2026 Subaru Forester: Too new to judge

1. Electrical26% · 9 complaints
2. Driver assistance23% · 8 complaints
3. Visibility23% · 8 complaints
4. Body and structure11% · 4 complaints
5. Fuel and propulsion9% · 3 complaints
6. Powertrain6% · 2 complaints
7. Brakes3% · 1 complaints
8. Engine3% · 1 complaints
9. Doors and latches3% · 1 complaints
10. Lights3% · 1 complaints

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.

• NHTSA 26V685000October 20268 vehicles

  Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint

  NHTSA advisory: do not drive until repaired

  Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek and Forester vehicles. The castle nut on the left-front lower control arm ball joint may be improperly fastened, which can lead to the ball joint separating from the lower control arm.

  Risk: A ball joint that separates from the lower control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed.

• NHTSA 26V436000July 2026541,237 vehicles

  Equipment: other: labels

  Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."

  Risk: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge.

• NHTSA 26V346000May 202669,663 vehicles

  Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly

  Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Forester and Forester Hybrid vehicles. The sliding glass panel of the power moonroof assembly may have been improperly bonded to the sliding frame, allowing the glass panel to detach from the vehicle.

  Risk: A detached glass panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect the power moonroof glass panel for proper adhesion and, if necessary, replace the glass panel assembly, free of charge.

• NHTSA 25V889000December 20255,603 vehicles

  Structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments

  Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Forester vehicles. These vehicles may have been manufactured with an incorrect and/or incorrectly oriented rear hatch support bracket which can detach without prior warning.

  Risk: A rear hatch support bracket that detaches can allow the rear hatch to fall unexpectedly during use and increase the risk of injury.

  Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear hatch support brackets and, if necessary, replace the stay and support bracket, 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.

Subaru sent NHTSA 100 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2026 Forester. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

• SubaruNet Announcement (T · October 2026This is an update announcement regarding the TechShare & NorthStar Integration - CVT Diag.
• 18-247-26 · October 2026This Service Information Bulletin announces Service Manual updates for the diagnosis of hands-free calling and voice recognition concerns.
• SubaruNet Announcement (S · October 2026This announcement provides information on the connected services platform for Subaru EVs.
• 15-344-26 · October 2026This bulletin provides a step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles.
• 15-304-22R · October 2026This Service Information Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns.
• SubaruNet Announcement (Q · October 2026This announcement provides information on DCM replacememts due to a parasitic draw.
• 18-246-26 · October 2026This Bulletin procedure announces a revised diagnostic procedure for DTC B28A6 INTERNAL STEREO CAMERA COMMUNICATION.
• 19-06-26 · October 2026This bulletin announces that reprogramming files are available for the Hybrid/EV Powertrain Control Module.

All 2026 Forester bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2026 Subaru Forester reliable?

The 2026 Subaru Forester has been on the road for 13 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 0.9× the rate other Forester years drew in their first 13 months, per vehicle sold. 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 2026 Forester problems?

Owners' complaints most often involve the electrical system (26%), driver-assistance features and cameras (23%) and visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (23%). A complaint can name more than one area.

Has the 2026 Subaru Forester been recalled?

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2026 Subaru Forester, the most recent in October 2026 (suspension). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.