2014 Subaru Forester: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 403 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
403
Complaints
2
Recalls
48
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
28
Injuries
107.7
Severity index
Severity index 107.7 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 139 2014 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2014 Subaru Forester ranks 31 of 139 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 78% of its model-year peers. See the full 2014 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | 94 | 23.3% |
| ENGINE | 69 | 17.1% |
| AIR BAGS | 57 | 14.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 44 | 10.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 42 | 10.4% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 42 | 10.4% |
| POWER TRAIN | 41 | 10.2% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 31 | 7.7% |
The single most-reported system is SUSPENSION, cited in 94 of 403 complaints (23.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 35 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2016 | 22 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 110 |
| 2020 | 57 |
| 2021 | 32 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2024 | 17 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 3 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V149000 | 28/02/2019 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malf |
| 13V159000 | 24/04/2013 | EQUIPMENT | Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.