SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Subaru Forester cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Subaru Forester have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control, typically surfacing around 29,600 miles at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Forester | 4 |
| 2009 Forester | 14 |
| 2010 Forester | 18 |
| 2011 Forester | 10 |
| 2012 Forester (this page) | 15 |
| 2013 Forester | 7 |
| 2014 Forester | 26 |
| 2015 Forester | 43 |
| 2016 Forester | 25 |
10crashes
4injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 15 cruise control complaints filed for the 2012 Subaru Forester, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Cruise control on 2012 Foresters in this group works only intermittently and disables without warning, often when the check engine light illuminates. Once the cruise control light stays on, owners say it won't work again until shop computers clear the codes. Dealers tell owners this is normal operation.
More serious are repeated reports of sudden, uncontrolled acceleration. Owners describe the engine revving hard while parked or in low-speed maneuvers—parking, reversing, parking lot driving, entering driveways—with brake pedals that don't respond. Multiple collisions result, including wrecks into garages, ATM machines, parked vehicles, and buildings hard enough to total the cars and send occupants to the emergency room. One owner reports hitting a curb caused the acceleration; another says it happened with only light pedal input. Dealerships cannot find the cause. One manufacturer engineering inspection found nothing wrong. When asked to fix it, Subaru told dealers the vehicle was performing as designed.
Owners also report the accelerator pedal sticking to the floor or refusing to return to idle after release, even at 5 mph, causing crashes. One dealer identified it as a software issue but said Subaru will not correct it.
Same Subaru Forester cruise control reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Cruise control intermittent operation / disabling
Cruise control stops working or disables without warning, sometimes linked to check engine light events. One owner reports it only works when it feels like it; another states it independently disables when the check engine light illuminates. A third narrative describes the cruise control light flashing and staying on until diagnostic codes are cleared, at which point cruise control becomes inoperable until the issue is resolved.
When: Occurs at various mileages: 8,650 miles (narrative #9), unknown mileage in narrative #1, and ongoing in narrative #6.
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control works intermittently; Cruise control disables without warning; Cruise control light flashing or staying illuminated; Check engine light present when cruise control fails
Codes mentioned: Check engine light, Cruise control light flashing
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #9 reports the dealer stated the vehicle was working according to standards and did not repair it. Narrative #6 indicates cruise control remains inoperative until diagnostic codes are cleared from the system.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #9 states the manufacturer was made aware but the vehicle was not repaired. Narrative #6 provides no manufacturer response.
Sudden unintended acceleration
Engine revs and vehicle accelerates without driver input or accelerates when driver intends mild acceleration. Occurs in both forward and reverse. Brake pedal often unresponsive during events. Multiple incidents result in collisions, damaged property, and deployment of airbags in one case. Dealers and manufacturers unable to diagnose or replicate faults.
When: Mileages vary widely: 25 miles (narrative #3), 8,700 miles (narrative #12), 30,000 miles (narrative #11), 34,500 miles (narrative #5), 66,000 miles (narrative #7). Other narratives do not specify mileage.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs unexpectedly; Vehicle accelerates without driver input; Vehicle accelerates more than intended from light pedal input; Brake pedal unresponsive during acceleration event; Vehicle continues to accelerate despite brake application; No warning lights present in some cases
Codes mentioned: No codes reported in most narratives
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #2 states dealership unable to find problem; corporate-ordered engineering inspection found no problem. Vehicle was traded in due to safety concerns. Narratives #3 and #4 report dealers confirmed the issue but advised nothing could be done or that the vehicle was performing as designed. Narrative #7 reports vehicle towed but not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #3 states manufacturer advised the vehicle was performing as designed and offered no further assistance. Narrative #2 involved a corporate engineering inspection that found no defect. Some owners indicate manufacturer was not contacted (narratives #4, #5, #7).
Accelerator pedal stuck or slow to return
Accelerator pedal becomes stuck to floorboard or fails to return to idle speed promptly after release. In one case, vehicle maintains speed for 2-3 seconds after pedal release even at low speeds. Results in uncontrolled acceleration and property damage.
When: At 5 mph in narrative #3 (failure at 25 miles); at low speed in narrative #11 (failure at 30,000 miles).
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal stuck to floorboard; Vehicle maintains speed after accelerator pedal is released; Vehicle continues accelerating for 2-3 seconds after pedal release
Codes mentioned: No diagnostic codes reported
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #11 states vehicle was towed to dealer to be repaired, but no repair details provided. Narrative #3 reports dealer confirmed the failure but advised nothing could be done; dealer identified it as a software problem.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #3 states manufacturer was made aware; manufacturer advised dealer the vehicle was performing as designed and would not be corrected. Narrative #11 indicates manufacturer was made aware of the issue but provides no further detail.
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
While driving on a main route check engine light kicked on and proceeded to flash while the stability/traction control light came on disabling the traction control. This lasted approximately 10-15 seconds, all lights kicked off and seemed okay. A couple of days later the same thing happened only now the cruise control light was on and flashing, check engine was solid and stability/traction…
While passing a parked dumpster, the driver stepped lightly on the gas. Instead of the expected mild acceleration, the engine revved greatly and an unexpected high acceleration occurred. It resulted in a collision with the car in front. *tr
Had cruise control trouble with your 2012 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 2012 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 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 13 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 8,650 and 49,000 miles, with the median around 29,600. A quarter of owners report trouble before 8,650; a quarter make it past 49,000. 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/2012/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.