Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Subaru forester (n/a). The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated to 30 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the floor mats were responsible for the failure. The contact did not believe that the floor mats were the cause of the failure. There were no further diagnostics…
2013 Subaru Forester cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2013 Subaru Forester have filed 7 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Complaints
7
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Forester | 14 |
| 2010 Forester | 18 |
| 2011 Forester | 10 |
| 2012 Forester | 15 |
| 2013 Forester (this page) | 7 |
| 2014 Forester | 26 |
| 2015 Forester | 43 |
| 2016 Forester | 25 |
| 2017 Forester | 19 |
4crashes
3injuries
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 13 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
The cruise control light on the dash has come on by itself and is flashing constantly as soon as the vehicle is turned on. It cannot be turned off or on with the controls. This problem has caused the check engine light and the uneven traction light to come on as well. There was a recall for this exact same problem on the 2014 models. I own a 2013 model and it doing the same thing. Contacted…
I was doing roughly 25/30 miles and my car accelerated to a much faster speed and higher RPM's causing me to jam on the brakes. *tr
Had cruise control trouble with your 2013 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 2013 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 7 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?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
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/2013/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.