USED VEHICLE RESEARCH

2015 Subaru Forester

Is This A Good Car? organizes available NHTSA-derived research for the 2015 Subaru Forester. This page includes owner complaint records, safety recall campaigns, manufacturer communications, defect investigations, and information about the completeness of the available evidence.

DATA CONFIDENCE: Moderate

Owner complaints

613NHTSA records

Recall campaigns

3Year, make and model lookup

Manufacturer communications

0Matched NHTSA records

Investigations

0Matched NHTSA records

EVIDENCE AVAILABILITY — NOT VEHICLE RELIABILITY

DATA CONFIDENCE

Moderate

Data Confidence measures how much usable evidence CarIQ has for this vehicle. It does not measure how reliable the vehicle is.

Why this rating?
Owner complaint data
Available
Manufacturer communications
Available
Recall data
Available
Investigation data
Available
Production denominator
Unavailable
Complaint component completeness
100%
Mileage completeness
0%
Incident-date completeness
100%

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYTICS

DATA INSIGHTS

Derived from official NHTSA source records. These statistics are descriptive and are not a reliability score.

Complaint records analyzed
613
NHTSA complaints
Most reported component
Engine
21% of categorized complaint records
Top-three component concentration
47%
Records mentioning at least one top-three component
Median reported incident mileage
Not available from current source
0 valid mileage observations
Recall campaigns
3
NHTSA recalls
Most recent recall report
October 3, 2019
NHTSA recalls
Manufacturer communications
0
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Most documented component
Not available
NHTSA manufacturer communications
Top-three communication concentration
Not available
Share of categorized manufacturer communications

SOURCE COMPLETENESS

DATA QUALITY

Complaint records analyzed
613
Component classification available
100%
Incident date available
100%
Mileage available
0%
Structured outcome fields available
100%

Completeness describes fields present in the retrieved complaint records. It is not a data-quality grade or a vehicle assessment.

Learn about CarIQ methodology

PRODUCTION-ADJUSTED DESCRIPTIVE METRIC

NORMALIZED COMPLAINT CONTEXT

Production-normalized complaint data is not currently available for this vehicle.

This metric compares the number of NHTSA owner complaint records retrieved by CarIQ with NHTSA-reported production volume for the corresponding vehicle population.

It is not a vehicle failure rate. Complaint reporting behavior, vehicle age, time on the road, production definitions, and other factors can affect the result.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Early Warning Reporting, Light Vehicle Production Data. Read the methodology.

OFFICIAL NHTSA OWNER COMPLAINT DATA

OWNER-REPORTED COMPLAINTS

TOTAL COMPLAINTS613

COMPONENT CATEGORIES

Engine131 complaints
21%of categorized complaint records
Air Bags101 complaints
16%of categorized complaint records
Power Train95 complaints
15%of categorized complaint records
Electrical System82 complaints
13%of categorized complaint records
Unknown or Other73 complaints
12%of categorized complaint records
Vehicle Speed Control70 complaints
11%of categorized complaint records
Suspension66 complaints
11%of categorized complaint records
Fuel/propulsion System55 complaints
9%of categorized complaint records
Service Brakes36 complaints
6%of categorized complaint records
Visibility/wiper23 complaints
4%of categorized complaint records
Seats22 complaints
4%of categorized complaint records
Structure20 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Wheels20 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Steering19 complaints
3%of categorized complaint records
Exterior Lighting15 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)14 complaints
2%of categorized complaint records
Seat Belts9 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Forward Collision Avoidance8 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Engine and Engine Cooling5 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Tires5 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Visibility5 complaints
1%of categorized complaint records
Equipment2 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Lane Departure2 complaints
0%of categorized complaint records
Air1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Back Over Prevention1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Equipment Adaptive/mobility1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Fuel System1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Gasoline1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Hydraulic1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Latches/locks/linkages1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records
Traction Control System1 complaint
0%of categorized complaint records

A complaint may list more than one component and therefore contribute to multiple categories. Percentages show the share of categorized complaint records that mention each component—not the percentage of vehicles affected. Category percentages may overlap.

INCIDENT REPORTS BY YEAR

2014
23
2015
45
2016
46
2017
44
2018
65
2019
130
2020
69
2021
55
2022
50
2023
35
2024
25
2025
17
2026
9

Grouped from complaint records with a valid incident date.

RECENT OWNER COMPLAINTS

Structure · Unknown or Other · Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11750125
Crash reported
Read complaint narrative

I was parking at the dentist office in their parking lot going slow, turned into a parking space and thought i was slowly braking but my car lunged forward and hit a tree. I would normally be minimally braking, so I'm not sure what happened but it was sudden. I could have hit the gas pedal but i would have pressed it a lot I think for the sudden lunge to happen.

Service Brakes · Hydraulic · Power Train

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11748724
Read complaint narrative

The contact's spouse owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop or at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended. The Hill Assist and Automatic Transmission Oil Temperature warning lights flashed, and the ABS, Traction Control, and VDC warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off to cool down on each occurrence. After approximately 45 minutes, the vehicle was restarted and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

Air Bags

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11747820
Read complaint narrative

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated, and the air bag module warning light was illuminated. The air bag occupant classification system was not operating as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and an occupant detection system malfunction code was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V701000 (Air Bags); as a possible cause for the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,684.

Air Bags

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11746865
Read complaint narrative

Codes for B1760 and B1650 present, intermittent SRS light for the passenger airbag. Passengers put at risk in event of crash. SRS sensor issues seem to be common for this vehicle according to online databases and dealership technicians.

Wheels

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11745979
Read complaint narrative

2 REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED ON LOW MILAGE VEHICLE.ALTHOUGH CAR IS 10 YEARS OLD IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS 57K MILES ON OD.nEVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR IN WATER. PERHAPS WORSE THREE STUDS AND LUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SNAPPING OFF. APPARENTLY THIS IS COMMON AS THE SAME STORY WAS TOLD TO OTHERS WAITING AT DEALERSHIP

Structure

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11740025
1 reported injury
Read complaint narrative

Subaru part # 63269SG002 "hatch lift support / stay tailgate (rear gate, right)". Pin that attaches hydraulic lift to rear tailgate snapped in half when closing trunk - available for inspection. Lift extended fully, preventing closure of rear tailgate. Failure left tailgate solely held up with (1) remaining lift which could not fully support weight, letting door sag/droop and causing injury to scalp of (1) person. A 4 year old child was not injured, but was present - safety was at risk based on proximity to the door at the time of failure. Dealer advised no active recalls open on vehicle 5/26/26. Manufacturer does appear to have issued service bulletin 12-289-20 in 2020 providing warranty extension for this component. Component was not inspected. No warnings or symptoms were observed - corrosion noted on attachment point of life gate after removal.

Power Train · Unknown or Other · Engine

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11735015
Read complaint narrative

I was pulling into a parking spot almost stopped when the vehicle suddenly surged forward. I slammed on the brake and put the car in reverse since it had driven upon the walkway. This happened earlier today and I plan to have it checked out as soon as possible . Never have had this problem before, no warning lights or messages.

Air Bags

Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11732834
Read complaint narrative

Front passenger airbag sensor light stays on continuously

NHTSA complaints are reports submitted by vehicle owners and other consumers. Complaint counts do not represent the percentage of vehicles affected and do not by themselves establish that a safety defect exists.

A higher complaint count can partly reflect how many vehicles were sold, vehicle age, and other factors. CarIQ does not yet normalize complaint counts by vehicles sold.

Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This site is not endorsed by NHTSA.

OFFICIAL NHTSA MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION DATA

MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS

TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS0

No NHTSA manufacturer communication records were returned for this year, make, and model.

Manufacturer communications include service bulletins and other technical information submitted by manufacturers to NHTSA. The existence or number of communications does not establish how often a condition occurs or whether an individual vehicle will experience it.

Some manufacturers may issue more detailed service documentation than others, so communication counts should not be used alone to compare vehicle reliability.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration manufacturer communications

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS

TOTAL INVESTIGATION RECORDS0

No applicable NHTSA defect investigation records were returned for this year, make, and model.

NHTSA investigations evaluate potential motor-vehicle safety defects. The existence of an investigation does not by itself establish that a safety defect exists, and the absence of an investigation does not establish that a vehicle is problem-free.

Open and closed describe NHTSA's process status, not a CarIQ reliability judgment.

View official NHTSA investigation data ↗

DESCRIPTIVE SOURCE OVERLAP

CROSS-SOURCE VEHICLE DATA

CarIQ compares categories appearing across independent NHTSA datasets. Overlap can help identify areas with more available documentation, but it does not establish defect frequency or prove that an individual vehicle will experience a problem.

ComponentOwner complaintsManufacturer communicationsRecall campaignsNHTSA investigationsOfficial sources containing records
Engine1310001 of 4
Air Bags1010001 of 4
Power Train950001 of 4
Electrical System820001 of 4
Unknown or Other730001 of 4
Vehicle Speed Control700001 of 4
Suspension660001 of 4
Fuel/propulsion System550001 of 4
Service Brakes360001 of 4
Visibility/wiper230001 of 4

Displayed first by the number of source categories containing the component, then by owner complaint count, then alphabetically. This is a presentation rule, not a vehicle ranking. Complaint reports, manufacturer communications, recalls, and investigations describe different events and are never added into a combined total.

complaint
Available
communication
Available
recall
Available
investigation
Available
production
Unavailable

OFFICIAL NHTSA SAFETY RECALL DATA

SAFETY RECALLS

3 recall campaigns found

01AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATIONCampaign 19V701000October 3, 2019

Summary

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.

Safety Consequence

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.

Remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

02EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCHCampaign 19V149000February 28, 2019

Summary

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.

Safety Consequence

Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

03ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGERCampaign 16V162000March 21, 2016

Summary

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.

Safety Consequence

An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall results shown here are based on year, make, and model. A specific vehicle may or may not be affected. Check the vehicle's VIN with NHTSA to confirm open recalls before purchasing. Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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