2017 Subaru Forester Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 1 NHTSA recall and 589 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

49/100

High Reported Activity — 2017 Subaru Forester

The 2017 Subaru Forester shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

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NHTSA Recalls

1 recall on record

589

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

1 fire report

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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.

🔧 Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification

If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru…

NHTSA #19V701000

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Most Common Problems — 2017 Subaru Forester

Based on 589 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Air Bags

150

Visibility/wiper

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Power Train

Steering

Engine

Vehicle Speed Control

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Subaru Forester — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2017 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked Subaru Forester VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2019 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ 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 campaign and 589 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get 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 with higher complaint counts: 2019.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

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.