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ProblemsByVin Index / 2022-SUBARU-FORESTER / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2022 Subaru Forester owner complaints

92 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle , including 2 reporting a crash, fire, injury, or fatality. Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

other 6 complaints shown

12/16/2022 ODI #11497741.0

Because of your regulations mandating the black spot in cars with HID/LED headlights, we notice a dark line in our windshield when driving in unlit areas at night. This makes it hard to see. Using the brights help, but this is an infraction within our neighborhood and similar dark, forested places. It seems that you have solved one problem but created a new one. This dark windshield line is particularly hard on seniors, whose night vision is commonly diminished.

12/10/2022 ODI #11496857.0

Went to my car on the morning of Dec 10 and found a 4” crack in my windshield. I drive the car the night before around 9pm and it was in my secure garage overnight. No crack the evening before. Next morning - cracked. This is an ongoing problem with Subaru

11/06/2022 ODI #11492525.0

Windshield cracked on driver’s side - appeared while at a stop. no debris on road, no accidents. Vehicle is 2 weeks old.

10/26/2022 ODI #11491037.0

Two things have already failed on this vehicle. The first being the seats/seat belt clips on the driver and passanger seat. The seat in constructed in such a way that no matter what adjustment is made, the driver feels as if they are falling into the steering wheel. Any attempts to correct the positioning leaves the driver feeling as if they do not have control of the vehicle. Additionally, the inward positioning of the seat-belt clip on the right side on the driver facing inward pushes into the drivers hip and/or thigh causing extreme pain. The narrowing of the seats does not allow the driver to get away from the pain of the seat belt clip. Second, the issue with the windshield. This is my second Subaru Forester. On my first, I had a cracked windshield in 5 places due to small debris hit

10/13/2023 ODI #11549813.0

I believe the glass used for the front windshield in my 2022 Subaru Forester is structurally defective. I have experienced 3 chips in different areas of the windshield while driving at different times over the past 2 months. The most recent was October 11,2023. There were no loud impact sounds or obvious rocks strikes that impacted my windshield for each occurrence. I did hear a very faint noise when the latest chip appeared. It is my concern that if an object were to hit the type of glass used for this windshield while on the freeway it could shatter and cause harm to me and impair by ability to operate my Forester. I have read online of many problems with Subaru windshield glass occurring over many years and models. I believe this problem needs to be corrected most likely by chang

10/02/2022 ODI #11487555.0

2022 Subaru Forester Touring Leaks an unknown fluid under the engine compartment. Left a pizza size stain on the driveway that slowly dissipated. Placed cardboard under the vehicle to identify leak location. Sizable amount of unknown fluid on cardboard. It also dissipated. Nasty burning smell that enters the cabin and smells horrible outside of the vehicle happening multiple times at only 100 miles. I thought it was residual that would burn off. Nope. Now have only 350 miles on it. I’ve owned two new Foresters in the past and nothing like this. Taking it to the dealer tomorrow. Saw someone on Reddit who had their 2022 Forester catch on fire and burn up at 70 miles. Subaru blamed a hole in the radiator. I highly doubt that. Need your help on this one please.

visibility 3 complaints shown

20 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $350 · see visibility cluster analysis →
12/10/2022 ODI #11496858.0

Woke up this morning to a cracked windshield. Car was garaged over night and I drove it around 8:30pm the evening before and their was no crack. Now have a 4” crack in the passenger side windshield.

10/18/2023 ODI #11550637.0

While driving the drivers side rear window imploded sending thousands of shards of glass into the vehicle.

10/05/2022 ODI #11488107.0

Windshield spontaneously cracked while stationary on a level paved major thoroughfare. There was no impact on the windshield of any kind. No prior damage. Just sitting at a red light no traffic approaching from any direction and the windshield cracked in the middle sections of the glass, on the right edge.

cruise control 2 complaints shown

7 total in this category · severe · avg repair $600 · see cruise control cluster analysis →
12/12/2022 1,430 mi ODI #11497153.0

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while pulling into a parking space, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning, causing the vehicle to drive over the curb. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal several times and the vehicle came to a complete stop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 1,430.

09/30/2025 ODI #11690671.0

I was steering my car into my own garage as I do daily. Suddenly, as the car was making the turn, the car accelerated abruptly on its own. I was somehow able to steer into the garage, but the rapid acceleration continued. I braked and stopped the car just before it went into the wall that adjoins the interior of my home. There was an inch to spare. There were no warnings or messages or sympoms prior to this event.

lighting 2 complaints shown

8 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $250 · see lighting cluster analysis →
11/09/2022 ODI #11492844.0

I purchased my Forester Wilderness on 11/5/22 - this problem is with the headlights. I have a serious safety concern 1. There are two large shaded dark spots directly in my field of vision. These are approximately fifteen to twenty feet directly in front of the vehicle and never go away - because the headlights are steering responsive, they are always moving which is distracting and dangerous. 2. The cutoff lines of the projection are jagged and irregular with low points dropping down. These too, are always in motion with the steering responsive headlights. 3.Two rectangular black areas below the cutoff area in my field of vision. And these too are always in motion with the steering responsive headlights. These headlights create a variety of safety concerns. The dark shaded areas result

10/26/2022 ODI #11491016.0

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at night with the low beam headlights activated, the illumination was extremely poor causing a visibility failure. The contact indicated there were dark spots and shadowy lines present on the windshield within the driver’s field of view, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. Additionally, the contact indicated that the headlights failed to illuminate the roadway adequately for safe nighttime driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10.

engine 2 complaints shown

4 total in this category · severe · avg repair $3,100 · see engine cluster analysis →
10/31/2022 Fire ODI #11491612.0

-Engine failure: fuel line issue causing 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness to catch fire and explode - beforehand rod bearing was pulverized in separate incident a few months prior - engine was then replaced and car exploded 600 miles later causing total loss of vehicle. -Car exploded while driving in it, lost all personal belongings in car, barely got out of vehicle in time before explosion. -Investigation completed by Subaru of America and confirmed as a fuel line issue a few weeks later. -Smelt gas on highway while driving a few moments prior to car exploding.

10/04/2025 Crash ODI #11691363.0

I hit a deer going 45 mph, the air bags deployed, and my engine caught on fire. Within 10 minutes my car burned to the ground.

brakes 1 complaint shown

6 total in this category · severe · avg repair $450 · see brakes cluster analysis →
12/29/2023 ODI #11562680.0

I was pulling into a parking space at my apartment complex. I had my foot on the BRAKE, and the vehicle slowed as I approached the space. As I turned into the space with my foot light on the brake, the engine suddenly revved and the Forester surged forward. AT NO POINT DID I TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR. I have a size 7 (women’s) shoe, and the floor mat was flat and secured as always. The vehicle surged forward and drove over the curb and onto the sidewalk. No warning lights came on, no warning alarms sounded. It only stopped when I slammed the brake to the floor. I then reversed off the sidewalk and put the car in park and turned it off. This is the first time this has happened.

electrical 1 complaint shown

8 total in this category · severe · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
12/13/2022 ODI #11497251.0

The battery was completely discharged overnight when the car was only 4 months old. We had a flatbed tow to a dealer who charged the battery and performed tests which all checked out ok. Said we weren't driving the car often enough. This same battery discharge happened 3 more times, approximately 30 days apart each time. August 20 was the first time, September 19, October 13 and November 16, all in 2022. Car was purchased new in April 2022. Took it into the dealership where we bought it; they did tests also saying everything was ok, not being driven enough. The 4th time the overnight discharge happened was about a week after our dealership tested it. Every time this has happened the car was driven the previous day. Car is driven 4-5 times a week for local errands. Currently has 1

body 1 complaint shown

12/04/2025 ODI #11703066.0

The exterior B-pillar trim on my 2022 Subaru Forester (passenger side) has warped, bubbled, and lifted away from the vehicle. At approximately 24,700 miles, the trim began deforming significantly, with visible bubbling and separation at the top edge. The dealer inspected it and recommended replacing the entire window panel assembly, stating it is not covered under warranty. I am concerned that the loose and distorted trim could detach while driving, especially at highway speeds, creating a hazard for me and other drivers. The damage also affects visibility around the door frame and may compromise the door and window sealing. Subaru of America declined to cover the repair, and I believe this may be a material or manufacturing defect that could impact other owners.

suspension 1 complaint shown

10/25/2022 ODI #11490907.0

At only 3,000 miles front suspension “clunks” at low speeds over speed bumps, potholes, and other uneven surfaces

seatbelts 1 complaint shown

10/18/2023 ODI #11550717.0

Seatbelt locked with a passenger in the seat. Fire department was called and was forced to cut the locked and failed seatbelt.

Showing 300 of 92 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2022/Subaru/Forester#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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