2015 Subaru Forester Complaints

STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 07/13/2026

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 — Filed 06/30/2026

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 — Filed 06/01/2024

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 — Filed 04/01/2025

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 — Filed 06/10/2026

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 — Filed 05/25/2026

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 — Filed 04/30/2026

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 — Filed 05/01/2025

Front passenger airbag sensor light stays on continuously

POWER TRAIN — Filed 02/18/2026

Vehicle: 2015 Subaru Forester Mileage at Failure: 85,000 miles Component: Powertrain – CVT Transmission My 2015 Subaru Forester is experiencing a premature safety‑related CVT transmission failure at approximately 85,000 miles. The vehicle developed a pronounced whining noise that increases with vehicle speed, consistent with internal CVT bearing or pulley failure. This is a known defect pattern in Subaru Forester CVTs and is not related to maintenance or wear. The noise is continually progressing and the risk of sudden catastrophic failure makes the vehicle unsafe to operate. An authorized Subaru dealer and the District Parts & Service Manager (DPSM) both confirmed that the CVT has failed and requires full replacement. This failure occurred well within Subaru’s extended CVT warranty mileage limit of 100,000 miles, and matches the defect pattern Subaru acknowledged when it extended CVT coverage nationwide for this model. However, Subaru is refusing to replace the CVT due to the 10 calendar year extension expiration. Subaru’s maintenance schedule for this vehicle does not require any CVT fluid replacement interval, so there is no missed maintenance that contributed to the failure. A failing CVT creates a safety hazard due to to the risk of sudden loss of power, hesitation, or inability to accelerate. I am filing this complaint so NHTSA is aware of this premature CVT failure and the associated safety concerns of SOA's refusal to replace the CVT under their extended warranty.

ENGINE — Filed 03/23/2026

This has now happened twice to my daughter, both times on the highway. One time the car shut down completely and the 2nd time the car just started slowing while pressing the gas and coasted to a stop. Luckily she was able to avoid other cars and get to the shoulder. The car restarted both times...1st time after about an hour wait and 2nd time within minutes. Both incidents happened when the gas gauge was at 2 bars. I am terrified of this thing right now. No warning signs at all prior to the incident. I took it to the dealer after the first incident but they could not figure out what the problem was as they were not able to recreate the issue. This is an extremely unsafe issue and I am not sure what I should do next.