What 613 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Forester Wilderness

The 2015 Subaru Forester accelerated unexpectedly while slowly turning into a a Walgreens parking lot. The acceleration could not be stopped by stepping on the brake, and the car crashed into the brick building. The vehicle is at Phil's Auto Body Shop in Rosemount, MN. The estimate on the car is complete, and waiting on State Farm insurance to approve. The police were at the scene of the accident. Walgreens has video of the accident from their security cameras.

NHTSA ODI 11418574

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY GOING 65MPH, WHEN WITH NO WARNING MY CAR'S ENGINE STOP. I TOUGH IT WAS OUT OF GAS, BUT THE COMPUTER WAS TELLING ME I HAD 30 MORE MILES OF FUEL. AT THE TIME OF THIS ACCIDENT THERE WAS NO SHOULDER TO PARK BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE FREEWAY. THIS UNFORTUNATE EVENT CAUSE 3 OTHER CARS TO BE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. SOME HOW MY CAR WAS OK, I DROVE THE CAR BACK TO MY HOUSE PRAYING THAT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. MY HUSBAND DROVE IT FOR A LITTLE TO SEE IF IT WILL BE OK TO DRIVE. SAME THING HAPPEN TO HEM, BUT THIS WAS IN A MUCH CONTROLLED WAY.

NHTSA ODI 11413873

PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT, VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL, GAVE A LITTLE MORE GAS AND VEHICLE LAUNCHED FORWARD AND HIT CEMENT POLE. NO DAMAGE TO POLE CAR DAMAGE AROUND 8K.AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC ALSO

NHTSA ODI 11413243

CAR BURNS OIL. NO LEAKS AND OIL LIGHT COMES ON EVERY 2,000-3,000 MILES WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BE CHANGED BUT EVERY 5000. AC MAKES HORRIBLE NOISE AND INTERMITTENTLY WORKS BUT HARDLY EVER. WILL RUN FOR A COUPLE MIN THEN NOT WORK THE REST OF THE DRIVE TIME

NHTSA ODI 11407472

VEHICLE HAD 82,401 MILES WHEN ON JANUARY 19, 2021 THE "ENGINE LOW LEVEL WARNING LIGHT" ILLUMINATED. OIL LEVEL ON DIP-STICK MEASURED AT VERY END OF STICK. ADDED 1QT 0-20W SYNTHETIC OIL, SCHEDULED A COMPLETE "LEAK-DOWN TEST" AT DAN O'BRIEN SUBARU IN VERMONT. THE SERVICE ALSO PERFORMED A 2K MILE "CONSOLIDATED ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST". THE RESULTS MEASURED NO OIL CONSUMPTION BUT THE "COMPRESSION & LEAK-DOWN TEST" MEASURED: CYLINDER #1 = 160PSI & 5%, #2 = 148PSI & 25%, #3 = 165PSI & 5%, #4 = 153PSI & 20%. THEY REPORTED MOST OF "LEAKAGE WAS GOING INTO BLOCK PAST PISTONS AND SOME WAS "LEAKING" BY INTAKE VALVES. RECOMMEND REPLACING SHORT-BLOCK". TO DATE, DUE TO THE "OIL CONSUMPTION TEST" AND NOT THE "COMPRESSION AND LEAK-DOWN TEST" RESULTS, THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO REPAIR AND/OR REMEDY THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH, THE COMPRESSION AND LEAK-DOWN TEST INDICATES A "SEVERE" DEGRADATION TO THE ENGINE WITH ONLY 84,770 MILES. THIS IS WELL BELOW SUBARU'S ADVERTISED 100,000 MILE DRIVE-TRAIN WARRANTY PUBLICIZED. NOTE: THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY BY ONLY SUBARU DEALERSHIPS SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED IN 2017, AND THE CARFAX REPORT STATED IT WAS ONLY USED BY SUBARU DEALERSHIP AS A CORPORATE PERSONNEL RENTAL BEFORE THEN. ADDITIONALLY THE CURRENT CARFAX REPORT SHOWED NO INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS AND ALL VEHICLE SERVICES MAINTAINED PROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI 11403535

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE SPEED TO INCREASE TO APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH AFTER LEAVING FROM A STOP LIGHT. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE DRIVER DOWNSHIFTED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AUSTIN SUBARU LOCATED AT 8100 BURNET RD, AUSTIN, TX 78757 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

NHTSA ODI 11397488

ENGINE USING TO MUCH OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO FINAL GEAR UNTIL DRIVEN FOR 10-15 MILES

NHTSA ODI 11395689

CAR ACCELERATES BOTH WHEN IN MOTION AND STATIONARY. SOMETIMES WHEN STARTING THE CAR IT SHOOTS STRAIGHT UP TO 2 ON IT'S ON. CAR HAS ACCELERATED WHEN EASING IN AND OUT OF PARKING SPACES, I HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE TO HITTING OTHER CARS BECAUSE OF THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11387436

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE SPEED SUDDENLY DECREASED INDEPENDENTLY TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. DURING THE SUDDEN LOSE OF POWER, NO WARNING MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE LOCAL DEALER SCHOMP SUBARU LOCATED AT 580 S HAVANA ST, AURORA, CO 80012 WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO REPAIR PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11383050

THIS CAR WAS REPAIRED UNDER CAMPAIGN 19V149000 ON JULY 27 FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ISSUE. SINCE THE REPAIR OF THE RECALL, I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR BACK TO INTERNATIONAL SUBARU IN TINLEY PARK, IL FOR FOLLOW UP SERVICE RELATED TO THE REPLACEMENT PART. THE PROBLEM I'VE ENCOUNTERED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS IS THE CAR ALERTS THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE STATING "HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED" WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE CAR THEN CUTS ALL THROTTLE CAPABILITIES FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS AND THE CAR JUST COASTS BEFORE RESUMING TAKING A THROTTLE INPUT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR IS JUST COASTING AND DROPS 15+ MPH IN SPEED. THIS ALERT SEEMS TO BE TRIGGERED RANDOMLY AND IT CAUSES SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS WHEN WITHOUT WARNING MY CAR SUDDENLY LOSES ANY USAGE OF THE THROTTLE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN TRACED BACK TO THE PART REPLACED IN THE RECALL AND THE DEALER FOUND THE RECORDS IN THE CAR'S COMPUTER SHOWING THE SWITCH WAS ACTIVE WHEN IT WASN'T BEING PRESSED. THIS ISSUE FIRST SURFACED ON 8/31/20 BUT HAS COME BACK NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THEN. FURTHERMORE, I HAD ISSUES WHERE THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON ON THE CAR OVERNIGHT WITH THE SWITCH ACTIVE WITH NO INPUT CAUSING A DRAINED BATTERY. THIS IS A MORE SERIOUS ISSUE THAN JUST LIGHTS BECAUSE THE CAR'S THROTTLE CUTS OUT WITHOUT WARNING AND THIS HAS BEEN TRACED BACK TO THE SWITCH ON MY CAR. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE ORIGINAL RECALLED PART REPLACED IN MY CAR COMPARED TO THE RECALL REPLACEMENT PART.

NHTSA ODI 11360498

CAR SURGES AT START UP AND LOW SPEEDS. NEITHER THE CAR DEALERSHIP OR SUBARU OF AMERICA CAN FIX IT. I SENT AN EMAIL IN ABOUT MY COMPLAINT TO YOU. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW YEARS. IT RANDOMLY HAPPENS. THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT MANY TIMES DUE TO NO CODE EVEN THOUGH THEY DROVE IT AND COULD SEE THE ISSUE. WHEN IT DID CODE THEY FIXED IT BUT ALWAYS A SURGE DIFFERENT CODES. THEY HAVE REPLACE FUEL SENSORS, VALUES, ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, MY KEY, FUEL LINE, SPARK PLUGS, ETC ALL FOR THIS SAME ISSUES. THERE ARE SEVERAL LAWSUITS IN OTHER STATES ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. I JUST WANT THEM TO PURCHASE MY VEHICLE BACK OR REPLACE IT WITH ONE THAT WORKS PROPERLY. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI 11359985

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AT LOW SPEED AND ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY ACCELERATES REQUIRING A MUCH HARDER BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE OR COMING TO A STOP SIGN. WHILE NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES OVER THE 5 YEARS I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11355100

MY VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING TODAY ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD CRUISE CONTROL SET AND THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING UP A HILL. IT WAS LIKE MY CAR SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET TO THE SHOULDER AND INITIALLY MY CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I DID GET IT TO RESTART AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIES AND DROVE IT HOME. I SEE A RECALL FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE: 19V-856, BUT MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED. I HAVE REPLACED THE PCV ALREADY AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY CAR HAS DONE THIS TOWARD THE END OF A LONG ROAD TRIP (1000+ MILES).

NHTSA ODI 11337685

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ROUGHLY 70 MPH, ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED AND THEN CAR ESSENTIALLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL. ENGINE DIDN'T SEEM CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION. COASTED TO THE SHOULDER, THEN ENGINE DIED. SHIFTED BACK TO PARK AND TRIED TO RESTART, ALL LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD LIT UP AND ENGINE TURNED OVER, BUT WOULD NOT START. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. FOUND MANY SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ONLINE. SOME FOUND FUEL PUMP AND PUMP RELAY FAILURE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER YET. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI 11331380

GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON INTERSTATE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, WHEN THE GAS LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR LOST POWER LIKE IT SWITCHED TO NEUTRAL. WE MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11327700

THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SURGES SOMETIMES AND MISFIRES WHEN IT COLD STARTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE RETAILER, THEY DID NOT FOUND ANY ISSUE. ONLY THE DIFFERENTIAL OIL WAS CHANGED. THEY TOLD ME TO RETURN IF THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. AGAIN IT CAME BACK AND INTERMITTENT. I AM SURE RETAILER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AGAIN. IT IS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWERS FOR COUPLE SECONDS AND IT A HAZARD ON THE ROAD. HOPE THERE ARE RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325095

AT THE MOMENT TO STOP ON A PARKING SPOT, PRESS BRAKES AND ENGINE RPM IDLES UP AND RUNS, CAUSING ME TO PRESS BRAKES HARDER AND SO I DON'T HIT WHATEVER IS IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325115

WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT TO 5000 RPM AND AT THE SAME TIME STARTED TO BRAKE ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DASHBOARD CAME ON I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR'S ENGINE SHUT DOWN. I TRIED TO STARTED ABOUT 5 06 TIMES THE CAR WOULDN'T STAR AND AFTER THAT THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I HAD IT TOW TO A SHOP. THE NEXT MORNING IT STARTED LIKE NOTHING THE MECHANIC AT THE SHOP SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY.AFTER CHANGING THE BATTERY I TOOK IT TO THE GAS STATION AFTER PUTTING GAS IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT STARTED.AT THIS POINT I DON'T THINK THE BATTERY WAS THE ISSUE BUT I AM GLAD I GOT HOME. THIS HAPPENED IN STARKVILLE MS 200 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11323491

HEAD GASKETS LEAKING, ALSO THE CARS HESITATES AND JERKS WHEN DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11320178

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HER FATHER WHO OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS WERE CONTACTED INCLUDING FRANK SUBARU LOCATED AT (2829 NATIONAL CITY BLVD, NATIONAL CITY, CA 91950), KEARNY MESA SUBARU LOCATED AT (4797 CONVOY ST, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111), AND SUBARU OF EL CAJON LOCATED AT (900 ARNELE AVE, EL CAJON, CA 92020) AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. *BF*JB

NHTSA ODI 11318234

SMELL OF BURNING OIL FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER SAYS HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $5500.

NHTSA ODI 11316878

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER/ACCELERATION. TRAVELING HOME IN OUR 2015 FORESTER, VIN [XXX], 93K MILES, WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM. ON THE INTERSTATE, TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70MPH, OUR FORESTER SEEMED TO COME OUT OF GEAR, ALL THE DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED & THE GAS PEDAL WOULD NOT WORK AS FAR AS ACTUALLY ACCELERATING THE CAR (THE GAS PEDAL WOULD ?REV UP? WHEN PRESSED, BUT THERE WAS NO ACTUAL ACCELERATION HAPPENING WITH THE ENGINE). THERE WAS NO WARNING; NO ENGINE ISSUES; NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. WE WERE LUCKILY ABLE TO PULL SAFELY OFF THE INTERSTATE. WE DID SHUT THE CAR OFF IN HOPES OF ?RESETTING? SOMETHING BUT COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO RESTART (IT WOULD JUST CRANK). THEREFORE, WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST YEAR ON THIS VEHICLE. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO OUR TRUSTED LOCAL MECHANIC. NO ISSUES WERE FOUND, AND NO CODES WERE IDENTIFIED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11310611

SEVERAL ISSUES: 1) REPLACE REAR STRUT ASSEMBLIES. 04/22/19. (THE CAR SEEMED FINE BUT WHEN THEY PUT IT ON A LIFT TO WORK ON BRAKES MECHANICS SAW THIS. 2) THE THE ENGINE SHIMMIES AND FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. THIS HAS GONE ON SINCE 2016. THIS HAPPEN WHEN GOING ABOUT 30 MPH. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT THEY FOUND NOTHING. IT STILL FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. 3) BEARINGS IN REAR PASSENGER SIDE IN 2017. REAR WHEELS WERE MAKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH. (DIFFERENT MECHANIC LOOKED AT THIS. 4) RIGHT FRONT AXLE SHAFT REPLACED 06/26/19 THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS USED FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11301239

SUBARU 2015 FORESTER 2.5L AT CVT TRANSMISSION NO TURBO ENGINE REVS TO 4-6000 RPM TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO GEAR CAR TAKES OFF ACCELERATING WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT. THE DRIVER MUST SLAM ON BRAKES PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO REGAIN CONTROL. THE CAR DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY BOTH AT LOW AND HIGH-SPEED TRAVEL.. THIS CAR HAS BEEN AT DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR DIAGNOSIS WITHOUT SUCCESS. THIS IS DANGEROUS IN THAT THE DRIVER IS AT RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO HIGH ENGINE RPM AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH SLAMMING TRANSMISSION ENGAGEMENT REQUIRING HARD BRAKEING AND PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO REGAIN CONTROL . I BELIEVE THIS IS LONG STANDING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND THE ORIGIANAL BUYER TRADED IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICLAL ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM THAT WILL ONLY BE DIAGNOSISED DOCUMENTED BY 24/7 MONITORING OF ENGINE FUNCTIONS. IN ORDER TO CATCH THE EVENTS AS THEY OCCUR NO CODES ARE BEING THROWN OR RECORDED. THE DEALERS HAVE REFUSED TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE TO DIAGNOSIS THIS INTERMITTANT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11298507

IN SEPTEMBER 2017, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY SUBARU FORESTER LOST POWER COMPLETELY AND WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER AND HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. IT RESTARTED AFTER ONLY APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS. LUCKILY THIS OCCURRED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC, OR I LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED SUBARU AND LEARNED I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO POSSIBLE CVT ISSUES, BUT SUBARU REFUSED TO ASSIST ME WHEN I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS OVERSEAS WITH THE VEHICLE ON OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSIGNMENT AND THAT THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED SUBARU SHOP NEEDED AUTHORIZATION FROM SUBARU TO COMPLETE WORK ON MY U.S.-SPEC VEHICLE. I NOTED MY ALARM THAT SEVERAL OTHERS HAD REPORTED SIMILAR INCIDENTS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN MY, MY CHILDREN'S OR OTHERS DEATHS, BUT SUBARU STILL DID NOT ASSIST IN FINDING A SOLUTION. I BELIEVE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS FAULT, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM UP UNTIL THIS DAY (LATE 2019) SHOULD CALL FOR AN ACTUAL RECALL OF THE VEHICLE, NOT ONLY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I AM A THREE-TIME SUBARU OWNER AND AM SHOCKED BY THE LACK OF CUSTOMER LOYALTY REGARDING THIS SERIOUS VEHICLE ISSUE. I CONTINUE TO BE ON U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSIGNMENT OVERSEAS SO AM UNABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A U.S. SUBARU SERVICE CENTER. IRRESPECTIVE OF THAT SITUATION, THE FACT THAT I AND THE OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE REPORTED THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE SHOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE RECALL BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST.

NHTSA ODI 11297188