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

Recall 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

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 reports
2016 model year · Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2020
Electrical SystemEngine

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER.THE CONTACT STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD ,THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS LIGHTS ON HIS VEHICLE ARE NOT PROPERLY WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR REPAIR AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING .THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE STOPS ON ITS OWN WITHOUT A…

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THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER.THE CONTACT STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD ,THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS LIGHTS ON HIS VEHICLE ARE NOT PROPERLY WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR REPAIR AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING .THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE STOPS ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION

NHTSA ODI #11383888

2018 model year · 49,000 miles · Nov 23, 2020
Electrical System

IKEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED, PUT IN PARK, BRAKE [PEDDLE DEPRESSED.

NHTSA ODI #11375898

2019 model year · 5,900 miles · Nov 19, 2020
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

LEAVING A PARKING LOT GETTING READY TO TURN ONTO A DIVIDED 4 LANE HIGHWAY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE CARE DID NOT GO WILE I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR DOWN AND I DID IT AGAIN AND STILL NOTHING. BEFORE I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG THE CAR DRIFTED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH NO POWER EXCEPT THE E…

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LEAVING A PARKING LOT GETTING READY TO TURN ONTO A DIVIDED 4 LANE HIGHWAY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE CARE DID NOT GO WILE I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR DOWN AND I DID IT AGAIN AND STILL NOTHING. BEFORE I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG THE CAR DRIFTED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH NO POWER EXCEPT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT IDLE SPEED AND IN GEAR BUT STILL NO ACCELERATION SO I LEFT THE CAR DRIFT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR STARTED TO GO JUST BEFORE THE LIGHT CHANGED BACK. THE START-STOP WAS TURNED OFF AND THE ENGINE NEVER STOPPED THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING, BUT THEY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED 6 OR 7 TIMES IN ABOUT 4 MONTHS BUT THIS WAS THE MOST SERIOUS.

NHTSA ODI #11375397

2014 model year · 25,000 miles · Nov 16, 2020
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

MY BACKUP CAMERA ONLY WORKS PERIODICALLY. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THE DASHBOARD SCREEN SOMETIMES JUST SHOWS A BLACK SCREEN WITH THE DISTANCE LINES DISPLAYED. OTHER TIMES IT WORKS FINE. DOESNT SEEM TO BE A PATTERN. MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM IN POSTED MESSAGE BOARDS AND IT SEEMS LIKE CERTAIN OTHER SUBARUS WE…

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MY BACKUP CAMERA ONLY WORKS PERIODICALLY. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THE DASHBOARD SCREEN SOMETIMES JUST SHOWS A BLACK SCREEN WITH THE DISTANCE LINES DISPLAYED. OTHER TIMES IT WORKS FINE. DOESNT SEEM TO BE A PATTERN. MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM IN POSTED MESSAGE BOARDS AND IT SEEMS LIKE CERTAIN OTHER SUBARUS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11374869

2017 model year · 50,000 miles · Oct 26, 2020
Electrical System

INTERMITTENTLY, I CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. RESTARTING THE CAR, TAKING IT OUT OF PARK, AND PUTTING IT BACK INTO PARK (SOMETIMES REQUIRES MULTIPLE ITERATIONS) EVENTUALLY ALLOWS THE KEY TO RELEASE.

NHTSA ODI #11366560

2020 model year · 600 miles · Oct 22, 2020
Electrical System

WIRING HARNESS, TRANSMISSION, SOY BASED - DESTROYED BY RODENTS AT 600 MILES, 9 MONTHS. VEHICLE ON HOME DRIVE, DAYLIGHT, AS OUR BASEMENT WAS REPAIRED FROM FLOOD DAMAGE. 1 WEEK ON DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ODI #11365833

2015 model year · 56,400 miles · Oct 20, 2020
Electrical System

FIRST MY BATTERY WENT AND I HAVE 56,000 MILES. MY GAUGE FOR GASOLINE IS NOT WORKING ALSO THE MONITOR ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN IS WRONG. MY WINDOW IS NOT WORKING ON THE AUTOMATIC ON THE DRIVER SIDE, NOW IT DOES NOT GO UP WITH LIFTING THE BUTTON IT HASS TO BE LIFTED SEVERAL TIMES. IT SEEMS NOW THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRE…

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FIRST MY BATTERY WENT AND I HAVE 56,000 MILES. MY GAUGE FOR GASOLINE IS NOT WORKING ALSO THE MONITOR ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN IS WRONG. MY WINDOW IS NOT WORKING ON THE AUTOMATIC ON THE DRIVER SIDE, NOW IT DOES NOT GO UP WITH LIFTING THE BUTTON IT HASS TO BE LIFTED SEVERAL TIMES. IT SEEMS NOW THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED I HAVE MANY ISSUES. WHEN I CALLED SUBARU TO INSTALL A NEW BATTERY I WAS TOLD IT WAS 49.95 TO INSTALL. UNACCEPTABLE

NHTSA ODI #11365324

2017 model year · 64,500 miles · Oct 12, 2020
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 65-75MPH AND WE WENT UP A GRADE (CUESTA GRADE) ALONG 101 FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA AND VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS IN POWER WHILE CLIMBING UP THE HILL. ULTIMATELY, NO POWER WAS EVER REGAINED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND STOPPED. WE WERE STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND …

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THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 65-75MPH AND WE WENT UP A GRADE (CUESTA GRADE) ALONG 101 FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA AND VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS IN POWER WHILE CLIMBING UP THE HILL. ULTIMATELY, NO POWER WAS EVER REGAINED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND STOPPED. WE WERE STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO CALL 911 TO HAVE A CHP OFFER PARK BEHIND US SO THAT WE WOULD NOT BE HIT BECAUSE WE WERE PARTIALLY IN THE LANE. THE CAR COULD NOT MOVE SO WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP. WE RECEIVED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VEHICLE EMISSIONS CONTROLS, HILL ASSIST, AND THE CAR WAS SHAKING. SUBARU RECENTLY MADE A RECALL ON MODELS THAT HAVE HAD A LOSS OF POWER BUT MY VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE LIST BUT I DID EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. CAN YOU ASSIST?

NHTSA ODI #11363958

2014 model year · 135,000 miles · Oct 4, 2020
Air BagsElectrical SystemSeat Belts

MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER HAS RECENTLY STARTED HAVING WARNINGS ABOUT SRS. PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER IS SEATED AND THEREFORE THE AIRBAG IS 'OFF' EVEN IF SEAT IS OCCUPIED. BOTH FRONT SEATS ARE HEATED AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT LEAD TO A RECALL FOR 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. PLEA…

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MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER HAS RECENTLY STARTED HAVING WARNINGS ABOUT SRS. PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER IS SEATED AND THEREFORE THE AIRBAG IS 'OFF' EVEN IF SEAT IS OCCUPIED. BOTH FRONT SEATS ARE HEATED AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT LEAD TO A RECALL FOR 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. PLEASE EXTEND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE 2014 MODELS. VERY UNSAFE AND COSTLY ($900-$1,200 ACCORDING TO OTHER COMPLAINTS) TO REPAIR THIS SENSOR IN ORDER TO HAVE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OPERATIONAL. PASSENGER SEATBELT WARNING ALSO OCCASIONALLY COMES ON EVEN IF THERE IS NO ONE SITTING IN SEAT.

NHTSA ODI #11362602

2016 model year · 25,000 miles · Sep 29, 2020
Electrical SystemPower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BEFORE THE KEY RELEASED AND WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. COLONIAL SUBARU (761 E CHESTER ST, KINGSTON, NY 12401, (845) 339-3330) ACKNOWLEDGED THE THAT FAILURE HAD OCCURRED IN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BEFORE THE KEY RELEASED AND WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. COLONIAL SUBARU (761 E CHESTER ST, KINGSTON, NY 12401, (845) 339-3330) ACKNOWLEDGED THE THAT FAILURE HAD OCCURRED IN OTHER VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO TAP THE SHIFT COLUMN TO DISLODGE THE KEY HOWEVER, THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.*DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE BUT CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO SUBARU ABOUT HAVING TO COVER THE COSTS AND SUBARU REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11361857

Related Official recalls

2

19V297000 · 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

0

No component-matched exact-year investigations in this snapshot.