RoadVitals

2015 Subaru Forester

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
617
+2 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Oct 3, 2019
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
60
34 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 617 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Subaru Forester, most frequently naming the engine, airbags and powertrain (other) categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 510 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
19V701000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Oct 3, 2019
366,282 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: 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.
The remedy: 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.
Subaru of America, Inc.Manufacturer number WUM-98View on NHTSA.gov
19V149000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

Feb 28, 2019
1,303,530 units potentially affected
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
The risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
The remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
Subaru of America, Inc.Manufacturer number WUE-90View on NHTSA.gov
16V162000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

Mar 21, 2016
18,187 units potentially affected
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
The risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
Subaru of America, Inc.Manufacturer number WTA-62View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 617
ElectricalEngine
Filed Nov 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an auto body shop after striking a deer, and it was determined that the ECM system had malfunctioned. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration. The contact stated that after the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle stopped as intended; however, when the brake pedal was released, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the failure was associated with a tire. The contact stated that replacing the tires failed to correct the failure. The contact stated that the insurance company had inspected the vehicle but could not determine the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA ID
11775116
Incident
Nov 2, 2026
Mileage
110,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 26, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Subaru Forester. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 74,700, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 184,064.

NHTSA ID
11773793
Incident
Oct 12, 2026
Mileage
184,064 mi
Fuel system
Filed Oct 6, 2026

I started to have problems with my Forester, and reading upon what could be the issue, I ran across recall 16V162000, on which describes exactly what my car simptoms are. I went into different sites, and my car does not show to be part of the recall. Can you help me with the reason on why my car is not part by the recall, when in fact is the same car, same engine, and having the same problem. Thank you so much for your time.

NHTSA ID
11769468
Incident
Sep 21, 2026
Airbags
Filed Sep 27, 2026

The passenger seat belt went off when my beagle was jumping around on the front seat and I had made an appointment to bring it into the shop the dealer and the light was off but I had the appointment so I brought it in anyway and now the lights on all the time now and it's coming up on the screen too they just made the whole problem even worse and it did have the initial fix for the harness already but that did not work

NHTSA ID
11767237
Incident
Sep 24, 2026
Body & structureEngine
Filed Jul 13, 2026
Crash reported

I was parking at the dentist office in their parking lot going slow, turned into a parking space and thought i was slowly braking but my car lunged forward and hit a tree. I would normally be minimally braking, so I'm not sure what happened but it was sudden. I could have hit the gas pedal but i would have pressed it a lot I think for the sudden lunge to happen.

NHTSA ID
11750125
Incident
Jul 13, 2026
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 7, 2026

The contact's spouse owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop or at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended. The Hill Assist and Automatic Transmission Oil Temperature warning lights flashed, and the ABS, Traction Control, and VDC warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off to cool down on each occurrence. After approximately 45 minutes, the vehicle was restarted and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

NHTSA ID
11748724
Incident
Jun 30, 2026
Mileage
108,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated, and the air bag module warning light was illuminated. The air bag occupant classification system was not operating as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and an occupant detection system malfunction code was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V701000 (Air Bags); as a possible cause for the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,684.

NHTSA ID
11747820
Incident
Jun 1, 2024
Mileage
127,684 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 27, 2026

Codes for B1760 and B1650 present, intermittent SRS light for the passenger airbag. Passengers put at risk in event of crash. SRS sensor issues seem to be common for this vehicle according to online databases and dealership technicians.

NHTSA ID
11746865
Incident
Apr 1, 2025

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SubaruNet Announcement (T

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN

This is an update announcement regarding the TechShare & NorthStar Integration - CVT Diag.

SubaruNet Announcement (S

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This announcement provides information on the connected services platform for Subaru EVs.

15-344-26

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE

This bulletin provides a step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles.

15-304-22R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Service Information Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

SubaruNet Announcement (S

ENGINE

This announcement provides information on an outage affecting the Subaru Select Monitor 5 application.

SubaruNet Announcement (Q

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This announcement provides information on DCM replacememts due to a parasitic draw.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Subaru Forester by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026354056.6
20251023061.8
2024312057.8
2023761052.9
20221001049.8
20212150043.6
20206040038.0
20198343049.1
20184993155.5
20175941151.9
20164163159.5
2015Viewing6173052.8
20144032051.9
20137812059.9
201210715060.2
201114716057.3
201026217054.7
200917818056.0
2008501148.1
2007741152.7
2006882156.3
2005931148.8
20042192152.6
20031893154.1
2002881047.9
20011390043.3
2000750039.0
19991311143.3
19981011044.6
1997000—
1996000—
1995000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.