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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

What owners actually said

403 reports
91,000 miles · Aug 4, 2020
Air Bags

MY AIRBAG SRS POPPED UP WHEN ON A ROAD TRIP AND SAID THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS OFF SO I FREAKED OUT AS MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING AND THEN DRIVING BACK IT JUST TURNED OFF AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT SAID IT WAS ON. VERY WEIRD CALLED MY SUBARU AND CHARGED ME FOR THEM TO GO ON AND LOOK AND SAID IT WOULD BE OVER $1000 TO FIX BUT THEY REALLY…

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MY AIRBAG SRS POPPED UP WHEN ON A ROAD TRIP AND SAID THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS OFF SO I FREAKED OUT AS MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING AND THEN DRIVING BACK IT JUST TURNED OFF AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT SAID IT WAS ON. VERY WEIRD CALLED MY SUBARU AND CHARGED ME FOR THEM TO GO ON AND LOOK AND SAID IT WOULD BE OVER $1000 TO FIX BUT THEY REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE ISSUE WAS COMING FROM AND I WOULD BE OUT OF A CAR FOR A WEEK.

NHTSA ODI #11343171

121,425 miles · Jul 29, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineService Brakes

STARTED CAR ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND STARTED FLASHING OIL, AND,AWD, EMISSION CONTROL NEED TO BE CHECKED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR STAYS ON. HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A HOT DAY STOPPED TO GET GAS WHEN I STARTED THE CAR ALL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME I CHECKED GAS CAP IT WAS TIGHT, I STARTED DRIVING AND ALL…

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STARTED CAR ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND STARTED FLASHING OIL, AND,AWD, EMISSION CONTROL NEED TO BE CHECKED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR STAYS ON. HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A HOT DAY STOPPED TO GET GAS WHEN I STARTED THE CAR ALL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME I CHECKED GAS CAP IT WAS TIGHT, I STARTED DRIVING AND ALL THE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING

NHTSA ODI #11341975

50,000 miles · Jul 28, 2020
Suspension

FRONT WHEELS WOULD SHIMMY AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS FAILING FRONT LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #11341927

50,000 miles · Jul 18, 2020
Seats

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS LIT ON THE MAIN CLUSTER BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO ON THE CENTER DISPLAY. I BELIEVE THE SYSTEM IS FAULTY AND I'M SEEING AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. I'M WORRIED THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, I HAVE NEVER SPILLED FLUIDS ON …

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AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS LIT ON THE MAIN CLUSTER BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO ON THE CENTER DISPLAY. I BELIEVE THE SYSTEM IS FAULTY AND I'M SEEING AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. I'M WORRIED THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, I HAVE NEVER SPILLED FLUIDS ON THE SEATS WHICH SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PHRASE COMING FROM MECHANICS AT SUBARU SERVICE CENTERS. SUBARU SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SAFETY SYSTEMS. THEY SHOULD DIAGNOSE AND FIX THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT A PART THAT THAT EXPERIENCES WEAR AND TEAR LIKE BRAKE PADS. IF IT WAS, I'D HAPPILY PAY OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE. I DON'T WANT TO WAIT AND SEE IF AIRBAGS GO OFF IN AN ACCIDENT. SUBARU HAS ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL FOR 2015-2018 MODELS. THIS TELLS ME THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR AIRBAG SYSTEMS AND NEGLECTED TO ADDRESS ISSUES ON 2014 MODELS.

NHTSA ODI #11340120

84,000 miles · Jun 9, 2020
Unknown Or Other

THE KEY IS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION WHEN I GO TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. OF COURSE THE CAR IS STATIONARY AND IN PARK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11327999

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2020
Fuel System, GasolineSuspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN DRIVING AT 90 MPH DURING WINDY WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE 'CHECK FUEL' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MIKE SHAW SUBARU DEALER, LOCATED AT 1650 W 104TH AVE, DENVER, CO 80234 WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICAT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN DRIVING AT 90 MPH DURING WINDY WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE 'CHECK FUEL' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MIKE SHAW SUBARU DEALER, LOCATED AT 1650 W 104TH AVE, DENVER, CO 80234 WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11327728

35,000 miles · May 20, 2020
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

AIR CONDITIONING WORKS ONCE TURN ON CAR THEN AFTER DRIVING FOR 1ST FIVE TO TEN MINUTES, AIR CONDITIONING STOP WORKING, THIS ISSUE STARTED HAPPENING IN 2018. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11325267

30,000 miles · May 19, 2020
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT CRASHED INTO TWO POLES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIGHTLY 'HOP'. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI #11325134

44,700 miles · May 18, 2020
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

CAR ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE TO PARK MY CAR IN A PRIVATE COMPANY'S PARKING LOT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11325012

87,000 miles · May 17, 2020
Service BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrash

ACCELERATION WHILE BRAKING AND IT'S SPORADIC

NHTSA ODI #11324856

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