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.
What owners report
The areas named in the 98 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2022 Forester. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Visibility/wiper20 · 20%
Forward collision avoidance15 · 15%
Most named: automatic emergency braking (10); warnings (8)
Brakes10 · 10%
Electrical system10 · 10%
Engine10 · 10%
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: 98 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Forester
Model year
Complaints
2016
414
2017
587
2018
495
2019
833
2020
601
2021
207
2022
98
2023
73
2024
29
2025
93
2026
21
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
2016
3
2017
1
2018
3
2019
3
2020
0
2021
0
2022
1
2023
1
2024
2
2025
4
2026
3
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.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Subaru Forester SUV AWD
Rollover risk 16.9%
Questions
What are the most common 2022 Forester problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: visibility/wiper (20), forward collision avoidance (15), brakes (10). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
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.
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 Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
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.