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: visibility/wiper
104 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Jun 10, 2020
SPONTANEOUS REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERING. CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Apr 16, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT TOWARDS BOTTOM NEAR DASH. NOTHING WAS DETECTED THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSE GLASS TO CRACK. OWNED CAR SINCE BRAND NEW AND HAVE HAD THIS SAME TYPE OF CRACK HAPPEN IN TWO WINDSHIELDS.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 1, 2020
WINDSHEILD CRACKED IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER AND THE CRACK LED ALL THE WAY TOWN TO THE LOWER LEFT CORNER
Visibility/wiper, Mar 23, 2020
WINDSHIELD IS HORRIBLY CHIPPED AND HAS ONE CRACK WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. WILL NEED NEW WINDSHIELD SOON DUE TO HOW UNSAFE IT IS WHEN SUN HITS IT.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 16, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN DECEMBER 2019. I PARKED THE CAR OVERNIGHT IN MY FAMILY'S DRIVEWAY AND IN THE MORNING THERE WAS A 6 INCH CRACK FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT SIDE. THE CRACK EVENTUALLY BECAME MUCH LARGER, ENCOMPASSING HALF THE WINSHIELD. NO PICTURES WERE TAKEN BUT I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD FOR $435 IN JANUARY 2020.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 16, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD THAT STARTED AT THE TOP THEN EXPANDED DOWNWARD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED SAFELIGHT AUTO GLASS TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM WAS RECALIBRATED WHICH ADDED TO THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT. MAITA SUBARU LOCATED AT (2912 AUBURN BLVD, SACRAMENTO, CA 95821 916-486-8500), STATED THAT THE CRACK MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,586.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 15, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF FOREIGN OBJECT CONTACT AND WITHOUT WARNING WITHIN ONE YEAR OF PURCHASE.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 15, 2020
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY , AND NOTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD BUT THEN A LARGE CRACK START ACROSS THE TOP 1/3 OF MY WINDSHIELD AND CONTINUED TO GROW LARGER.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE AND HAS HAD SEVERAL CRACKS SINCE THEN.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 9, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED 3 TIMES IN THE SPAN OF 2.5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. I'VE HAD TO COMPLETELY REPLACE IT TWICE AND PATCH THE CRACK ONCE. THE FIRST AND THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS ON A HIGHWAY GOING ~60MPH BUT THE SECOND TIME WAS ON A 35MPH ROAD. I DON'T TAILGATE OTHER CARS AND I'VE NEVER HAD SO MUCH AS A SMALL STAR CRACK ON MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 3, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT CAUSE. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD IN AUGUST 2017. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED WITH GENUINE SUBARU PARTS AT A SERVICER DIRECTED BY THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN APRIL 2018. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED YET AGAIN WITH GENUINE SUBARU PARTS AT A SERVICER DIRECTED BY THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED A THIRD TIME WITHOUT CAUSE IN MAY 2019.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 28, 2020
I WAS IN MOTION AND WITHIN THE FEW MONTHS OF OWNING MY VEHICLE I RECEIVED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH I LATER PAID TO HAVE FIXED. I HAVE SINCE THEN HAD 2 MORE, PLUS ONE OF THE CRACKS, HAS SPLINTERED (AFTER BEING FIXED) AND THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. CRACK FIXED: 10/25/17, 6/4/18, 6/24/19
Visibility/wiper, Feb 27, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER BEING HIT BY A VERY SMALL PEBBLE FROM THE ROADWAY.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 25, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE PARKED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THIS ALSO ENTAILED CALIBRATING THE DEVICES ASSOCIATED WITH EYE SIGHT.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 25, 2020
MY 2017 SUBARU FORESTER WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I GOT IN TO START IT AND LEAVE FOR WORK, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE BASE ABOVE THE DASHBOARD SEEMINGLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT HAS SINCE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 25, 2020
WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED MULTIPLE CHIPS IN IT FROM NORMAL USE. NO HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, DEBRIS, HAIL, OR GRAVEL
Visibility/wiper, Feb 24, 2020
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED, ALL THE WAY FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM. NO PREVIOUS CRACKS OR CHIPS.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 24, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON I-5 FROM PORTLAND TO VANCOUVER , BC, MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR THIS. IT WAS 4:30AM AND RAINING. I WAS IN SEATTLE WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT. UPON EXAMINING THE CRACK, IT SHOWS NO STAR OR ANY INDICATION FOR DEBRIS DAMAGIN THE WINDSHEILD. AS THE DAY PROGRESSED, IT IS JUST A CRACK BECAME AN 'N' ON MY WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND I HAD TO REPLACE IT.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Feb 22, 2020
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
Visibility/wiper, Feb 7, 2020
CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON MY 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. UNKNOWN SOURCE OF HOW IT HAPPENED. NOT FROM ANY TYPE OF DEBRIS.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 3, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 SOUTH NEAR LAKE CITY, FL A SMALL PEBBLE STRUCK AND CRACKED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF MY VEHICLE HAVE A WELL KNOWN HISTORY OF WEAKNESS AS WELL AS FRAGILITY AND CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THE SUBARU OUTBACK OF SAME VINTAGE HAS REACHED SETTLEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FORESTER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAD THE CRACK REPAIRED THE SAME DAY TO PREVENT IT FROM GETTING BIGGER. I AM ATTACHING A RECEIPT FOR REPAIR AND A POST REPAIR PHOTO OF THE DEFECT.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 26, 2020
CRACK IN WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN LOSS OF CAMERAS (EYE SIGHT)
Visibility/wiper, Jan 3, 2020
SMALL CHIP DRIVING AUG 2017AFTER PARKING TURNED INTO LONG CRACKS JULY 2018 SMALL CHIP DRIVING TURNED INTO LONG CRACK AFTER PARKING
Visibility/wiper, Dec 30, 2019
WINDSHIELD PRESENTED WITH LARGE CRACK OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN ON 4/3/18. WAS REPLACED BY SAFE LITE REPAIR WITH OEM GLASS. CRACKED AGAIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND WAS REPLACED BY LOCAL AUTO BODY.