Home · 2017 Subaru Forester · Complaints

What 577 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (577)Crash / fire / injury (45)Airbags (159)Visibility & wipers (115)Electrical system (105)Engine (46)Transmission & drivetrain (44)Speed control (33)Seats (31)Steering (24)Body & structure (15)Brakes (14)

14 of 577 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Apr 1, 2024AirbagsCrash2 injuries

The contact owned a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to make a left turn at an intersection, the contact observed there was a vehicle coming towards the intersection at high speeds. The contact stated that the stop light was green, however, the contact stopped the vehicle, and the vehicle coming towards the contact, depressed the brake pedal causing the vehicle to swerve and crash into the contact's vehicle on the front passenger's side at approximately 50 MPH. The contact stated that the vehicle spun around about 90 degrees. The air bags did not deploy, and no warning lights were illuminated. The contact sustained severe whiplash causing a concussion, crushed disc, ruptured at least 1 vertebrae, and spinal column nerve damage. The contact had been receiving medical treatment since the accident. The vehicle was towed to the tow company's storage lot. A police report was filed. The insurance company determined that the vehicle was a total loss. The other driver sustained severe burns when the air bags deployed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was in dealer mode, which did not allow warning lights to illuminate the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11580431

Jan 24, 2024BrakesAirbagsSpeed controlCrash1 injury

The contact owned a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that after driving into a parking space in a parking lot with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle jolted and veered to the right. The passenger's side of the vehicle hit the driver's side of another occupied vehicle. The other vehicle was scratched and there was no injury sustained. The contact stated she then reversed out of the parking space, and the vehicle made an abnormal growling sound. The vehicle then accelerated unintendedly while reversing. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal continuously but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact then shifted into drive (D), and the vehicle accelerated increasingly. The contact swerved and hit another unoccupied vehicle; however, the vehicle continued to accelerate unintendedly. The contact stated that she then attempted to drive into a tree to stop the vehicle, but a high curb caused the contact to miss the tree, and the vehicle crashed into an unoccupied vehicle that was parked behind the tree. The vehicle then stopped. The unoccupied vehicle then hit another vehicle, which caused a train of reaction that involved 6 unoccupied vehicles. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that an unknown rear tire blew out, and the vehicle was severely damaged. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The insurance company then towed the vehicle to another lot, where it was totaled. There was no police report filed. The contact sustained pain in the right SI joint and on the right leg. The contact stated that the incident might have intensified her pre-existing neck injury. The contact also sustained mental and emotional trauma. The contact received medical assistance and was undergoing physical therapy. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11567531

Nov 12, 2023AirbagsCrash1 injury

I was in an accident hit from left driver side and no deployment of airbags

NHTSA ODI 11554768

Oct 27, 2021AirbagsCrash1 injury

The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph the vehicle crashed into a second vehicle causing substantial front end damage to the vehicle. During the crash no airbags in the vehicle deployed. The driver sustained chest and rib injuries and was transported to the hospital. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified. The failure mileage was 33,000.

NHTSA ODI 11438409

Sep 28, 2021AirbagsCrash2 injuries

My vehicle was involved in a five car accident where is was completely destroyed and flipped upside and the two front airbags never deployed which caused head, back, and neck injuries to the two passengers that were in the two front seats. There was a recall on the the passenger front air bag which supposedly got fixed by Palm Springs subaru on July 13, 2020. This recall air bag never deployed during or after the major accident. I contacted the Subaru of America which they supposedly did an investigation on why the two front airbags did not deployed and they stated that there was not malfunction on either airbags which is hard to believe because my car was unrepairable because of the severe damages due to the accident. I would like this to be taken into consideration.

NHTSA ODI 11434793

May 20, 2021AirbagsCrash1 injury

Vehicle was struck by a dump truck traveling approximately 50 mph that ran a red light. Impact was on the front passenger side. Although, the collision was violent and there was substantial frontend damage, no airbags deployed. Driver was only occupant.

NHTSA ODI 11417894

Mar 2, 2021AirbagsCrash1 injury

2017 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHERE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WAS DESTROYED. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11398372

Mar 1, 2021AirbagsSpeed controlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP THE CEMENT BUMPER AND THE BUSHES IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL REVVING WHEN TURNED OFF AND PLACED IN PARK. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (CREWS SUBARU OF CHARLESTON 8261 RIVERS AVE, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29406; (843) 820-4200) WHO WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,050.

NHTSA ODI 11398519

Jan 28, 2021AirbagsCrash1 injury

MY NAME IS [XXX] ADDRESS: [XXX] E-MAIL: [XXX] CELL: [XXX] I AM THE FIRST AND THE ONLY OWNER OF THE CAR, SUBARU FORESTER PREMIUM, 2017. VIN [XXX] PURCHASED FROM REEDMAN TOLL SUBARU, LANGHORNE, PA, ON 03/2017, AS A BRAND NEW. CURRENT MILEAGE: 63000 MY CAR IS TOTALED, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS SERVICED BY SUBARU REEDMAN THIS SPRING D/T MANUFACTURER RECALL. I WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH ON MAJOR ROAD, HAVING THE RIGHT OF WAY. A DODGE TRUCK CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME, SPEEDING FROM A CROSS ROAD. MY CAR HIT RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF THE TRACK. MY CAR'S FRONT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, FRONT END PUSHED WELL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS WAS A FRONT TO SIDE IMPACT. ALL LIQUIDS LEAKED AWAY ON THE SPOT. BOTH HEAD LITES AND FOG LITES WERE TORN AWAY FROM MY CAR AND THROWN AROUND THE ROAD. BOTH RIGHT DOORS ARE HAVING DENTS, TOO. INSURANCE COMPANY, AAA, DECLARED TOTAL LOSS. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, NONE OF THEM. I SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH INJURY REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION AND INVESTING IN REHABILITATION MEASURES..... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11390587

Dec 1, 2019Electrical systemAirbagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash

ON OCTOBER 4, 2019 MY CAR WAS PARKED AND THE PASSENGER REAR BUMPER WAS HIT AND DAMAGED BY A SCHOOL BUS. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES TO GET FIXED AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. THE BSD/RCTA SENSORS ARE NOT WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS "FIXED" THIS ISSUE 4 TIMES NOW AND I AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A 5TH TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11283115

Nov 7, 2019AirbagsCrash2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A TRACTOR TRAILER COLLIDED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN A HILL SEVERAL TIMES AND THE FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONLY THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED AN INJURED LEFT HAND AND LEFT LEG AS WELL AS SHOULDER INJURIES. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD, RIGHT HAND, AND FACIAL LACERATIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. *DT *TR*JB

NHTSA ODI 11278623

Oct 1, 2019AirbagsBody & structureCrash1 injury

INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT THAT WAS WHERE THE SUBARU WAS T-BONED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. BOTH FRONT AND REAR DOOR AND ALL PANELING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. MY VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT 40MPH AND THE VEHICLE THAT HIT ME WAS GOING 20-30MPH AND ACCELERATING. *DT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11265346

Sep 30, 2019AirbagsSpeed controlCrash

2017 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE. THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11258139

May 16, 2017AirbagsSeat beltsSeatsCrash1 injury

DRIVER'S SUBARU WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A BOX TRUCK WHILE STATIONARY ON A HIGHWAY (DRIVER HAD STOPPED JUST SHORT OF A MULTI-CAR COLLISION BUT THE BOX TRUCK BEHIND HER WAS UNABLE TO STOP); BOX TRUCK PUSHED THE SUBARU INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. DRIVER'S SEATBELT WAS ON, BUT DRIVER'S CHEST STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND HER HEAD POSSIBLY HIT THE SIDE WINDOW. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEATBELT DID NOT STOP DRIVER FROM STRIKING STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, THE EMPTY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT ROCKETED FORWARD ON ITS RAILS ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT, AND AT LEAST THREE HINGES FLEW OFF THE PASSENGER SEAT RAIL MECHANISM.

NHTSA ODI 10986045

Working with the data? Download all 577 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2017 Subaru Forester verdict →