This Service Information Bulletin announces Service Manual updates for the diagnosis of hands-free calling and voice recognition concerns.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2026 Subaru Forester electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2026 Subaru Forester have filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of November 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2022 Forester | 9 |
| 2023 Forester | 7 |
| 2025 Forester | 8 |
| 2026 Forester (this page) | 6 |
What stands out
Owners are still filing on this — the most recent NHTSA electrical complaint for this vehicle was logged 12 days ago.
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 provides a step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Service Information 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 ↗This Bulletin procedure announces a revised diagnostic procedure for DTC B28A6 INTERNAL STEREO CAMERA COMMUNICATION.
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 ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
• Symptom: Total electrical and mechanical shutdown at highway speed (70 mph) immediately following the manual disengagement/deactivation of the cruise control system. • Behavior: Complete loss of engine power, power steering assist, braking assist, and all instrument cluster functionality. • Post-Incident Diagnostic: An OBD-II code reader scan registered zero active, pending, or historic DTCs,…
UPDATE TO EXISTING ODI 11761974 - 2026 Forester Wilderness - WRF-26 Power Moonroof Glass Adhesion Recall / 26V346000 Component/system failed: Power moonroof tracking assembly bonding area / roof panel paint. Available for inspection upon request, garaged, unrepaired with exposed bare metal. On 08/18/2026 at 3364 miles dealer completed WRF-26 recall and marked PASSED. On same repair order same…
Brand new vehicle purchased 08/29/2026, backed out of the driveway (on Sept 25, 2026.) A few hundred feet down the road turned right (going ~20 MPH?) and all the dashboard warnings including the check engine light came on and the vehicle began to lose power. Turned the car around, barely made it back into the driveway. The car would not restart after several intermittent attempts. Immediately…
Had electrical trouble with your 2026 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 2026 Subaru Forester?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 6 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical 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 $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/2026/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.