Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 98 safety complaints
about the 2022 Subaru Forester with the US government. Of those, 8 describe a crash, 6 mention a fire, 5 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the power train.
The most complained-about system is visibility and the wipers,
named in 20 complaints, 20% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 5,500 miles,
the median across the 14
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers February 2022 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
98 complaints on file
98
Complaints
8
Describe a crash
6
Mention fire
5
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
Complaints rose by half year on year: 17 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 9 in the twelve before.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
VISIBILITY/WIPER 20 · 20%
20 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 18 · 18%
18 18%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 15 · 15%
15 15%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10 · 10%
10 10%
ENGINE 10 · 10%
10 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 10 · 10%
10 10%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 9 · 9%
9 9%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 8 · 8%
8 8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 · 7%
7 7%
AIR BAGS 4 · 4%
4 4%
POWER TRAIN 4 · 4%
4 4%
VISIBILITY 4 · 4%
4 4%
01223
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 98.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2022 at 37.
40 30 20 10
222022232023242024252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2022 Subaru FORESTER, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
16.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Recall campaigns
1 on file
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
The risk
An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 95,830 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
2 injured · crash · towed · 1,800 miles
The contact owned a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while slowing pulling into the parking space the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and drove over a curb and traveled up a hill before crashing into a tree. During the crash neither the driver nor passenger-side air bags deployed. The driver and front passenger sustained chest injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. A police report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the incident. The failure mileage was 1800.
NHTSA complaint 11467960. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
2 injured · crash · towed
I was trying to make a right turn but when I pressed the brake pedal it did not work. This caused me to hit another vehicle.
NHTSA complaint 11523500. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
1 injured · crash · towed
The contact owned a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH the accelerator pedal remained depressed which caused her to crash into a stone wall. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The driver sustained injuries to her back, legs, and a tooth. Medical attention was needed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint 11540819. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
fire · crash · towed
My wife was driving our 2022 Subaru forester and I was following her in a second vehicle on the way to the airport for our honeymoon. The road we were on had a steep incline and then smoothed out to a plateau. At approximately 4:30am, 100 yrds from the top of the hill, a deer ran out in front of the Subaru. We both travelling at around 50mph. Before striking the deer my wife was able to slam on the brakes and attempt to swerve, but she still struck the deer with the front left portion of the Subaru. She immediately pulled off to the side of the road and I pulled in behind her. I ran to her car and saw that airbags had deployed and there was fire leaking out of the car in the center of the …
NHTSA complaint 11528568, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
On two occasions now, one on XXX and another in XXX our vehicle initiated a pre collision breaking sequence with no visible object in our path. On XXX this occurred while turning off of a main road into a shopping center located on route XXX in [XXX]. I was traveling at about 15-20mph with no cars in front of me. The vehicle displayed a pre- collision warning and the vehicles breaks locked up. No injuries but I had both my children with me in the car and we were all quite shaken up. The event in XXX happened while my husband was traveling on climax rd in [XXX]. On a sunny day with no one ahead of him traveling at about 45mph the same pre collision warning happened and the breaks locked up …
NHTSA complaint 11763953, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
The affected product is a Kuat Sherpa 2.0 hitch-mounted bicycle rack (2-bike, [1.25" / 2"] receiver), purchased new in January 2023, mounted on a 2022 Subaru Forester. On two occasions in the past several months, the front ratchet/hook arm that secures the front wheel released on its own while the vehicle was in motion, allowing the bicycle to come off the tray. On July 17th 2026, at approximately 15 mph on a gravel driveway, the bike released and was retained only by the rear wheel strap. On August 26th 2026, at approximately 15 mph, the bike released again and was retained only because a supplemental lock cable was attached; the bike ended up on the ground behind the vehicle with the rack …
NHTSA complaint 11759893, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
On 8/15/2026 my car's EyeSight system falsely automatically engaged Pre-Collision Braking on a clear road with no cars, obstacles or potholes ahead, on a sunny day, accelerating at 10–15 mph from a traffic light stop. The car was brought to an abrupt stop with no warning beeps from the Eyesight system that are supposed to precede its activation. This event almost caused a chain-like rear end collision involving 2-3 cars behind my car. On 8/19/2026 a Subaru dealership scanned for DTC codes, found none, stated that since no codes were found,there is no problem found. Dealership did not offer to recalibrate the Eyesight system or do any additional diagnostic work.
NHTSA complaint 11758116. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
We are experiencing the exact same problem as the recall Under NHTSA Campaign No. 23V755000 (Subaru recall code WRQ-23) for an ineffective weld leading to moisture affecting the backup camera and dashboard lights. However, our VIN is NOT included in the recall.
NHTSA complaint 11756597. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
While driving my 2022 Subaru Forester, the factory EyeSight autonomous safety system completely failed and disabled itself permanently. The total system shutdown caused an immediate loss of Pre-Collision Emergency Braking, Lane Change Detection, and Adaptive Cruise Control, creating an active highway safety hazard. A subsequent diagnostic scan by an authorized retailer confirmed hard fault code B1402, indicating that the internal factory camera software permanently corrupted itself and erased its own model code data profile. The manufacturer has issued TSB 07-225-24 to address this exact internal memory logic crash, but is currently refusing to replace this critical, failed safety system on …
NHTSA complaint 11749419, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
51,000 miles
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed inhibitor switch. The contact was informed that the inhibitor switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact was informed that parts were on back order. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
NHTSA complaint 11746009. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed November 9, 2023.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst