2 new battery drains dead just sitting in the driveway.
COMPONENT SPOTLIGHT
Subaru Forester electrical problems
791 distinct owner reports with an electrical-system component in this snapshot.
Includes the electrical-system component and its detailed subcategories. Related recalls and investigations must also name this component; they are not linked by narrative keyword alone.
27 crash reports35 fire reports8 injury reports
Reports by model year
YearTopic reportsRecallsInvestigations
20264
3020258
3020241
2020237
10202210
10202133
002020101
002019134
30201870
312017106
11201693
31201582
30201442
2020133
120201210
150201111
160201013
170200922
17020085
1120075
1120067
2120053
1120044
2120034
3120012
0020001
0019994
1119986
10Recall and investigation columns show each year’s full history. A report naming several years can appear in more than one row.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1280–25K
9225–50K
4450–75K
3075–100K
25100–150K
13150K+
332 reports with mileage · 459 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 owners actually said
791 reportsTwice now the battery has died without any obvious reason. We did not leave the lights on nor any other electrical devices known to us. We had to cal AAA who could not find an issue for the drained battery.
Battery drained, towed to dealership twice within a month battery replaced then failed within 2 weeks everything checked out ok but battery still drained very frustrating
Battery dead from constantly parasitic drawing in less a week. Brand new Interstate AGM MTX-35 battery. Had to take out the battery nad charged in room because living in an old apartment building which does not have outlet to connect the charger. Very annoyed by this flaw. The Subaru of America should settle a recall to fix the …
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Battery dead from constantly parasitic drawing in less a week. Brand new Interstate AGM MTX-35 battery. Had to take out the battery nad charged in room because living in an old apartment building which does not have outlet to connect the charger. Very annoyed by this flaw. The Subaru of America should settle a recall to fix the problem.
vehicle stalled for no reason causing a dangerous situation, dashboard had 'eyesight' come on, possible crash avoidance feature ??
There appears to be a parasitic battery drain in the vehicle when it is stopped and all electrical systems are off (lights, heated seats, chargers etc) but the key is in the ignition. The most recent event was 7/20/2022 when the car was stopped for fueling and the key left in the ignition for no more than 10 minutes. Battery d…
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There appears to be a parasitic battery drain in the vehicle when it is stopped and all electrical systems are off (lights, heated seats, chargers etc) but the key is in the ignition. The most recent event was 7/20/2022 when the car was stopped for fueling and the key left in the ignition for no more than 10 minutes. Battery discharged sufficiently in that time that the car would not start requiring roadside assistance. Spoke with dealer who stated to keep the key 30 feet from the car (note, this is NOT a smart key car) and to ensure all is off as all computer electricals will continue to run even with the car off. Will be having a battery test next week but I see that this is a recurring issue for this make/model on this forum. The same problem happened in December 2021, although at that time the weather was also severely cold and the key was in the ignition (all electrical systems off) for approximately 45 minutes. The issue is one of personal safety and being stranded in a vehicle which cannot be moved (steering and transmission locked due to low/no power) as well as cost in time and money to investigate and remedy the issue. It is also an issue of functionality and usability. If I cannot leave the key in the ignition with the car off, I am unable to use any accessories or even my safety flashers in the event the situation would warrant it.
My car started on fire while parked and turned off. The fire was electrical and appeared to be caused by issues in the main wiring harness under the console between the driver and passenger seats.
We have had issues with the battery draining since early on in owning the car. First the power windows stopped working and they replaced the battery. We are now having more battery issues and the care is in the shop.
The brake light bulbs keep burning out. As much as 1 per year the last four years.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery was continually being drained and needed to be recharged frequently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, a cause for the failure was not determined. The dealer recharged the battery. The vehicle w…
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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery was continually being drained and needed to be recharged frequently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, a cause for the failure was not determined. The dealer recharged the battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure with electrical system defects which consistently drained the battery. The contact recharged the battery after each time the vehicle was driven. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.
Related Official recalls
219V297000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Apr 11, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
16V738000 · Electrical System
Oct 13, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Related NHTSA investigations
0No component-matched exact-year investigations in this snapshot.