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2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
94 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Visibility & wipers problems dominate (26% of complaints).
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#182 of 410Among the 2022 models with a matured record, the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness ranks #182, scoring higher than 52% of them. See the 2022 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2022 Subaru Forester SUV AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 17%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Visibility & wipers (24) · Driver assistance (13) · Electrical system (10) · Engine (10)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Visibility & wipers
26%24 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“I was driving to work in the morning and was going down a slow side street when I heard a soft noise behind me. When I looked in my rearview I noticed that my back win…”
Driver assistance
14%13 complaints · 8 in the last 2 years
“While driving my 2022 Subaru Forester, the factory EyeSight autonomous safety system completely failed and disabled itself permanently. The total system shutdown cause…”
Electrical system
11%10 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a service appointment, the contact was advised that the batter…”
Engine
11%10 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“I hit a deer going 45 mph, the air bags deployed, and my engine caught on fire. Within 10 minutes my car burned to the ground.”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 94 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 11 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (1)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Power Train · 23V755000
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Subaru before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report visibility & wipers problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any visibility & wipers symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report driver assistance problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any driver assistance symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2022 Subaru FORESTER WILDERNESS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2022? See how every Forester Wilderness model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.