10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,093 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #26

Aug 182019

Forester

  • 36,000 miles
Cracked windshield in front of vehicle while stationary at home.

- Swartswood, NJ, USA

problem #25

Oct 282019

Forester

  • 30,000 miles
I am reporting to separate incidences. Both incidences are because of a small rock hitting my windshield, creating a bullet-sized crack in my windshield. One occurred while driving on the highway and one occurred while driving on county roads. The first bullet hole crack has since spread into a crack that covers the entire length of my windshield period the more recent bullet hole crack will most likely do the same.

- Durango, CO, USA

problem #24

Jul 272017

Forester

  • 9,750 miles
Pebble thrown to window and started as a lil chip and within trip home entire crack through windshield from top to bottom of glass. I was driving entire time of crack spreading!

- Lemont, IL, USA

problem #23

Sep 142019

Forester

  • 22,000 miles
While parking the car in a parking lot going at 10 mph, the car suddenly accelerated at top speed went over a curb and hit a tree. The car then went in reverse at full speed in a circle approximately six times until the key could finally be removed. The brakes were working but would not stop the car.

- Wantagh, NY, USA

problem #22

Sep 272019

Forester

  • 41,000 miles
Often I cannot initially remove the key from the ignition after I have put the transmission in park, after I have stopped the car and am ready to shut off the engine. I then have to move the automatic transmission to drive and then back to park at least one more time before the key will finally move to the far left and allow me to remove it and shut off the engine. This has started happening about 2 weeks ago (the car has 41K miles and most recently yesterday after parking it in my garage on level ground!

- Arnold, MD, USA

problem #21

Aug 162018

Forester

  • 36,000 miles
A/C failed during the guarantee of the car - faulty condenser - first time they add freon - then car blow hot air again - then they tried to put died and finally determine that condenser was the proble, after that it works fine. I want to point that customer service is well aware of the problems of each model but they expect the guarantee to expire...

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #20

Jul 082018

Forester

  • miles
My 2017 Subaru Forester blows hot air from A/C. it is not acceptable for the new car like that. Checked with repair shop, the air compressor is bad. I have suffered this in the hot summer. Subaru needs recall this. This is the known issue for every Subaru user.

- Okemos, MI, USA

problem #19

Jul 082018

Forester

  • miles
My air condition blows hot air in the summer. The air compressor is broken. It is amazing that the new car has this kind of problem. The design defects caused me the hot summer!

- Plymouth, MI, USA

problem #18

Jul 032019

Forester

  • 47,900 miles
Air conditioning is blowing ambient air. Purchased August 1, 2016. Has 47,900 miles and suddenly started blowing warm on July 3, 2019. I have read there is a known issue with the compressors in this model and have an appointment with my dealership July 18, 2019. The issue is independent of being stationary, moving, in gear, or parked. As a known problem I am hoping for a recall to fix the issue, but have not yet seen one in spite of numerous complaints filed.

- Bethlehem, PA, USA

problem #17

Jun 152019

Forester

  • 35,000 miles
I went to dealership because my air conditioning was not working and they said there was no freon and did sniffer and could not find a leak. They added freon then took it home on a Friday and by Monday it was blowing warm on drivers side and tepid on passenger side. I brought it back to dealership and in fact it was as I said in the beginning the compressor was broken. If I would have been after 36K I would have had to pay for it. Also my siriusxm channels did not work and they had to update at dealership. Again if not within 36 K I would have had to pay for repair. Every person in waiting room have had similar repair issues within first two years. It was ridiculous when we compared notes. The warranty covered but it took time.

- New Lebanon, NY, USA

problem #16

Jan 182019

Forester

  • 10,133 miles
My wife tried to remove sd card so we could update maps via the internet. The sd card flew out of the dash, barely missing her face & is lost in the Forester. 4 people searched for many hours. I created another micro-sd card from a copy of its data I save in 2017 to get updates. Gps would not recognize the new micro-sd card with Subaru's data. Subaru maps are old >year later. My wife was almost injured when micro-sd card went missing, flying past her head. Called to get replacement - >$400 & almost $500. This safety issue needs to be addressed. We now have no gps that costs $thousands with a Forester package (only way to get gps). At a loss for old maps & now no micro-sd card to even use gps when their equipment lost it, not us. Car was in garage & not started. Gps has many flaws & people need to know garmin & nono gpss are better - passenger cannot make changes or set gps when car is driving (must pull off road & stop to do anything); maps are very old (Subaru indicates they may be 9 months old while you only have limited time to update); gps directs you to wrong place & doesn't even guide you home when asked; cannot request directions to businesses, points of interest & etc like portable gpss; etc. Safety concern is a real issue as a micro-sd card must never go flying by a persons face or even do more than release the sd card to remove it. Subaru will gladly order a new sd car for the price mentioned even though their equipment lost it. Poor company to trust to do the right thing.

- Bradenton, FL, USA

problem #15

Oct 312018

Forester

  • miles
Steering wheel completely locked, unable to turn on vehicle, wheel straight, took me many tries and lots of turning and banging before I was able to turn the key to start vehicle. Also, on going problem with the bluetooth with late pick up connection. Connection will start after one is half way into conversation making the purpose of having a bluetooth useless.

- Ossining, NY, USA

problem #14

Nov 012018

Forester

  • 14,000 miles
Screen blacked out everything went off, no lights, no radio, no dash board vision. This happened 3 times before I took it to the dealer. I was told it was an electrical issues and electrical cables were replaced, however, just this week my vehicle, while waiting at a light, turned completely off. It was so scary, good thing there was no one else behind me. A few minutes later I was able to turn the car on and continue my journey. Now, I do not feel safe when I use my vehicle.

- Ossining, NY, USA

problem #13

Sep 242018

Forester

  • 11,000 miles
Accident 9/24/2017, 2017 Subaru Forester, 11,000. Miles. Driving slowly in a shopping parking lot, on a dry sunny morning, around 10 am, after pushing on the brakes my car accelerated. My car ran on it's own when turned off, then I put it in park, it lunged over a cement planter, on off and put in park, it hit a tree a few times before it stopped itself. There was bumper damage. Geico my insurer advised me to take it to prestige auto, in mission viejo, ca the brakes and cause of car acceleration was not worked on, the insurance company acted unethically, they didn't care if I got into another accident, they withheld information and urged me to take the car. I had it towed to the dealership I bought it from, they checked and would not take responsibility, I contacted Subaru of America, and I am waiting on them to inspect the manufacturer defect.

- Coto De Caza, CA, USA

problem #12

Jun 172018

Forester

  • 12,000 miles
We have a 2017 Forester Subaru 2.5I with 12,548 miles. The SUV will randomly jerk, jump and has stalled in hwy & city traffic twice. Other times it will hesitate and seem to shift out of gear for 30 or more seconds. It seems to occur within a couple of miles after driving. Mostly after making a turn. Also we can feel hesitations, transmission shifting when driving at speeds of 40 to 65 miles. This has been a minor problem the last four months until the SUV stopped twice in traffic. Until it stopped in traffic online research "problems with 2017 Subaru" (please check this out) indicates this is a cvs transmission problem. Numerous complaints verify that it is most likely a transmission glitch. I took the SUV to the dealer's service dept. Their tests did not indicate the problem. We drive our grandchildren to numerous activities. We will not do so as we do not want to risk their safety, having the car stop while driving in traffic could result in a serious accident. We no longer feel safe driving the car until this issue can be found. Please look into this as it may put others in harms way.

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

problem #11

Jun 172018

Forester

  • miles
When I put my key in to start it wont turn over it takes 3-5 minutes with working it to turn over. This a year old car and it does 3 times a month

- Pewaukee, WI, USA

problem #10

May 212018

Forester

  • 24,000 miles
Air conditioning lines/condenser is defective in 2017 forrester. Firm should be conducting a recall, but has not. Dealership indicated that this is known problem with this make and model.

- Dracut, MA, USA

problem #9

Apr 222018

Forester

  • 22,000 miles
On April 22, 2018, my 2017 Forester with 22,000 miles on it stalled in the carpool lane of a busy la freeway (the 405 southbound near lax) at 4:20 P.M. traffic in the lane had come to a complete stop and when it picked up again, the engine stalled. I immediately called 911. Chp arrived 20 minutes later and pushed me to the side of the road. A tow truck then towed my vehicle 47 miles to irvine Subaru where the following day I was advised that their mechanics found nothing wrong with the car in spite of the loss of power which jeopardized my safety and that of my passenger. It should be mentioned that when this event occurred, my low fuel light had not alerted me to the fact that my fuel level was low; my on-board computer indicated I still had 80 miles until empty and the fuel gauge displayed one bar. In addition, I can state with 100% certainty that my tank was not empty as the tow truck driver was able to restart the engine and in fact drove it up on the flatbed of his truck when he loaded it there. As a result of this incident, I have lost faith in the safety of my vehicle and am leery of driving it long distances from home; a result that is unacceptable to me given that this vehicle is only a year-and-A-half old. The only photo I have is one of my vehicle loaded on the tow truck at the time of towing.

- Trabuco Canyon, CA, USA

problem #8

Feb 202018

Forester

  • 10,000 miles
After backing up, I removed my foot from the brake, put the car in drive and lightly touched the accelerator (I was in a small parking lot). The accelerator left my foot and fully depressed by itself which caused an accident.

- Lilburn, GA, USA

problem #7

May 202017

Forester

  • 60 miles
Car stalls, mostly in intersections when we turn either left or right, mid-turn. Also, the steering wheel, plastic, is dangerously-slippery, expecially during those stalls in heavy traffic when panic sets in.

- Troutdale, OR, USA

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