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Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2015 Subaru Forester

Verified July 23, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
3
on record
MPG
—
combined

Open recalls on record

3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Recalls3
Complaints613
Safety
Fuel

Vehicle Summary

2015 Subaru Forester

3 recalls
613 complaints
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Check all recalls are completed
Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
3
Owner complaints
613
Complaints citing a crash
53

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

3 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 19V149000high

    Brake system issue

    EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

    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.

  • 19V701000high

    Airbag system issue

    AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

    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.

  • 16V162000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

    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.

Consumer complaints

613 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

613
Total
53
Crashes
7
Fires
34
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE182
  • AIR BAGS101
  • OTHER72
  • SUSPENSION62
  • ELECTRICAL53

Notable Issues

613 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 34 reports involve injuries. 53 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)182
airbag concerns (warning light, deployment issues)101
miscellaneous issues72

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Unknown
Drive type
Unknown
Engine
0L 0-cyl
Fuel type
Unknown
Transmission
Unknown
Seats
0

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Data sources

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Subaru Forester years

Common problems

Subaru Forester problems

3,993 owner complaints analysed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 19V701000

    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.

  2. Recall

    Recall 19V149000

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

  3. Recall

    Recall 16V162000

    An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.