When the fuel tank is near full capacity, an increase in ambient temperature may cause the fuel to expand and spill out of the filler neck due to an insufficient seal on the fuel cap.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures, and to limit the fuel level to 50% until the remedy is completed. Dealers will replace the fuel filler cap gasket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 16, 2026.
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek hybrid, and 2025 Forester hybrid vehicles.
These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."
Risk: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles.
The child seat anchor bolts may have been improperly tightened, allowing the bolts to come loose.
Risk: A loose child seat anchor bolt increases the risk of injury to a child during a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect the child seat anchor bolts and, if necessary, tighten the bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-25.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles.
The wheels may have been manufactured with an incorrectly specified lug seat surface, which can result in the wheel being improperly attached and cause a loss of vehicle stability.
Risk: A loss of vehicle stability increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wheels, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRB-25.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles equipped with 18" aluminum alloy wheels.
NHTSA listing: FORESTER. Subaru campaign WRB-25.
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 2025 Subaru Forester.
What owners report
Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Forester. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Most named: automatic emergency braking (9); warnings (6)
Fuel and propulsion system13 · 13%
Visibility/wiper13 · 13%
Electrical system10 · 10%
Exterior lighting8 · 8%
Visibility7 · 7%
Most named: rearview mirrors/devices, exterior (4)
Brakes6 · 6%
Unknown or other19 · 19%
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 2025 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).
Owner complaints
2025: 102 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
2025: 4 recallsTap 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 102 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2025 Subaru Forester, the problems described most are shaking, shuddering or vibration (11), a cracked or shattered windshield (9), and a fuel smell or fuel leak (6). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2025 Subaru Forester safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2025 Subaru Forester earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2025 Subaru Forester?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2025 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, FORESTER HYBRID.
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.