This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Subaru Forester body problems
severe Owners of the 2017 Subaru Forester have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the body at roughly $1,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See body across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
| Model year | body complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Forester | 17 |
| 2015 Forester | 17 |
| 2016 Forester | 6 |
| 2017 Forester (this page) | 12 |
| 2018 Forester | 10 |
| 2019 Forester | 18 |
| 2020 Forester | 13 |
| 2021 Forester | 3 |
3injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body 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.
This bulletin provides a procedure for replacement of the black foam rubber insulating cushions for the roof spoiler.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗We recently informed retailers and customers of an extension to the New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 2014-2018 Forester Rear Gate Stays.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty for the rear gate stays on the listed models and model years.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty for the rear gate stays on the listed models and model years. This will apply to Forester models with or without the power rear gate (PRG).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report liftgate support cylinders (gas struts) failing without warning, with the metal ball joint snapping where it connects to the liftgate. When one cylinder fails, the liftgate drops rapidly unsupported and the failed cylinder swings into the tail light assembly, breaking it. This has happened to owners on both sides of the liftgate within 5-6 months of each other, even with normal use over 8 years. Replacement cylinders cost $138 from Subaru; tail light assemblies run $289.
The liftgate also opens unintentionally while driving at low speeds and closes unexpectedly, sometimes striking occupants. One owner's dog fell out when the liftgate opened while the vehicle was moving, and a dealer diagnosed a faulty liftgate sending unit as the cause.
Hood latches have failed completely, with the hood flying open at both city and highway speeds (65 mph), shattering the windshield and damaging fenders and sunroof.
Windshield glass cracks easily from minor road debris and thermal stress—owners report multiple cracks within 2-3 years from pinhead-size gravel strikes, and one cracked while parked in a garage during freezing weather. Subaru denied warranty coverage on replacements. The power liftgate's auto-reverse safety feature failed to stop when an owner's finger got caught. Keyless entry intermittently fails to recognize the key fob, and seatbelt alerts have triggered falsely.
Same Subaru Forester body reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Liftgate support cylinder ball joint failure
Metal ball joint on liftgate support cylinders (gas struts) snaps, causing the cylinder to lose structural support and fall into the liftgate mechanism. The failed cylinder then swings into the rear tail light assembly, shattering or cracking it. Occurs on both driver and passenger sides independently.
When: 8 years of ownership; cylinders fail within 5-6 months of each other
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate rapidly falls without support when one cylinder fails; Failed cylinder wedges between liftgate and tail light; Liftgate cannot be secured with failed cylinder still attached; No warning signs before failure; sudden collapse
Repairs/costs cited: OEM support cylinder replacement $138 per unit; tail light assembly replacement $289 (owners performed self-repairs due to dealer inability to reproduce issue)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to reproduce the issue during inspection
Liftgate unintended opening and closure
Liftgate opens spontaneously during vehicle operation at low speeds or when parked. Also closes unexpectedly without warning and strikes occupants. Related to faulty liftgate sending unit that does not properly control gas strut operation.
When: Approximately 85,000 miles for closure failure; early operation for opening during motion
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate opens without operator input while driving; No dashboard alert of open liftgate status; Liftgate closes rapidly and unexpectedly, striking head/body; Liftgate unresponsive to key fob or external button controls (intermittent); Occurs after significant vehicle jolt (pothole impact)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosis identified faulty tailgate sending unit needing replacement; owner did not complete repair due to cost
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer diagnostic confirmed sending unit failure
Hood latch failure
Hood latch mechanism fails to secure hood, causing it to open unintentionally while vehicle is in motion. First opening at low speed, second opening at highway speed (65 mph) with catastrophic results.
When: Early in vehicle ownership; second failure after several days
Symptoms owners cite: Hood flies open while driving; Hood opens despite being checked and confirmed secure before travel; Windshield shattering from impact of hood at highway speed; Damage to fenders, sunroof, interior trim (rearview mirror, roof console)
Repairs/costs cited: Owner able to close hood after first incident; second incident resulted in windshield replacement, hood replacement, fender repair, sunroof damage repair
Windshield brittleness and cracking susceptibility
OEM windshield glass exhibits excessive susceptibility to cracks from minor road debris impacts and thermal stress. Multiple owners report multiple windshield failures within short ownership periods. Glass appears structurally weak compared to industry standard.
When: 2-3 years into ownership; recurring failures; thermal cracking while parked at 30°F
Symptoms owners cite: Cracking from pinhead-size gravel strikes during normal highway driving; Multiple cracks in proximity to each other on lower windshield half; Cracks appear while vehicle parked in garage (no impact); Windshield leakage at crack site; Excessive chipping and pocketing of outer glass surface from small stones; Thermal cracking from temperature differential (parking at 30°F)
Repairs/costs cited: Windshield replacement $289+ (with EyeSight recalibration required each replacement); some replacements also leak at repair site
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru denied warranty coverage on multiple windshield replacements
Power liftgate closure sensor/auto-reverse failure
Power liftgate auto-reverse safety feature fails to activate when obstruction (finger/hand) is detected during closing. Liftgate continues applying downward force instead of reversing direction.
When: During normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Auto-reverse does not activate when hand/finger caught in closing liftgate; Liftgate applies continuous downward force on trapped object; Requires manual effort to extract trapped appendage
Keyless entry and start system electronic faults
Key fob and push-button ignition system intermittently fails to recognize key presence. Vehicle doors will not unlock and engine will not start despite key being in close proximity to start button.
When: Chronic issue since new vehicle purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Key fob not recognized by vehicle door locks; Push-button ignition reports 'no key detected' despite key in cup holder inches away from button; Doors will not unlock when key present; Vehicle will not start
Erroneous seatbelt fastening alerts
Dashboard seatbelt alert triggers falsely when driver is wearing seatbelt and no other passengers are in vehicle.
When: Intermittent, occurring at least twice
Symptoms owners cite: Seatbelt alert illuminates and chimes when driver is buckled in; Alert occurs with no other occupants in vehicle
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had body trouble with your 2017 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 body problem on the 2017 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, body issues most often appear around 33,917 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body 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 body?
No active recalls currently cover body 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/2017/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.