2022 Subaru Forester Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2022 Subaru Forester, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Visibility2422.0%
- Driver assistance2119.3%
- Electrical109.2%
- Engine109.2%
- Brakes98.3%
- Exterior lighting87.3%
- Fuel system87.3%
- Airbags43.7%
- Powertrain (other)43.7%
- Suspension32.8%
- Other / unspecified21.8%
- Body & structure21.8%
- Steering21.8%
- Seat belts10.9%
- Interior & seats10.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving along and noticed my windshield was cracked on the passenger side. The crack is vertical from the bottom of the windshield to about halfway up. It was fine the day before. No rocks, etc struck my windshield. I understand that Subaru has had issues with windshields cracking for no reason.
I was driving to work in the morning and was going down a slow side street when I heard a soft noise behind me. When I looked in my rearview I noticed that my back window was cracked all over it though nothing had hit it or fallen in it. The glass then completely fell out.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving my 2022 Subaru Forester, the factory EyeSight autonomous safety system completely failed and disabled itself permanently. The total system shutdown caused an immediate loss of Pre-Collision Emergency Braking, Lane Change Detection, and Adaptive Cruise Control, creating an active highway safety hazard. A subsequent diagnostic scan by an authorized retailer confirmed hard fault code B1402, indicating that the internal factory camera software permanently corrupted itself and erased its own model code data profile. The manufacturer has issued TSB 07-225-24 to address this exact internal memory logic crash, but is currently refusing to replace this critical, failed safety system on a vehicle with only 32,364 miles.
I had two codes on my 2022 Forester over last two weeks. First one u0284 was for the Active Grill Shutter. This happened because for some reason Subaru decided to put the fog lights on the same fuse as the AGS. Fog light blew, shorted out blew the fuse, this caused every safety system in the car to turn off. By default these are open so why does loosing 1-2MPG, or longer time to warm up a car cause every safety feature to turn off. Answer is they kill everything so you have to come in and pay hundreds for $15 bulb. This week had a o2 sensor go bad while I was driving. Had lane assist on , adaptive cruise, etc. Check engine went on and car start to rapidly decelerate, and again all safety features where turned off for something that is not fixed would potential cause reduce MPG, damage the catalytic converter, cause black smoke. None of this should require all safety features to be turned off. This is going to kill someone. I know your not suppose to have your hands off the wheel when using lane assist but people do it. I was in bumper to bumper traffic on 40 going 65 MPH. Not only would I have been at risk but everyone around me. Worse case is I do not have my hands on the wheel, the o2 sensor fails, car pulls into the car beside me and someone dies because Subaru wants money more than safety.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a service appointment, the contact was advised that the batter was defective. The contact was informed that the battery was not large enough for the power of the vehicle. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure of the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,200.
My 2022 Subaru Forester Sport, <24,640 miles, suffers from persistent, life-threatening safety failures. Thick white exhaust is present in every temperature, and a heavy burning smell fills the cabin during acceleration regardless of outside temperature. I have been dealing with these failures since March/April of 2023. My car was in a rear-end collision in May 2023 and was repaired at an authorized Subaru body shop. Despite these authorized repairs, the mechanical and electronic failures have continued to deteriorate. My car has required 4 emergency tows and was out of service for around 90 days in 2025 alone. It has been to several independent mechanics and they tell me that since everything happens intermittently, I must take it back to Subaru as it should be covered under warranty due to the low mileage. However, four different authorized dealerships consistently claim "nothing is wrong". My car sits at these dealerships for weeks at a time without a significant change in the odometer. I had 2 claims with Subaru of America this year, including a claim for the vehicle randomly unlocking itself (not via remote), but they closed both claims and nothing was done. Ongoing failures in steering, suspension and braking systems make the vehicle unstable and dangerous to drive. I have a 2-inch thick file documenting repeated service visits for these specific issues yet Subaru refuses to acknowledge or repair them. The primary computer system, media system, and Eyesight (ADAS) safety suite fail daily. The dashboard lights up constantly when these safety features fail. The system frequently freezes and resets while driving, which disables all safety and navigation features without warning. The remote start fails to warm the car after 10 minutes in cold weather; once the heat functions, the car is filled with chemical fumes. All of these issues continue to get worse as time goes on.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I hit a deer going 45 mph, the air bags deployed, and my engine caught on fire. Within 10 minutes my car burned to the ground.
I was steering my car into my own garage as I do daily. Suddenly, as the car was making the turn, the car accelerated abruptly on its own. I was somehow able to steer into the garage, but the rapid acceleration continued. I braked and stopped the car just before it went into the wall that adjoins the interior of my home. There was an inch to spare. There were no warnings or messages or sympoms prior to this event.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I had two codes on my 2022 Forester over last two weeks. First one u0284 was for the Active Grill Shutter. This happened because for some reason Subaru decided to put the fog lights on the same fuse as the AGS. Fog light blew, shorted out blew the fuse, this caused every safety system in the car to turn off. By default these are open so why does loosing 1-2MPG, or longer time to warm up a car cause every safety feature to turn off. Answer is they kill everything so you have to come in and pay hundreds for $15 bulb. This week had a o2 sensor go bad while I was driving. Had lane assist on , adaptive cruise, etc. Check engine went on and car start to rapidly decelerate, and again all safety features where turned off for something that is not fixed would potential cause reduce MPG, damage the catalytic converter, cause black smoke. None of this should require all safety features to be turned off. This is going to kill someone. I know your not suppose to have your hands off the wheel when using lane assist but people do it. I was in bumper to bumper traffic on 40 going 65 MPH. Not only would I have been at risk but everyone around me. Worse case is I do not have my hands on the wheel, the o2 sensor fails, car pulls into the car beside me and someone dies because Subaru wants money more than safety.
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the brakes inadvertently activated. The contact was unaware whether any warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the brakes, and the brakes locked up during the failure. The contact regained control of the vehicle and continued driving after the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 16,764. The VIN was not available.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
When driving my 22 Subaru Forester at night, I’ve noticed the headlight projection has rectangular dark spots which causes a huge distraction and a blind spot that moves when steering. I’ve noticed that I’m not the only person that has encountered this issue. I’m bringing it into the dealership to bring this to their attention and to see what they can do about this. I really hope Subaru fixes this problem, as it is/can be very dangerous due to the blind spot and distraction.
I purchased my Forester Wilderness on 11/5/22 - this problem is with the headlights. I have a serious safety concern 1. There are two large shaded dark spots directly in my field of vision. These are approximately fifteen to twenty feet directly in front of the vehicle and never go away - because the headlights are steering responsive, they are always moving which is distracting and dangerous. 2. The cutoff lines of the projection are jagged and irregular with low points dropping down. These too, are always in motion with the steering responsive headlights. 3.Two rectangular black areas below the cutoff area in my field of vision. And these too are always in motion with the steering responsive headlights. These headlights create a variety of safety concerns. The dark shaded areas result in a reduced clarity in the most needed area; directly in front of the car in the dominant field of vision. The jagged irregular moving cutoff lines are extremely distracting. When the lowered dark cutoff areas move across your field of vision, it’s as if something is jumping out in front of the car. As the driver, it's hard to know if there is an actual need for emergency action or not. Then perhaps the greatest concern of well being is the two dark moving rectangular boxes below the cutoff lines. My eyes tend to fixate on these moving rectangles. This is distracting and I'm concerned I and other Forester drivers are not giving complete attention to the whole field of vision. 4. This is especially prominent and dangerous on unlit roads which is what I mainly travel. I first thought it was an issue with my vehicle and mentioned it to the dealer a day or so after purchase. But today I found many other 2022 Forester owners reporting the same problem. Subaru needs to create a fix for this dangerous issue!
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was steering my car into my own garage as I do daily. Suddenly, as the car was making the turn, the car accelerated abruptly on its own. I was somehow able to steer into the garage, but the rapid acceleration continued. I braked and stopped the car just before it went into the wall that adjoins the interior of my home. There was an inch to spare. There were no warnings or messages or sympoms prior to this event.
The car has stalled and/ or hesitated on multiple occasions especially in lower gear like 0-20mph. These incidents are frightening and could pose a safety hazard.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I have a 2022 Subaru Forrester Touring vehicle purchased new. The front passenger seat airbag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) consisting of the front, knee, curtain and side airbags is not enabled (Indicator light) while my wife is sitting in it. My wife weighs 88 lbs. which should be enough to enable the SRS. I have brought the issue to 2 different Subaru dealerships several times and Subaru of Americas on 2 different occasions also contacting Subaru Japan Corporate. Larger individuals cause the SRS to be enabled (Indicator Light). The driver side SRS is continuously on. From the dealerships I have received the following responses: •The car is new and may work once seat is broken in •It is a federal crime to change the SRS •My wife did not weigh enough •Weight requirement was either 100 lbs or 34 kilos, not sure •Weight minimums not stated anywhere but best guesses •Tested limit is 100 lbs., not specification just test limit I contacted Subaru of America and asked them the weight limit but they could not provide one and was told they would make contact with Japan Corporate office and inquire there. I was told Corporate could not provide an answer and could only state that the SRS was tested at 100 lbs. It was not a limit but only a test specification. While in the passenger seat the SRS is off and my wife stands a higher than average chance of major injuries occurring without the front, knee, curtain and side airbags deploying during an accident. I consider this a major safety issue and causes her un-needed stress every time we are traveling. We have a 2004, 2nd vehicle and the passenger airbag system is on continuously. I do not understand why a 2022 vehicle can’t offer the same protection. I believe this safety issue requires immediate attention.
Driving on the road a tire randomly blew out and upon that happening every airbag in the car went off despite there being no collision.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed inhibitor switch. The contact was informed that the inhibitor switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that parts were on back order. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
I am writing to report a serious safety concern involving my '22 Subaru Forester, which is equipped with the Auto Start/Stop feature. This issue created a dangerous driving situation that could have resulted in severe injury or death to myself, my family, or other drivers on the road. While driving on the highway, our Forester's Auto Start/Stop system malfunctioned causing the engine to shut off completely while the vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle shut down in the left lane of traffic and failed to restart immediately leaving us unexpectedly immobile. Fortunately, my husband remained calm and immediately placed his foot back on the brake, placed the vehicle in park and restarted the vehicle manually by pressing the ignition button. However, had he hesitated during the confusion by not placing his foot back on the brake we could have been rear-ended, possibly by a large semi-truck which would have propelled us into the vehicle in front of us. Our dealer said the Auto Start/Stop system failing to restart the vehicle due to a weakening battery—for which there is no warning. The fact that a non-critical feature like fuel-saving Start/Stop is allowed to override the engine's operability based on battery voltage is deeply concerning. Batteries degrade over time. But a degraded battery should not be allowed to disable a moving vehicle.Having spoken directly with Subaru of America about this issue, they acknowledged and documented my case however I was told that it would be used as data for potential future action if other similar cases arise. In the meantime, no corrective action is being taken by Subaru, with me as an owner or proactively with the feature design.I respectfully urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter as a potential safety defect. The Auto Start/Stop system, as implemented in certainSubaru models (specifically the 2022 Forester in my case) may compromise safe vehicle operation when battery voltage drops below a certain threshold which is a safety flaw.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am filing this complaint regarding repeated premature strut failure on my 2022 Subaru Forester. The original set of struts failed at approximately 36,000 miles. The issue was not covered under warranty and required replacement. At approximately 60,000 miles, the replacement struts are again failing. This means two full sets of struts have failed before 100,000 miles, which is highly abnormal for a vehicle of this age and mileage. Premature strut failure affects vehicle stability, ride control, and braking performance. This raises safety concerns, particularly at highway speeds and during emergency maneuvers. Suspension components such as struts should not require replacement this frequently under normal driving conditions. Given the repeated nature of this issue, I believe this may represent a broader defect rather than normal wear and tear. I have seen many other 2022 Subaru Foresters have this same issue but have not heard of a recall to date. I am requesting that this matter be investigated for potential recall or technical service action.
My 2022 Subaru Forester Sport, <24,640 miles, suffers from persistent, life-threatening safety failures. Thick white exhaust is present in every temperature, and a heavy burning smell fills the cabin during acceleration regardless of outside temperature. I have been dealing with these failures since March/April of 2023. My car was in a rear-end collision in May 2023 and was repaired at an authorized Subaru body shop. Despite these authorized repairs, the mechanical and electronic failures have continued to deteriorate. My car has required 4 emergency tows and was out of service for around 90 days in 2025 alone. It has been to several independent mechanics and they tell me that since everything happens intermittently, I must take it back to Subaru as it should be covered under warranty due to the low mileage. However, four different authorized dealerships consistently claim "nothing is wrong". My car sits at these dealerships for weeks at a time without a significant change in the odometer. I had 2 claims with Subaru of America this year, including a claim for the vehicle randomly unlocking itself (not via remote), but they closed both claims and nothing was done. Ongoing failures in steering, suspension and braking systems make the vehicle unstable and dangerous to drive. I have a 2-inch thick file documenting repeated service visits for these specific issues yet Subaru refuses to acknowledge or repair them. The primary computer system, media system, and Eyesight (ADAS) safety suite fail daily. The dashboard lights up constantly when these safety features fail. The system frequently freezes and resets while driving, which disables all safety and navigation features without warning. The remote start fails to warm the car after 10 minutes in cold weather; once the heat functions, the car is filled with chemical fumes. All of these issues continue to get worse as time goes on.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
Premature wear on Bridgestone Ecopia Tires. We have had several instances in our company with these tires wearing prematurely, some as low as 12k miles but usually somewhere in the 20's & 30's thousand-wise, these tires exhibit numerous cracks especially on the inner side that is difficult to see unless you pull the tires off. A lot of WEB chatter indicates that they are especially vulnerable in cold weather states. We've informed Subaru several times but are often hushed since they fear a major Recall.
Driving on the road a tire randomly blew out and upon that happening every airbag in the car went off despite there being no collision.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The exterior B-pillar trim on my 2022 Subaru Forester (passenger side) has warped, bubbled, and lifted away from the vehicle. At approximately 24,700 miles, the trim began deforming significantly, with visible bubbling and separation at the top edge. The dealer inspected it and recommended replacing the entire window panel assembly, stating it is not covered under warranty. I am concerned that the loose and distorted trim could detach while driving, especially at highway speeds, creating a hazard for me and other drivers. The damage also affects visibility around the door frame and may compromise the door and window sealing. Subaru of America declined to cover the repair, and I believe this may be a material or manufacturing defect that could impact other owners.
On May 12, 2022, when I got in my vehicle and closed the driver's side door, I heard a crackling sound. When I looked in the rearview mirror, I could see a gaping hole in the rear windshield and glass falling everywhere. I got out of the vehicle to inspect it. The rear windshield had not been impacted by anything; it just spontaneously cracked. I house the vehicle in my garage, and that's where the situation occurred. I bought this vehicle brand new on March 1, 2022.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2022 Subaru Forester Sport, <24,640 miles, suffers from persistent, life-threatening safety failures. Thick white exhaust is present in every temperature, and a heavy burning smell fills the cabin during acceleration regardless of outside temperature. I have been dealing with these failures since March/April of 2023. My car was in a rear-end collision in May 2023 and was repaired at an authorized Subaru body shop. Despite these authorized repairs, the mechanical and electronic failures have continued to deteriorate. My car has required 4 emergency tows and was out of service for around 90 days in 2025 alone. It has been to several independent mechanics and they tell me that since everything happens intermittently, I must take it back to Subaru as it should be covered under warranty due to the low mileage. However, four different authorized dealerships consistently claim "nothing is wrong". My car sits at these dealerships for weeks at a time without a significant change in the odometer. I had 2 claims with Subaru of America this year, including a claim for the vehicle randomly unlocking itself (not via remote), but they closed both claims and nothing was done. Ongoing failures in steering, suspension and braking systems make the vehicle unstable and dangerous to drive. I have a 2-inch thick file documenting repeated service visits for these specific issues yet Subaru refuses to acknowledge or repair them. The primary computer system, media system, and Eyesight (ADAS) safety suite fail daily. The dashboard lights up constantly when these safety features fail. The system frequently freezes and resets while driving, which disables all safety and navigation features without warning. The remote start fails to warm the car after 10 minutes in cold weather; once the heat functions, the car is filled with chemical fumes. All of these issues continue to get worse as time goes on.
Incident on Highway 80 on May 30, 2020. Entered Highway 80 (East) from Donner Sumit Roadside Rest, accelerated in the slow land and passed a truck and accelerated in the fast lane to 65-70 mph. Began feeling a severe/violent shaking of the steering wheel, a couple of inches or so, side to side. Pulled over and steering wheel was still shaking and brought the vehicle to a full stop. Shaking stopped. Inspected wheels for looseness and nothing appeared abnormal. Lane keeping system was not engaged at the time. Could be new Automatic emergency steering but activated falsely. Felt very unsafe and had to hold steering wheel tight to retain control Took vehicle to dealer who could not find anything wrong with car, no codes in diagnostic. No warning lamps or messages appeared.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
Seatbelt locked with a passenger in the seat. Fire department was called and was forced to cut the locked and failed seatbelt.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
Two things have already failed on this vehicle. The first being the seats/seat belt clips on the driver and passanger seat. The seat in constructed in such a way that no matter what adjustment is made, the driver feels as if they are falling into the steering wheel. Any attempts to correct the positioning leaves the driver feeling as if they do not have control of the vehicle. Additionally, the inward positioning of the seat-belt clip on the right side on the driver facing inward pushes into the drivers hip and/or thigh causing extreme pain. The narrowing of the seats does not allow the driver to get away from the pain of the seat belt clip. Second, the issue with the windshield. This is my second Subaru Forester. On my first, I had a cracked windshield in 5 places due to small debris hitting the vehicle in a normal operating matter. This was replaced. My current vehicle, with less than 500 miles on it, already has 5-6 chips in the windshield due to some defect in the glass that causes the glass crack under nearly no pressure at all. I can't even imagine where the cracks came from with such low mileage and driving in near perfect, normal operating condition. It is only a matter of time before I will need to have the windshield replaced on this vehicle. It is also hazardous to know that it may shatter and injure me at any time. I have had the vehicle less than 5 weeks.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .