While driving, the car experienced: -loss in power (stuttered a couple times), then completely stalled -we had to coast it to the side of the road -a few hours later we tried starting it again and it ran fine -immediately before the problem, the car had been driven for ~15 minutes with no issues, there was no rain, it was a dry day, no other potential causes to be noticed -this exact issue…
2005 Subaru Forester cruise control problems
severe 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
5crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 14 cruise control complaints filed for the 2005 Subaru Forester, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 14 complaints cluster around five distinct failures. The dominant pattern is unintended acceleration: vehicles lurch to full speed without driver input, sometimes with the foot hard on the brake. Owners report collisions with buildings, light poles, and trees, plus narrow misses with pedestrians. Speed-ups occur in drive, reverse, neutral, and while the clutch is disengaged. Mileage ranges from 5,000 to 160,000 miles, and incidents happen as early as two years into ownership.
A second failure mode is engine stall mid-drive—power loss, stuttering, then shutdown—followed by normal restart hours later. One owner had the same stall happen twice a year apart, with intermittent winter idle fluctuation noted.
Three owners report the opposite problem: accelerator pedal goes dead and won't respond, leaving the vehicle crawling at idle speed. A fourth describes sticky throttle specifically in cold weather below 30°F with the heater on—accelerator locks up at highway speeds and doesn't decelerate, even with clutch applied.
One complaint details cruise control malfunction where the coast lever doesn't hold speed on release; the car accelerates back to the prior set point instead.
Dealers consistently fail to diagnose these issues. One performed electronic tests and found nothing. Another cleaned the throttle body and TPS/MAP connectors, resolving sticky throttle in that one case. Most cannot reproduce the failures. Subaru corporate has denied knowledge of all problems and refused technical bulletins, with one dealer manager allegedly calling an owner a liar.
Same Subaru Forester cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended Acceleration
Vehicle suddenly accelerates without driver input or despite foot on brake. Occurs in drive, neutral, and reverse. Owners report lurching to full speed, unable to brake in time, resulting in collisions and near-misses with pedestrians.
When: 2-160k miles; one owner reported issue 2 years after purchase; occurs across varying conditions (cold weather, parking lots, intersections, highways)
Symptoms owners cite: sudden full-speed acceleration; vehicle lunges forward 20+ feet; acceleration while foot on brake; acceleration while in neutral and clutch disengaged; acceleration in reverse without warning; inability to stop vehicle
Codes mentioned: P2138
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported throttle body cleaning and TPS/MAP sensor pin connector cleaning resolved sticky throttle; most dealers unable to reproduce or diagnose; dealerships found no problems; TSB or technical bulletins mentioned but Subaru denies knowing of the issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru denies knowledge of the problem; dealerships refuse to acknowledge issue; Subaru told owners 'never heard of such a thing'; one dealer manager allegedly called owner a liar; class-action attorney inquiry met with denial
Engine Stall
Engine stalls while driving after brief loss of power and stuttering. Vehicle coasts to side of road. Restarts normally hours later. Recurred after similar incident one year prior. Produced check engine light.
When: Intermittent; one prior occurrence about a year before; dry conditions on highway-type driving
Symptoms owners cite: loss of power; stuttering; complete engine stall; check engine light; idle fluctuation in winter
Codes mentioned: P2138
Repairs/costs cited: Factory troubleshooting followed; all tests passed (pedal sensor, harness, engine control module); problem could not be repeated or verified as fixed; owners describe as potentially dangerous electrical issue that cannot be recreated
Accelerator Pedal No Response
Accelerator pedal does not respond to input; vehicle only idles. Occurs while pulling into intersection or during normal driving. Vehicle moves at idle speed only, leaving driver unable to accelerate away from danger.
When: Around 35 mph; 58k miles; intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: no response to accelerator pedal input; vehicle only idles; inability to accelerate; vehicle moves at idle speed only
Codes mentioned: throttle sensor malfunction code
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic detected trouble code for throttle sensor malfunction; unable to duplicate failure; vehicle not repaired
Sticky Throttle (Cold Weather)
When below 30 degrees and heater/defroster is on, accelerator sticks at speeds 25-65 mph and does not decelerate. Applying clutch causes RPMs to advance 1000-1500 RPMs (sometimes to 4500). Drive-by-wire mechanism suspected as cause.
When: Below 30 degrees F; speeds 25-65 mph; with heater/defroster on
Symptoms owners cite: accelerator sticks; no deceleration possible; RPM advancement 1000-1500 RPMs when clutch applied; sometimes RPM reaches 4500
Repairs/costs cited: MAF, MAP, PCV sensors function correctly; throttle body cleaned; no engine warning lights; no error codes on ECU; vehicle idles fine; passes emissions; drive-by-wire mechanism replacement recommended
Cruise Control Malfunction (Acceleration After Coast)
When using cruise control and depressing the deceleration lever (coast), vehicle slows as expected. Upon releasing lever, system should maintain same speed, but vehicle accelerates back to previous set point instead.
When: During cruise control use; intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: vehicle accelerates back to previous set point after coast lever released; cruise control does not maintain speed as expected
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru of America stated problem should be taken to dealer; dealer performed electronic tests and found nothing wrong; Subaru (Jody) denied ever hearing of the problem; no TSB or bulletin released
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2005 Subaru Forester?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2005 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 25,000 and 150,000 miles, with the median around 110,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 25,000; a quarter make it past 150,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Subaru/Forester.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.