Subaru Forester electrical problems

**Component or System:** Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist System (specifically the Pre-Collision Throttle Management system). **Incident Description & Warning Messages:** There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of any problem prior to this failure. The incident occurred while I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection. When the light turned green, I removed my foot from the brake and pressed the gas pedal to proceed, but the vehicle would not accelerate. The system had engaged a false-positive throttle cut. At that exact moment, the car began beeping repeatedly and the EyeSight logo flashed on the dashboard, incorrectly indicating an obstacle or imminent collision, even though the path in front of my vehicle was completely clear. **Safety Risk:** My safety and the safety of others were put at significant risk because the vehicle was unexpectedly immobilized in an active intersection during a green light. This sudden, unwarranted loss of acceleration created a high risk of being rear-ended by the drivers behind me who were expecting the flow of traffic to resume. **Reproduced, Confirmed, or Inspected:** Because this incident just occurred, the problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Furthermore, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives.

Persistent Battery Drain on a 2021 Subaru Forester Limited. Problems began in year 4 of ownership (~17,000 mileage), after Subaru Starlink Subscription services expired. Red (Error) Starlink SOS indicator light was evident, where a normal light would show green. Battery would fully drain after about 3-4 days of inactivity while parked in a commercial garage. After repeated dead batteries, a jump-starter battery pack was used regularly, as well as a wall-outlet battery charger. The problem has not resolved with a new and appropriately specified AGM battery, replaced in December 2025. The only solution is to pull the engine-bay fuse #5, which disables the Data Communication Module (DCM), as well as other features (hands-free microphones and audio system). By pulling the fuse #5 consistently, the problem has ceased, even after a two-week period of no use. This provides irrefutable evidence that the DCM powered by fuse #5 is the source of the battery drain. The only resolution Subaru would offer was to insist on a dedicated diagnostic visit to a dealership, with the associated costs of hundreds of dollars to be borne by me, the customer, without a clear understanding of the costs or remedies to resolve this problem. I feel unsafe driving my vehicle for more than short trips given the risk of stranding or further electrical malfunctions that would impact critical vehicle functions or safety systems.

My new vehicle, with under 4,000 miles, has already suffered multiple chewed wires due to rodents attracted to the soy-based wire coatings used by the manufacturer. This is not a minor inconvenience — it is a serious safety issue. Damaged wiring can cause loss of power steering mid-drive, ABS and braking system malfunctions, airbag deployment failures, engine stalling on highways, and electrical fires — any of which can result in injury or death. The manufacturer knows soy-based coatings attract rodents, the consequences are safety-critical, and proven mitigations exist (capsaicin-infused coatings, hardened sheathing, metal conduit) yet are not implemented from the factory. If vehicles are engineered to withstand foreseeable environmental hazards like water intrusion, heat, and road debris, there is no justification for leaving critical wiring defenseless against a well-documented and predictable threat. A material choice known to invite damage, paired with insufficient physical barriers, is not an external cause — it is a design flaw.

Driving along and various system warnings came on, then started losing power, then the engine died and the car was completely dead. Got a jump start and the car ran for a couple of minutes and died again. Had it towed to a repair shop and when they checked it the next morning, they couldn't find a problem and it ran great for them. I replaced the battery and alternator just to be safe because we were about to leave on a trip.

Brand new 2026 Forester's factory amplifier system completely failed within a week from purchasing at approximately 570 miles, disabling hands-free communication. California law strictly requires drivers to use phones in a hands-free manner. Drivers are prohibited from holding or physically touching their phone for any reason while operating a vehicle.

While driving the head unit was connected to Google automotive with Google maps giving me directions and music through you tube music when a full screen sized ad for Sirius XM took over the entire screen. I could no longer see the map and directions, couldn't use the climate control. The entire screen was locked by this add until I removed my focus from the road to hit the small X icon in the top right corner of the add to close it out. Ads for a product I've never used taking over my entire head unit distracting my driving and following the directions from Google maps is unacceptable and unsafe.

2021 Subaru Forester The vehicle has experienced recurring electrical and battery-related issues for several years. The original battery was replaced by the Subaru dealer with a larger-capacity battery because of repeated starting concerns. The replacement provided only temporary improvement. The vehicle continues to experience rough starting on a regular basis, even after installation of a newer aftermarket battery with a higher cold-cranking-amp rating. The current battery is approximately five months old. The most significant safety concern occurs during Auto Start-Stop operation. On multiple occasions, the engine has shut off at a stop as intended, but then failed to restart when attempting to move again. When this occurs, multiple warning lights illuminate on the dashboard and the vehicle is unable to proceed until it is shifted into Park and restarted manually. Because of this issue, I now disable the Auto Start-Stop feature on every drive to avoid a potential failure to restart while in traffic. The issue has been ongoing for years and has occurred with multiple batteries, including the dealer-installed replacement battery and a newer aftermarket battery. The dealer suggested that an aftermarket dash camera could be contributing to battery drain. The dash camera was disconnected, but the problem continued. I am concerned that failure of the vehicle to restart after Auto Start-Stop operation could leave the vehicle disabled in traffic and create a safety hazard. The condition appears to involve the vehicle’s electrical system, battery management system, charging system, Auto Start-Stop system, or a combination of those components. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

Problem: Recall for passenger side airbag malfunction in heated seats for my model year. Manufacturer has said they addressed the recall but they have not. My car and thousands of others are unsafe for passengers to ride in because the airbag system does not work. Warning light is the airbag symbol and message that alerts driver that SRS system is not working. Manufacturer and dealers want to charge $200 to look problem over and then tell you its off warranty. My car has 96000 miles and this has been a problem since they “did the recall”. Subaru tells owners that passenger should ride in back seat. How does that work with two car seats. Subaru needs to take responsibility for their engineering design and fix this safety defect. These cars are death traps.