2026 Subaru Forester Safety Overview
The 2026 Subaru Forester has been closely monitored for safety issues.
Official NHTSA Recalls
The NHTSA has issued 5 official safety recalls for this vehicle. Key affected components include:
- Equipment:other:labels
- Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
- Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments
Severe Defect Warnings
Notably, some of these defects carry severe risks, such as an incorrect gawr label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Consumer Complaints
Consumers have also filed 24 safety complaints.
Common areas of concern reported by owners include brakes and engine.
Why It Matters
Staying informed about these safety records is critical for Subaru Forester owners to ensure ongoing reliability and safety on the road. Always consult an authorized dealer for official remedy repairs.
Latest Vehicle Recalls
Subaru of America, Inc.
An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA Recall 26V436000: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the... Check affected vehicles and find your free remedy.
Subaru of America, Inc.
A detached glass panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
A safety recall has been issued concerning visibility:sun/moon roof assembly. Subaru of America, Inc. If ignored, adetached glass panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.. To fix this, dealers will inspect the power moonroof glass panel for proper adhesion and, if necessary, replace the glass panel assembly, free of charge.
Subaru of America, Inc.
A detached glass panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
A safety recall has been issued concerning visibility:sun/moon roof assembly. Subaru of America, Inc. If ignored, adetached glass panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.. To fix this, dealers will inspect the power moonroof glass panel for proper adhesion and, if necessary, replace the glass panel assembly, free of charge.
Subaru of America, Inc.
A rear hatch support bracket that detaches can allow the rear hatch to fall unexpectedly during use and increase the risk of injury.
A safety recall has been issued concerning structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments. Subaru of America, Inc. If ignored, arear hatch support bracket that detaches can allow the rear hatch to fall unexpectedly during use and increase the risk of injury.. To fix this, dealers will inspect the rear hatch support brackets and, if necessary, replace the stay and support bracket, free of charge.
Subaru of America, Inc.
A rear hatch support bracket that detaches can allow the rear hatch to fall unexpectedly during use and increase the risk of injury.
A safety recall has been issued concerning structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments. Subaru of America, Inc. If ignored, arear hatch support bracket that detaches can allow the rear hatch to fall unexpectedly during use and increase the risk of injury.. To fix this, dealers will inspect the rear hatch support brackets and, if necessary, replace the stay and support bracket, free of charge.
Recent Complaints
Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
"I was merging into a road in Windsor, Ontario on July 3/4. I was nowhere near another vehicle. There was a LARGE gap between myself in any other cars. I am always extra cautious being out of country and driving. The automatic brakes kicked on and told me I had an obstruction ahead and would not let me control the vehicle. I was stopped turning into the middle of a five-lane road without control of my vehicle. This was incredibly dangerous. Luckily, it was only a few seconds and I had time to move before other cars got to me but it was a much closer call than it should have been."
Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
"I was merging into a road in Windsor, Ontario on July 3/4. I was nowhere near another vehicle. There was a LARGE gap between myself in any other cars. I am always extra cautious being out of country and driving. The automatic brakes kicked on and told me I had an obstruction ahead and would not let me control the vehicle. I was stopped turning into the middle of a five-lane road without control of my vehicle. This was incredibly dangerous. Luckily, it was only a few seconds and I had time to move before other cars got to me but it was a much closer call than it should have been."
Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"Got in the car around 8am. Sat down, shut the door and then BOOM! The rear hatch glass shattered into a thousand pieces. Nothing touched nothing hit it , it just shattered. Luckily no one was in the back seat. Brought it to the dealer. Interesting , at the exact time I pulled into the dealer another Forestef arrived with the EXACT SAME problem!"
Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"Got in the car around 8am. Sat down, shut the door and then BOOM! The rear hatch glass shattered into a thousand pieces. Nothing touched nothing hit it , it just shattered. Luckily no one was in the back seat. Brought it to the dealer. Interesting , at the exact time I pulled into the dealer another Forestef arrived with the EXACT SAME problem!"
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
"Infotainment center had popup ad about Sirius xm trial ending soon and a phone number to call to extend. Had to hit small x in the corner to disable while vehicle in motion or have no access to air, radio controls, or see map."
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
"Infotainment center had popup ad about Sirius xm trial ending soon and a phone number to call to extend. Had to hit small x in the corner to disable while vehicle in motion or have no access to air, radio controls, or see map."
Component: VISIBILITY/WIPER
"In early April 2026 I after washing the auto I noticed a chip in the windshield on the passenger side. I was shocked-normally if the windshield is hit hard enough to chip the drive notices it-I am the only drive and I was totally unaware of any such strike (auto had about 2000 miles on it). Then, May 30th as I exited a highway midway up the ramp going ~40-45 mph behind another auto going the same slow speed with 1-1.5 car length between us, something struck my windshield and immediately the strike had clearly broken the windshield just below the driver's direct line of sight and put a thorough 'star' the size of a nickel coin. There did not appear to be any debris on the road nor off or out of the auto in front of me. (There was not a vehicle ahead of that auto that would have generated this strike.) I feel I may be unsafe in this auto if its windshield cannot hold up under minor strikes such as this. When I called the auto repair center recommended by my automobile dealer they told me they’d already had 14 Subaru windshields call to schedule repairs this week (it was only Tuesday. This is a modest sized single location windshield repair shop)."
Component: VISIBILITY/WIPER
"In early April 2026 I after washing the auto I noticed a chip in the windshield on the passenger side. I was shocked-normally if the windshield is hit hard enough to chip the drive notices it-I am the only drive and I was totally unaware of any such strike (auto had about 2000 miles on it). Then, May 30th as I exited a highway midway up the ramp going ~40-45 mph behind another auto going the same slow speed with 1-1.5 car length between us, something struck my windshield and immediately the strike had clearly broken the windshield just below the driver's direct line of sight and put a thorough 'star' the size of a nickel coin. There did not appear to be any debris on the road nor off or out of the auto in front of me. (There was not a vehicle ahead of that auto that would have generated this strike.) I feel I may be unsafe in this auto if its windshield cannot hold up under minor strikes such as this. When I called the auto repair center recommended by my automobile dealer they told me they’d already had 14 Subaru windshields call to schedule repairs this week (it was only Tuesday. This is a modest sized single location windshield repair shop)."
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"Brand new 2026 Forester's factory amplifier system completely failed within a week from purchasing at approximately 570 miles, disabling hands-free communication. California law strictly requires drivers to use phones in a hands-free manner. Drivers are prohibited from holding or physically touching their phone for any reason while operating a vehicle."
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"Brand new 2026 Forester's factory amplifier system completely failed within a week from purchasing at approximately 570 miles, disabling hands-free communication. California law strictly requires drivers to use phones in a hands-free manner. Drivers are prohibited from holding or physically touching their phone for any reason while operating a vehicle."
Component: POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
"Vehicle stopped at light,auto start stop engine off,stepped on gas to go engine didn’t restart,my passenger and I jumped out and grabbed a Noco GB40 jump box I carry and jump started car,we were on a road trip out of town and could not wait for the dealership so finished our trip with the auto start stop turned off and if we had a problem starting used the jump box."
Component: POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
"Vehicle stopped at light,auto start stop engine off,stepped on gas to go engine didn’t restart,my passenger and I jumped out and grabbed a Noco GB40 jump box I carry and jump started car,we were on a road trip out of town and could not wait for the dealership so finished our trip with the auto start stop turned off and if we had a problem starting used the jump box."
Component: VISIBILITY/WIPER
"I was working on fitting a cargo box on the crossbars the dealer had recently installed and noticed a milky white discoloration and moisture in the front driver's corner of the moonroof. I arranged for an appointment at the dealer who confirmed the glass had delaminated. They happened to have a replacement in stock and replaced it under warranty."
Component: VISIBILITY/WIPER
"I was working on fitting a cargo box on the crossbars the dealer had recently installed and noticed a milky white discoloration and moisture in the front driver's corner of the moonroof. I arranged for an appointment at the dealer who confirmed the glass had delaminated. They happened to have a replacement in stock and replaced it under warranty."
Component: VISIBILITY
"Drivers side mirror vibrates making changing lanes a Safty issue as the approaching vehicle is not a clear visual to operator"
Component: VISIBILITY
"Drivers side mirror vibrates making changing lanes a Safty issue as the approaching vehicle is not a clear visual to operator"
Component: VISIBILITY
"On the first day of receiving the car the windshield looked clear by day but it had little specks and lines like dust when driven at dusk and night of the first day it was driven. I brought it back to the dealer, they replaced it with a new one, and the problem persists. A clear windshield is much safer than one with specks."
Component: VISIBILITY
"On the first day of receiving the car the windshield looked clear by day but it had little specks and lines like dust when driven at dusk and night of the first day it was driven. I brought it back to the dealer, they replaced it with a new one, and the problem persists. A clear windshield is much safer than one with specks."
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
"The gps/map display, displays the wrong speed, on some traffic circles it directs me to go around in the wrong direction. The auto vehicle uses the speed limit from the installed map to display the speed limit on the main dash between the tach and speedometer. Both conditions could easily cause and accident. Contacted the manufacturer, the corporate headquarters, my dealership where I purchased the vehicle, and Tomtom in the Netherlands. None will assist in the correction of the issue. Tomtom did commit to investing the issue after I gave them the specific locations, but they closed my record/complaint file. On fb, I see a good many people complain about the same issues and also that they can't get sny help from the dealership, like me, to resolve the issue. Please help the all consumers to be able to purchase a new car that is functioning as advertised and to be confident that they will be safe when driving the highways."
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
"The gps/map display, displays the wrong speed, on some traffic circles it directs me to go around in the wrong direction. The auto vehicle uses the speed limit from the installed map to display the speed limit on the main dash between the tach and speedometer. Both conditions could easily cause and accident. Contacted the manufacturer, the corporate headquarters, my dealership where I purchased the vehicle, and Tomtom in the Netherlands. None will assist in the correction of the issue. Tomtom did commit to investing the issue after I gave them the specific locations, but they closed my record/complaint file. On fb, I see a good many people complain about the same issues and also that they can't get sny help from the dealership, like me, to resolve the issue. Please help the all consumers to be able to purchase a new car that is functioning as advertised and to be confident that they will be safe when driving the highways."
Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
"[XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] VIA CERTIFIED MAIL – RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Compliance Division (NVS-210) 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 Wednesday, May 6, 2026 RE: SAFETY DEFECT COMPLAINT – 2026 Subaru Forester VIN: [XXX] Honorable, Eileen Sullivan Associate Administrator, Enforcement I am filing this formal safety defect complaint regarding my 2026 Subaru Forester. A pedestrian incident occurred on February 2, 2026, in which the vehicle failed to warn or brake automatically when a pedestrian crossed in front of my car. Additionally, the Subaru EyeSight system does not remain enabled between ignition cycles. Every time I start the car, I must manually re-engage the system. Consequently, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is not active by default during ordinary driving and will reverts to off (not remain enable) when I am driving . I believe this poses an unreasonable risk to pedestrian and occupant safety. I am aware of prior investigations (e.g., NHTSA Action Number PE23010 and related lawsuits) involving Subaru EyeSight failures, including lack of braking for obstacles. Vehicle Information: Year: 2026 Make: Subaru Model: Forester VIN: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)"
Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
"[XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] VIA CERTIFIED MAIL – RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Compliance Division (NVS-210) 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 Wednesday, May 6, 2026 RE: SAFETY DEFECT COMPLAINT – 2026 Subaru Forester VIN: [XXX] Honorable, Eileen Sullivan Associate Administrator, Enforcement I am filing this formal safety defect complaint regarding my 2026 Subaru Forester. A pedestrian incident occurred on February 2, 2026, in which the vehicle failed to warn or brake automatically when a pedestrian crossed in front of my car. Additionally, the Subaru EyeSight system does not remain enabled between ignition cycles. Every time I start the car, I must manually re-engage the system. Consequently, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is not active by default during ordinary driving and will reverts to off (not remain enable) when I am driving . I believe this poses an unreasonable risk to pedestrian and occupant safety. I am aware of prior investigations (e.g., NHTSA Action Number PE23010 and related lawsuits) involving Subaru EyeSight failures, including lack of braking for obstacles. Vehicle Information: Year: 2026 Make: Subaru Model: Forester VIN: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)"
Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"Cell phone does not stay stable on the wireless charging pad. The phone will start to charge, but as soon as the vehicle moves, the phone bounces off the flat charging pad and no longer connects or charges. It’s distracting to try to reposition the phone as the car is moving. It has become a costly, not usable, feature. Have tried many phone cases and different types of phones to eliminate this as a possible problem. Nothing works."
Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"Cell phone does not stay stable on the wireless charging pad. The phone will start to charge, but as soon as the vehicle moves, the phone bounces off the flat charging pad and no longer connects or charges. It’s distracting to try to reposition the phone as the car is moving. It has become a costly, not usable, feature. Have tried many phone cases and different types of phones to eliminate this as a possible problem. Nothing works."