Subaru Forester Complaints

513 consumer complaints on file.

#11644011February 20, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
My Subaru issues, false warnings to “KEEP HANDS ON STEERING WHEEL” while both hands are holding the steering wheel. The warnings are inconsistent and follow varying sequences. In most cases, the warning begins with a yellow outlined warning, on the instrument panel, to keep hands on the steering wheel with the accompanying beep tones. In most cases, with no change in hand position, the light will go out. In other cases, the outline on the warning will change to red and then go out. In still other cases, the warning will proceed to the CID and be displayed in red with audio. In all of these cases there has been no change in hand position. Usually the light will go out in a few seconds with no change in hand position. In the opposite case, if hands are completely removed from the steering wheel, no warning is given for approximately 12 seconds. In all cases, these false warnings are a distraction to my driving. I consider that a safety issue. In only one case so far has automatic breaking been applied with no reason. My previous car was a 2020 Subaru Forrester and I experienced none of these false warnings with that car. It is not clear to me if the false warnings I am experiencing in my car are unique to my particular car or if it is a generic defect in all Subaru. It is my understanding that my current car originated in Asheville, North Carolina which experienced hurricanes, Helene and Milton. I wonder if exposure to those hurricanes compromised the electrical system in my car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643956February 20, 2025
WHEELS
Premature wear on Bridgestone Ecopia Tires. We have had several instances in our company with these tires wearing prematurely, some as low as 12k miles but usually somewhere in the 20's & 30's thousand-wise, these tires exhibit numerous cracks especially on the inner side that is difficult to see unless you pull the tires off. A lot of WEB chatter indicates that they are especially vulnerable in cold weather states. We've informed Subaru several times but are often hushed since they fear a major Recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643583February 18, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1. The car shut off several times, with the steering wheel locking up and becoming stiff, the brakes failing to respond, and loud, erratic sounds emanating from the vehicle. The car is available for inspection. 2. Yes, the car crashed resulting in damage to the car, driver, and other driver (e.g. car in front). 3. This is the second time the car has been brought to the dealership (the second time being Subaru South Hill in Pennsylvania) and they cannot identify the problem. 4. The vehicle was not inspected by police, or insurance, as far as I am aware. 5. There were no warning signs before the failure.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11643136February 17, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield cracked in same exact spot on bottom of windshield with no point of impact while sitting in our garage. Looks like it started at heating element. Our windshield was replaced for this same reason 2 months ago
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11642077February 11, 2025
TIRES
Bridgestone Ecopia H/L Plus tires are M+S rated. They actually have almost no traction in the snow. I can be going under 5 mph on level ground and apply roughly 30% breaking power and the tires start to slip. They are going to kill someone.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641608February 9, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Front windshield crack came out of no where. No idea ever had a stone or anything connect with windshield.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641300February 7, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
UNKNOWN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641177February 6, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Factory installed headlights are dangerous as the low beam has a black line approximately halfway in the field of vision. Subaru states this is to keep from blinding oncoming vehicles. Driving in town not too bad, however in rural mountain areas with winding roads the headlights do not provide necessary lighting causing driving to be extremely dangerous. Low beams should not blind oncoming traffic. Dealer states these "projection" headlights cannot be replaced with traditional headlights. Complaint filed with Subaru who inform they can't take any action; however state in voice mail that "although not recommended" after market headlights could be installed when available. Dealer has previously informed that installation of standard headlights may void warranty. Mechanics consulted recommend driving with high beams, oncoming traffic will see why when low beams activated. Another recommendation has been to always drive with fog lights on and possibly install LED lamps in fog lights, to add additional brightness. This type of headlights should be investigated to prevent unnecessary accidents. (Another horrible idea with the Subaru headlights is that they "Swing" as the car goes around curves, this feature can be turned off though.)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640053February 1, 2025
AIR BAGS
I recently purchased a 2025 Subaru Forester. My wife is a petite woman, about 93-97 pounds and 5 feet 4 inches tall. When she sits in the front passenger seat the airbag light stays in the "airbag off" position. She is not heavy enough to activate the "airbag on" light. The dealer inspected the passenger seat and said that the airbag on/off function is working properly and works as expected for persons about 100 pounds or more. They confirmed that the "airbag on" light does not come on for my wife. Your website indicates that you have used dummies for airbag deployment for children and small stature women. Is it safer for a small stature woman to have the airbag not deploy in a frontal collision than to deploy? We checked a 2025 Honda CR-V and the "airbag on" light is activated when she sits in the front passenger seat. We were given information that a weight of about 65 pounds is required to activate the airbag. Subaru has not told us what weight is required. It seems strange that the airbag activation requirements would vary from on vehicle to another. We are wondering whether it would be safer for us to keep the Subaru vehicle (where the airbag would not deploy) or replace it with the Honda CR-V, for which the airbag would deploy. Does your research indicate which option may be safer?. Subaru Customer Service said the airbag system is operating as it was intended and would not buy the car back. The dealer has offered to buy the car at a reduced price if we want to sell it and replace it with the Honda CR-V. Can you please provide some guidance for us based upon your crash research studies. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638961January 27, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The battery is getting drained by the car's system
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638917January 27, 2025
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
Driver side exterior rear view mirror shakes/vibrates at highway speeds (65mph or higher) making it difficult to safely change lanes/view following traffic. The dealership inspected this and was able to replicate the issue, but said there is nothing they can be done / they’ve seen it before / it’s just how it is - “not that bad”. This is a dangerous defect and it needs to be fixed. It is especially a problem at nighttime.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638593January 26, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
In the summer of 2024, my forester started completely stall out when I was stopped at a stop light. The auto start/stop system seemed to not turn back on. I would have to put the car in park, turn the car off and turn it back on. It was very scary being in traffic and people getting upset behind me. This happened multiple times. I took my car to the dealership. I was told an update needed to be installed and it was not anything I could do at home. After that point, it worked better, but still started back up hard at times. When I remembered, I typically started turning the feature off each time I drove it because I do not trust the feature. Unfortunately, it happened again yesterday. We were at a stoplight, and the car did not start back up, it stalled out. My husband had to quickly try to put the car in park, turn it off and then back on. Cars started honking at us. I am very concerned about this feature.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638318January 24, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The check engine light and a flashing 'S' and other lights stating the safety features such as Eyesight, lane departure, RAB, etc. are turned off. This started on 1/15/25, and I took the car to the dealership on 1/16/25. The dealership stated the EVap System Leak Detection Pump sensor indicated a leak, and the EvaporateLeak Check Module needs to be replaced but is back-ordered until mid-March 2025. They turned off all the lights and told me I could keep driving the vehicle. On 1/20/25, all of the lights were back on. The car lags to accelerate and is using gas at a rapid rate. I feel unsafe driving the car for another two months with the check engine light on and the acceleration capacity decreased. The dealership will not allow me a rental vehicle unless I leave it on their lot for two months until the part arrives. I cannot agree with that. The dealership informed me that multiple Forester and Crosstreks models have the same problem. This car was purchased brand new from the Olympia dealership and it currently has about 22,000 miles on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638044January 23, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
What Component or system failed or malfunctioned. A control system (I am guessing a computer or software problem occurred. The car had a sudden unexpected acceleration. On [XXX] my 2024 Subaru Forester Sport while completing parking in a parking spot had a sudden unintended acceleration event. My foot was not on the acceleration. The automobile travelled at least 27 feet before I was able to stop the vehicle. The car skidded when I depressed the brakes. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The car accelerated over curbs and a planter and onto a wide sidewalk with a bus stop. The car hit the bus stop structure and a sign. If there had been a pedestrian on the sidewalk, the pedestrian might have been killed. If the car had travelled another 10 feet, I would have been crossing a busy boulevard. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The car was taken to Dalton Subaru dealership in National City, California. Dalton Subaru did an initial test of systems with their computer. Subaru of America investigated. The Subaru of America corporation stated the accident was due to driver's error and that my foot was not on the accelerator. THIS STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE! I am 100% sure that my foot was not on the accelerator when the car had a sudden unintended acceleration. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. The Subaru of America Corporation has inspected the car. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning signs. The Sudden Unintended Acceleration event happened only once. It occurred on [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637465January 21, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was stopped at a red light when, suddenly, my car engine completely shut down, a loud and high-pitched alarm began to squeal and many alerts flashed on my screen. one of the alerts stated that the eye--sight was not functioning.The car would not move when the traffic light turned green and I applied the gas pedal. Cars behind me and those in oncoming traffic had to swerve around me. I was in the center lane of traffic. Fortunately, I was able to put the emergency blinkers on. The traffic light turned red again. It occurred to me to shift into park and attempt to restart the car. The car did restart and I was able to drive home when the traffic light again turned green. I made an appointment to take the car into Concordville Subaru and, there, I was told that the battery was low and I was given a new battery since the car is under warranty. I am reading from other owners that this is a temporary fix only and that it does not address the real problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637451January 21, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
On January 3, 2024, my Subaru forester suddenly lost emergency safety features such as the blind spot warning system. Many warning messages flashed on the screen as I drove north on rt 1 and the blind spot warning system was totally disabled. I believe that other safety features were likewise disabled, as well. I was upset as I had traded in my 2015 Forester because it lacked those safety features that in my new car had abruptly just stopped working! I drove my car to the Concordville Subaru dealership for diagnosis and repair. I was told that the tech found error code P0455. The tech also found that the gas cap was secured and he reset the code and test drove the car. The error code did not re-occur upon test driving the car. I was told that that error code meant that gas fumes had escaped from the tank and that, when that occurs, all safety features are disabled. As my gas cap was secured that explanation seemed very weak to me and I asked how that explanation could be correct. I was told that Subaru could do a "smoke test" to ensure no leaks of gas fumes. I was given a loaner car and the test was done and no issues were found. As my car was running fine, I took my car home. I am writing this complaint over a year past the incident because I have now had a second incident, different in detail, but I am fearing some major problem with the car. I will write a complaint regarding the second incident which occurred on January 5, 2025.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11635534January 12, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2021 Subaru Forester battery has died twice in the last 10 months. I could not jump start the vehicle the first time about 10 months ago. I needed AAA to jump start it. I took the car to the dealer; they recharged the vehicle and said the battery was fine. They did not bill me. The car died again this week. This time I was able to jump start the vehicle myself. The safety issue is I might need to get to a doctor's appointment or other emergency in a hurry. I may be out shopping or hiking and need to return home, perhaps in bad weather. I might be stranded in a busy intersection or a lonely country road. The battery is simply not trust-worthy. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer, and they said the battery was fine. There was no warning lamp before the battery failed. The car is not safe-I don't know when it won't work.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11635323January 10, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
12/14/24-I was stopped at a red light at a VERY busy intersection. The engine was in stop mode by the start/stop feature. When the light turned green, the car failed to start. The entire car shut down, with alarms sounding and dash lights flashing. The entire system had to reboot before I could restart the car. It was a freighting experience. Fortunately, I wasn't killed by traffic zooming by or by some person with road rage. 12/16/24-Issue evaluated by local Subaru dealer. Their evaluation was that when the auto start feature was activated, my car battery was too low to work. There was zero warning about a low battery before this failure in traffic. I had to buy a new battery. The auto start/stop feature is not an enhancement, but a safety hazard. Owners should be able to permanently disable this unnecessary drain on batteries and starters. I did a search, and there are plenty of others that experienced similar issues with their Subarus.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11634958January 8, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I believe there are some issues related to the reliability of the windshield of this vehicle. My windshield cracked by itself from the bottom without hitting anything, which is similar to other complainant.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633969January 3, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
At 40936 the valve body needed to be replaced. With such low milage vehicle is having problems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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