10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
31,458 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.

2012 Subaru Forester body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2012 Subaru Forester Owner Comments

problem #3

Nov 272022

Forester 4-cyl

  • miles

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

Both rear gate hydraulic arms failed at the same time. On or about 11/27/22, while retrieving items from the cargo compartment, I heard a pop and the door completely collapsed and struck me on the back of the head. Upon inspection the popping noise was the fracturing of the bolt which supported the right hydraulic arm. The left hydraulic arm failed to keep the door open or at least from slamming down upon me. Because I felt the simultaneous failure of both hydraulic arms posed a serious safety concern, my wife called Subaru Headquarters and spoke with [XXX], Customer Advocacy Department, and relayed the incident and our safety concerns for other owners of older model Subaru Foresters. [XXX] assured us that Subaru Headquarters would seriously consider our safety concerns. [XXX] asked that after making an appointment with the dealership for repair, we contact her of the date so she could speak directly to the Service Department regarding the safety issue we were raising. My wife made the appointment, called [XXX] with the date, and when arriving at the appointment asked the service person if they had been in touch with Subaru Headquarters regarding our concerns. First the service manager said no, but another service person said yes and that they had put a notation about this on our appointment service order. The repairs were made. About a week later my wife contacted [XXX], Subaru Headquarters' Customer Advocacy Department, to inquire on the status of our safety concern and was told that it had been elevated to the next higher level and we would hear from them by 12/30/22. On 1/27/22, [XXX] representative from Customer Advocacy at Subaru Headquarters, called to inform us that Subaru will no longer be able to investigate our safety concerns as the failed parts had not been saved by the Bloomington Subaru Service Department. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Mendota Heights, MN, USA

problem #2

Apr 292019

Forester

  • 91,575 miles
While pulling into a parking stall at approximately 2-3 mph I went to press the brakes when all of the sudden the car accelerated at full speed without touching the accelerator causing me to hit the concrete wall in front of me. Airbags did not deploy and neither me or my passenger were not hurt. Damage to the bumper, frame, grill and various components just inside the engine compartment.

- Cypress, TX, USA

problem #1

May 222012

Forester 4-cyl

  • 2,800 miles
While opening the driver's side door, the top, right corner of the door struck my forehead, causing a gash just above my right eyebrow that required six stitches to close. A little lower and the sharp, pointed corner of the door frame could have caused the loss of my right eye. The problem is with the design of the door frame. In order to open the door, one must reach for the door handle and, in doing so, lean in toward the door. When the door is opened, if one is not standing back far enough, the door will hit the person opening the door. The design is common to both the driver's side and front passenger side doors. I inquired with kinney motors of rutland, Vermont (802-775-6900), where I purchased my 2012 Subaru Forester to see if there is a fix for the above problem and, while the service manager was polite and tried to be helpful, no fix was available.

- Wells, VT, USA

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