This page covers 1 recall, 569 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2017 Subaru Forester.
24–28 mpg combined
8.4–9.8 L/100km
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 3 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
The dominant complaint pattern for the 2017 Subaru Forester centers on the airbag system and visibility. The airbag complaints focus heavily on the passenger seat occupant detection sensor, where owners report the warning light illuminating and indicating the passenger airbag will not deploy, often repeatedly, even after prior service attempts. Some describe the issue persisting across multiple dealership visits without a lasting fix. The visibility category is led by windshield complaints, where owners frequently describe stress cracks or spontaneous cracking without apparent impact, sometimes in low-mileage vehicles. Electrical system complaints round out the top three, covering a range of warning lights and intermittent faults. A smaller cluster of owners reports premature rear wheel bearing failures at relatively low mileage, describing the repair cost as unexpectedly high for the miles driven.
569
Total Complaints
39
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
23
With Injuries
By System
At a glance
What can fail
The electrical connection for the front passenger seat's Occupant Detection System may loosen, affecting how the seat detects occupancy.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the ODS sensor mat harness and replace it if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
