2025 Subaru Forester reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2025 Subaru Forester — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 101
- 101 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- 16 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 2
- see below
- Reported harm
- 15 reported crashes · 11 injuries · 1 death · 2 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#4,148
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Subaru median
-81
median 182 across 97 Subaru records
Vs 2023-2027
-75
median 176 complaints in 175 records
Top component share
16%
Unknown Or Other: 16 complaints
What owners report fails — 2025 Subaru Forester
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16
- VISIBILITY/WIPER 12
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING 8
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING 6
2 recalls on record for the 2025 Subaru Forester
- NHTSA 25V419000 · 2025 · CHILD SEAT A loose child seat anchor bolt increases the risk of injury to a child during a crash.
- NHTSA 25V033000 · 2025 · WHEELS A loss of vehicle stability increases the risk of a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2025 Subaru Forester
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2025 Subaru Forester units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2025 Subaru Forester reliable?
NHTSA has 101 consumer complaints on record for the 2025 Subaru Forester and 2 recalls. The most-reported problem area is unknown or other (16 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2025 Subaru Forester units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2025 Subaru Forester?
Owners most often report problems with: unknown or other (16), visibility/wiper (12), exterior lighting (8), fuel/propulsion system (8). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2025 Subaru Forester?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.