NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 100 owner complaints for the 2022 Subaru Forester.
Recalled components: powertrain. Most-described problem: a cracked or shattered windshield (25 complaints, 25%). Most-reported area: visibility/wiper (20 complaints, 20%).
One of the best Forester years by owner complaints
The 2022 drew 70 owner complaints in its first three years, against 164 for a typical Forester year since 2016. No open NHTSA investigation names it, and it has no recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside.
Years to avoid: 2019 and 2020; best years: 2016, 2022, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles.
NHTSA listing: FORESTER. Subaru campaign WRQ-23.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2022 Subaru Forester.
What owners report
Owners have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Forester. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Cracked or shattered windshield25 · 25%
Stalling or shutting off6 · 6%
Check engine light4 · 4%
Smoke or a burning smell4 · 4%
Driver-assist errors or blocked-sensor messages4 · 4%
Most named: automatic emergency braking (10); warnings (8)
Brakes11 · 11%
Electrical system11 · 11%
Engine11 · 11%
Speed control9 · 9%
Exterior lighting8 · 8%
Unknown or other18 · 18%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Subaru Forester recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2022 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Forester drew the most (525) and the 2022 drew 70.
Owner complaints
2022: 100 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Forester
Model year
Complaints
2010
262
2011
147
2012
107
2013
78
2014
403
2015
617
2016
416
2017
594
2018
499
2019
834
2020
604
2021
215
2022
100
2023
76
2024
31
2025
102
2026
35
Safety recalls
2022: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Forester
Model year
Recalls
2010
17
2011
16
2012
15
2013
12
2014
2
2015
3
2016
3
2017
1
2018
3
2019
3
2020
0
2021
0
2022
1
2023
1
2024
2
2025
4
2026
4
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 100 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2022 Subaru Forester, the problems described most are a cracked or shattered windshield (25) and stalling or shutting off (6). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2022 Subaru Forester safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2022 Subaru Forester earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2022 Subaru Forester?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2022 Subaru Forester.
How do I check if my Forester has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: FORESTER.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.