2017 Subaru Forester
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 586 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 Forester model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 40 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 28 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationOct 3, 2019
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.
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.
Campaign 19V701000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: vehicle speed control
33 reports, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Oct 17, 2018, crash
ACCIDENT 9/24/2017, 2017 SUBARU FORESTER, 11,000. MILES. DRIVING SLOWLY IN A SHOPPING PARKING LOT, ON A DRY SUNNY MORNING, AROUND 10 AM, AFTER PUSHING ON THE BRAKES MY CAR ACCELERATED. MY CAR RAN ON IT'S OWN WHEN TURNED OFF, THEN I PUT IT IN PARK, IT LUNGED OVER A CEMENT PLANTER, ON OFF AND PUT IN PARK, IT HIT A TREE A FEW TIMES BEFORE IT STOPPED ITSELF. THERE WAS BUMPER DAMAGE. GEICO MY INSURER ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT TO PRESTIGE AUTO, IN MISSION VIEJO, CA THE BRAKES AND CAUSE OF CAR ACCELERATION WAS NOT WORKED ON, THE INSURANCE COMPANY ACTED UNETHICALLY, THEY DIDN'T CARE IF I GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT, THEY WITHHELD INFORMATION AND URGED ME TO TAKE THE CAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM, THEY CHECKED AND WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA, AND I AM WAITING ON THEM TO INSPECT THE MANUFACTURER DEFECT.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Oct 1, 2018, crash
ON 9/29/18, 1:35 PM WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE AND INITIATING A TURN TO THE RIGHT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM IDLE TO FULL THROTTLE UNINTENTIONALLY AND LAUNCHED ITSELF TOWARDS A 12' X 20' WOOD FRAMED OUTBUILDING ON OUR PROPERTY WHICH HAS AN ATTACHED DECK. BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE SHUT OFF IT HAD JUMPED UP ONTO THE DECK AND SMASHED INTO AND PARTIALLY PENETRATED THE FRONT OF THE OUTBUILDING. FORWARD PROGRESS WAS HALTED WHEN THE REAR PORTION OF THE CAR HAD BECOME HIGH CENTERED ON THE EDGE OF THE DECK. PRESENTLY THE CAR IS STILL ON THE DECK AND PARTIALLY IN THE BUILDING. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL IS I" OFF THE GROUND. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL DUG ITSELF 3" DOWN INTO THE GRAVEL. - NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THIS ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS OCCUPIED BY ONLY THE DRIVER. - THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR EXPERIENCED TWO (2) SIGNIFICANT IMPACT EVENTS. 1ST WHEN IT HIT A TEMPORARY WOOD STEP AND THE EDGE OF THE DECK (18" ABOVE GRADE) AND 2ND WHEN IT STRUCK THE BUILDING. MOST OF THE BUMPER WAS TORN OFF THE CAR WHEN IT HIT THE DECK AND IS NOW PINNED UNDER THE CAR. THE IMPACT SHIFTED THE BUILDING APPROX. 3/8" ON IT'S POST & PIER FOUNDATION. - THIS REPORT WAS WRITTEN & SUBMITTED ON 10/1/18. - A WRECKER IS SCHEDULED TO EXTRICATE THE CAR FROM THE OUTBUILDING ON 10/2/18. - THE DRIVEWAY AND PARKING AREA WHERE THIS OCCURRED IS CRUSHED ROCK/GRAVEL. - THE DISTANCE FROM WHERE THE CAR INSTANTLY ACCELERATED TO THE EDGE OF THE DECK WAS APPROXIMATELY 22 FEET. THE FACE OF THE OUTBUILDING IS 8 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE DECK. THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THE CAR DURING THIS ACCIDENT WAS APPROX. 30 PLUS FEET. - DURING THIS EVENT AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONTROL/STOP THE CAR WITH EXTREME APPLICATION OF THE FOOT BRAKE AND HANDBRAKE AND ULTIMATELY THE STOP BUTTON. - IT WAS A DRY, SUNNY, EARLY FALL DAY IN THE WEST SIDE OF THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS IN WASHINGTON STATE.
Vehicle speed control, Jun 5, 2018, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED RAPIDLY AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND STRUCK TWO VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. PLANET SUBARU IN HANOVER, MASSACHUSETTS WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, May 28, 2018
EXTREME HESITATION FROM STANDING STOP GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD AND TURNING. AT 5 SEPARATE INSTANCES THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE ROLLING STOP WITH NO ACCELERATION. AFTER 5 TO 7 SECONDS THE CAR FINALLY ACCELERATED . WHEN TURNING WITH PLENTY OF ROOM, FOR THEM, ONCOMING CARS BLARED THEIR HORNS, MISSING ME BY A FEW FEET. SOMEONE IS SHURELY HEADED FOR A HOSPITAL OR FUNERAL HOME ON THIS PROBLEM. BOTH NHTSA AND SUBARU HAVE BEEN WARNED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESULT FOR RECALL,REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. DEALERS ARE SAYING THEY CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR YEARS NOW. MAYBE EVERYONE'S FIRST STOP SHOULD BE AT YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE IF WE DON'T GET RESULTS FROM EITHER OF YOU SOON.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, May 7, 2018, crash
AFTER BACKING UP, I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND LIGHTLY TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR (I WAS IN A SMALL PARKING LOT). THE ACCELERATOR LEFT MY FOOT AND FULLY DEPRESSED BY ITSELF WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.
Vehicle speed control, Apr 9, 2018, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING SPACE, IT SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT WRIST, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,120. *TT *TR
Vehicle speed control, Feb 21, 2018, crash
AFTER BACKING UP IN A GAS STATION, I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND LIGHTLY PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PETAL WITH THE INTENTION OF MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY. I FELT THE GAS PETAL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN ALL BY ITSELF - THE CAR TOOK OFF! I HIT A LANDSCAPE BOX TRUCK.
Vehicle speed control, Feb 6, 2017
MY 2017 SUBARU FORESTER HAS A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHENEVER I ATTEMPT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE BY DOWNSHIFTING, THE VEHICLE WILL OFTEN CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. THIS UNWANTED ACCELERATION IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING DOWN A GRADE, HOWEVER IT ALSO FREQUENTLY HAPPENS ON FLAT GROUND. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I AM GOING 35 MPH IN 4TH GEAR AND AM ANTICIPATING A STOP LIGHT AHEAD, I WOULD TYPICALLY RELEASE MY RIGHT FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND DOWNSHIFT TO 3RD GEAR, THEN 2ND GEAR WHILE LIGHTLY BRAKING TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE. INSTEAD, DOWNSHIFTING HAS MINIMAL AFFECT ON THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE, WHILE DOWNSHIFTING MERELY INCREASES ENGINE RPM, NOT ASSIST IN BRAKING THE VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN SCENARIOS WHEN THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED ON FLAT GROUND (WITHOUT DRIVER ACCELERATION INPUT) DESPITE DOWNSHIFTING. THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO HAPPENED ONCE ON ICY ROADS AND CAUSED ME TO ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A FRAME OF REFERENCE, I HAVE DRIVEN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AS A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR ALL OF MY DRIVING LIFE (NEARLY 22 YEARS). I HAVE NEVER PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED A MANUAL TRANSMISSION THAT ACCELERATES WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT ON FLAT GROUND. IT SEEMS THAT THIS ISSUE OF UNWANTED ACCELERATION COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN AVOIDED. THANKS.