What 611 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Forester

Subaru part # 63269SG002 "hatch lift support / stay tailgate (rear gate, right)". Pin that attaches hydraulic lift to rear tailgate snapped in half when closing trunk - available for inspection. Lift extended fully, preventing closure of rear tailgate. Failure left tailgate solely held up with (1) remaining lift which could not fully support weight, letting door sag/droop and causing injury to scalp of (1) person. A 4 year old child was not injured, but was present - safety was at risk based on proximity to the door at the time of failure. Dealer advised no active recalls open on vehicle 5/26/26. Manufacturer does appear to have issued service bulletin 12-289-20 in 2020 providing warranty extension for this component. Component was not inspected. No warnings or symptoms were observed - corrosion noted on attachment point of life gate after removal.

NHTSA ODI 11740025

The Vehicle Dynamics Control safety system malfunctioned and forced me to drive straight on a curved banked overpass into the concrete barrier

NHTSA ODI 11638240

The vehicle hit a patch of ice at about 55mph, spun out, and left the road. It rolled onto its right side (a total roll rotation of 90 degrees), and the side airbags deployed at some point during the roll. When the front passenger-side airbag deployed from above the side window, it pinned the passenger's head to the window, causing significant bruising and a possible mild concussion. The real danger, though, was if there had been some projectile or debris that impacted the window while the passenger's head was trapped against it. The way the airbag deployed actually exposed the passenger to much more danger, and caused more more injury, than if it had not deployed at all. The passenger was awake and upright in her seat at the time of the incident. A county sheriff reported to the scene, and the vehicle was towed to a lot. The vehicle is otherwise untouched and available for inspection. No inspection of any kind has taken place yet (the officer at the scene did not examine the vehicle at all, and insurance has not seen the vehicle yet). There were no symptoms of the problem prior to the incident. The only warning light that was on was for a malfunctioning TPMS system, but the tires were confirmed to be at correct pressure by external gauge.

NHTSA ODI 11625052

The contact owned a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, in a residential parking lot, the contact stated while he was parking, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into a nearby tree. The contact stated before crashing into the nearby tree the vehicle also hit a nearby pole. The contact stated that the acceleration continued to get faster and faster. The contact also stated that none of the air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact's wife was transferred by ambulance to a hospital for medical attention. The contact's wife suffered a compression fractured vertebra and she had been experiencing severe pain. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was condemned to total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11558358

In the parking lot of my condo/home I was slowly approaching and driving in to my regular assigned parking space. As I applied the brakes preparing to stop, the car suddenly and without warning quickly accelerated and crashed into the building causing extensive damage to the building and the vehicle. The air bag did not react.

NHTSA ODI 11551532

The contact owned a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while his wife was driving at approximately 25 MPH, and moving into an intersection following a traffic sign stop, the contact's vehicle was crashed into by another vehicle that ran a stop sign. The other vehicle crashed the contact's vehicle on the passenger side front door. The contact stated that all the air bags had deployed. The contact stated that his wife had broken her right thigh and right ankle. The contact stated he suffered severe whiplash and concussion. The contact stated that he and his wife were transported to the emergency room. The contact stated that he later had to undergo a fusion of several neck vertebrae. The contact stated that the air bag on the passenger side had exploded and he had burns and abrasions on the right side of his face due to the exploding air bag. The contact stated that the exploding air bag fragments had penetrated the right side of his face and neck. The vehicle had been towed away and later declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000.

NHTSA ODI 11551551

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 1 MPH into a parking space, the contact attempted to shift the transmission into park (P) while depressing the brake pedal when the vehicle inadvertently lunged forward and crashed into a building. No warning light was illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The impact caused soreness in her chest and stomach. The contact received medical attention on the scene from Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the tow yard. The vehicle was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11547939

I experienced unintended acceleration while parking my car. The car surged ahead, over a curb and collided with a metal lamppost. Damage was on the body of the car’s right front. While no one was injured the car went across a space used by pedestrians including schoolchildren. There was no warning before the car surged. A friend later told me that she had experienced the same thing when she had stopped her 2018 Subaru Forester .

NHTSA ODI 11547194

Vehicle accelerated from a stop sign at high speed and brakes were pushed down all the way with no respond the steering wheels was stiff and the Vehicle continued at high speed on its own crashing curbs side walk vegetation along the way until final crash at a tree. not warning lamps messages and air bag did not deploy. Car engine remained on at time of crash until manually turned off. safety of driver & passenger and others near by were at very high risk. Head on collision with other vehicles and homes could have happened. Insurance adjuster inspected and determined it is a "Total Lose" but did not gave reason for incident. police report was done and suggested to follow up with dealership. Emailed about this incident to Subaru dealership. Unknown if any additional inspection was done.

NHTSA ODI 11533735

I was parking the car it suddenly accelerated jumped the curb and was heading towards the building entrance dore. I could not stop it. To avoid entering the building I turned the vehicle tight and it collided against the wall. The air bags inflated.

NHTSA ODI 11515233

I was backing out of a parking spot, and there was a telephone poll behind me in my path. I needed to pull forward to navigate around this poll. After backing up some, I put the car into drive to pull slightly forward, and the car lurched aggressively, so much so that I got out to see if it'd caught on something. It did not -- there was absolutely nothing there. So I got back in and tried to continue forward, and the accelerator went full force. I floored the brake pedal, but the car behaved as though I was flooring the accelerator. The car drove itself over a cement block, through a staircase and into the brick wall of an abandoned building, continuing to accelerate for a few seconds while against the wall. Air bags did not deploy. I walked away without physical injury, thank goodness. There were no warning lights, symptoms of or dashboard indicators of a problem before or during the issue. Upon investigation online, we see that there is a pending class action for this exact issue. The vehicle has been inspected by our insurance carrier and been deemed a total loss. Insurance has asked that we turn the title over to them in order to receive our payout, and I believe they plan to destroy the car.

NHTSA ODI 11507009

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while at a carwash moving forward, the vehicle accelerated up to approximately 35 MPH and crashed into the rear of a Ford Explorer. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver sustained injuries to his chest due to striking the steering wheel. Medical attention was provided. The contact was able to drive away from the crash site. A police report was filed. There was no air bag deployment. The vehicle was taken to a Collision Center. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11503188

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated upon pulling into a parking space, the brake pedal was depressed, however, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly and crashed into the side of the apartment building of her friend. The contact stated that the crash damaged the apartment of her friend located on the first floor. There was no warning light illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11491903

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. While the contact's wife was driving at 30 MPH, she crashed into another vehicle causing damage to the front driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact's wife was injured. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that "there are many types of collision that are not necessary for the deployment of the air bag". The manufacturer used "if the vehicle hits a parked vehicle it would not deploy" as an example. The failure mileage[ was 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11467842

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the fan switch failed to operate at high speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fan switch had burned and melted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000. The dealer stated they had seen these issues before on other customer's vehicles. It's a strong possibility of fire in the cockpit.

NHTSA ODI 11454800

Vehicle was in a front end collision, vehicle was able to safely pull over to the shoulder and be shut down. Impact did not result in airbag deployment and damage to vehicle appeared to be moderate. Within minutes of the accident while waiting for police to arrive on the scene, smoke became visible followed by vehicle becoming engulfed in flames leading to a complete vehicle fire and total loss of vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11451926

On Wednesday November 10 I was arriving at Chase Bank 4229 Woodruff Ave Lakewood Ca. I was turning right into a parking stall heading due east, parking between a pickup truck to the right and a passenger car to the left. I was braking with my right foot only traveling 5 miles per hour and suddenly the car accelerated over a parking stop and into the bank building. It was so sudden I couldn't react and pull up the parking brake. The collision caused major front end damage to my 2015 Subaru Forrester XT. It also caused damage to the Chase Bank building. I was lucky to be a couple of parking spaces south of the ready teller , as there was a male white customer at the outside teller and he would of been killed or at least very severely injured. My wife selected this car new in 2015 because of the safety of it.

NHTSA ODI 11440210

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

AUTO ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER LEAVING CAR WASH BAY. AUTO SPED THROUGH PARKING LOT INTO STREET AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER AUTO TRAVELING ON A ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11415816

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

DRIVER WAS REAR ENDED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN AT A DEAD STOP BY A VEHICLE GOING AROUND 60-70 MPH. THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT JERKED FORWARD AND IMPACTED DRIVER LEG CAUSING CONTUSIONS AND THE BACK SUPPORT AND HEAD REST PORTION FLEW BACKWARDS, CAUSING DRIVER GLASSES AND HAT TO COME OFF AND LAND TOWARD THE BACK HATCH OF THE VEHICLE. SPARE TIRE WAS DISLODGED FROM TRUNK AREA AND IMPACTED DRIVER'S HEAD DUE TO THE SEAT BACK BEING IN THE RECLINING POSITION. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY LEVEL AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11377910

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A TRUCK RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE CONTACT T-BONED THE TRUCK AT 30 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUCK FLIPPED AS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COLLIDED WITH THE TRUCK. THE CONTACT AND HER PASSENGER WERE INJURED AND HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CONTACT'S WRIST AND ARM WERE SORE AND SHE REQUIRED PHYSICAL THERAPY. THE PASSENGER WAS IN A BACK BRACE WITH TWO COMPRESSION FRACTURES IN THE BACK, A FEW BROKEN RIBS, SHE HAD A CONCUSSION, AND A SWOLLEN FOOT AND ANKLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH THE FRONTAL COLLISION. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD TO BE INVESTIGATED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALER HARVEY SUBARU (3351 BENTON RD, BOSSIER CITY, LA 71111 (888) 232-4109) SAID TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 19V-701000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT WAS UPSET THAT THE RECALL NOTICES WAS NOT RECEIVED UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2019. THE CONTACT DID NOT BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER IN WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO INVESTIGATE, WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER JUST RECENTLY SENT AN EMAIL SAYING EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THE CONTACT DID NOT YET RECEIVE A FULL REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATION. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT A SALVAGE JUNK YARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ODI 11317314

OUR 2015 SUBARU FORESTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. WE WERE TURNING LEFT AT AN INTERSECTION. THE SUV WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND FRONT FENDER BY ANOTHER SUV. NO SIDE OR CURTAIN AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 11276933

YESTERDAY 9/5/19 THE TAILGATE STRUT ON OUR 2015 SUBARU FORRESTER SUDDENLY FAILED CAUSING THE REAR GATE WHICH WAS OPEN TO ABRUPTLY FALL ONTO MY SPOUSE'S HEAD WHILE SHE WAS UNLOADING GROCERIES. THE METAL BOLT WITH THE ROUND BALL THAT FITS INTO THE END OF THE STRUT CRACKED OFF AND APPEARED RUSTED AT THE EDGES. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME/SIMILAR ISSUE AS NHTSA RECALL NO. 08V-135 FOR THE SUBARU IMPREZA. AS FAR AS I KNOW THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS ON THE 2015 FORRESTER FOR THIS ISSUE. I WILL BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SUBARU DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT IT. MY WIFE HAS NOT SEEN A DOCTOR FOR THIS (YET) BUT HER HEAD STILL HURTS THE NEXT DAY AND SHE WAS DIZZY AFTERWARDS.

NHTSA ODI 11253764