The castle nut on the left-front lower control arm ball joint may be improperly fastened, which can lead to the ball joint separating from the lower control arm.
Risk: A ball joint that separates from the lower control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and replace the left-front lower control arm ball joint assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 16, 2026. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRI26.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek and Forester vehicles.
NHTSA listing: FORESTER. Subaru campaign WRI26.
Equipment
Jul 7, 2026
labels
Fails federal standard 110 (tire and rim labeling)
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 sliding glass panel of the power moonroof assembly may have been improperly bonded to the sliding frame, allowing the glass panel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached glass panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect the power moonroof glass panel for proper adhesion and, if necessary, replace the glass panel assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 6, 2026. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRF-26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Forester and Forester Hybrid vehicles.
These vehicles may have been manufactured with an incorrect and/or incorrectly oriented rear hatch support bracket which can detach without prior warning.
Risk: A rear hatch support bracket that detaches can allow the rear hatch to fall unexpectedly during use and increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear hatch support brackets and, if necessary, replace the stay and support bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 29, 2026. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-25. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 20, 2025.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Forester vehicles.
NHTSA listing: FORESTER. Subaru campaign WRG-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 2026 Subaru Forester.
What owners report
Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 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 (6); warnings (4)
Visibility/wiper6 · 17%
Body structure4 · 11%
Most named: body (4)
Fuel and propulsion system2 · 6%
Powertrain2 · 6%
Visibility2 · 6%
Unknown or other7 · 20%
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 2026 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
2026: 35 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
2026: 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.
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: electrical system (9), forward collision avoidance (8), visibility/wiper (6). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2026 Subaru Forester safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2026 Subaru Forester earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2026 Subaru Forester?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2026 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.