2012 Subaru FORESTER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Subaru FORESTER has 140 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: when turning off engine, loud rapid pinging noise from front of the car for about 20 minutes. per subaru home office this is normal. per manager of subaru service dept it is normal. i was told it was the guards around the catalytic converter - that they get very hot from the catalytic converter and. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 21 crash reports 11 injuries

140

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

29 complaints

21%

• WHEN TURNING OFF ENGINE, LOUD RAPID PINGING NOISE FROM FRONT OF THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. PER SUBARU HOME OFFICE THIS IS NORMAL. PER MANAGER OF SUBARU SERVICE DEPT IT IS NORMAL. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE GUARDS AROUND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER - THAT THEY GET VERY HOT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD INDEPENDENTLY DISABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING ACCORDING TO STANDARD
• THE ENGINE CONSUMES TOO MUCH OIL FOR SUCH A RELATIVELY NEW & LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE 2ND COMPLAINT TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS CONCERN. EACH TIME THE ENGINE OIL IS CHECKED THE DIPSTICK WOULD NOT REGISTER ANY OIL READING. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALER CHANGED THE OIL & FILTER UNDER WARRANTY A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WHEN TURNING OFF ENGINE, LOUD RAPID PINGING NOISE FROM FRONT OF THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. PER SUBARU HOME OFFICE THIS IS NORMAL. PER MANAGER OF SUBARU SERVICE DEPT IT IS NORMAL. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE GUARDS AROUND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER - THAT THEY GET VERY HOT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

20 complaints

14%

• ME AND MY 12 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WERE DRIVING 20MPH DOWN A SMALL HILL,A LADY PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF US,I HIT THE BRAKES,WHICH LOCKED UP AND WE SLID SO I LET OFF THEM IMMEDIATELY,THE ROADS WERE ICY AND SNOWY,SO WE GAINED A LOT OF VELOCITY,WE MISSED HITTING HER BUT WENT SIDEWAYS,A LITTLE AIRBORN AND HIT
• I RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER FROM SUBARU AMERICA, WHO DESCRIBED TERRIFYING CONSEQUENCES ABOUT THEIR DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. HOWEVER, WHAT THEY COULD DO AT THE MOMENT IS JUST TO ADVICE NOT LETTING ANYONE RIDE ON THAT SIDE BEFORE REPAIR. THERE WAS NOT EVEN A DEADLINE FOR SUCH A REPAIR. THIS I
• TAKATA RECALL--JUST RECEIVED A NOTICE TODAY IN THE MAIL, MARCH 20, 2017, FROM SUBARU THAT MY FORESTER HAS A DEFECTIVE "PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIRBAG CONTAINING...AMMONIUM NITRATE." I AM ADVISED IN THIS LETTER OF THE DANGER THIS PRESENTS, AND THAT "PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME" AND MIGHT NOT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“ME AND MY 12 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WERE DRIVING 20MPH DOWN A SMALL HILL,A LADY PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF US,I HIT THE BRAKES,WHICH LOCKED UP AND WE SLID SO I LET OFF THEM IMMEDIATELY,THE ROADS WERE ICY AND SNOWY,SO WE GAINED A LOT OF VELOCITY,WE MISSED HITTING HER BUT WENT SIDEWAYS,A LITTLE AIRBORN AND HIT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

18 complaints

13%

• WHILE DRIVING ON A MAIN ROUTE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KICKED ON AND PROCEEDED TO FLASH WHILE THE STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON DISABLING THE TRACTION CONTROL. THIS LASTED APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS, ALL LIGHTS KICKED OFF AND SEEMED OKAY. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED ONLY NOW
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAINTAINED THE SAME SPEED ONCE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT C
• MY FORESTER HAS HAD THE ISSUE OF MISFIRING ON THREE OCCASIONS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE FIRST TWO, NOW THEY TELL ME I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THEY CREATE A COMPUTER UPDATE, THAT MY CAR HAS A "GLITCH IN THE COMPUTER". MY CRUISE CONTROL BECOMES DISABLED, WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIG

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 11 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING ON A MAIN ROUTE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KICKED ON AND PROCEEDED TO FLASH WHILE THE STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON DISABLING THE TRACTION CONTROL. THIS LASTED APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS, ALL LIGHTS KICKED OFF AND SEEMED OKAY. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED ONLY NOW”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

15 complaints

11%

• OUR FORESTER HAS AN INCONSISTENT BRAKE PEDAL. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL IS FIRM AND RESPONSIVE. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL GOES TOWARDS THE FLOOR BEFORE IT RESPONDS. WE NEVER KNOW HOW FAR IN THE PEDAL WILL GO. THUS FAR THE BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS WORKED BUT EXTRA TIME AND DISTANCE ARE NEEDED TO STOP. THE PROBLEM IS I
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE CONTACT APPLIED REPEATED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT THEN APPLIED THE EMER
• TL* I RECEIVED AN IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE (1ST NOTICE) FOR MY 2012 SUBARU FORESTER REGARDING POTENTIAL BRAKE LINE CORROSION. IT COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID IMPAIRING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STOP THE CAR BY INCREASING BRAKING DISTANCE. IN THE 1ST NOTICE SUBARU AGREED TO INSPECT AND REPA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“OUR FORESTER HAS AN INCONSISTENT BRAKE PEDAL. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL IS FIRM AND RESPONSIVE. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL GOES TOWARDS THE FLOOR BEFORE IT RESPONDS. WE NEVER KNOW HOW FAR IN THE PEDAL WILL GO. THUS FAR THE BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS WORKED BUT EXTRA TIME AND DISTANCE ARE NEEDED TO STOP. THE PROBLEM IS I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

10 complaints

• 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UNLESS HE DROVE THE VEHICLE REGULARLY, OR STARTED IT AND LET THE ENGINE IDLE, THE COMPLEX OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS WOULD RUN DOWN THE BATTERY TO A NO START AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ALL SYSTEMS WOULD BE DEAD.
• 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION. THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER, AT WHICH TIME, THEY DIAGNOSED THE I
• WHILE IDLING IN A PARKING LOT, MY FORESTER CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT QUICKLY. SO, THE DAMAGE WAS FORTUNATELY ISOLATED TO THE LOCATION WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. IT SEEMS THAT THE CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE WIRING HARNESS AND ONE OF THE O2 SENSORS ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IGNITED. THE FIRE BURNED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“2012 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UNLESS HE DROVE THE VEHICLE REGULARLY, OR STARTED IT AND LET THE ENGINE IDLE, THE COMPLEX OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS WOULD RUN DOWN THE BATTERY TO A NO START AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ALL SYSTEMS WOULD BE DEAD. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 140 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: WHEN TURNING OFF ENGINE, LOUD RAPID PINGING NOISE FROM FRONT OF THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. PER SUBARU HOME OFFICE THIS IS NORMAL. PER MANAGER OF SUBARU SERVICE DEPT IT IS NORMAL. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE GUARDS AROUND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER - THAT THEY GET VERY HOT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: ME AND MY 12 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WERE DRIVING 20MPH DOWN A SMALL HILL,A LADY PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF US,I HIT THE BRAKES,WHICH LOCKED UP AND WE SLID SO I LET OFF THEM IMMEDIATELY,THE ROADS WERE ICY AND SNOWY,SO WE GAINED A LOT OF VELOCITY,WE MISSED HITTING HER BUT WENT SIDEWAYS,A LITTLE AIRBORN AND HIT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: WHILE DRIVING ON A MAIN ROUTE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KICKED ON AND PROCEEDED TO FLASH WHILE THE STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON DISABLING THE TRACTION CONTROL. THIS LASTED APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS, ALL LIGHTS KICKED OFF AND SEEMED OKAY. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED ONLY NOW
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: OUR FORESTER HAS AN INCONSISTENT BRAKE PEDAL. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL IS FIRM AND RESPONSIVE. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL GOES TOWARDS THE FLOOR BEFORE IT RESPONDS. WE NEVER KNOW HOW FAR IN THE PEDAL WILL GO. THUS FAR THE BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS WORKED BUT EXTRA TIME AND DISTANCE ARE NEEDED TO STOP. THE PROBLEM IS I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)