2017 Subaru Forester
Common Problems
Ranked from 268 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
35 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Passenger Airbag Sensor Malfunction
49complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe passenger airbag sensor intermittently indicates the airbags are off when a passenger is seated, causing the airbag warning light to flicker.
- 2
Windshield chipping and cracking
41complaintsMedium severityOtherThe windshield is prone to chipping and cracking from small stones during normal highway driving, requiring frequent replacement.
- 3
Battery Drain
26complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle experiences frequent battery drain, leading to the need for frequent replacements or jump starts.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 4
Windshield spontaneous cracking
21complaintsHigh severityOtherThe windshield cracks without any apparent cause or impact, leading to multiple replacements.
- 5
Windshield Cracking Without Impact
20complaintsMedium severityOtherWindshields crack without any apparent impact or cause, often while parked.
- 6
Ignition Key Stuck in Ignition
15complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe key gets stuck in the ignition when trying to turn it off, requiring multiple attempts to remove it.
- 7
Ignition Key Sticking
14complaintsLow severityElectricalThe ignition key gets stuck in the ignition switch, preventing it from being removed.
- 8
Air Bag System Issues
13complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe air bag system malfunctions, including false warnings and failures to deploy properly.
- 9
Electrical System Parasitic Drain
11complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle experiences a parasitic drain, causing the battery to die even when the car is not in use.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 10
Key removal issues
11complaintsLow severityElectricalDifficulty in removing the key from the ignition after parking the car, requiring multiple attempts before the key can be removed.
- 11
Engine Oil Consumption
10complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine consumes oil excessively, leading to low oil levels and potential engine failure.
$400–$4,500est. oil-consumption repair (rings/pcv) · 3–14 hrs laborGet local quotes - 12
Unintended acceleration
10complaintsHigh severityOtherThe vehicle can suddenly accelerate uncontrollably, especially when attempting to park, posing a serious safety risk.
- 13
Windshield brittleness and chipping
9complaintsMedium severityOtherThe windshield becomes brittle and develops chips from normal use, requiring frequent repairs or replacements.
- 14
Electrical system issues
8complaintsMedium severityElectricalVarious electrical system issues arise, including key sticking in ignition, battery drain, and malfunctioning lights.
- 15
Passenger Airbag Occupancy Detection System Failure
8complaintsSafety riskOtherThe passenger airbag occupancy detection system frequently fails, leading to the airbag not deploying when a passenger is present.
- 16
Passenger Airbag System Randomly Disabling
7complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe passenger airbag system randomly disables while a passenger is seated, leading to the airbag warning light turning on and off without any apparent cause.
- 17
Vehicle Speed Control Malfunction
7complaintsHigh severityOtherThe vehicle unexpectedly surges forward or stalls, posing a risk to the driver and others.
- 18
Windshield Cracking Due to Stress
6complaintsMedium severityOtherWindshields crack under stress, often while the car is stationary.
- 19
Windshield Cracking Issues
6complaintsMedium severityOtherWindshields crack easily and rapidly spread under minimal impact, requiring frequent replacements.
- 20
Airbag System Malfunction
5complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe airbag system malfunctions, with the airbag warning light staying on and the airbags failing to deploy in an accident.
- 21
Air bag warning light illumination
5complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe air bag warning light illuminates while driving, indicating potential issues with the air bag system.
$100–$250est. professional diagnosis · 1–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 22
Engine stalling and power loss
5complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine stalls or loses power at high speeds, causing the car to slow down or stop unexpectedly.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 23
Windshield Cracking While Parked
5complaintsMedium severityOtherWindshields crack while the car is parked, often expanding over time.
- 24
Battery Drain and Frequent Jump Starts
4complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe vehicle experiences frequent battery drain, requiring multiple jump starts and replacement of the battery.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 25
Steering Lock-up and Key Stuck in Ignition
4complaintsMedium severitySteeringThe steering wheel locks up and the key gets stuck in the ignition, requiring multiple attempts to remove the key.
$200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 1–6 hrs laborGet local quotes - 26
Brake Surging and Unusual Sounds
3complaintsMedium severityOtherBrakes surge forward unexpectedly and make unusual sounds during braking.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 27
Rear Wheel Bearing Failure
3complaintsMedium severitySuspensionThe rear wheel bearings fail at relatively low mileage, causing instability and potential loss of control.
$250–$700est. wheel bearing/hub replacement · 1–3 hrs laborGet local quotes - 28
Steering Issues
3complaintsMedium severitySteeringThe power steering system fails, causing difficulty in turning the wheel and potentially leading to loss of control.
- 29
Battery drain leading to vehicle shutdown
2complaintsHigh severityElectricalBattery drains power causing the vehicle to shut down unexpectedly.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 30
Engine Backfiring and Acceleration Issues
2complaintsMedium severityEngineEngine backfires and fails to accelerate smoothly, indicating potential fuel feed issues.
- 31
Engine Malfunction with Unusual Sounds
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine makes unusual sounds and fails to accelerate properly, indicating a potential engine malfunction.
- 32
Exhaust System Failure
2complaintsMedium severityFuel systemThe exhaust system fails, leading to reduced performance and unusual noises from the engine.
- 33
Ignition Key Stuck
2complaintsMedium severityOtherThe ignition key becomes stuck in the ignition, preventing the vehicle from being turned off or locked securely.
- 34
Suspension Component Failure
2complaintsMedium severitySuspensionSuspension components, such as control arm bushings and wheel bearings, fail at low mileage, leading to instability.
$150–$1,200est. suspension diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 35
Windshield Cracks
2complaintsLow severityOtherThe front windshield develops unexplained cracks, especially in the lower half, without any apparent cause.
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.