2017 Subaru Forester Problems and Top Complaints – Is Your Car A Lemon?

By Brian Jones | Updated on January 5th, 2022

For consumers looking to find a family-friendly vehicle, it’s often been the 2017 Subaru Forester that gets chosen. After all, Subaru is known for its dependability. The company even states that the newest models provide “Quality That Lasts.” Yet, those that actually own this model have something different to say. They claim that the defective airbags, faulty powertrain and poorly constructed engine are just the tip of the iceberg.

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Problems with the Airbags

Airbags are needed to keep occupants safe, but this technology rarely gets evaluated. Instead, most consumers just expect that they are going to work when the time comes. Owners of the 2017 Subaru Forester know that this is something that should never be taken for granted.

One NHTSA complaint says, “Involved in a car accident that was where the Subaru was T-boned on the passenger side, resulting in extensive damage. Both front and rear door and all paneling on the passenger side had to be replaced. The side airbags failed to deploy upon impact. My vehicle was moving at 40 mph and the vehicle that hit me was going 20-30 mph and accelerating.”

It turns out that a recall was issued because of these concerns. NHTSA Campaign Number 19V701000 discusses how the front passenger airbag connection loosens and causes the airbag to fail during an accident. This affected more than 300,000 vehicles, but the automaker didn’t make the parts available right away. Instead, owners are told to wait for repairs. Maybe the tagline should be – Injuries that Last instead.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester Airbags Problems:

PURCHASED A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. ON 09/24/16. ON 09/05/17 THE WARNING LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON WARNING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. THIS HAPPENED WHEN A PASSENGER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE CAR WAS ON A HIGHWAY. THE WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON 40-50 TIMES WHEN THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD AND A PASSENGER IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO DEALER AND I WAS TOLD MULTIPLE TIMES CODES WERE NOT THERE SO NO PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD DO NOT PLACE ANYTHING ELECTRONIC NEAR THE SEAT. TOLD WE HAD SPILLED LIQUID ON SEAT AND SEAT DIRTY. NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN SPILLED ON THE SEATS. I FIND IT TROUBLING THAT A MAJOR SAFETY SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE IS MALFUNCTIONING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THE SUBARU IS NOT ACTIVELY TRYING TO FIX THE VEHICLES. I WENT INTO DEALER TODAY ON 3 OCT 2019 TO AGAIN HAVE THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CAN ORDER PART. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT SO MANY OTHER SUBARU FORESTER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE ARE LAW GROUPS LINING UP CLASS ACTION SUITS. I WOULD JUST LIKE SUBARU TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM AND FIX THE AIRBAG SYSTEMS BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED.

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR DOES NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WILL REMAIN OFF EVEN WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED WITH THE SEAT BELT ON. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL LIGHT UP ON THE DASH RANDOMLY BUT CLEARS ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF. THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND IS CONCERNING AS THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH.

2017 SUBARU FORESTER WITH 45,000 MILES – AIR BAG SENSOR WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY (AS SHOWN BY A RED AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD) AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IF THE CAR WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT EVEN WHEN THERE WAS A PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE CAR. LIGHT WOULD INDICATE THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. LIGHT WOULD TURN OFF ON OCCASION AND THEN TURN BACK ON, EVEN WITH NO CHANGE IN WEIGHT ON THE SEAT, INDICATING THAT THE SENSOR WAS FAULTY. NOTHING WAS SPILLED ON THE SEAT WHERE THE SENSOR IS LOCATED NOR SHOULD THERE BE ANY OTHER REASON THAT THE SENSOR SHOULD STOP WORKING AT ONLY 45,000 MILES. THIS WAS PURELY AN EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION.

THE SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO OCCASIONALLY ALERT AND TURN OFF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AT ABOUT 25,000 MILES IN BOTH OF OUR 2 YEAR OLD 2017 SUBARU FORESTERS. NOW THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNS OFF WHEN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IS PUT INTO THE FRONT SEAT. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING WHILE IT IS STATIONARY OR WHEN IT IS IN MOTION. NEITHER CAR HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT/ACCIDENT.

Problems with the Transmission

When it comes to the powertrain, Subaru owners aren’t just complaining that this component is underpowered, but also faulty.

Just look at this Edmunds review. “Incredibly sluggish for a CVT. the gearing designed to simulate actual shifting is terrible. It is so awful that at low speeds the vehicle will jerk you around rather than driving smoothly because it can’t decide if you are driving in its fake 2nd or fake 3rd gears. Additionally it appears that the transmission either slips or cannot decide whether it is time to engage when you hit the gas suddenly from a stand still. This is particularly dangerous if you need to accelerate in order to avoid a collision.”

It seems there are multiple problems going on with the powertrain. In Service Bulletin #WTJ-70A, it’s stated that CVT transmissions in the Forester require additional fluid. It appears that they didn’t have the right amount when leaving the factory. At what point does the factory employ workers that aren’t sure how to fill or quality check the fluid levels? This is not what high-quality looks like and should cause them to feel embarrassed.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester Transmission Problems:

I HAVE OWNED MANY SUBARU`S AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. MY NEW 2017 FORESTER HAS AN ISSUE SHIFTING GEARS. ALTHOUGH IT HAS ONLY HAPPEND ONCE, THE TIME IT HAPPEND WAS PRETTY SCARY. AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN AT A RED LIGHT THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN BEFORE I MADE A COMPLETE STOP. AT THIS POINT I THEN ACCELERATED THE CAR BUT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SWITCH GEAR. I THEN THOUGHT I HAD THE CAR IN MANUAL MODE BUT IT WASN’T. I HAD TO SLOW ALL THE WAY DOWN TO GET THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT AGAIN. THIS ALL HAPPEND WHILE TURNING. THE DRIVER BEHIND US HAD TO SWERVE AROUND OUR CAR TO AVOID HITTING US BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO SLOW WHEN THE LIGHT WAS GREEN. THIS ISSUE PUT MY FAMILY AND MYSELF IN DANGER WHEN DRIVING ON THE ROAD. I SPOKE WITH SUBARU BUT THEY SAID GIVEN THAT THE CAR WAS NO LONGER EXPERIENCING IT, THEY COULDNT DO ANYTHING. I WAS WONDERING IF SUBARU WILL BE ISSUING A RECALL ON THEIR CVT TRANSMISSIONS. I DON`T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN AND NEXT TIME IT DOES TURN INTO A CRASH. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE.

VEHICLE OFTEN SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY AT LOW SPEEDS COMING TO A STOP – STALLING ITSELF ONCE. WHEN MERGING ONTO FREEWAY OR OVERTAKING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY MAKES LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ACTS AS IF IT IS DISENGAGED (LIKE A FULLY DEPRESSED CLUTCH PEDAL IN A MANUAL, AND ENGINE STILL REVS). TOOK TO SUBARU DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND RECEIVED THE “WE CAN’T REPLICATE IT SO THERE IS NO PROBLEM” FEEDBACK – DEALER ALSO CLAIMS THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES. CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA) DIRECTLY AND WAS INSTRUCTED BY SOA TO TRUST DEALER’S DIAGNOSIS. ONLINE FORUMS AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS BELIEVE MY ISSUE IS A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER OR SOME ISSUE WITH THE AUTOMATIC CVT TRANSMISSION – A SIMILAR ISSUE CONSUMER GROUPS HAVE ACCUSED SUBARU FOR ON PREVIOUS GENERATIONS OF MY VEHICLE

AS I WAS SLOWLY ROLLING INTO A FRONT PARKING SPOT THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT’S OWN – I TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT SO I WOULDN’T CRASH FULL ON INTO THE BUILDING – TRYING TO CONTROL THE CAR – I WENT OVER A CURB THAT WAS JETTING OUT – DEFINING THE PARKING SPACES – MY RIGHT FRONT AND BACK TIRES WENT OVER THE CURB – JUST MISSING A TREE – FINALLY COMING TO A STOP – IF THERE WAS ANYONE THERE – I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM – THAT DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED – AND ON MY PAPERWORK IT STATED “CUSTOMER STATES SUBARU SEEMS TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN – TECH FOUND NO CODES. TECH DROVE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE”

Problems with the Engine

Arguably one of the most important parts of any car is the engine. It’s considered the heart of the entire vehicle. When this fails, the vehicle is essentially worthless. While most new cars don’t have trouble with the engine, the 2017 Subaru Forester isn’t one of them.

This NHTSA reviewer says, “Our defective, now discontinued model, new 2017 Subaru Forester XT Touring has broken down while accelerating on the highway twice due to a faulty piston thus leading to our engine being replaced. The first time the car was moving east on i-70 in Colorado and luckily my husband was able to veer in the median of an exit ramp. The second time we were traveling east on i-70 again and luckily were able to pull off on the side of the freeway. This all began at 22,352 miles and to-date the market value of repairs has accumulated to $16,100.00. This same engine issue has happened two years in a row, yet a Subaru representative mentioned to us that it is cheaper for Subaru to fix vehicle by vehicle that comes in instead of issuing a nation-wide recall on our model. We were told our Forester XT has the same engine that is in an Impreza, which is not safe and is not right to the consumer.”

The company isn’t blind to what is occurring with the engines. Even Service Bulletin #11-169-16R discusses knocking during high intake air temperature, surging during acceleration and random Check Engine light illumination. All of these problems require an updated ECM. If this car was built to last, why does it need updates right out of the gate?

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester Engine Problems:

2.5 MANUAL, BURNS OIL AT EXCESSIVE RATE. CHECK ENGINE OIL LIGHT TURNED TWICE SO FAR, ONCE AT 2K MILES ON A CAR AND NEXT TIME AT 16K MILES. BOTH LIGHTS WERE WELL WITHIN THE OIL CHANGE SCHEDULE AND THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN SUBDUED TO ANY UNUSUAL USE. UNABLE TO TRAVEL IN THE CAR LONG DISTANCES WITHOUT HAVING 2 QUARTS OF OIL IN A TRUNK DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE FOR LACK OF OIL. BOTH TIMES THE LOW OIL LIGHTS WENT UP WHEN TRAVELING ON ROADS AND SUBARU DEALER HAD TO ADD OIL

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE WANTS TO STALL AND I HAVE TO FLOOR THE GAS PEDAL AND IT SLOWLY STARTS TO ACCELERATE. I’M AFRAID THAT ONE OF THESE DAYS IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND WILL CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. I BROUGHT IT IN TO PINE BELT SUBARU IN LAKEWOOD, NJ FOR SERVICE AND THEY SAID THE SOFTWARE NEEDS UPDATING AND THEY UPDATED IT. HOWEVER, IT’S STILL STALLING. THIS STALLING HAPPENS MANY TIMES

Problems with the Steering

When it comes to steering an SUV, most people know that it shouldn’t feel much different than a smaller car. The vehicle might be a little larger, but engineers tend to calibrate everything to feel just right. With the 2017 Subaru Forester, that’s not exactly the case.

One Edmunds reviewer explains it like this, “This is our 4th Subaru. Previously owned Impreza 2007, Forester 2011 and Outback 2013. I got to say, I’m extremely disappointed with 2017 Forester. Aesthetically it is very appealing and during the test drive everything appears to be great. Well after driving for 5 thousand miles and couple of smaller road trips, we realized that ride quality is very poor,  it feels like the car wobbles side to side like a carriage and because of the wobble it you constantly have to correct the wheel for it to go straight, especially at higher speeds.”

Once again, the automaker isn’t oblivious to the concerns. With Service Bulletin #04-23-18R, they make it clear that they know about sounds coming from the electronic power steering gearbox assembly. These sounds present as a rattling, clanging and knocking along with vibration. What’s humorous about the entire communication is that they provide their technicians with a flow chart to figure out what’s wrong. It’s as if they are acknowledging that their trained technicians are incapable of diagnosing steering sounds. To build a vehicle with Quality that Lasts, it might help to have some techs and engineers that know the basics of automobiles.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Forester Steering Problems:

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE INTO AN INTERSECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND RECEIVED FRONT END DAMAGE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000

STEERING STICKS WHILE IN A TURN AND RESISTS THE DRIVERS INPUT TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL, CAUSING EITHER FAILURE TO STRAIGHTEN ON DEMAND OR OVER-STEERING TO OPPOSITE SIDE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STRAIGHTEN. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE AND VARIES IN BOTH FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY, AND TYPICALLY OCCURS DURING EACH USE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MALFUNCTION SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY DURING SUSTAINED LEFT TURNS, AND IS MOST PROBLEMATIC ON CURVY ROADS WHERE FAILURE TO STRAIGHTEN WHEELS OR OVER-STEERING TO OPPOSITE SIDE COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. THE MALFUNCTION OCCURS WHILE IN A TURNING MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND ON CURVY HIGHWAYS, USUALLY WHEN WHEEL IS TURNED MORE THAN ~20 DEGREES AND SUSTAINED BRIEFLY. THE ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO THE SUBARU DEALER. THEY DROVE AND INSPECTED THE CAR AND WERE UNABLE TO FIX OR DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.

THE STEERING GETS LOCKED AND THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. THE WHEELS ARE NOT TURNED IN AND ARE STRAIGHT. DEALER CLAIMS”THIS IS NORMAL” CAN NOT START THE CAR WITHOUT FIGHTING WITH THE STEERING AND THE KEY. VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS.

Problems with the Electrical System

At first, it might seem that the electrical system is simply just the battery and alternator, but there’s so much more to it than that. In fact, the electrical components operate almost every feature inside the cabin. When there’s a fault, even a small one, it creates a very uncomfortable ride.

One Edmunds user wanted to share his concerns with the vehicle by saying, “My name is Steve and I recently purchased new 2018 Subaru Forester. Not long afterwards I had a very surprising discovery I would like to share with you guys. Every time you will disconnect your battery you will need to have your windows reprogrammed in order for them to function. It can be done at your Subaru dealership. I did contact Subaru of America representative to confirm everything – yes, windows need to be reprogrammed. And on top of enormous inconvenience it brings – YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!”

What a terrible design this is. It turns out that Subaru wasn’t happy with their power windows either. That’s why they issued Service Bulletin #07-152-19R to announce new power windows switch assemblies. This was done to address other concerns, such as the inability to operate windows from the driver’s side and to create one-touch functions. At least the company is trying to make a Quality that Lasts the second time around; it’s just too bad for those that got the vehicle before they cared.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester Electrical Problems:

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ITSELF AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PROFILE SUBARU, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,500.

VEHICLES BATTERY HAS SLOW CRANKING POWER, SINCE NEW CURRANT MILES ARE 47,800 TODAY VEHICLES SLOW TO START ,ONCE STARTED ALL ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON AND VEHICLE WILL NOT DRIVE IN FORWARD OR REVERSE, REPLACED BATTERY WITH NEW AND VEHICLE STARTED NORMAL AND STRONG, PUT INTO DRIVE AND VEHICLE DROVE NORMAL, PUT INTO REVERSE AND AGAIN VEHICLE WILL NOT DRIVE FORWARD OR REVERSES, VEHICLE IN IN DEALERSHIP REPAIR FACILITIES AT THIS TIME, PROBLEM UNKNOWN,

Problems with the Vehicle Speed Control

Advanced technologies are only as good as those that engineered it. If the systems don’t work, drivers are put in more danger than before they were included. That’s precisely what happens with the vehicle speed control of a 2017 Subaru Forester.

NHTSA filed a complaint saying, “The consumer stated while attempting to park the vehicle, it accelerated in reverse. The vehicle drove over a curb and crashed into a tree. The brakes were inoperable. The key was removed from the ignition to bring the vehicle to a stop. The airbag did not deploy.”

There are multiple problems addressed in this complaint. Not only is the SUV doing whatever it feels like, but the airbag is not working as illustrated earlier. This is one dangerous combination, so it would be natural for the automaker to scramble to find solutions. Yet, there isn’t one communication regarding the vehicle speed control. It’s as if the company decided that talking about it would prove that this vehicle wasn’t built to be high-quality as promised. Instead, they have chosen to run and hide. Let’s just hope they aren’t running in front of an out of control Forester.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester Speed Control Problems:

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED FORWARD ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED AWAY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CEMENT DIVIDER. THE VEHICLE THEN LUNGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A TREE THREE TIMES AND A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND LATER TOWED TO MCKENNA SUBARU. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING SPACE, IT SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT WRIST, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.

Problems with the windshield cracking

One of the final complaints to deal with is the trouble with the windshield. This is a rampant problem that deserves attention.

Just look at this NHTSA review. “Damaged windshield from a tiny pebble resulting in a 2-inch spider webbed. Crack. Driving on highway on a paved road without any construction. Very small pebble struck windshield and left a large crack.”

Again, Subaru has remained silent about cracking windshields despite the long list of drivers claiming it has happened to them. Instead, they discuss a different visibility concern with Service Bulletin #12-272-19R. It states another design change made, this time to the front door glass run channels. It appears the first design allowed water to run into the channels and cause a stick-slip condition that affects the operation of the windows. How many redesigns does this car need to undergo to be officially declared low-quality? After the first, people should have gotten the hint that this isn’t the vehicle they thought it was.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester Windshield Cracking Problems:

THE WINDSHIELD ON MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED DOZENS OF CHIPS AFTER ONLY 40K MILES OF DRIVING. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLES DRIVEN IN THE SAME MANNER IN THE SAME PLACES HAD NO SUCH PROBLEM. THE OTHER THE DAY FACTORY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A LARGE CRACK AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE LOOK AT OTHER OWNER COMPLAINTS AT SUBARUFORESTER.ORG ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE FORESTER WINDSHIELD. THERE IS A TREND OF BROKEN WINDSHIELDS ON THIS MODEL. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SUBARU NEEDS TO RESOLVE. THE FACTORY WINDSHIELD IS TOO WEAK.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL BY ITSELF A SECOND TIME. GOT INTO THE CAR, LOOKED UP, MASSIVE CRACK FROM THE TOP EDGE DOWN AND ACROSS. THERE WAS NO IMPACT. FILED INSURANCE CLAIM, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, HAD WINDSHIELD REPLACED WITH ANOTHER OEM SUBARU WINDSHIELD, HAD EYESIGHT SYSTEM CALIBRATED. CAR SAT AT DEALERSHIP UNDRIVEABLE FOR 4 MONTHS BECAUSE WINDSHIELD WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER.

OWN A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER, WE HAVE LESS THAN 11,000 MILES AND LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. A SMALL STONE HITTING THE WINDSHIELD, QUICKLY ENDS UP IN A 24″ TO 30″ LONG LINEAR CRACK UNLIKE MY OTHER TWO VEHICLES. WE ARE IN PROCESS OF REPLACING 3RD WINDSHIELD GLASS IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. IT APPEARS THAT THERE MAY BE AN OEM DEFECT. THIS LONG CRACK CREATES DANGER VISION PROBLEM. EVERY WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT REQUIRES RE-CALIBRATION OF EYESIGHT TOO. THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON INSURANCE AS WELL AS OWNERS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED ASAP. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. WE REQUEST THAT CONSUMER PRODUCT RECALL INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE ASAP.

Your Lemon Law Legal Rights

Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Subaru pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.

About the Author:

Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.

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