Skip to content

Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2017 Subaru Forester

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

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
1
on record
MPG
—
combined

Open recalls on record

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

Recalls1
Complaints579
Safety
Fuel

Vehicle Summary

2017 Subaru Forester

1 recall
579 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
1
Owner complaints
579
Complaints citing a crash
39

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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

1 Recall 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

1 NHTSA campaign affecting this model year.

  • 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.

Consumer complaints

579 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

579
Total
39
Crashes
1
Fires
27
Injuries

Most reported components

  • AIR BAGS161
  • VISIBILITY111
  • OTHER86
  • ENGINE79
  • ELECTRICAL69

Notable Issues

579 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 27 reports involve injuries. 39 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

airbag concerns (warning light, deployment issues)161
visibility issues (wipers, defrost, mirrors)111
miscellaneous issues86

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. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE19009

    Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure

  2. 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.

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE19009

    Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure