Air Bags. Review the 99 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

39 crash reports3 fire reports14 injury reports

Engine complaints

60 reports

Clear category filter

15,000 miles · Aug 30, 2019

EngineSteeringStructureCrash

Read full complaint

I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN A CVS PARKING LOT ON SUNRISE BLVD FT. LAUDERDALE. I MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO THE LOT AND ANOTHER RIGHT TURN INTO THE SPACE ON THE RIGHT. IT WAS A LARGE SPACE AND THE ROW OF PARKING SLOTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY SO I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO ONE OF THOSE. I MADE THE TURN INTO THE SPACE, DRIVING VERY SLOWLY, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD NOISE AND SHOT FORWARD. I HAD DONE NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS. THE CAR RAN OVER THE CURB AND INTO A CLUSTER OF SHRUBBERY - ABOUT 7 FEET WIDE. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP INSIDE THE SHRUBBERY BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL GOING. IT WAS THE SHRUBBERY THAT STOPPED THE CAR. 08/ I WAS NOT INJURED AT ALL. I TRIED TO BACK UP THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT BACK UP. ANOTHER DRIVER WHO SAW THE INCIDENT CAME OVER TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY AND HELPED ME OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SINCE THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS JAMMED UP AGAINST THE SHRUBBERY. HE COULD NOT BACK UP THE CAR EITHER AND INSTEAD DRIVE THE CAR FORWARD THROUGH THE SHRUBS AND CAME AROUND BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT. WE CALLED AAA AND I WAITED FOR THEM.

NHTSA ODI #11252433

50,000 miles · Jun 7, 2019

EnginePower Train

Read full complaint

ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS 24 HOURS APART THE CAR STALLED (SEEMED TO DROP INTO NEUTRAL) AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ~80MPH AFTER GREATER THAN 1.5 HOURS OF DRIVING. THE RPM JUMPED UP AND THE CAR LOST ALL ACCELERATION DESPITE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. ONCE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN PARK THE ENGINE DIED. BOTH TIMES IT FAILED TO START AGAIN WITH MULTIPLE SPACED OUT ATTEMPTS OVER MORE THAN 2 HOURS. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP AND BOTH TIMES AFTER BEING UNLOADED HOURS LATER IT STARTED WITH NO ISSUE AND THE DEALERS COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND SENT US HOME. A VERY UNSAFE INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH NO OBVIOUS CAUSE OR FIX.

NHTSA ODI #11218540

44,000 miles · Jun 4, 2019

EnginePower Train

Read full complaint

2 SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF COMPLETE ENGINE POWER LOSS WHILE ON HIGHWAY AT CRUISING SPEEDS. FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING ABOUT 70MPH ON A HIGHWAY. WE HEARD A LOUD BANG THEN ENGINE DIED AND WE LOST ALL POWER TO THE CAR. THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COAST IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. WHEN WE OPENED HOOD THERE WAS OIL EVERYWHERE AND A GIANT CRACK AND HOLE IN THE ENGINE. WE HAD TO TOW IT 170 MILES HOME WHERE IT WAS IN THE SHOP 5 WEEKS GETTING FIXED. AFTER HAVING THE CAR ONLY 3 WEEKS THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WHERE THE CAR LOST TORQUE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT WENT UP TO 60 NORMALLY BUT THEN FALTERED AND DROPPED DOWN TO 20MPH. WE WENT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND IT WAS FINE DRIVING NORMALLY THEN DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. WE DROVE IT TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DEALER WE HEARD A LOUD BANG, TONS OF SMOKE, AND AS SOON AS WE PULLED UP TO SUBARU WE OPENED THE HOOD AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS OIL EVERYWHERE AND A CRACK IN THE ENGINE IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME AREA. EXTREMELY SCARY INCIDENTS.

NHTSA ODI #11217750

45,000 miles · May 22, 2019

Electrical SystemEngineFire

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE NEIGHBOR NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. MOMENTS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE NEARBY MOTOR HOME AND HOUSE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WERE DESTROYED ALONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

NHTSA ODI #11209233

39,000 miles · Dec 28, 2018

Engine

TODAY MARKS THE THIRD TIME WE ARE TAKING THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING WHEN ACCELERATING.

NHTSA ODI #11163793

53,000 miles · Dec 21, 2018

EngineFuel/propulsion System

Read full complaint

I HAVE HAD VERY SIMILAR ISSUES TO THE GENTLEMAN WHOSE NHTSA # IS 11161972. ON THREE OCCASIONS WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES AN HOUR AND USUALLY GOING UP AND INCLINE, MY ENGINE WOULD SPUTTER AND THE CAR WOULD DIE. ALL THREE TIMES MY CAR SCREEN SHOWED THAT I HAD BETWEEN 60 AND 80 MILES LEFT IN MY TANK AND MY FUEL GAUGE WHICH SHOW TWO CLICKS TO THE RIGHT OF EMPTY. THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT COULD BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I NEEDED GAS IN MY CAR . AT THAT POINT I CONTACTED AAA AND THEY BROUGHT ME 2 GALLONS OF GAS TO GET ME TO THE NEXT EXIT TO SO THAT I CAN FILL MY TANK. THE SECOND TIME I HAD MOVED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AS MY CAR WAS DYING. I HAD WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHILE I WAS WAITING ON AAA AGAIN TO SHOW UP WHEN I DECIDED TO START MY CAR AND THE ENGINE STARTED. I WAS LITERALLY 2/10 OF A MILE FROM THE GAS STATION SO I HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION TO FILL MY TANK. THE THIRD TIME AS I WAS INCLINING ON A HILL IN THE FAST LANE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 70 MILES AN HOUR. FORTUNATELY I THOUGHT FAST AND HIT THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AS I HAD A SEMI RIGHT BEHIND MY CAR. THIS TIME I MOVED OVER INTO THE LEFT SIDE EMERGENCY LANE AND WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND MY CAR STARTED AGAIN. THIS SEEMS TO ALWAYS HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS SHOWING BETWEEN 60 AND 90 MILES OF GAS LEFT IN MY TANK AND ALWAYS WITH TWO CLICKS ON THE FULL GAGE. I AM NOT SURE AS TO WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND HAVE TAKEN IT TO MY SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS YET WE'RE UNABLE TO RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY TRIED TO DRIVE IT. AS SOMEONE WHO PUTS A LOT OF ROAD MILES ON THEIR CAR FOR WORK, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT SCARY AS MY TRAVELS ARE ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT ALWAYS IN LARGE CITIES. ONE THING THAT I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT THE VIN NUMBER ON NHTSA TICKET # 11161972 MATCHES MINE EXACTLY BASED ON WHAT IS SHOWN ON YOUR SITE. ALL HWY DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11162980

50,000 miles · Dec 17, 2018

Engine

Read full complaint

2 SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF COMPLETE ENGINE POWER LOSS WHILE ON HIGHWAY AT CRUISING SPEEDS. BOTH IN INCIDENTS OCCURRED WITH LOW FUEL ABOUT 1/8TH TANK (2-3 GALLONS) VERIFIED BASED ON AMOUNT REFILLED TO FULL. FUEL GAUGE WAS READING 2 BARS (1/8) AND LOW FUEL LIGHT ON BUT SHOWING 70 MILES OF FUEL REMAINING. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS GOING UP VERY SLIGHT INCLINE. SUDDEN NON-RESPONSE OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND SUBSEQUENT DECELERATION AS CAR WAS DRIVEN TO SHOULDER. ENGINE SHIFT DOWN COMPLETELY ON ITS OWN WHILE ON SIDE OF ROAD. IN FIRST INCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 78W IN PA, THE CAR COULD NOT BE IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED UNTIL AFTER APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES AFTER TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND INSPECTED BUT NO ROOT CAUSE FOUND OR REPORTED. THE CAR WAS OPERATED FOR ANOTHER ~20,000 MILES UNTIL SECOND EVENT ON NJ GARDEN STATE PARKWAY SOUTH WHERE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER AND THE CAR WAS COASTED TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO NEAREST GAS STATION AND FILLED UP, REQUIRING 14.1 GALLONS. THIS EVENT OCCURRED ON NOV 28TH, 2018. AS OF THIS WRITING, THIS SECOND EVENT HAS NOT YET BEEN COMMUNICATED TO SUBARU YET WAS POSTED BY ME ON AN ONLINE FORUM IN RESPONSE TO OTHER USERS REPORTING SIMILAR ENGINE ISSUES AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH SIMILAR LOW FUEL CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY TROUBLESHOOT THE ISSUE. I AM REPORTING THE ISSUE HERE BECAUSE IT SEEMS MY INCIDENTS ARE NOT UNIQUE AND PRESENT SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARDS DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11161972

29,000 miles · Nov 9, 2018

Engine

I HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE THE ENGINE WILL FLUTTER IN IDLE AND WILL ALMOST SKIP AS IF IT'S NOT GETTING ANY GAS. THE FLUTTER CAUSES THE CAR TO SHAKE, IT HAS EVEN CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL. WHEN IT STALLED I HAD STARTED THE CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE, TAPPED THE GAS AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT AND SHUT OFF. I BROUGHT THE ISSUE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AN…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #11150304

52,000 miles · Sep 13, 2018

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCURRENCES WHILE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON AND WE WERE DRIVING AT AROUND 70 MILES AN HOUR ON AN INTERSTATE, OUR CAR WOULD ELECTRONICALLY PUT ITSELF IN NEUTRAL, THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTER WOULD PHYSICALLY REMAIN IN DRIVE, THE RPM'S WOULD GO UP TO ABOUT 5500 RPMS, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. WE WOULD PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS. THREE OF THE FIVE TIMES, THE CAR WOULD START AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THE THIRD TIME THE BATTERY DIED AFTER TRYING TO START IT A FEW TIMES WHILE IT WAS COLD OUT. THE FIFTH TIME THE CAR LEFT US STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE FOR TWO HOURS WHILE WE WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. WE HAVE NOTIFIED SUBARU EVERY TIME THAT THE CAR WOULD DO THIS. ON THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED, SUBARU HAD US REMOVE THE REMOTE STARTER WE HAD PURCHASED AND INSTALLED AT BEST BUY. AFTER HAVING BEST BUY REMOVE THE REMOTE STARTED, I INSTALLED A DASHCAM BEHIND THE DRIVER TO RECORD THE DRIVER, DASHBOARD AND THE SHIFTER BECAUSE SUBARU COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF THIS ISSUE HAPPENING. THE FOURTH AND FIFTH TIME HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE ON A FAMILY VACATION OUT OF STATE. THE CAR WAS LEFT AT A DEALERSHIP OUT OF STATE AND FOUR WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. I WAS TOLD ON THE PHONE THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO TEST IF THE FUEL PUMP THEY REMOVED WAS IN FACT FAULTY. SUBARU TOLD ME THEY HAD A TECHNICIAN DRIVE IT FOR 500 MILES AND THEY DIDN'T EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE. INCIDENTS WERE AT THE FOLLOWING MILEAGES - DATES: 31190 - MAY 27TH, 2017 34383 - AUGUST 27TH, 2017 APPROXIMATELY 42300 - FEBRUARY 2ND, 2018 51778 - AUGUST 9TH, 2018 52129 - AUGUST 14TH, 2018

NHTSA ODI #11129380

41,000 miles · Aug 22, 2018

Engine

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY GOING UP A BRIDGE OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT ABOUT 65MPH WHEN A BUNCH OF LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL AND I HAD TO SWITCH FROM THE LEFT-HAND LANE TO THE RIGHT -HAND LANE TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION.MY CAR SPEED AND WENT TO 65 MPH TO ABOUT 0 MPH IN THE MATTER OF A MINUTE. I DO YOU SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME TYPE OF INCIDENT HAPPENING. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BY SUBARU.MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON MY EMISSIONS CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON IN MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET TO THE SHOULDER WHILE 65 MPH CARS WERE ZOOMING PAST ME. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART MY CAR AND MAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION FOR THE ISSUE THAT I AM SEEING. UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS ON THE INTERNET ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES AND THEY ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ODI #11121770

Official recalls

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

PE19009 · Occupant Detection System (ods) Failure

Opened Aug 6, 2019 · Closed Jan 22, 2020

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and 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.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

Additional source detail variants (4)

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Air Bags:frontal

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Air Bags

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems

Subaru Forester transmission problems →Subaru Forester electrical problems →