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO PASS ANOTHER AUTO, OCCASIONALLY THE AUTO SURGES FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, NOT 5-10 MILES AN HOUR BUT MORE LIKE 25-30. TAKING YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS DOES NOTHING AS THE CAR CONTINUES TO GET FASTER AND FASTER. APPLYING THE BRAKE PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN BARELY SLOWS THE CAR. WHEN YOU LET UP ON THE BRAKE IT SURGES FORWARD AGAIN AT THE HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE 19 DEGREE WEATHER AS IT DID IT 3 TIMES ON THE WAY TO WORK ONE DAY THIS WEEK. LAST NIGHT IT WAS 41 DEGREES WHEN I DROVE HOME AND IT DID IT EVERY TIME. I ALMOST REAR ENDED SOMEONE AS I COULDN'T GET IT TO SLOW DOWN TO A NORMAL SPEED EVEN WITH THE BRAKE APPLIED. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. HAPPENED ON A MAJOR FREEWAY AND ON RURAL COUNTY ROADS WHEN GOING STRAIGHT

NHTSA ODI #11060701

54,000 miles · Dec 30, 2017
Engine

ON TWO OCCASIONS: TRAVELING AT APPROX 65-70MPH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLS AND WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO STOP ON THE SHOULDER. THE STEERING WORKS, BUT THERE IS NO POWER GOING TO THE ENGINE WHICH EVENTUALLY STALLS. IT STARTS AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS AND THEN DRIVES NORMALLY. FIRST OCCASION, IT WAS RAINING AND THE 'EYESIGHT CAMERAS; WERE ON. …

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ON TWO OCCASIONS: TRAVELING AT APPROX 65-70MPH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLS AND WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO STOP ON THE SHOULDER. THE STEERING WORKS, BUT THERE IS NO POWER GOING TO THE ENGINE WHICH EVENTUALLY STALLS. IT STARTS AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS AND THEN DRIVES NORMALLY. FIRST OCCASION, IT WAS RAINING AND THE 'EYESIGHT CAMERAS; WERE ON. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT THIS WAS THE ISSUE. THE SECOND OCCASION, IT WAS AGAIN RAINING AND I TURNED THE CAMERAS OFF (THINKING THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE) AND IT STALLED AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS TO BE TRAVELING AT SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN TRAFFIC TO HAVE ENGINE STALL.

NHTSA ODI #11057652

26,580 miles · Dec 26, 2017
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE PULLING IN TO PARK IN THE LOT AT A LOW SPEED- 5 MPH OR LESS- I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. THE (TIN) BUILDING WAS DENTED AND MY CAR WAS SCRATCHED ON THE BUMPER- BELOW THE GRILL AND ALSO THE SUBARU EMBLEM WAS CRACKED.

NHTSA ODI #11056652

53,800 miles · Dec 26, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion SystemFire

I BOUGHT THE CAR AND LESS THAN A MONTH LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IF THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. IT NEVER CAME BACK ON. FOUR DAYS LATER I WAS DRIVING AND THE GAS PEDAL QUIT WORKING. I LOOKED DOWN TO SEE IF ANY LIGHTS …

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I BOUGHT THE CAR AND LESS THAN A MONTH LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IF THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. IT NEVER CAME BACK ON. FOUR DAYS LATER I WAS DRIVING AND THE GAS PEDAL QUIT WORKING. I LOOKED DOWN TO SEE IF ANY LIGHTS WERE ON AND THEY WEREN'T. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO TURN THE CAR OFF. BEFORE I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF I SAW FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD NEAR THE LIGHTS. THEN ALL OF THE WARMING LIGHTS CAME ON. I QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. BEFORE I COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI #11056548

44,400 miles · Dec 20, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

THE CAR LOST ALL POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE 95 HEADING SOUTH APPROX 17 MILES NORTH OF THE GA FL STATE LINE. THE FUEL INDICATOR SHOWED 30 MILES UNTIL I HAD TO REFUEL. THIS WAS ON 12/3/2017. I WAS AT SPEED(75 MPH) AND MANAGED TO GO THROUGH TRAFFIC AND GO TO SHOULDER. THERE WAS NO POWER AND THE ENGINE HAD QUIT. I WAITED …

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THE CAR LOST ALL POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE 95 HEADING SOUTH APPROX 17 MILES NORTH OF THE GA FL STATE LINE. THE FUEL INDICATOR SHOWED 30 MILES UNTIL I HAD TO REFUEL. THIS WAS ON 12/3/2017. I WAS AT SPEED(75 MPH) AND MANAGED TO GO THROUGH TRAFFIC AND GO TO SHOULDER. THERE WAS NO POWER AND THE ENGINE HAD QUIT. I WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND THE CAR RESTARTED. I DROVE TO THE SECOND EXIT AND REFUELED. A FEW DAYS LATER ON 12/06/2017 ON THE WAY BACK TO ATLANTA ON I-95 SOUTH OF SAVANNAH AND THE FUEL GAGE READING 30 MILES UNTIL I HAD TO REFUEL, THE VERY SAME THING HAPPENED. EXCEPT, THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED AAA AND CONTINUED TO TRY TO RESTART. AFTER 45 MINUTES, THE CAR RESTARTED. I DROVE APPROX 10 MILES AND REFUELED. I HAVE HAD NO INCIDENT SINCE BUT, I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR WITH LOW FUEL. THIS COULD HAVE HAD A VERY DIFFERENT RESULT IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE TRAFFIC ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. BOTH ME AND MY WIFE COULD BE DEAD. I BELIEVE THERE IS A FLAW IN THE LOW FUEL WARNING SOFTWARE AND SOMETHING SHUTS THE POWER. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR WITH LOWER FUEL LEVELS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWS MILES TO YOU HAVE TO REFUEL, I.E., 50 MILES, 40 MILES, 30 MILES, 20 MILES THEN ------. YOU HAVE ACCESS TO DATA ON THESE CARS, I DON'T. PLEASE HAVE SOME ADVISE ME WHAT IS YOUR THINKING ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ODI #11055680

21,000 miles · Nov 30, 2017
Power Train

WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FORM REVERSE OR PARK THE CVT TRANSMISSION CAN TAKE APPROX. 3 SECONDS TO ENGAGE AND FOR THE CAR TO START MOVING. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME WHEN YOU ARE BACKING INTO A SPACE OR BACKING FROM A DRIVEWAY ONTO A BUSY ROAD. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" ON A SUBARU CVT TRANSMISSION. I INSISTED …

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WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FORM REVERSE OR PARK THE CVT TRANSMISSION CAN TAKE APPROX. 3 SECONDS TO ENGAGE AND FOR THE CAR TO START MOVING. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY LONG TIME WHEN YOU ARE BACKING INTO A SPACE OR BACKING FROM A DRIVEWAY ONTO A BUSY ROAD. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" ON A SUBARU CVT TRANSMISSION. I INSISTED THAT THE SUBARU SERVICE DEPT. CHECK MY CAR AND VERIFY. THIS IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, I WILL HAVE IT RECORDED. I WILL UPDATE THIS AFTER THE DEALER LOOKS AT THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11051419

37,500 miles · Nov 30, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineService BrakesCrashInjury

WHILE BACKING UP A WINDING HILL ON A HARD PACKED GRAVEL DRIVEWAY I BACKED INTO A SEVEN INCH DIAMETER TREE ON THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. DID NOT HIT IT HARD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE BACK BUMPER. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND IN AN INSTANT THE MOTOR WENT WIDE OPEN. I HIT THE BRAKES, BUT NO NOTICABLE EFFECT. I NARROWLY MISSED THE CORNER OF THE…

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WHILE BACKING UP A WINDING HILL ON A HARD PACKED GRAVEL DRIVEWAY I BACKED INTO A SEVEN INCH DIAMETER TREE ON THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. DID NOT HIT IT HARD ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE BACK BUMPER. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND IN AN INSTANT THE MOTOR WENT WIDE OPEN. I HIT THE BRAKES, BUT NO NOTICABLE EFFECT. I NARROWLY MISSED THE CORNER OF THE GARAGE. THE CAR DUG FOUR DEPRESSIONS IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN IT TOOK OFF. AND THREW GRAVEL ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HILL AND ON THE FLAT UNTIL IT HIT A LARGE TREE, THE MOTOR STILL RACING. THE RUNAWAY HAPPENED IN SECONDS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. MY WIFE SUFFERED A BADLY BROKEN RIGHT WRIST. I WAS NEARLY KNOCKED OUT. I HAVE BEEN A SAFE DRIVER FOR 60 YEARS. DROVE PROFESSIONALLY FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS. I ALSO HAVE OVER 175,000 MILES AND COUNTING ON MOTORCYCLES. THIS CAR DEFINITELY DID MALFUNCTION. FORTUNATELY THE HOUSE SECURITY CAMERA CAPTURED THE ACTION. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN UPLOAD THE VIDEO TO YOUR SITE. PLEASE ADVISE. SABARU CANADA AND THE MY SUBARU DEALER IGNORED MY COMPLAINT, WITH THE DEALER REP SAYING, 'THE FLOOR MAT WAS PROBABLY ON THE GAS PETAL.'

NHTSA ODI #11051387

100 miles · Oct 31, 2017
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainUnknown Or Other

AFTER I SLOW DOWN TO TURN A CORNER THIS CAR OCCASIONALLY PAUSES, OR WILL NOT RESUME MOVING FOR A FEW SECONDS WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS. THIS HAS CAUSED CARS BEHIND ME TO ALMOST REAR END ME NUMEROUS TIMES. IT SOMETIMES HAPPENS TWICE IN ONE DAY THEN WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER BUT IT HAS NEVER …

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AFTER I SLOW DOWN TO TURN A CORNER THIS CAR OCCASIONALLY PAUSES, OR WILL NOT RESUME MOVING FOR A FEW SECONDS WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS. THIS HAS CAUSED CARS BEHIND ME TO ALMOST REAR END ME NUMEROUS TIMES. IT SOMETIMES HAPPENS TWICE IN ONE DAY THEN WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER BUT IT HAS NEVER DONE IT ON ANY OF THEIR TEST DRIVES. THIS HAS OCCURRED EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. I WAS TOLD OTHER OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE TO EXPERIENCE IT WHEN THEY TEST DRIVE IT.

NHTSA ODI #11041769

13 miles · Oct 18, 2017
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

I LEASED THIS VEHICLE ON JUNE 2015. BACK ON 8/26/2017 WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND GOING 70 MILE AND HOUR, CAR SUDDENLY DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF FREEWAY. I ALMOST GOT KILLED BY A TRUCK THAT WAS BEHIND MY VEHICLE. THEY TOWED THIS CAR TO GLENDALE SUBARU AND AFTER TWO DAYS, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. SINCE THAT INCIDENT…

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I LEASED THIS VEHICLE ON JUNE 2015. BACK ON 8/26/2017 WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND GOING 70 MILE AND HOUR, CAR SUDDENLY DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF FREEWAY. I ALMOST GOT KILLED BY A TRUCK THAT WAS BEHIND MY VEHICLE. THEY TOWED THIS CAR TO GLENDALE SUBARU AND AFTER TWO DAYS, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. SINCE THAT INCIDENT I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER FOR PERFORMANCE AND TRANSMISSION ISSUE. IN ADDITION, SOME MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE ISITE SYSTEM. THE DEALER CHARGED ME OVER $2000.00 FOR UNRELATED REPAIRS. THE CAR HAS A MAJOR ISSUE IN COLD AND HOT IDEAL. MANY COMPLAINTS WERE FILED TO SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY DID NOT ASSIST ME AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI #11034423

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