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2017 Subaru Forester Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 1 NHTSA recall and 571 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

D
49/100

Buyer Beware — 2017 Subaru Forester

The 2017 Subaru Forester shows a notably poor reliability profile for this model year. Consider an alternative year or have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

1
NHTSA Recalls
1 recall on record
571
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
39
Crashes + Injuries
1 fire report

Own or buying a 2017 Subaru Forester?

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

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NHTSA Recalls — 2017 Subaru Forester (1)

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

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V701000
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Most Common Problems — 2017 Subaru Forester

Based on 571 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Air Bags
142
Visibility/wiper
93
Electrical System
92
Unknown Or Other
80
Power Train
41
Steering
24
Engine
22
Vehicle Speed Control
19
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Subaru Forester — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2017 model year is highlighted.

2011 147 complaints 2012 105 complaints 2013 77 complaints 2014 402 complaints 2015 608 complaints 2016 405 complaints 2017 571 complaints 2018 482 complaints 2019 831 complaints 2020 590 complaints 2021 203 complaints

⚠ Years to avoid: 2019 — These model years show significantly elevated complaint activity.

✅ Best model years: 2011, 2012, 2013 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2017 Subaru Forester

Is the 2017 Subaru Forester reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2017 Subaru Forester has 1 recall and 571 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2017 Subaru Forester have?
The 2017 Subaru Forester has 1 NHTSA recall. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2017 Subaru Forester are: Air Bags, Visibility/wiper, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2017 Subaru Forester safe to buy?
The 2017 Subaru Forester has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 1 recallis 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: 2011, 2012, 2013. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years to avoid: 2019.
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.