2023 Subaru FORESTER
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2023 Subaru FORESTER has 102 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: hit a deer the vehicle immediately was on fire and burnt to the ground. it had 3000 miles on it. ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.
102
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.3x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
OTHER
19 complaints- • Hit a deer the vehicle immediately was on fire and burnt to the ground. It had 3000 miles on it
- • Spontaneous windshield crack. I parked car in garage overnight. In the morning, there was a spontaneous crack on passenger side. Not sure if it is related to using car heater for the very first time 2 days prior to the spontaneous crack. The vehicle is 8 months old with 10,000 miles
- • Car only has 6,000 miles,had 2 tiny stones hit the windshield and put 2 pebble sized holes in windshield, got those fixed and a week later another stone hit and now it has a quarter size chip,hole ,never had any other car i owned have this happen too,I would think a #1 safety rated manufacturer woul
“Hit a deer the vehicle immediately was on fire and burnt to the ground. It had 3000 miles on it”
— NHTSA complaint filing
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS
18 complaints- • Forward collision braking activated for no reason. No traffic in front or behind when activated. Steady speed of 35-40 mph when activated - conditions were clear and dry. No warning prior to incident, message appeared on dash during braking. Seat belts activated and car came to a complete and very a
- • Hit a deer the vehicle immediately was on fire and burnt to the ground. It had 3000 miles on it
- • We were traveling on a limited access highway at approximately 65 miles an hour. Both the adaptive cruise control and the driver assist were engaged. A car approximately four car lengths ahead of us exited the highway into the breakdown lane. My car slammed on its brakes and reduced speed to less th
“Forward collision braking activated for no reason. No traffic in front or behind when activated. Steady speed of 35-40 mph when activated - conditions were clear and dry. No warning prior to incident, message appeared on dash during braking. Seat belts activated and car came to a complete and very a”
— NHTSA complaint filing
VISIBILITY
12 complaints- • Near-immediate chip in the windshield my first time taking this vehicle on the interstate about 50 miles into a 800 mile weekend road trip.
- • Cracked windshield. Full length. No apparent or known impact.
- • I believe Subaru STILL has issues I've found when researching them before I bought my vehicle, about weak windshields. I purchased a new 2023 Subaru Forester Wilderness just a little over a week ago. I was driving to the dealership to drop off some papers, leaving plenty of room around me, and som
“Near-immediate chip in the windshield my first time taking this vehicle on the interstate about 50 miles into a 800 mile weekend road trip.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
8 complaints- • The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle accelerated unintendedly, and drove over a concrete curb and uphill toward a building. The contact quickly made a right turn, however, the fender and driver's side o
- • If you have the adaptive cruise control (or regular cruise if you disable adaptive) and accelerate to pass another vehicle, as soon as you take your foot off the gas to coast back down to the cruise setting the car slams on the brakes to bring the vehicle back to the set speed. I have almost been re
- • The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while in a parking lot, the contact depressed the brake pedal and attempted to shift into gear and the vehicle accelerated inadvertently, jumped a curb, and crashed into a tree. The contact was able to put the vehicle in reverse; howev
“The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle accelerated unintendedly, and drove over a concrete curb and uphill toward a building. The contact quickly made a right turn, however, the fender and driver's side o”
— NHTSA complaint filing
AIR BAGS
7 complaints- • I purchased a new Subaru Forester on February 3, 2023 from Cross Creek Subaru in Fayetteville NC. I noticed that the passenger air bag was off at times with my wife in the passenger seat. I made an appointment to have this fixed, The air bag was always on for her in my F150, Honda CRV and all
- • The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side occupant sensor failed to recognize a petite, smaller individual seated in the front passenger’s seat. The dealer was notified of failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not
- • The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side occupant sensor failed to recognize a petite, smaller individual seated in the front passenger’s seat. The dealer was notified of failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not
“I purchased a new Subaru Forester on February 3, 2023 from Cross Creek Subaru in Fayetteville NC. I noticed that the passenger air bag was off at times with my wife in the passenger seat. I made an appointment to have this fixed, The air bag was always on for her in my F150, Honda CRV and all ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 102 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐OTHER: Hit a deer the vehicle immediately was on fire and burnt to the ground. It had 3000 miles on it
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: Forward collision braking activated for no reason. No traffic in front or behind when activated. Steady speed of 35-40 mph when activated - conditions were clear and dry. No warning prior to incident, message appeared on dash during braking. Seat belts activated and car came to a complete and very a
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐VISIBILITY: Near-immediate chip in the windshield my first time taking this vehicle on the interstate about 50 miles into a 800 mile weekend road trip.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle accelerated unintendedly, and drove over a concrete curb and uphill toward a building. The contact quickly made a right turn, however, the fender and driver's side o
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Subaru FORESTER — Year Comparison
How does 2023 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 102
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 6
- Crash reports
- 8
- Injury reports
- 4
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2023 Subaru FORESTER