UsedScore

2017 Subaru Forester: Use caution

Owners filed 369 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester in its first five years on the road, about 208 for every 100,000 sold: 1.9× the rate of a typical Forester year. That's above average, so use caution.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the air bags (25% of complaints, median 27,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.9×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Forester year
Rank
12th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
369
first five years; 208 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
1
campaign
4th generation, 2014–2018 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring

Photo: 2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring · Cutlass, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Air bags25% · 93 complaints · median 27,000 miles
  2. Visibility25% · 94 complaints · median 31,000 miles
  3. Electrical16% · 60 complaints · median 37,000 miles
  4. Speed control7% · 24 complaints · median 26,000 miles
  5. Engine9% · 32 complaints · median 17,000 miles
  6. Powertrain9% · 32 complaints · median 29,000 miles
  7. Brakes4% · 14 complaints · median 23,000 miles
  8. Seats and belts5% · 18 complaints · median 27,000 miles
  9. Steering4% · 13 complaints · median 24,000 miles
  10. Body and structure2% · 8 complaints · median 20,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Many owners of this Forester report the passenger airbag warning light coming on intermittently, showing the airbag as off even with someone seated there, sometimes for months while waiting on backordered parts. A few owners also describe crashes in which airbags failed to deploy at all.

Warning signs:
Owners notice the SRS warning light, an amber "passenger airbag off" indicator, and sometimes a passenger seatbelt warning appearing randomly while driving or at startup.
What shops did:
Dealers often reset codes or replaced the seat cushion, sensor mat, or occupant detection wiring harness, sometimes under a recall, though parts were frequently backordered and problems often returned.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 45,000 miles, among 81 complaints that give it

“The passenger airbag periodically turns off without notice. The airbag indicator light shows that there is an issue”

Electrical

Many 2017 Forester owners report their battery unexpectedly drains or dies, sometimes repeatedly even after replacement, leaving them stranded. Others describe the ignition key getting stuck and refusing to release after shifting into Park, which dealers sometimes tied to a service bulletin.

Warning signs:
Owners often notice sluggish starting, dashboard lights flickering or going black, and difficulty turning the key or shift lever before the failure occurs.
What shops did:
Dealers frequently replaced the battery, cables, or shifter guide plate, though many owners say the problem returned or could not be duplicated.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 50,000 miles, among 49 complaints that give it

“Battery drains so that car won't start. After having a new battery installed, the battery is still so weak that the car will not start”

“After driving the car and placing it in "park", the key could not be extracted from the ignition.”

Visibility

Owners describe windshields that chip or crack easily, sometimes with no visible impact, and cracks that spread quickly across the glass. Replacement often requires OEM glass and EyeSight camera recalibration, and some faced long part backorders or repeated cracking.

Warning signs:
Many report hearing a popping or cracking sound, or simply noticing a small chip or hairline crack that then spread rapidly across the glass within minutes, hours, or overnight.
What shops did:
Most owners had the windshield replaced, often with OEM Subaru glass requiring recalibration of the EyeSight camera system, sometimes facing long backorders; a few had chips repaired instead.
Mileage:
most between 15,000 and 50,000 miles, among 88 complaints that give it

“Got into the car, looked up, massive crack from the top edge down and across. There was no impact.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (1)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 19V701000October 2019366,282 vehicles

    Air bags: sensor: occupant classification

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.

    Risk: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Subaru sent NHTSA 443 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2017 Forester. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 15-308-23R · August 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to…
  • 15-304-22R · August 2026This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns.
  • Article Locator · August 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.
  • 15-333-25R · August 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure.
  • 16-156-25R · June 2026This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability.
  • 10-105-25R · March 2026This bulletin announces the new procedure and Warranty Fail Code for FirstTime air conditioning (A/C) performance concerns possibly resulting from an undetected A/C refrigerant leak.
  • 15-219-18R · March 2026This bulletin contains information to help when attempting to complete the STARLINK Telematics subscription process, an Error Code 202 and / or 204 may occur preventing the process from completing…
  • SubaruNet Announcement (A · March 2026This announcement provides information on the use of aftermarket services or tools for programming immobilizer keys/fobs.

All 2017 Forester bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2017 Subaru Forester reliable?
Owners filed 369 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester in its first five years on the road, about 208 for every 100,000 sold: 1.9× the rate of a typical Forester year. That's above average, so use caution. Ratings compare Forester years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2017 Forester problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the air bags (25%), visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (25%) and the electrical system (16%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2017 Subaru Forester been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 Subaru Forester, the most recent in October 2019 (air bags). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Subaru. The 2017 Subaru Forester on NHTSA.gov · How we rate