2014 Subaru Forester Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Forester years
- Far more complaints than other years 7th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 403 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Forester. That ranks 7th out of 29 Forester model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (94 complaints, 23%), typically at around 55,565 miles. Complaints mention 48 crashes, 3 fires, 28 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 403owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 48complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2014 Subaru Forester problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 94 | 23% | 55,565 | “rear coil” (31%) | $1,150 |
| Engine problems | 69 | 17% | 36,643 | “oil consumption” (29%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 57 | 14% | 75,000 | “passenger seat” (53%) | $1,300 |
| Unknown or Other | 44 | 11% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 42 | 10% | 61,222 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 42 | 10% | 27,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 41 | 10% | 64,611 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 31 | 8% | 41,870 | — | — |
| Structure | 27 | 7% | 34,069 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 4% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 15 | 4% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 14 | 3% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 11 | 3% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 2% | 72,016 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 2% | 68,750 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 9 | 2% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 1% | 10,261 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 1% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 3 | 1% | 300 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 0% | 48,250 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 108,472 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 0% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 11,200 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2014 Subaru Forester recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
Equipment
Problem: Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.
Risk: Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle's clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace each of the vehicle's four (4) carpeted floor mats with new ones. These services will be performed free of charge. Subaru issued an interim notification during April 2013. Notification that the remedy is now available was mailed to owners on June 5, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQH-44.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while his wife was driving and stopped in traffic, the steering wheel locked up. The contact stated the steering wheel warning light illuminated and the vehicle was towed. The dealer was contacted and notified of the failure, and the…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Subaru Forester on March 5, 2026. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 77,000. At the time of…
Unintended acceleration while parking /braking in front of a Verizon store leading to crash into store
On 5/15/2024 and 5/21/2024 I had sudden uninteded acceleration. I had a auto shop try to solve the problem by replacing the air fuel ratio sensor and the mass air flow sensor. This seem to fix the issue until 11/27/2025 & 12/7/2025 when the sudden uninteded acceleration returned.
I was driving my 2014 Subaru Forester (about 148,000 miles) behind a minivan at a safe distance and speed. Without warning, my vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. Despite applying the brakes, shifting into low gear, and using the emergency brake, I was unable to slow it down. After impact, the car…
Other Subaru Forester years
← 2013 Forester · 2015 Forester →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 28 | 3 |
| 2025 Forester | 97 | 3 |
| 2024 Forester | 30 | 2 |
| 2023 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2022 Forester | 98 | 1 |
| 2021 Forester | 210 | 0 |
| 2020 Forester | 603 | 0 |
| 2019 Forester | 834 | 3 |
| 2018 Forester | 498 | 3 |
| 2017 Forester | 590 | 1 |
| 2016 Forester | 415 | 3 |
| 2015 Forester | 615 | 3 |
| 2014 | 403 | 2 |
| 2013 Forester | 78 | 12 |
| 2012 Forester | 105 | 15 |
| 2011 Forester | 147 | 16 |
| 2010 Forester | 262 | 17 |
| 2009 Forester | 178 | 17 |
| 2008 Forester | 50 | 1 |
| 2007 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2006 Forester | 88 | 2 |
| 2005 Forester | 93 | 1 |
| 2004 Forester | 219 | 2 |
| 2003 Forester | 189 | 3 |
| 2002 Forester | 88 | 1 |
| 2001 Forester | 139 | 0 |
| 2000 Forester | 75 | 0 |
| 1999 Forester | 131 | 1 |
| 1998 Forester | 101 | 1 |
See all Subaru Forester problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Subaru Forester?
Owners most often report suspension, engine, air bags problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 94 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2014 Subaru Forester?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2014 Subaru Forester a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Forester model years, the 2014 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.