"This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs: DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2022 Subaru Forester electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2022 Subaru Forester have filed 9 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of October 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
9
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 Forester | 68 |
| 2019 Forester | 117 |
| 2020 Forester | 98 |
| 2021 Forester | 30 |
| 2022 Forester (this page) | 9 |
| 2023 Forester | 7 |
| 2025 Forester | 8 |
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What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 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 electrical 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 has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying repairs to the infotainment audio system. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water intrusion from the sunroof area.This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
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,…
On [XXX], my [XXX] son was driving our Forester on [XXX] at [XXX]. At red light, Auto Start-Stop shut off engine as designed. On green, releasing brake triggered restart attempt. Dash lights cycled continuously, engine failed to restart. Brake pedal pushed back firmly and would not depress. Simultaneously, Electronic Parking Brake auto-engaged and would NOT disengage, preventing shift to neutral…
Had electrical trouble with your 2022 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 electrical problem on the 2022 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 9 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 9 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 18,100 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 $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2022/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.