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
586 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Jan 24, 2022
Excessive battery drain/replacement. I have had to replace the car's battery five times since purchasing the vehicle new in 2017. The newest replacement battery has lasted 3 months. The vehicle was brought to Subaru dealership at least on two occasions to evaluate/diagnose the problem and Subaru was unable to detect any problem with the electrical system/battery.
Steering, Vehicle speed control, Lane departure, Jan 7, 2022
When operating the vehicle at low and high speeds, the EyeSight system intermittently turns off with a "check owner's manual" message and the system remains off until at least the next vehicle restart. Additionally, after the EyeSight system disengages, when making turns at low speeds (turning corners), the steering shudders (quick violent turns to the left and right), the EyeSight warning light disappears and then re-appears after the vehicle turn is completed. At the same time the vehicle steering shudders, some portion of the internal electrical system appears to be reset (any radio / music system turns off temporarily, and the user-selected display in the main instrument panel resets to its default setting. This puts the vehicle occupant(s) at risk as it introduces an unsafe driving condition due to the vehicle shudder, which may result in a driver panic-reacting, or the vehicle failing to remain in the intended lane.
Steering, Jan 4, 2022
BACKED CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL PROPERLY. THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING AND A LIGHT ON THE DASH INDICATED SAME. CALLED MY SON, WHO ASKED ME TO PULL FRONT, BACK, AND THEN PARK AND TURN OFF ENGINE AND RESTART. THIS CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO WORK PROPERLY. APPT W SUBARU FOUND FAILURE OF GEARBOX. THEY STATE, WARRANTY ONLY COVERS IF BOX IS CRACKED DUE TO ROAD SALT. NO OUTSIDE DAMAGE SEEN. COST $1637.26 TO ME . ONLY 34,744 MILES ON THE CAR/GARAGE KEPT
Air bags, Dec 31, 2021
Srs airbag system needs to be checked error. Airbag not going on sometimes when passenger is in seat
Other or unspecified, Dec 30, 2021
Battery will not start car.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Dec 29, 2021
Front Windshield has started cracking from the middle top by the rear view mirror and is steadily getting larger making it's way toward driver side of windshield, there is also a chip by the passenger side of windshield
Electrical system, Dec 13, 2021
The battery had died multiple times and we replaced it only to continue to have the problem. Dealer service says that we must be leaving the lights on or that we need to run the car more to recharge the battery. Being stranded in upstate NY with a dead battery in winter is a safety problem.
Electrical system, Dec 11, 2021
New battery and multiple replacement batteries fail to keep the electrical system charged when the vehicle is turned off. intermittent problem that happens unexpectedly, causing the consumer to be stranded and incur costs for alternate transportation, new battery, and roadside assistance. Multiple class action suits against the company are ongoing.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 9, 2021
My 2017 Subaru Forester battery died in June 2019, leaving me stranded in a parking lot on a Sunday 50 miles from my home. The battery was still under warranty & was replaced by Subaru. I was told by the Service Manager that the batteries only last approximately 2 years. In early Oct 2021, my car sat idle for 10 days in the airport parking garage at JFK Int'l airport in NYC while I was away. When I returned home, the battery was dead, again stranding my approximately 50 miles from my home. I had to get a jump from a tow company who found that the red terminal on the battery was completely corroded. He advised that I would need to get a new battery when I returned home. I brought the car to Subaru the next day & was told by a tech in the service department that the battery was fine & was at 100% capacity but that the issue was a defective cable connected to the battery which they replaced. I had occasion to bring my Forester to Subaru for service yesterday (11/8/2021) and had the battery checked. This time a more thorough check was done & although the battery again tested at 100%, when it was checked for its capacity from a "cold start", it tested as weak. Again, Subaru replaced the battery.
Other or unspecified, Nov 8, 2021
Subaru OEM Windshield glass is too weak and prone to cracking / chipping / breaking. I've owned my car for nearly three years and the windshield glass has cracked three times now. More so than any other vehicle I've owned. I think it is a design flaw which makes the glass too thin / brittle.
Other or unspecified, Nov 4, 2021
When I try to turn off the vehicle, the ignition key gets stuck in the ignition switch, and does not turn to the off position; I cannot remove the key. This is a recurring problem that been happening every day for the past three weeks. According to YouTube, there are MANY other people having this same issue, with no fix being provided by Subaru. I’ve tried moving the steering wheel back and forth, tried spraying lubricant in the key hole, with the vehicle is in park, pulled the car up and back to park again, tried with my foot on the brake pedal and foot off the brake pedal while in park, etc., etc. —none of these things work. I’m still having the issue of removing the key from the key hole, and cannot turn the vehicle completely off. One “fix” being provided by consumers on YouTube, is to disengage a selinoid from the key switch. This selinoid prevents the key from being turned off while the vehicle is running—a safety feature, which is now being disengaged by people so frustrated with this problem, because there is no manufacturer documented fix.
Power train, Nov 2, 2021
Making a sharp turn going slightly uphill from a full stop, the car moves forward enough to enter the intersection and then there is no throttle response. The car does not respond at all to the accelerator peddle. The engine does not stall but rpm drop to idle speed. After a few seconds, throttle response returns. Very dangerous as you move onto a highway because the car lingers in the intersection while the car behaves as if it has totally lost power. This has happened repeatedly but at random times.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Nov 1, 2021
As far as I know, my vehicle is performing as designed, but I am quite serious in thinking this is a safety issue - the radio cannot be muted, or turned off, or the volume decreased, when the transmission in in Reverse, because of interference of its head unit with the backup camera. This is a hugely annoying distraction when trying to parallel park safely and quickly in dense urban settings. I want my backup lights on immediately, once I locate the parking spot I want, but time after time, I forget to turn off the radio before I start trying to park. I am the only owner of the car from new, and it now has about 69,000 miles on it.
Air bags, Oct 27, 2021, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph the vehicle crashed into a second vehicle causing substantial front end damage to the vehicle. During the crash no airbags in the vehicle deployed. The driver sustained chest and rib injuries and was transported to the hospital. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified. The failure mileage was 33,000.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Oct 14, 2021, crash
The contact owned a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph and making a turn, the vehicle hydroplaned as the contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle inadvertently accelerated while hydroplaning going across 3 lanes of oncoming traffic and hit a curve. The contact stated that the front driver's side tire detached from the vehicle. No one was injured, and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow lot where it was deemed as a total loss. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,959.
Electrical system, Oct 13, 2021
Frequently, when I put the car in park and try to turn the key to off, it gets stuck. At this point you have to move the shifter into and out of gear many times to try to get the key to go to off. Sometimes the key will not go to off so you need to leave the key in the ignition. This is dangerous because the car can still be shifted into neutral and move at this point.
Power train, Oct 4, 2021, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to shift gear into reverse, the vehicle made a strange noise, then lunged forward inadvertently. The vehicle's front driver-side tire ran over the contact's daughter's upper legs. The contact's daughter received medical attention on the scene for injuries sustained to her legs and was now receiving physical therapy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was appraised by the insurance company for front-end damage and was repaired by an auto collision center. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The VIN was not available.
Air bags, Sep 28, 2021, crash
My vehicle was involved in a five car accident where is was completely destroyed and flipped upside and the two front airbags never deployed which caused head, back, and neck injuries to the two passengers that were in the two front seats. There was a recall on the the passenger front air bag which supposedly got fixed by Palm Springs subaru on July 13, 2020. This recall air bag never deployed during or after the major accident. I contacted the Subaru of America which they supposedly did an investigation on why the two front airbags did not deployed and they stated that there was not malfunction on either airbags which is hard to believe because my car was unrepairable because of the severe damages due to the accident. I would like this to be taken into consideration.
Electrical system, Sep 28, 2021
Parasitic drag in Subaru Forester caused battery to die. Managed to get it jump started minutes before a downpour. Almost left my daughter and my wife stranded. A quick Google search showed this is a common enough problem amongst Subaru models so I decided to file a complaint as well
Engine, Sep 18, 2021, crash
I was pulling into a parellel parking space, braking to slow to a stop when my car surged froward inspite of increased and continued braking and hit the car in front of me. The collision is what stopped the car. My Subaru Forester is very damaged (bumper, lights, and frame rail) and the car in front also had extensive damage. My safety and the safety of the neigbhorhood cars, pedestrians and homes was at risk given my car was unstoppable despite braking. I couldn't understand what happened so I did an internet search for acceleration while braking and many articles came up reguarding several Subaru models (including mine) of "sudden unintended acceleration" issues. What was described was exactly what I experienced. There are several class action lawsuits in the works as Subaru has not taken any responsibility. No dashboard warning lights came on before or after the crash. I took the car to the Subaru dealer I purshased it from. At first they said there would be a 250. dollar diagnostic fee. When I picked it up they said there was an ECM (Engine Control Module) update and they performed it on my car. The update was designed "to address problems" like those I described. The clerk would not elaborate, was very vague and would say nothing beyond that except he didn't know if the update would fix the problem-that we would just have to wait and see. I explained that if it happened again it could have catastrophic consequences, he had nothing to say. He waived the service fee. I got the impression Subaru didn't want to say much because they would be responsible. By waiving the fee they hoped I would just go away. I am left with: a severely damaged car, as is my neighbor's, an accident that looks to be my fault-when in fact it is Subaru's fault, a large deductable to pay, a point on my lisence and increased insurance rates, and a car I have no faith in. This should not be on my driving record. Subaru should be found responsible.
Visibility, Sep 2, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that she noticed that the air conditioner was blowing hot air. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the air conditioner refrigerant was empty. The contact was referred to the local dealer. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the condenser to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience failure. The contact stated she had to replace the condenser for the third time in 2021. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
Electrical system, Aug 23, 2021
The battery of our Subaru Forester 2017 has died three times from June 26, 2021 through August 20, 2021. Simply put, from one day to the next, the battery is suddenly drained of all its power. From July 2017 when we first leased the car through May 2021, we had no battery problems. The safety issue is one of personal safety -- that we can't depend on the car, so we hesitate to use it. We don't want to be stranded somewhere unexpectedly because the battery suddenly dies, especially after dark. Our Subaru dealership ran diagnostic tests today (August 23, 2021) and claimed there is no problem, that the draw on the battery is within acceptable parameters. They will continue to test it tomorrow, but from conversations with the tech manager today, I feel certain they will claim there is no problem. The solution the technician suggested is that we drive the car more frequently. But our use of the car has been consistent since we first leased it. There must be a reason that the battery was fine for 48 months and now suddenly loses power unexpectedly and repeatedly. We understand from internet research we did today that this kind of battery problem is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit here in New Jersey against Subaru for several of their models from the years 2015-present. We think Subaru ought to be more forthright about the issue and do what's right for their customers. Please help us.
Engine, Aug 18, 2021
I started noticing exhaust fumes in the cabin while idling at a stop. I did some research and found that several Foresters have had an issue with their exhaust manifold bellows cracking on a flexi pipe. So I started looking for a leak. I took the plastic underbody engine cover off and took off the heat shield and located the crack on the flexi pipe. The flexi pipe have been replaced at approximately 60k miles. It lasted for approximately a year or another 30K miles and I had to replace it again. My vehicle currently has 160K and the same issue comes back. It is very frustrating because I feel very lightheaded when driving this vehicle and replacement of this part is very expensive. $1800 for the full manifold.
Electrical system, Aug 16, 2021
I'm having trouble removing the ignition key even with the car in PARK and pressing on the brake pedal, on level ground. It's intermittent and both keys are involved. The steering wheel still moves freely. The car is out of warranty and I have not asked a dealer about it. I belong to a Subaru Forester user group and it seems to be a fairly common problem. This could endanger me if I wanted to exit the vehicle quickly and couldn't remove the key. A carjacker could still start it just fine. No notices appear on the dashboard relating to this.
Electrical system, Aug 14, 2021
Battery Drain / Passive / When Vehicle is Parked The NEW battery drains passively when the car is parked. Will not start and needs a jump. This cycle has ruined a brand new battery.