Your vehicle report
2017 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
- 592
- Received Sep 2016 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact131 complaints · 22% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off79 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Ignition key sticks or will not turn46 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #19V701000Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Airbag warning light stays onFirst signal: Jun 2018
- Wheel bearings fail prematurelyFirst signal: Oct 2024
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 40 crashes, 1 fire, 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
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
- Ignition key sticks or will not turn
- Battery drains and dies when parked
- Headlights dim or fail at night
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
- Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off
- Airbag warning light stays on
- Airbags fail to deploy in crashes
1 more problem
Steering, suspension & tires
- Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed
- Wheel bearings fail prematurely
- Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
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
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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 22 |
| 2018 | 43 |
| 2019 | 128 |
| 2020 | 96 |
| 2021 | 87 |
| 2022 | 54 |
| 2023 | 45 |
| 2024 | 33 |
| 2025 | 41 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 36 |
| Total | 592 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 131 | 22% | 1.8× | |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 79 | 13% | 92.7× | NHTSA recall #19V701000 |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 46 | 7.8% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 42 | 7.1% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 38 | 6.4% | 18.6× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2018 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.1% |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 22 | 3.7% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 12 | 2.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 9 | 1.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 7 | 1.2% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 7 | 1.2% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 1.0% | – | |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 6 | 1.0% | 17.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.9% |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 6 | 1.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 0.8% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 5 | 0.8% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 5 | 0.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 0.7% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 4 | 0.7% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 4 | 0.7% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 4 | 0.7% | – |
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 #19V701000October 3, 2019366,282 vehicles affected
air bags: sensor: occupant classification
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
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 2017 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