Reliable Auto DB

2014 Subaru Forester reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2014 Subaru Forester holds 403 complaints after 13 years, a rate of 27 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Forester years here — under the median of the other years, which is 37. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Switch and Equipment.

2012 Subaru Forester
Photo by TTTNIS, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC0
Complaints

403

Per year

27

Recalls

2

Years on the road

13

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Suspension (94 of 403), then Engine (69) and Air bags (57). Those filings include 48 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 18 that report an injury.

Next to 2013 and 2015

The 2013 Forester has 77 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2015 has 613 complaints, 47 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2014 Subaru Forester. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall exterior lighting, brake lights, switch 2019-02-28 · NHTSA campaign 19V149000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
Recall Equipment 2013-04-24 · NHTSA campaign 13V159000
Summary Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace each of the vehicle's four (4) carpeted floor mats with new ones. These services will be performed free of charge. Subaru issued an interim notification during April 2013. Notification that the remedy is now available was mailed to owners on June 5, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQH-44.

Complaints by component (403 total)

Suspension
94
Engine
69
Air bags
57
Electrical system
42
Speed control
42
Powertrain
41
Service brakes
31
Structure
27
Steering
16
Fuel and propulsion system
15
Seats
14
Wheels
11
Exterior lighting
10
Seat belts
9
Visibility and wipers
9
Fuel system, gasoline
6
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
Adaptive and mobility equipment
3
Engine and engine cooling
3
Visibility
3
Back-over prevention
2
Latches, locks, and linkages
2
Tires
2
Child seat
1
Equipment
1
Lane departure
1
Traction control
1
Show 19 more Show less
Crash-flagged

48

Fire-flagged

3

Injury reports

18

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

42013352014192015222016292017302018110201957202032202114202218202317202413202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while his wife was driving and stopped in traffic, the steering wheel locked up. The contact stated the steering wheel warning light illuminated and the…"
    Steering · filed 2026-06-12
  • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Subaru Forester on March 5, 2026. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-03-23
  • "Unintended acceleration while parking /braking in front of a Verizon store leading to crash into store"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-03-22
  • "On 5/15/2024 and 5/21/2024 I had sudden uninteded acceleration. I had a auto shop try to solve the problem by replacing the air fuel ratio sensor and the mass air flow sensor. This seem to fix the issue until 11/27/2025…"
    Electrical system, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-12-07
  • "I was driving my 2014 Subaru Forester (about 148,000 miles) behind a minivan at a safe distance and speed. Without warning, my vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. Despite applying the brakes, shifting into low gear, and…"
    Speed control, Service brakes, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-11-19

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2014 Subaru Forester SUV AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Forester all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) All-wheel drive 24 31 27 MPG $2400
Forester all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) All-wheel drive 23 27 25 MPG $3200
Forester all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed All-wheel drive 22 28 24 MPG $2700

Specs and fitment

4th generation (SJ), 2014–2018
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 synthetic (2.5L; 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 225/60R17, 225/55R18 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 1,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 21V587000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21. When NHTSA lists multiple Subaru nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2013 Subaru Forester Next year 2015 Subaru Forester See every Subaru Forester model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Subaru Forester reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2014 Subaru Forester holds 403 complaints after 13 years, a rate of 27 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Forester years here — under the median of the other years, which is 37. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Switch and Equipment.

What are common problems with a 2014 Subaru Forester?

The complaints owners file most often name Suspension (94 of 403), then Engine (69) and Air bags (57). Those filings include 48 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 18 that report an injury.

Is the 2014 Subaru Forester more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Forester has 77 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2015 has 613 complaints, 47 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2015.

Has the 2014 Subaru Forester been recalled?

The 2014 Subaru Forester has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2014 Subaru Forester?

Owners have filed 403 complaints about the 2014 Subaru Forester with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2014 Subaru Forester get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 Subaru Forester is 25.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Subaru Forester use?

0W-20 synthetic (2.5L; 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable)

What does NHTSA recall 19V-007 cover on the Subaru Forester?

NHTSA safety recall 19V007000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc.

What generation is the 2013 Subaru Forester?

3rd generation (SH) (2012-2013).