Reliable Auto DB

2017 Subaru Forester reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2017 Subaru Forester holds 586 complaints after 10 years, a rate of 67 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Forester years here — over the median of the other years, which is 28. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Occupant classification.

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

586

Per year

67

Recalls

1

Years on the road

10

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (164 of 586), then Electrical system (106) and Visibility and wipers (104). Those filings include 40 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 25 that report an injury.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 Forester has 414 complaints, 30 per year, and the 2018 has 495 complaints, 65 per year. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2018.

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 2017 Subaru Forester. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall air bags, sensor, occupant classification 2019-10-03 · NHTSA campaign 19V701000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
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 customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.

Complaints by component (586 total)

Air bags
164
Electrical system
106
Visibility and wipers
104
Engine
47
Powertrain
44
Seats
33
Speed control
33
Steering
25
Structure
15
Service brakes
13
Visibility
12
Wheels
12
Fuel and propulsion system
11
Suspension
11
Seat belts
9
Forward collision avoidance
7
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
Exterior lighting
4
Lane departure
4
Back-over prevention
2
Hydraulic brakes
2
Engine and engine cooling
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

40

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

25

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

720162220174320181282019962020872021542022452023322024412025312026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Within 30k miles, Front passinger control arm bushings required replacement due to bushing failure resulting in uneven tire ware. By 35k miles, the front driver lower control arm also had the same issue effecting…"
    Suspension · filed 2026-09-22
  • "the TGV valve metal flap screw came undone and came loose with the intake manifold. piece of metal about 1 in x 2 inch (flap) fell down to cylinder 2 intake and rubbed against the intake valve nipping pieces off and…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-11
  • "On May 30, 2026, I was driving the freeway 2(Glendale Fwy) south, I was using the cruise control and driving 63 0r 68 miles. All of sudden, my car start to shaking violently, moving toward right lane, so I tried move my…"
    Steering, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-10
  • "I was leaving home and driving in the neighborhood when I noticed that it was a crack on my windshield and there was no damaged or debris at the time. I didn’t hear anything nor there any trees or cars that will kick up…"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-08-31
  • "The airbag sensor in the passenger front seat has malfunctioned and it is indicating that the passenger airbag will not deploy. This is after the recall that was completed on the ODS from service campaign 19V701000."
    Air bags · filed 2026-08-19

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2017 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 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) 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
Forester all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) All-wheel drive 26 32 28 MPG $2300

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 2016 Subaru Forester Next year 2018 Subaru Forester See every Subaru Forester model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Subaru Forester reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2017 Subaru Forester holds 586 complaints after 10 years, a rate of 67 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Forester years here — over the median of the other years, which is 28. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Occupant classification.

What are common problems with a 2017 Subaru Forester?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (164 of 586), then Electrical system (106) and Visibility and wipers (104). Those filings include 40 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 25 that report an injury.

Is the 2017 Subaru Forester more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 Forester has 414 complaints, 30 per year, and the 2018 has 495 complaints, 65 per year. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2018.

Has the 2017 Subaru Forester been recalled?

The 2017 Subaru Forester has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2017 Subaru Forester?

Owners have filed 586 complaints about the 2017 Subaru Forester with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Subaru Forester get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 Subaru Forester is 25.7 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).