2024 Subaru Forester problems & reliability
28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2024 Subaru Forester, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2024 Subaru Forester vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown OR Other | 9 | 32% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 21% |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 18% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 11% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 7% |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 4% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 4% |
| Engine | 1 | 4% |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 14 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Windshield cracks/chips very easily even when nothing has touched it. I have had 4 cracks in less than 6 months with no reason as to why they are occurring and they are ALL on the driver side, NOTHING on passenger side, which seems very odd. This car was bought brand new in February 2025 and this should not be…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Apr 23, 2026
“I am writing to formally request that the NTSB investigate an apparent defect in the EyeSight driver assistance system installed on the 2024 Subaru Forester. I have experienced repeated instances of unreliable and unsafe behavior, including unexpected alerts and the EyeSight system disengaging on multiple occasions…”
Forward Collision Avoidance · filed Apr 23, 2026
“On the morning of December 13, 2026, an incident occurred involving our 2024 Subaru Forester. While attempting to make a right-hand turn, the vehicle failed to decelerate as expected and subsequently struck a utility pole. The vehicle’s safety systems did not appear to activate in an effort to prevent the collision…”
Air Bags · filed Jan 16, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
168 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2024 Subaru Forester. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin announces the design change made to the high-pressure fuel pump developed to prevent DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure – Too Low Bank 1). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
09-123-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2026
This bulletin provides new diagnostic steps for DTC P0851 and P0852 to be used in conjunction with the applicable Service Manual.
16-159-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 23, 2026
This bulletin outlines a repair procedure to be performed if DTC B2781 is set in the steering lock control module.
07-242-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 15, 2026
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
02-193-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2026
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a new required procedure to follow when performing immobilizer-related repairs on the vehicles listed. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
15-246-19R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2026
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
09-74-21R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
This bulletin provides new diagnostic steps for DTC P0851 and P0852 to be used in conjunction with the applicable Service Manual.
16-159-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2026
This bulletin announces availability of new Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) & Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) module reprogramming files developed to address cases of a cracking-type noise heard under the dashboard in the…
06-94-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 20, 2026
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Other · issued Jun 12, 2026
This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide removal and installation tips to be followed when working with EyeSight Stereo Cameras.
07-241-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 11, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2024 Subaru Forester has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2024 Subaru Forester?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.