Home › Reliability › Subaru › Forester › 2012

2012 Subaru Forester Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 15 NHTSA recalls and 105 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

✅
This is one of the better years for the Subaru Forester

The 2012 model year shows below-average complaints compared to other years of this model — a good sign for reliability.

F
20/100

Avoid This Year — 2012 Subaru Forester

The 2012 Subaru Forester is among the worst-performing model years for this vehicle. NHTSA data shows high complaint and recall activity. Strongly consider a different model year.

15
NHTSA Recalls
15 recalls on record
105
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
15
Crashes + Injuries
5 fire reports

Own or buying a 2012 Subaru Forester?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

⚠️

NHTSA Recalls — 2012 Subaru Forester (15)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Subaru dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V008000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V007000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V009000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V297000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #17V014000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #16V738000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #18V012000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #14V311000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #14V830000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #12V099000

Showing 10 of 15 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →

💬

Most Common Problems — 2012 Subaru Forester

Based on 105 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Engine
20
Air Bags
20
Vehicle Speed Control
15
Service Brakes
9
Electrical System
9
Power Train
5
Unknown Or Other
4
Structure
3
📊

Subaru Forester — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2012 model year is highlighted.

2010 262 complaints 2011 147 complaints 2012 105 complaints 2013 77 complaints 2014 402 complaints 2015 608 complaints 2016 405 complaints

⚠ Years to avoid: 2015 — These model years show significantly elevated complaint activity.

✅ Best model years: 2012, 2013 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

❓

Frequently Asked Questions — 2012 Subaru Forester

Is the 2012 Subaru Forester reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2012 Subaru Forester has 15 recalls and 105 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2012 Subaru Forester have?
The 2012 Subaru Forester has 15 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2012 Subaru Forester are: Engine, Air Bags, Vehicle Speed Control, Service Brakes. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2012 Subaru Forester safe to buy?
The 2012 Subaru Forester has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 15 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Subaru Forester should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Subaru Forester are: 2012, 2013. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years to avoid: 2015.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.