What 577 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester

2 new battery drains dead just sitting in the driveway.

NHTSA ODI 11476863

There appears to be a parasitic battery drain in the vehicle when it is stopped and all electrical systems are off (lights, heated seats, chargers etc) but the key is in the ignition. The most recent event was 7/20/2022 when the car was stopped for fueling and the key left in the ignition for no more than 10 minutes. Battery discharged sufficiently in that time that the car would not start requiring roadside assistance. Spoke with dealer who stated to keep the key 30 feet from the car (note, this is NOT a smart key car) and to ensure all is off as all computer electricals will continue to run even with the car off. Will be having a battery test next week but I see that this is a recurring issue for this make/model on this forum. The same problem happened in December 2021, although at that time the weather was also severely cold and the key was in the ignition (all electrical systems off) for approximately 45 minutes. The issue is one of personal safety and being stranded in a vehicle which cannot be moved (steering and transmission locked due to low/no power) as well as cost in time and money to investigate and remedy the issue. It is also an issue of functionality and usability. If I cannot leave the key in the ignition with the car off, I am unable to use any accessories or even my safety flashers in the event the situation would warrant it.

NHTSA ODI 11475084

We have had issues with the battery draining since early on in owning the car. First the power windows stopped working and they replaced the battery. We are now having more battery issues and the care is in the shop.

NHTSA ODI 11474592

The SRS airbag light is on, airbags disabled while driving vehicle with passenger in front. Sensor within passenger seat cushion is defective. Dealer says to fix passenger seat cushion needs to be replaced. Previous recall for harness already complete. Quoted $1400 to repair. 2017 Forester Premium, 78,000 miles

NHTSA ODI 11469614

Our battery continually dies if we don’t drive it for 2 days. At first we thought it was just the battery but it keeps doing it. Our mechanic tried to fix it but it still happens. We had to buy a portable jumper because it happens so much. I see this also happens to Outback’s and other Subarus.

NHTSA ODI 11464612

Purchased July 2016. Battery has failed to start car several times requiring a jump-start. Battery has been replaced 4 times (09/'18, 01/'19, 06/'19 & 03/'20). Currently vehicle is in shop for extended attempt to find source(s) of "parasitic" drain. Dealer reported aware of problem with certain Subaru models. A class action lawsuit has been initiated. Computer updates have over the years have not helped. This problem has the potential of stranding us when on a trip.

NHTSA ODI 11463734

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System module failed which also disabled the key fob remotes. I had the TPMS module replaced 3 times. The first occurrence was on August 26th 2021 and was confirmed by the dealership Subaru Service Center. During the failure and malfunction of the module, the dashboard warned about not to drive because there is problems with the tires and key fob not working. This worried me because of the potential safety to me and others if I continued to drive with defective tires. Eventually I found out my tires did not have any problems. After the module malfunctioned the second time, the service center replaced it stating that the first module was defective. Several months passed by and the module failed the third time. I started to research online and found that other Subaru owners experienced similar issues and figured out that water such as from heavy rain leaked through the roof railing gasket into the area where the TPMS module is kept and shorted out. When I went in to the service center the third time, I explained my investigation and eventually the associate agreed that was the cause. I think without me telling them this, they would have just replaced the module stating another defective unit. This discovery had them not only replace the TPMS module, reprogram my key fobs but also replace the roof railings and it's gasket which they made me pay $960.43.

NHTSA ODI 11460981

I have a 2017 Subaru Forester that I bought brand new with only 5 miles on it at the time. Within the first year my battery needed replaced twice! I am still having this issue 5 years later and have purchased sometimes 2 batteries a year depending! The windshield also cracked within the first year I bought the car. I had it fixed and it cracked again this time not under warranty and the crack is in front of my eyesight sensor which makes my eyesight turn off which is very dangerous. I have seen MANY complaints on the windshield issue online with 2021 foresters. This is unacceptable. I am very unsatisfied with the company for not fixing this issue or making it right. I would not buy another Subaru or recommend anyone to buy one until they fix these problems.

NHTSA ODI 11458270

2nd Battery in two years is dying while car is off. 1st battery did the same, and the dealership replaced it under warranty. There is a parasitic drain somewhere, that bleeds the battery while not in use. Every start is sluggish, and if a week goes by without driving the battery is totally dead. All user related electronic possibilities have been accounted for, i.e. cabin lights, trunk latch, etc

NHTSA ODI 11458116

The battery is constantly dying and the car needs to be jumped often. The battery has been replaced and the connections have been cleaned multiple times. The battery can still be completely drained even if it is started every day.

NHTSA ODI 11456539

My 2017 Subaru Forester has had its battery replaced twice. There is obviously either a problem with Subaru batteries, or there is something inherent in the electrical system of the vehicle that drains the battery. For a senior citizen, a dead battery when travelling is not only an inconvenience, but could be a major problem, especially in the winter months. I understand there is a class action lawsuit against Subaru for battery problems. I just want to add one more log to the fire.

NHTSA ODI 11453491

Starting our 2017 Forrester has seemed sluggish recently, so we had the battery, starting system, and alternator checked. The starting system and alternator were in good working order. The battery's cold cranking amps (CCA) were below 400. The rated CCA for this battery is 525. It is less than 2 years old, but the check results indicated that it should be replaced. The check did reveal a "parasitic current drain" when the vehicle was turned off, which (most likely) has resulted in damage to the battery extensive enough to require replacement. To date, this has not left us stranded, but the potential for such an occurrence certainly exists. Further, there is a class action lawsuit concerning this issue currently making it's way through the court system. Originally, this lawsuit did not have any Forrester owners included. I plan to contact the law firm and be added.

NHTSA ODI 11450846

I filed a NHTSA report on 7/19/2021 about having to replace my 2017 Subaru Forester's battery for the 3rd time in a 4 year old vehicle. I now am submitting another Complaint as now that #3 battery (all installed by Subaru Dealers) has FAILED, with #3 battery only 10 months old with approximately 6,000 miles driven with that battery. At about 8 months after the new battery install (battery #3), I brought vehicle to Subaru saying problem with battery (told it was "good") to only have it FAIL approx. 6 weeks later. While at Dealership I telephoned Subaru Customer Care indicating that the statistical probability of 4 batteries FAIL in a 2017 vehicle (purchased NEW), is indicative of something WRONG WITH THE CAR. I'm exhausted of being told this happens to batteries. No, it doesn't. I bought a Subaru for reliability, but this battery failure rate is unacceptable. #FixTheBatteryProblemSubaru

NHTSA ODI 11450149

Battery dies often

NHTSA ODI 11448990

Excessive battery drain/replacement. I have had to replace the car's battery five times since purchasing the vehicle new in 2017. The newest replacement battery has lasted 3 months. The vehicle was brought to Subaru dealership at least on two occasions to evaluate/diagnose the problem and Subaru was unable to detect any problem with the electrical system/battery.

NHTSA ODI 11448689

The battery had died multiple times and we replaced it only to continue to have the problem. Dealer service says that we must be leaving the lights on or that we need to run the car more to recharge the battery. Being stranded in upstate NY with a dead battery in winter is a safety problem.

NHTSA ODI 11443560

New battery and multiple replacement batteries fail to keep the electrical system charged when the vehicle is turned off. intermittent problem that happens unexpectedly, causing the consumer to be stranded and incur costs for alternate transportation, new battery, and roadside assistance. Multiple class action suits against the company are ongoing.

NHTSA ODI 11443435

My 2017 Subaru Forester battery died in June 2019, leaving me stranded in a parking lot on a Sunday 50 miles from my home. The battery was still under warranty & was replaced by Subaru. I was told by the Service Manager that the batteries only last approximately 2 years. In early Oct 2021, my car sat idle for 10 days in the airport parking garage at JFK Int'l airport in NYC while I was away. When I returned home, the battery was dead, again stranding my approximately 50 miles from my home. I had to get a jump from a tow company who found that the red terminal on the battery was completely corroded. He advised that I would need to get a new battery when I returned home. I brought the car to Subaru the next day & was told by a tech in the service department that the battery was fine & was at 100% capacity but that the issue was a defective cable connected to the battery which they replaced. I had occasion to bring my Forester to Subaru for service yesterday (11/8/2021) and had the battery checked. This time a more thorough check was done & although the battery again tested at 100%, when it was checked for its capacity from a "cold start", it tested as weak. Again, Subaru replaced the battery.

NHTSA ODI 11439922

As far as I know, my vehicle is performing as designed, but I am quite serious in thinking this is a safety issue - the radio cannot be muted, or turned off, or the volume decreased, when the transmission in in Reverse, because of interference of its head unit with the backup camera. This is a hugely annoying distraction when trying to parallel park safely and quickly in dense urban settings. I want my backup lights on immediately, once I locate the parking spot I want, but time after time, I forget to turn off the radio before I start trying to park. I am the only owner of the car from new, and it now has about 69,000 miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11438887

Frequently, when I put the car in park and try to turn the key to off, it gets stuck. At this point you have to move the shifter into and out of gear many times to try to get the key to go to off. Sometimes the key will not go to off so you need to leave the key in the ignition. This is dangerous because the car can still be shifted into neutral and move at this point.

NHTSA ODI 11436692

Parasitic drag in Subaru Forester caused battery to die. Managed to get it jump started minutes before a downpour. Almost left my daughter and my wife stranded. A quick Google search showed this is a common enough problem amongst Subaru models so I decided to file a complaint as well

NHTSA ODI 11434792

The battery of our Subaru Forester 2017 has died three times from June 26, 2021 through August 20, 2021. Simply put, from one day to the next, the battery is suddenly drained of all its power. From July 2017 when we first leased the car through May 2021, we had no battery problems. The safety issue is one of personal safety -- that we can't depend on the car, so we hesitate to use it. We don't want to be stranded somewhere unexpectedly because the battery suddenly dies, especially after dark. Our Subaru dealership ran diagnostic tests today (August 23, 2021) and claimed there is no problem, that the draw on the battery is within acceptable parameters. They will continue to test it tomorrow, but from conversations with the tech manager today, I feel certain they will claim there is no problem. The solution the technician suggested is that we drive the car more frequently. But our use of the car has been consistent since we first leased it. There must be a reason that the battery was fine for 48 months and now suddenly loses power unexpectedly and repeatedly. We understand from internet research we did today that this kind of battery problem is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit here in New Jersey against Subaru for several of their models from the years 2015-present. We think Subaru ought to be more forthright about the issue and do what's right for their customers. Please help us.

NHTSA ODI 11430194

I'm having trouble removing the ignition key even with the car in PARK and pressing on the brake pedal, on level ground. It's intermittent and both keys are involved. The steering wheel still moves freely. The car is out of warranty and I have not asked a dealer about it. I belong to a Subaru Forester user group and it seems to be a fairly common problem. This could endanger me if I wanted to exit the vehicle quickly and couldn't remove the key. A carjacker could still start it just fine. No notices appear on the dashboard relating to this.

NHTSA ODI 11429307

Battery Drain / Passive / When Vehicle is Parked The NEW battery drains passively when the car is parked. Will not start and needs a jump. This cycle has ruined a brand new battery.

NHTSA ODI 11429125

The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the key remained stuck in the ignition after multiple attempts to shut-off the vehicle. The contact stated that he had to restart the vehicle or move the shift lever back and forth from the park position to release the key from the ignition. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the failure could be related to the shifter cable or the ignition switch. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

NHTSA ODI 11426473