2025 Subaru Forester
This year's complaint volume is within 30% of this model's typical year.
This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.
- Complaints
- 99
- Recalls
- 3
- Investigations
- 0
- Top problem
- Forward collision avoidance
Campaigns on file for 2025
None on file
20% of complaints
Complaints per year
2025: 99 complaints
View as data table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 101 |
| 1999 | 131 |
| 2000 | 75 |
| 2001 | 139 |
| 2002 | 88 |
| 2003 | 189 |
| 2004 | 219 |
| 2005 | 93 |
| 2006 | 88 |
| 2007 | 74 |
| 2008 | 50 |
| 2009 | 178 |
| 2010 | 262 |
| 2011 | 147 |
| 2012 | 105 |
| 2013 | 78 |
| 2014 | 403 |
| 2015 | 616 |
| 2016 | 414 |
| 2017 | 593 |
| 2018 | 497 |
| 2019 | 833 |
| 2020 | 604 |
| 2021 | 213 |
| 2022 | 100 |
| 2023 | 74 |
| 2024 | 30 |
| 2025 | 99 |
| 2026 | 33 |
Known problem areas
Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.
Forward collision avoidance
20% · 20 reportsMost commonly citing automatic emergency braking and warnings.
Show complaint excerpts
my car came to a sudden and immediate stop, causing the car behind me to collide with my rear end.
NHTSA ODI report, 2026-10-16
Visibility/wiper
13% · 13 reportsFuel/propulsion system
13% · 13 reportsElectrical system
9% · 9 reportsShow complaint excerpts
There have been intermittent failures of numerous vehicle systems over the last 4 months.
NHTSA ODI report, 2026-10-23
Also filed under Steering
Exterior lighting
8% · 8 reportsSafety timeline
3 recalls · 0 investigations · oldest first
To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →
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2025-02-28Wheels25V033000 Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles equipped with 18" aluminum alloy wheels.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the wheels, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRB-25.
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2025-07-17Child seat25V419000 Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles. The child seat anchor bolts may have been improperly tightened, allowing the bolts to come loose.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the child seat anchor bolts and, if necessary, tighten the bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
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2026-07-07Equipment26V436000 Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles.
Remedy: Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed August 25, 2026.
Buy-smart checklist
2025 Subaru Forester — pre-purchase inspection
Inspect
- Forward collision avoidance: 20 reports on file for this year.
- Visibility/wiper: 13 reports on file for this year.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 13 reports on file for this year.
Verify these recalls were completed
- Recall 25V033000 · Wheels
- Recall 25V419000 · Child seat
- Recall 26V436000 · Equipment
Other years of this model
See all years ranked →FAQ
- Is the 2025 Subaru Forester reliable?
- Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2025 Subaru Forester is rated "typical".
- What are the most common problems with the 2025 Subaru Forester?
- The most-reported component is forward collision avoidance, accounting for 20% of complaints on file.
- How many recalls does the 2025 Subaru Forester have?
- 3 recalls on file for this model year.
Data updated 2026-11-01 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.