Reliable Auto DB

2022 Subaru Forester reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Subaru Forester over 5 years — 23 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 1 recall on file, including Park/neutral start switch.

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

98

Per year

23

Recalls

1

Years on the road

5

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (20 of 98), then Forward collision avoidance (15) and Electrical system (10). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2021 and 2023

The 2021 Forester has 207 complaints, 44 per year, and the 2023 has 73 complaints, 20 per year. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has more complaints per year than the 2023.

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 2022 Subaru Forester. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, park/neutral start switch 2023-11-09 · NHTSA campaign 23V755000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Remedy Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.

Complaints by component (98 total)

Visibility and wipers
20
Forward collision avoidance
15
Electrical system
10
Engine
10
Service brakes
10
Speed control
9
Exterior lighting
8
Fuel and propulsion system
7
Air bags
4
Powertrain
4
Visibility
4
Suspension
3
Lane departure
2
Steering
2
Structure
2
Wheels
2
Back-over prevention
1
Equipment
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Seat belts
1
Seats
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

8

Fire-flagged

6

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

37202224202392024132025152026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "On two occasions now, one on XXX and another in XXX our vehicle initiated a pre collision breaking sequence with no visible object in our path. On XXX this occurred while turning off of a main road into a shopping…"
    Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-13
  • "The affected product is a Kuat Sherpa 2.0 hitch-mounted bicycle rack (2-bike, [1.25" / 2"] receiver), purchased new in January 2023, mounted on a 2022 Subaru Forester. On two occasions in the past several months, the…"
    Equipment · filed 2026-08-27
  • "On 8/15/2026 my car's EyeSight system falsely automatically engaged Pre-Collision Braking on a clear road with no cars, obstacles or potholes ahead, on a sunny day, accelerating at 10–15 mph from a traffic light stop.…"
    Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-08-19
  • "We are experiencing the exact same problem as the recall Under NHTSA Campaign No. 23V755000 (Subaru recall code WRQ-23) for an ineffective weld leading to moisture affecting the backup camera and dashboard lights.…"
    Back-over prevention · filed 2026-08-12
  • "While driving my 2022 Subaru Forester, the factory EyeSight autonomous safety system completely failed and disabled itself permanently. The total system shutdown caused an immediate loss of Pre-Collision Emergency…"
    Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure · filed 2026-07-09

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2022 Subaru Forester SUV AWD 5 stars 5 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 (AV-S7) All-wheel drive 26 33 29 MPG $2250
Forester Wilderness all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 25 28 26 MPG $2500

Specs and fitment

5th generation (SK), 2019–2024
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 21V263000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach. Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21. When NHTSA lists multiple Subaru nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2021 Subaru Forester Next year 2023 Subaru Forester See every Subaru Forester model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2022 Subaru Forester reliable?

Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Subaru Forester over 5 years — 23 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 1 recall on file, including Park/neutral start switch.

What are common problems with a 2022 Subaru Forester?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (20 of 98), then Forward collision avoidance (15) and Electrical system (10). Those filings include 8 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2022 Subaru Forester more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2021 Forester has 207 complaints, 44 per year, and the 2023 has 73 complaints, 20 per year. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has more complaints per year than the 2023.

Has the 2022 Subaru Forester been recalled?

The 2022 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 2022 Subaru Forester?

Owners have filed 98 complaints about the 2022 Subaru Forester with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2022 Subaru Forester get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2022 Subaru Forester is 27.5 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).