What 207 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Subaru Forester Wilderness

My Subaru Forester has a significant safety defect. If my web searches are representative this software problem affects multiple models and years of Subaru. I have addressed this problem with the local dealer, Subaru America, and Subaru Japan and have been told "that is the way it was designed and it is supposed to do that." As you may imagine that is not a satisfactory answer to a significant safety issue; I can only imagine Ford saying the Pinto was designed with a gas tank that explodes in a collision or a more recent Takata claiming that their seatbelts were designed that way. So here is the problem in a nutshell (and I have a host of Emails from various levels of Subaru if you want the details of how I have attempted to get them to address the issue.) There is a sensor on the gas cap that detects if it is not fully closed since that is a pollution control issue. (More on that later) When that sensor is activated, it disables the Subaru Eyesight system and when the Eyesight system is disabled it disables every safety feature except the seatbelt and it lights up the dash with a dozen alarms none of which have anything to do with the gas cap. That takes down collision avoidance, lane changing, and autodim headlights among others. It also wants you to check the engine and consult the users manual. None of that has anything to do with the actual situation. Now I have taken the car to the dealer who assures me it is operating as designed and there is no fault in the sensor. When you close the gas cap there are audible clicks and as a 190 pound man I can assure you that the cap is fully closed when I close it. But on a random basis the dashboard lights up despite the fact that the gas cap is fully engaged and the safety systems become disabled. Usually it stays lit up until I refill the tank, but its behavior is not predictable - occasionally it just resets as I drive. Besides the obvious hazard of having safety systems which do not work, havi

NHTSA ODI 11738084

I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding repeated, severe, and dangerous malfunctions of the vehicle's engine Start/Stop (Idle Stop) feature. The system is failing to operate as intended, resulting in the engine stalling while the vehicle is in motion or under crucial driving circumstances, creating significant safety hazards. History of Incidents I have experienced four separate incidents where the engine unexpectedly stalled or shut down, creating extreme risk: Incident 1 (Railroad Tracks): The engine stopped while I was actively driving over railroad tracks. The car stalled on the tracks, and within seconds of the engine restarting, the crossing gates came down and a train passed. I narrowly avoided being hit by the train, missing the impact by approximately ten seconds. Incident 2 (Heavy Traffic/Bridge): During heavy, back-to-back traffic as a bridge (PGA bridge) was opening, the car momentarily stopped and then resumed movement. The unpredictable stopping motion created a severe risk of being rear-ended, as the following vehicle would have had difficulty anticipating the sudden, unintended stop. Incident 3 (December 2025): While taking a right turn, the engine stopped suddenly, with dash lights blinking, during only a slight pause in vehicle movement. This occurred while the vehicle was still maneuvering. Incident 4 (The following day): The engine stopping malfunction described in Incident 3 occurred again the next day. Attempted Repair and Ongoing Concern Two years ago, the dealership installed a new battery following the first two incidents. However, the problem has now recurred this week (December 2025). The dealership has informed me that using a third-party device to permanently disable the Start/Stop function would void the powertrain warranty. Causing Mechanical Stress: I believe the continuous, potentially faulty activation is putting unnecessary stress on the battery, electrical system, and engine components, which may ultimately shor

NHTSA ODI 11702915

After arriving home from a short drive to the grocery store I parked my car in the drive way and went inside. On the drive home I could hear a low humming coming from the speakers and the car was decelerating when the accelerator was not being pressed, no warning lights or sounds came on. About 10 minutes after I parked a neighbor knocked on the door letting me know my car was smoking from inside the hood. Within a minute or 2 the entire hood of the car was engulfed in flames. The entire front half of the car burned to a crisp, the fire also burned half a tree. The car was burning so hot that it melted the hood of the car, had I parked it with the hood facing my house my house would have caught fire. The problem has not been reduced or confirmed by dealer or independent service. The vehicle is being stored by the insurance and for the time being is accessible for investigation. Because I was having trouble with the infotainment system, the humming coming from the speakers, and a recent warranty extension by from Subaru for the infotainment system due to known issues I suspect that the fire was caused by electrical issues.

NHTSA ODI 11681870

On August 12, 2025, at approximately 10:16 AM, while driving at normal speed on CR-43 NW southbound just past Minnesota Ave in Big Lake, MN, my Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist System, specifically the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) / Pre-Collision Braking System, suddenly activated without warning and with no obstacle present. The braking was abrupt and unnecessary, causing the vehicle behind me to nearly rear-end mine. Road conditions were clear, dry, and unobstructed, with no pedestrians, vehicles, or hazards in my lane. This appears to have been a “false positive” from the AEB system. This sudden stop placed both my safety and the safety of other drivers at serious risk, and in different circumstances could have caused a collision resulting in injury or death. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center because Subaru requires a $200 diagnostic fee, which I have not paid. The vehicle has not been inspected by Subaru, police, insurance, or any other parties for the same reason. No warning lamps, error messages, or other indicators appeared prior to the incident. All systems appeared to be functioning normally before the unexpected braking occurred. I am concerned this defect persists beyond 48,000 miles, outside the limits of prior settlements, and believe Subaru should issue a recall covering all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage, to prevent potential crashes.

NHTSA ODI 11680124

Vehicle unexpectedly brakes for no apparent reason, has almost caused us to be rear ended. Subaru inspected vehicle, says the Eyesight ADA camera needs to be replaced at our cost. This vehicle is only 4 years old and has 38,000 miles. This is clearly a safety defect.

NHTSA ODI 11680144

Was stopped at traffic light. Start Stop system was engaged. Engine turned off as normal. When I took my foot off the brake the engine did not engage and the Eyesight warning light came on that the Eyesight system was not functioning. Put the car in park and engaged the ignition button and the engine started. Turned off the Start Stop system and the car functioned normally after that. Have read postings on Subaru forum that this has happened to others.

NHTSA ODI 11654189

**Component Malfunction**: The windshield developed cracks shortly after purchase, which expanded without impact, affecting visibility and causing the Safety Eyesight system to malfunction. **Safety Risk**: The expanding crack impaired vision and led to safety system malfunctions, posing a risk to driver and passenger safety. **Problem Reproduction**: It is unclear if the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. **Inspection Status**: The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. **Warning Signs**: There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure; the issue appeared in the first week after purchase.

NHTSA ODI 11617156

I’ve owned the vehicle under a year and am already on my second window replacement. I drive the same route everyday and ever experienced windows cracking in any other vehicle before this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11598420

The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the automatic emergency braking system activated, bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.

NHTSA ODI 11560155

Braking system sometimes is activated by a sign on the side of the road, by a tree if we are turning, or nothing at all. Nearly in 2 rear end collisions when the system activated incorrectly. We cannot drive into our garage with the system activated...brakes keep slamming on. The only safe way to operate this subaru is to manually turn it off every time we start the car. Subaru dealership states it cannot recalibrate the eyesight system as it does not have that ability. Dealership is in Corvallis oregon. Lane notification system also has issues in construction zones (it tries to steer the car into the water barriers marking the lane changes. At least the side warning system can be permanently disabled. We have filed many complaints with subaru to no avail. Promised return phone calls never happen, phone transfers to their technical department result in dropped calls. This system is dangergous!!!

NHTSA ODI 11522161

The first incident occurred when I drove into a parking space, applied the brakes, and the car suddenly sped forward, so I had to repeatedly jam on the brakes to make the car stop. Fortunately, no person or vehicle was directly in front of me. In the past week, we have experienced problems with the ADAS. We were backing into a parking space at night and made contact with a parked car. Our car made no warning sounds or lights to warn us. The following day, the blind spot detector light went on and off intermittently, sometimes with an exclamation point, and sometimes without an exclamation point. The lights on the mirror did not come on when cars were approaching from behind. We are making an appointment with the dealer ASAP.

NHTSA ODI 11510842

It was a very cold night on Dec. 21, 2022. I traveled out of town. I don't recall seeing or hearing anything hit my windshield. However, on Dec. 22, 2022 when I got back in my car, I noticed a very long scratch across the windshield. It is now Mar. 1, 2023 and it has gotten much worse. I am unsure how to go about getting it fixed because I cannot pay for the repairs.

NHTSA ODI 11509755

My Forester needed new tires at 13,250 miles. I had my tires rotated and that is when Subaru noticed the worn tires. I called Subaru Corporate and they informed me that do not replace tires. I bought new tires and then went to have a wheel alignment. The technician told me he could do the alignment but he couldn't adjust the Lane assist diagnostic or the VDC and other safety features. Now I am unsure what to do. I have tried to resolve this with Subaru of America without resolution. Hopefully, you will be able to help me. Why are Subaru dealers not doing these adjustments? Thanks for your help with this serious situation. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11504436

Purchased brand new from dealer. Less than 3 months later a tiny pebble came up and hit the center of the windshield, immediately you could see an indentation and a spider web. Now the whole windshield has multiple spider web cracks. The splits go from edge of driver's side all the way to edge of passenger side of the car. As well as 3 separate rings going around center indentation. Only had the car 3 months when this occured. Have had 3 instances that I could not start the car. Now the cigarette lighter charge port will not work. Moon roof malfunctioning and will not close sometimes when fully opened. Now I am having issues with the brakes sticking. It's 1 year old and this is way too many issues for a brand new car! Never again!

NHTSA ODI 11458296

1. July 15, 2021 the brakes didn’t fully engage three times. Twice within 30 minutes while driving to work and once on my drive home. 2. Unknown 3. Yes. Car was at dealership put through all kinds of tests and field engineer checked it out. They had me come out on Monday, 9 August and drive it with the head mechanic while hooked up to a computer trying to see if the problem replicated. 4. Yes. 5. Yes. Eyesight technology picked up there was a problem – light came on, a text and an email were sent to me. Subaru got the message too. A specific issue was not identified at that time. Vehicle was towed to dealership three days later. Subaru’s field engineer was called into examine vehicle. Apparently, he saw something he didn’t like on a reading – it had to do with the AEB-autonomous emergency braking system. Dealership replaced the entire braking system and returned the car to my driveway on Monday, 16 August. I bought this car in February 2021 after much research to include the NHTSA recommendations.

NHTSA ODI 11438965

Rock damage to windshield. Subaru advises to replace with OEM glass to guarantee safety systems operate correctly making this a safety issue. The problem is that Subaru windshields are back ordered. There are two problems here. First, Subaru windshields are very susceptible to damage, perhaps more than others. Second, Subaru fails to maintain critical safety system parts.

NHTSA ODI 11438070

While driving down a two-lane road at 50-55 mph, the car started beeping and said "obstacle detected" despite there being *no* cars in front of, to the side of, or to the rear of me. Also, there was *nothing* on the road (no roadkill, litter, or other debris). Immediately upon beeping, the speed abruptly dropped from 50 to below 15 in a matter of milliseconds. Had there been a car behind me, they would've either rear-ended me or had to swerve (possibly into oncoming traffic), and had the road been wet or slippery, I would've likely spun out, possibly into oncoming traffic. Had the incident occurred on the interstate, it is entirely possible that I could've been rear-ended by a driver traveling at full speed. Again, all of this over no physical obstacle and with nobody around. This isn't the first time that the crash mitigation system has been activated over no observable obstacle (in fact, similar incidents have happend at least thrice), but this resulted in the most severe and abrupt change in velocity and was particularly concerning due to the high likelihood that it could cause an accident if the event had occurred with someone behind me. Since the incident happened maybe two hours ago, it has yet to be inspected and it didn't cause an accident, but I no longer wish to own the vehicle as it's clearly not safe for passenger travel.

NHTSA ODI 11433404