10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
22,686 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 brakes problems

brakes problem

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2017 Subaru Forester Owner Comments

problem #5

Dec 012019

Forester

  • 21,300 miles

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

On three separate occasions thus far, while driving approximately 70 mph on interstate 93 in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, my 2017 Subaru Forester touring (with 21K miles) lost power and completely shutdown. All three times, I was luckily able to steer the vehicle to safety while avoiding other motor vehicles and neither myself, my passengers nor anyone else around us was hurt. When the vehicle decides to shutdown, it feels like the car drops itself into neutral, the rpms shoot up to about 4500-5000 and all of the lights on the dashboard light up. There is about a five second window to steer the vehicle to safety from when you first detect that the issue is occurring. After waiting for about 45 minutes after the incident, I am able to start the car back up and drive it. This is a serious safety concern of mine (and it is terrifying when it happens) and I have already contacted Subaru of America asking for a solution. I am now currently only using the car on short trips and if I have to get on the highway, I stick to the right lane and do not go over 60 mph.

- Arlington, MA, USA

problem #4

Oct 042019

Forester

  • 42,195 miles
On October 4, 2019 my car was parked and the passenger rear bumper was hit and damaged by a school bus. My car has been in the shop 4 times to get fixed and it is still not fixed. The bsd/rcta sensors are not working. The dealership has "fixed" this issue 4 times now and I am taking it back to the dealership for a 5th time.

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

problem #3

Sep 282019

Forester

  • 19,935 miles
I was driving my forrester 2019, notice that it would slowly move once I stopped at a stop sign. But then it would jerk into a faster pace. Yesterday as I was driving, I stop at a bank atm. When I went back to the vehicle I put my key in the ignition and nothing happened. Not a sound. So tried it several more times with the same results. I had to call for roadside service. They came and gave me a jump. The vehicle started with no problem. I did as the service person told me to let the vehicle run for at least 30 minutes so the cells can build up in the battery, so I did as I was told. As I would turn the corners on the streets-the steering became very difficult, (in both directions). Especially after turning at a stop sign, so as I were driving I notice the dash board would keep blinking. I took a photo of the gages on the dashboard. The eyesight light stayed, but the others kept blinking off and on. I drove the vehicle home and tried to parallel park in front of my house but the wheels would not allow me to do so. So I parked the car across the street where their were a lot more space and I parked there. I set there for another 30 minute before turning off the engine. Once I turned the engine off and tried to start the engine again it fell to turn over. No sound or anything just like earlier. In 2018 they replace my battery, because I was having to call for roadside service up to 3-4 times a week because the battery would die out on me. All this took place in a period of 3-4 months. Now this battery is approximately 10-12 months old. When I took it in for the new battery, I was told the battery was to small for the car. So now I am stuck at home without a vehicle until the Subaru shop opens on Monday and hopefully they can fix the problem. I've never had a 2 year old vehicle that's given me this many problems.

- Oakland, CA, USA

problem #2

Mar 062019

Forester

  • 30,000 miles
The vehicle's eyesight system experienced multiple malfunctions. This happened often during foggy and raining days.

- Danville, CA, USA

problem #1

Jan 012017

Forester

  • miles
Forester - 500 miles - consistent and continuing problems: Car lurches forward on its own in first gear. - in motion engine not only has excessive (can last 5 seconds or more) "rev-hangs" shifting up from any gear but actually increases by 700-900 rpms. This has caused difficulty in slowing down (reducing speed with downshift). When using brake to reduce speed when this occurs, the engine will begin to race, increasing up to 1500 or more rpms, difficult to control vehicle. - in motion 4th gear - stick shift vibrates excessively - so much so it is visible to the eye and seems like it will have to wear out from the friction, - in motion (intermittent) when vehicle dynamics control engages on upward incline a very loud (multiple) banging occurs at the rea car lurches. - turning, in motion. Engine noise is extremely loud compared to other 2017 Foresters I have driven.can sound like it is ready to throw a rod in the near future - in motion and stationary Subaru states all is normal. Service manage at dealer states loud engine is definitely not normal for the 2017 model and he experience the excessive rev-hang but doesn't know what to do these things because Subaru says this is normal are normal.

- Ashebille, NC, USA

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