2025 Subaru Forester recalls and problems

The 2025 Subaru Forester has 3 recalls and 102 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is visibility.

How the 2025 compares

Average

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Average complaint count among 27 Forester model years — 16th most. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are still growing.

3recalls

102complaints

13crashes

2fires

7injuries

4,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

3 recalls

Equipment

Jul 7, 2026 · NHTSA campaign 26V436000 · 541,237 vehicles

Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."

Risk: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.

Child Seat

Jun 19, 2025 · NHTSA campaign 25V419000 · 2,938 vehicles

Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles. The child seat anchor bolts may have been improperly tightened, allowing the bolts to come loose.

Risk: A loose child seat anchor bolt increases the risk of injury to a child during a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the child seat anchor bolts and, if necessary, tighten the bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-25.

Wheels

Jan 23, 2025 · NHTSA campaign 25V033000 · 20,366 vehicles

Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles equipped with 18" aluminum alloy wheels. The wheels may have been manufactured with an incorrectly specified lug seat surface, which can result in the wheel being improperly attached and cause a loss of vehicle stability.

Risk: A loss of vehicle stability increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and replace the wheels, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRB-25.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to nhtsa.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Visibility20

Unknown or other19

Fuel System17

Forward Collision Avoidance13

Back Over Prevention5

Vehicle Speed Control5

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2025 vs. other Subaru Forester years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2025. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2025 Subaru Forester have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2025 Subaru Forester, the latest from Jul 7, 2026 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2025 Subaru Forester?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention visibility (20), unknown or other (19), fuel system (17). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.