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2014 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forester years

Owner complaints for the 2014 Subaru Forester are substantially higher than the model-year median of 131.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

298 reports with mileage · 105 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Suspension. Review the 94 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

48 crash reports3 fire reports18 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2024
Seat Belts

While driving the seatbelt above the driver side shoulder came disconnected and fell into the driver lap. There was no warning, no alarms nothing. The casing and everything came off with it. I was able to screw the bolt back in, but thought Subaru needed to take a look because I’ve never had this happen nor did I think this was …

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While driving the seatbelt above the driver side shoulder came disconnected and fell into the driver lap. There was no warning, no alarms nothing. The casing and everything came off with it. I was able to screw the bolt back in, but thought Subaru needed to take a look because I’ve never had this happen nor did I think this was common. I thought they would want to Loctite the bolt down as a permanent solution. They initially told me to bring the car down and they would take care of it right away. They said they’d secure it in place and fix it but when I arrived they did not fix it, instead they wanted me to pay for it. They will only warrantee the seatbelt material and nothing more. No one has inspected it. I had a friend tighten the bolt down and of course now I’m worried and I am checking the other seatbelts. I would never think it would rattle loose. Driving 55 miles an hour to have your seatbelt suddenly nonexistent is very scary and still makes me extremely paranoid to drive the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11617385

72,500 miles · Sep 20, 2022
Air BagsBack Over PreventionSeat Belts

The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while reversing, the Back Over Prevention screen failed to display an image. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The contact also stated that after starting the vehicle or while driving at various speeds, the front passenger’s side seat bel…

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The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while reversing, the Back Over Prevention screen failed to display an image. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The contact also stated that after starting the vehicle or while driving at various speeds, the front passenger’s side seat belt and air bag warning lights would illuminate without an occupant seated in the seat. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V701000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 72,500.v

NHTSA ODI #11485551

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2021
Air BagsSeat BeltsSeats

OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) MALFUNCTIONING. PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON WHILE THERE IS NO ONE (AND NOTHING) ON THE SEAT, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME TO OCCUR UNTIL SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED. SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) LIGHT APPE…

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OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) MALFUNCTIONING. PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON WHILE THERE IS NO ONE (AND NOTHING) ON THE SEAT, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME TO OCCUR UNTIL SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED. SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) LIGHT APPEARS ON DASHBOARD AND SHUTS DOWN AIRBAG SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. THESE THINGS OCCUR SOMEWHAT RANDOMLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, CONTINUE WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AND HIGHWAY, AND DON'T GO AWAY UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. SOMETIMES RESTARTING THE CAR WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT MY FORESTER TO THE DEALERSHIP BACK IN 2017 AND THEY REPORTED THAT THE SENSORS OF THE ODS SYSTEM WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACES. COST ESTIMATE IS ABOUT $1,100. THEY SAID THE LIKELY CAUSE IS MOISTURE OR THE SEAT GOT WET. I LIVE IN A DRY CLIMATE AREA AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE SEATS WET AT ALL RECENTLY (AND BARELY EVER IN THE PAST). THROUGH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN THE 2015-2018 MODELS AND THERE IS A RECALL (WUM-98) FOR THOSE YEARS. MY FORESTER IS A 2014 AND IS OF THE SAME GENERATION BUT ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR SOME REASON. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE 2014 MODEL SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IF THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING? APPRECIATE ANY HELP AND INSIGHT YOU CAN OFFER!

NHTSA ODI #11405258

98,000 miles · Jan 26, 2021
Air BagsSeat BeltsSeats

OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) MALFUNCTIONING. PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON WHILE THERE IS NO ONE (AND NOTHING) ON THE SEAT, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME TO OCCUR UNTIL SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED. SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) LIGHT APPE…

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OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) MALFUNCTIONING. PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON WHILE THERE IS NO ONE (AND NOTHING) ON THE SEAT, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME TO OCCUR UNTIL SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED. SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) LIGHT APPEARS ON DASHBOARD AND SHUTS DOWN AIRBAG SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. THESE THINGS OCCUR SOMEWHAT RANDOMLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, CONTINUE WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AND HIGHWAY, AND DON'T GO AWAY UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. SOMETIMES RESTARTING THE CAR WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT MY FORESTER TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY (1/26/2021) AND THEY REPORTED THAT THE SENSORS OF THE ODS SYSTEM WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACES. COST ESTIMATE IS ABOUT $1,100 AND I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE PART GETS SHIPPED IN. THEY SAID THE LIKELY CAUSE IS MOISTURE OR THE SEAT GOT WET. I LIVE IN A DRY CLIMATE AREA AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE SEATS WET AT ALL RECENTLY (AND BARELY EVER IN THE PAST). THROUGH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN THE 2015-2018 MODELS AND THERE IS A RECALL (WUM-98) FOR THOSE YEARS. MY FORESTER IS A 2014 AND IS OF THE SAME GENERATION BUT ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR SOME REASON. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE 2014 MODEL SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IF THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING? APPRECIATE ANY HELP AND INSIGHT YOU CAN OFFER!

NHTSA ODI #11390092

135,000 miles · Oct 4, 2020
Air BagsElectrical SystemSeat Belts

MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER HAS RECENTLY STARTED HAVING WARNINGS ABOUT SRS. PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER IS SEATED AND THEREFORE THE AIRBAG IS 'OFF' EVEN IF SEAT IS OCCUPIED. BOTH FRONT SEATS ARE HEATED AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT LEAD TO A RECALL FOR 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. PLEA…

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MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER HAS RECENTLY STARTED HAVING WARNINGS ABOUT SRS. PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER IS SEATED AND THEREFORE THE AIRBAG IS 'OFF' EVEN IF SEAT IS OCCUPIED. BOTH FRONT SEATS ARE HEATED AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT LEAD TO A RECALL FOR 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. PLEASE EXTEND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE 2014 MODELS. VERY UNSAFE AND COSTLY ($900-$1,200 ACCORDING TO OTHER COMPLAINTS) TO REPAIR THIS SENSOR IN ORDER TO HAVE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OPERATIONAL. PASSENGER SEATBELT WARNING ALSO OCCASIONALLY COMES ON EVEN IF THERE IS NO ONE SITTING IN SEAT.

NHTSA ODI #11362602

65,000 miles · Sep 3, 2019
Air BagsSeat BeltsSeats

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG COMPUTER, RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT, YELLOW PASSENGER AIRBAG "ON/OFF" LIGHT, SEAT BELT WARNING AND CHIME. AIR BAG DISABLED WARNING INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHEN PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED, SEAT BELT FASTENED, CAR OUT OF GEAR…

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FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG COMPUTER, RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT, YELLOW PASSENGER AIRBAG "ON/OFF" LIGHT, SEAT BELT WARNING AND CHIME. AIR BAG DISABLED WARNING INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHEN PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED, SEAT BELT FASTENED, CAR OUT OF GEAR, STATIONARY. SOMETIMES STOPPING ENGINE, KEY OFF AND REMOVED, THEN ENGINE RESTARTED WILL RESET THIS WARNING. OTHER TIMES DURING NORMAL DRIVING, PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED, SEAT BELT LATCHED, AIR BAG WARNING (RED) LIGHT WILL OCCURS AND YELLOW PASS AIRBAG ACTIVE LIGHT WILL INDICATE PASSENGER AIR BAG INACTIVE. WHEN FRONT PASS SEAT EMPTY OR WITH WEIGHT AS LIGHT AS 2 POUNDS ON THE SEAT, SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND CHIME COMES ON WHEN SPEED EXCEEDS 5 MPH. SOMETIMES THIS ALARM CAN BE RESET BY SHARPLY STRIKING SEAT, SOMETIMES NOT, AND TRIP MUST BE COMPLETED WITH THE SEAT BELT BUCKLED. IN THIS CASE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT USUALLY SHOWS INACTIVE. THE SEAT BELT ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, GETTING MORE FREQUENT. THE AIRBAG ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS, STARTING JUST AFTER THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH RECALL MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED AT SUBARU DEALER IN LAS VEGAS, NV.

NHTSA ODI #11252834

Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2015
Seat BeltsSeatsStructure

2014 SABARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SEAT HEAD REST, SEAT BELT AND REAR VIEW VISIBILITY ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS LIMITED REAR VIEW VISIBILITY WITH TWO LARGE BLIND SPOTS DUE TO A 64 SQUARE INCH HEAD REST. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT ANGLED FROM THE ROOF DIAGONALLY, THEREFORE LIMITING REAR VIEW …

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2014 SABARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SEAT HEAD REST, SEAT BELT AND REAR VIEW VISIBILITY ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS LIMITED REAR VIEW VISIBILITY WITH TWO LARGE BLIND SPOTS DUE TO A 64 SQUARE INCH HEAD REST. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT ANGLED FROM THE ROOF DIAGONALLY, THEREFORE LIMITING REAR VIEW VISION. THE CENTER HEAD REST WAS ONLY TWO INCHES HIGH, RATHER THAN THE LATERAL HEAD REST BEING EIGHT INCHES HIGH. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10805816

38,000 miles · Apr 23, 2015
Air BagsElectrical SystemSeat Belts

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, (APPROXIMATE 65 MPH) I GOT A MESSAGE ON THE CONSOLE THAT INDICATED THAT SRS SYSTEM HAD SHUT DOWN AND THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON. I DROVE IT HOME AND THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED IT, THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT WENT AWAY. THE NEXT DAY WHILE I WAS RIDING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE R…

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WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, (APPROXIMATE 65 MPH) I GOT A MESSAGE ON THE CONSOLE THAT INDICATED THAT SRS SYSTEM HAD SHUT DOWN AND THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON. I DROVE IT HOME AND THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I RESTARTED IT, THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT WENT AWAY. THE NEXT DAY WHILE I WAS RIDING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE RED AIRBAG LIGHT WENT OFF AND A NOTE ON THE CONSOLE SAID THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS NOT OPERATIONAL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SUBARU DEALER WHO COULD NOT RECREATE THE ISSUE AND TURNED THE CAR BACK TO US. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712377

14,000 miles · Jul 2, 2014
Air BagsSeat BeltsStructureCrash

I WAS TURNING LEFT ON AN ARROW AND A CAR RAN THE RED LIGHT RESULTING IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ME, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 3MPH AND HE WAS DRIVING 45MPH. HIS CAR WAS TOTALLED, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND ON FIRE. I HAD FRONT END DAMAGE AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT LOCK UP. AS A RESULT I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH …

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I WAS TURNING LEFT ON AN ARROW AND A CAR RAN THE RED LIGHT RESULTING IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ME, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 3MPH AND HE WAS DRIVING 45MPH. HIS CAR WAS TOTALLED, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND ON FIRE. I HAD FRONT END DAMAGE AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT LOCK UP. AS A RESULT I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY KNEE AND MY ANKLE GOT LACERATED AND BLUNT TRAUMA FROM THE BRAKE/ACCELARTATION PEDAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607764

Official recalls

2

19V149000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Feb 28, 2019

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.

Consequence & remedy

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.

13V159000 · Equipment

Apr 24, 2013

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle's clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace each of the vehicle's four (4) carpeted floor mats with new ones. These services will be performed free of charge. Subaru issued an interim notification during April 2013. Notification that the remedy is now available was mailed to owners on June 5, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQH-44.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems