ECM REPROGRAMMING FOR ENHANCEMENT OF CRUISE CONTROL SET SPEED STABILITY - THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF ECM REPROGRAMMING FILES TO ENHANCE SET SPEED STABILITY WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON MOUNTAINOUS ROADS. THIS UPDATE DOES NOT AFFECT ANY OPERATION OF EYESIGHT ADAPTIVE OR EYESIGHT CONVENTIONAL CRUISE CONTROL.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Subaru Forester cruise control problems
severe 26 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
26
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
15crashes
8injuries
What stands out
Owners have filed 26 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 18 model years of Subaru Forester in our records for cruise control problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
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.
ECM Reprogramming for Enhancement of Cruise Control Set Speed Stability
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF ECM REPROGRAMMING FILES TO ENHANCE SET SPEED STABILITY WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON MOUNTAINOUS ROADS. THIS UPDATE DOES NOT AFFECT ANY OPERATION OF EYESIGHT ADAPTIVE OR EYESIGHT CONVENTIONAL CRUISE CONTROL.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗ECM Reprogramming for Enhancement of Cruise Control Set Speed Stability
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Increase to Detent Force of Front Door Checker Mechanism
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2014 Forester generates complaints centered on unintended acceleration—sudden, uncontrolled surging forward or backward without driver input, particularly when parking or transitioning from brake to throttle at low speeds. Multiple owners report brake pedal failure to slow or stop the vehicle; several had to use emergency brake, shift to park, or turn the wheel to avoid collision. Crashes and near-misses are documented: one owner hit a tree, another hit her daughter's SUV, another hit a fence hard enough to snap it. Owners consistently say dealers cannot replicate the problem or determine a cause.
A secondary pattern covers acceleration hesitation—three-second delays or surging when starting from a stop, especially between 20–40 mph. Subaru technicians tested vehicles per manufacturer protocol and found nothing; Subaru claims the behavior is normal for the CVT transmission, yet test drives of multiple Foresters showed varying degrees of hesitation regardless of mileage.
Adaptive cruise control (EyeSight) is reported applying brakes abruptly without gradual deceleration and failing to recognize stopped vehicles ahead. One owner reported four failures in a single day. Dealers tell owners the system operates as designed; repeated requests to Subaru corporate for a software update went unanswered.
One owner experienced electrical failures—battery drain, illuminated warning lights for ABS, hill control, and anti-skid—after recall WUE-90 was performed. Another owner's knock sensor connection was tightened after a software update, with no explanation for why it was loose or why no diagnostic light appeared.
Same Subaru Forester cruise control reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration when depressing brake or transitioning from brake to throttle
Vehicle suddenly accelerates forward or in reverse despite driver foot on brake pedal, particularly when parking, entering intersections, or transitioning from stopped position. Brake does not immediately slow or stop vehicle. Multiple owners report inability to control vehicle even with emergency brake engaged.
When: At low speeds during parking, at intersections, upon release from stopped position, in reverse; mileage range 11,500–148,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden uncontrolled acceleration despite brake pedal depressed; Brake pedal does not slow or stop vehicle immediately; Vehicle surges forward when switching from brake to throttle; Unintended acceleration in reverse; Emergency brake ineffective during unintended acceleration events
Repairs/costs cited: Knock sensor connection tightened at 11,500 miles; no parts replaced. Multiple vehicles taken to dealers; no cause diagnosed in most cases. Some vehicles inspected after crashes; nothing found around accelerator or brake that might cause sticking or malfunction.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru suggested knock sensor connection check; no recall issued for unintended acceleration problem. Dealer unable to replicate in most cases. Subaru corporate response slow or nonexistent on multiple follow-ups.
Hesitation or surging during low-speed acceleration and CVT operation
Vehicle hesitates 3+ seconds when attempting to accelerate, particularly between 20–40 mph, after stopping, or when transitioning from brake to throttle. Occurs intermittently and unpredictably. Subaru indicates this behavior is normal for CVT engine, but multiple owners across different vehicles report varying degrees of hesitation.
When: After purchase and break-in period; during city driving, intersection crossings, highway entry; mileage range 11,500–61,765 miles
Symptoms owners cite: 3+ second hesitation when accelerating; Hesitation between 20–40 mph; Hesitation when transitioning from brake to throttle at low speeds; Surging ahead from dead stop with minimal throttle input; Hesitation especially pronounced on hills when switching from reverse to drive
Repairs/costs cited: Oil level overfilled and corrected; no other repairs successful. Subaru technician tested per SOA suggestion; equipment found nothing. Multiple test drives of other Foresters all showed varying degrees of similar hesitation across different mileages.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru states CVT hesitation is normal engine behavior. Technician from Subaru sent to gather data; reported equipment detected nothing wrong.
Adaptive cruise control (EyeSight) abrupt braking and failure to recognize stopped vehicles
Adaptive cruise control applies brakes abruptly and without gradual deceleration, especially when exiting highway. System fails to recognize stopped vehicles ahead and does not slow vehicle, creating risk of collision. Driver forced to override system manually or disengage to prevent rear-end collisions.
When: During highway driving with cruise control engaged; during normal use of adaptive cruise control
Symptoms owners cite: Abrupt, hard braking without progressive deceleration pattern; System practically stops vehicle when detecting exiting traffic; Failure to recognize stopped vehicles ahead; No deceleration or safety maneuvers initiated when vehicle ahead is stopped; Four incidents in single day of adaptive cruise control failing to initiate safety maneuvers
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer states system operating as designed. Subaru corporate contacted on at least 3 occasions requesting software update; no response received.
Intermittent acceleration control defect post-software update with no diagnostic indication
After routine maintenance including software update, intermittent uneven and briefly absent acceleration when increasing speed from slow speeds or stopped condition. No check-engine light or diagnostic code present despite sensor affecting acceleration and fuel ignition control. Dealer tightened knock sensor connection; no root cause identified and no parts replaced.
When: After software update during routine maintenance at 11,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Uneven acceleration when increasing speed from slow speeds; Briefly absent acceleration from stopped condition; Intermittent performance; No dashboard warning lights present despite sensor control issue
Repairs/costs cited: Knock sensor connection tightened; no reason given for loose connection or why tightening resolved intermittent behavior
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru suggested knock sensor connection check; electronic data was collected and examined by Subaru; problem reportedly resolved after tightening connection
Battery drain and multiple warning lights after safety recall WUE-90
Multiple electrical failures began after recall WUE-90 was performed. Tail light illuminates with no apparent cause, draining battery repeatedly. Hill control, ABS, and anti-skid warning lights all illuminate. Vehicle occasionally fails to accelerate when brake pedal depressed.
When: After recall WUE-90 performed
Symptoms owners cite: Battery repeatedly drains; Tail light illuminated with no apparent cause; Hill control warning light illuminated; ABS warning light illuminated; Anti-skid warning light illuminated; Occasional failure to accelerate when brake pedal depressed
Codes mentioned: ABS fault
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall WUE-90 performed; failures occurred after this service
Synthesized from 26 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Within a few days of having the car, I noted that it did not move forward smoothly from a dead stop but surged ahead. I had not depressed the gas pedal very far. There after I am very careful to depress the gas pedal very carefully until the engine responds smoothly to a normal speed. I never had this happen in any other car I have owned and I noted after reading the complaints of other…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2014 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 2014 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 26 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 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 20,400 and 49,900 miles, with the median around 41,870. A quarter of owners report trouble before 20,400; a quarter make it past 49,900. 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/2014/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.