AutoUtility currently tracks 613 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2015 Subaru Forester. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 112 complaints (18.3% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 53 filings cite a crash, 7 cite a fire, 26 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
112 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
104 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
95 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
82 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
28 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
13 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"I was parking at the dentist office in their parking lot going slow, turned into a parking space and thought i was slowly braking but my car lunged forward and hit a tree. I would normally be minimally braking, so I'm not sure what happened but it was sudden. I could have hit the gas pedal but i..."
"The contact's spouse owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop or at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended. The Hill Assist and Automatic Transmission Oil Temperature warning lights flashed, and..."
"The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated, and the air bag module warning light was illuminated. The air bag occupant classification system was not operating as intended. The vehicle..."
"Codes for B1760 and B1650 present, intermittent SRS light for the passenger airbag. Passengers put at risk in event of crash. SRS sensor issues seem to be common for this vehicle according to online databases and dealership technicians."
"2 REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED ON LOW MILAGE VEHICLE.ALTHOUGH CAR IS 10 YEARS OLD IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS 57K MILES ON OD.nEVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR IN WATER. PERHAPS WORSE THREE STUDS AND LUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SNAPPING OFF. APPARENTLY THIS IS COMMON AS THE SAME STORY WAS TOLD TO OTHERS..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Subaru Forester Current Page | 613 | 53 | 3 | Current |
| 2016 Subaru Forester | 410 | 39 | 3 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Subaru Forester | 582 | 39 | 1 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Subaru Forester | 492 | 26 | 3 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Subaru Forester | 832 | 36 | 3 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Subaru Forester | 596 | 26 | 0 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Subaru Forester | 207 | 16 | 0 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Subaru Forester | 96 | 8 | 1 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Subaru Forester | 73 | 8 | 1 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Subaru Forester | 29 | 4 | 2 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Subaru Forester | 90 | 11 | 4 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Subaru Forester | 0 | 0 | 3 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 129 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 64 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 39 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 38 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 24 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEATS | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEATS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment & Accessories NHTSA category: EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EQUIPMENT,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,AIR BAGS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TIRES,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2015 Subaru Forester
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2015 Subaru Forester is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 112 records (18.3% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Air Bags & Restraints (104) and Powertrain & Transmission (95).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 613 consumer defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2015 Subaru Forester.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2015 Subaru Forester, 53 filings cite a crash, 7 cite smoke or fire, and 26 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.