Your vehicle report
2014 Subaru Forester
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 403
- Received Sep 2013 to Jun 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Coil springs break and puncture tires62 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking35 complaints · 8.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off27 complaints · 6.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #19V149000Subaru 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.
- Recall #13V159000Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Unintended acceleration despite brakingFirst signal: Jul 2014
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 48 crashes, 3 fires, 28 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Tailgate or trunk latch fails
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 35 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2016 | 22 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 110 |
| 2020 | 57 |
| 2021 | 32 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2024 | 17 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 3 |
| Total | 403 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 62 | 15% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 35 | 8.7% | 8.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2014 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.8% |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 27 | 6.7% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 22 | 5.5% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 12 | 3.0% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 11 | 2.7% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| CVT transmission fails or loses power | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 9 | 2.2% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 5 | 1.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #19V149000February 28, 20191,303,530 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #13V159000April 24, 201310,137 vehicles affected
equipment
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.
Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle's clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace each of the vehicle's four (4) carpeted floor mats with new ones. These services will be performed free of charge. Subaru issued an interim notification during April 2013. Notification that the remedy is now available was mailed to owners on June 5, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQH-44.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2014 Subaru Forester.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN