10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,547 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2017 Subaru Forester body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2017 Subaru Forester Owner Comments

problem #9

Feb 072024

Forester

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The front windshield is extremely prone to cracks. I've gotten three cracks in my windshield, all along the bottom half in close proximity to each other, which leads me to believe there is a structural issue with either the body of the car or the glass that is causing this. Two of the times, there were no other cars around me and a pinhead size piece of gravel lodged into the outside layer of the windshield, chipping and cracking it.

- Asheville, NC, USA

problem #8

Mar 252022

Forester

  • miles
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System module failed which also disabled the key fob remotes. I had the TPMS module replaced 3 times. The first occurrence was on August 26th 2021 and was confirmed by the dealership Subaru Service Center. During the failure and malfunction of the module, the dashboard warned about not to drive because there is problems with the tires and key fob not working. This worried me because of the potential safety to me and others if I continued to drive with defective tires. Eventually I found out my tires did not have any problems. After the module malfunctioned the second time, the service center replaced it stating that the first module was defective. Several months passed by and the module failed the third time. I started to research online and found that other Subaru owners experienced similar issues and figured out that water such as from heavy rain leaked through the roof railing gasket into the area where the TPMS module is kept and shorted out. When I went in to the service center the third time, I explained my investigation and eventually the associate agreed that was the cause. I think without me telling them this, they would have just replaced the module stating another defective unit. This discovery had them not only replace the TPMS module, reprogram my key fobs but also replace the roof railings and it's gasket which they made me pay $960.43.

- Fair Lawn , NJ, USA

problem #7

Nov 122020

Forester

  • 55,500 miles
Windshield is extremely fragile. I haven't even had this car for two years yet and its already had two cracked windshields due to road debris. I've heard that Subaru made the glass thinner to save weight, not sure if that is true, but it seems crazy to have the windshield crack so easily (driving on regular roads, mostly highway). Also the glass is very expensive, and since my car is equipped with eyesight, it also needs to be recalibrated each time its replaced. I've had other cars for five times longer and never had two cracked windshields in the life of the car. Maybe something is going on with the Subaru oem glass that needs to be investigated? thanks.

- Bolingbrook, IL, USA

problem #6

Feb 212020

Forester

  • 19,722 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The 2017 Forester was parked and had been parked for a week. While parked the temperature fell to 30 degrees F and the windshield cracked from the bottom up. This is in mason county Washington state noticed Feb 21 2020

- Grapeview, WA, USA

problem #5

Oct 122019

Forester

  • 50,000 miles
Accidentally placed my hand near the edge of the rear power lift gate when it was closing. Closed on my finger and did not auto reverse. Kept applying force until I managed to pull my finger out! dangerous design

- Farmingdale, NY, USA

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problem #4

Oct 102019

Forester

  • 20,000 miles
I've noticed the windshield glass is extremely susceptible to rock chipping from very small stones, as if the glass is extremely brittle. The chipping, mostly tiny pockets about 1/16" max in the surface of the outer glass, occurs during normal highway driving and especially on "freeways". although my report date is 10/10/19, the chipping has been going on for at least two years.

- Mcminnville, OR, USA

problem #3

Sep 042019

Forester 4-cyl

  • 41,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Involved in a car accident that was where the Subaru was T-boned on the passenger side, resulting in extensive damage. Both front and rear door and all paneling on the passenger side had to be replaced. The side airbags failed to deploy upon impact. My vehicle was moving at 40mph and the vehicle that hit me was going 20-30mph and accelerating.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #2

Jul 072017

Forester

  • 6,000 miles
Bought new Forester in May 2017. Windshield cracked @ July 2017. Replacement cracked October 2017. Subaru denied coverage both times. First windshield I was moving on highway but unaware of being struck by anything. It was nearly 100 degrees outside and ac was on nice 68 degrees. Second windshield appeared to crack while parked in garage. Second windshield leaked. Crack is near where leak was "fixed."

- Columbia, MO, USA

problem #1

Mar 012017

Forester

  • 1,200 miles
On March 1, 2017 I was stopped at an intersection. After proceeding straight through the intersection and reaching a speed of approximately 10-15 mph I heard an alert in my car, and simultaneously heard cars behind me sounding their horns. I quickly looked up into the rear view mirror and saw that the tailgate of my car had opened without warning while I was in motion, causing my dog to fall out of the back. This occurred after traveling for approximately 6-8 miles without ever receiving a dashboard alert that the tailgate was open. There have been electronic issues with the car since I purchased it new. Sometimes the car won't recognize the key fob and the doors won't unlock, or the car won't start and I get an alert that there is no key detected (when it is in the cup holder mere inches from the push-button ignition start.) twice the fasten seat belt alert has lighted and chimed, when the driver has the seat-belt fastened and there are no other passengers in the car. Oftentimes the tailgate won't open with the key fob or by utilizing the outside button - on this particular day it took me several minutes of fussing with all the controls before I could get the tailgate to open at all. This was the first time the tailgate opened on its own. The only other thing that I recall about what happened that day is that as I was going through the intersection my right front wheel dipped into a pothole with a significant jarring.

- Bethlehem, PA, USA

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