Model year record

2025 Subaru Forester

3 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 250 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 26V436000

Equipment: other: labels

Component
Equipment: other: labels
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
541,237
Reported to NHTSA
2026-07-07

Defect description

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."

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer remedy

Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.

Recall campaignNHTSA 25V419000

Child seat

Component
Child seat
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
2,938
Reported to NHTSA
2025-06-19
Owners notified
2025-07-17

Defect description

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles. The child seat anchor bolts may have been improperly tightened, allowing the bolts to come loose.

Safety risk

A loose child seat anchor bolt increases the risk of injury to a child during a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect the child seat anchor bolts and, if necessary, tighten the bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-25.

Recall campaignNHTSA 25V033000

Wheels

Component
Wheels
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
20,366
Reported to NHTSA
2025-01-23
Owners notified
2025-02-28

Defect description

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles equipped with 18" aluminum alloy wheels. The wheels may have been manufactured with an incorrectly specified lug seat surface, which can result in the wheel being improperly attached and cause a loss of vehicle stability.

Safety risk

A loss of vehicle stability increases the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the wheels, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRB-25.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Unknown or other38
Fuel/propulsion system26
Visibility/wiper241,000 mi
Electrical system16100 mi
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking14
Exterior lighting13
Forward collision avoidance: warnings10
Service brakes102,800 mi
Vehicle speed control101,200 mi
Air bags8
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control8
Fuel system, gasoline82,700 mi
Wheels8
Power train7
Back over prevention: warnings6
Engine6
Visibility: rearview mirrors/devices: exterior64,000 mi
Back over prevention: rearview system braking4
Back over prevention: automatic system braking2100 mi
Child seat2
Chest clip, buckle, harness2
Lane departure: assist2
Latches/locks/linkages2100 mi
Seat belts2
Seats2
Service brakes, hydraulic21,200 mi
Steering2
Structure: body2
Suspension2
Visibility25,700 mi
Visibility: rearview mirrors/devices2
Visibility: windshield24,000 mi

The 2024 model has 4 times as many complaints as this one. The 2026 model has 4 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.