Subaru Forester Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 797 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Subaru Forester across 28 model years. The 2019 model year has the most (134).
- 797electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 27mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $870typical repair cost reported by owners
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Subaru Forester at $870, and half of them between $610 and $1,550.
Based on 17 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2002–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 333 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 797 complaints, 27 mention a crash, 36 a fire, 9 an injury.
Subaru Forester electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 6 | 21% | 6,000 |
| 2025 Forester | 8 | 8% | 100 |
| 2024 Forester | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Forester | 8 | 11% | — |
| 2022 Forester | 10 | 10% | 18,100 |
| 2021 Forester | 33 | 16% | 14,376 |
| 2020 Forester | 103 | 17% | 2,000 |
| 2019 Forester | 134 | 16% | 8,700 |
| 2018 Forester | 71 | 14% | 9,418 |
| 2017 Forester | 106 | 18% | 38,000 |
| 2016 Forester | 93 | 22% | 39,795 |
| 2015 Forester | 82 | 13% | 40,000 |
| 2014 Forester | 42 | 10% | 61,222 |
| 2013 Forester | 3 | 4% | 10,000 |
| 2012 Forester | 10 | 10% | 60,618 |
| 2011 Forester | 11 | 7% | 63,000 |
| 2010 Forester | 13 | 5% | 69,733 |
| 2009 Forester | 22 | 12% | 57,500 |
| 2008 Forester | 5 | 10% | 90,000 |
| 2007 Forester | 5 | 7% | 86,000 |
| 2006 Forester | 7 | 8% | 82,000 |
| 2005 Forester | 3 | 3% | 23,524 |
| 2004 Forester | 4 | 2% | 48,750 |
| 2003 Forester | 4 | 2% | 64,500 |
| 2001 Forester | 2 | 1% | 189,000 |
| 2000 Forester | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1999 Forester | 4 | 3% | 175,000 |
| 1998 Forester | 6 | 6% | 98,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
Electrical system
Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
Risk: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2026 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the engine sputtered before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with an inoperable fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure returned three weeks later. The…
Experienced parasitic battery drain which disabled the vehicle. The drain is tied to a 30 amp fuse labeled "BACKUP" under the hood of the vehicle. This fuse controls the touchscreen, backup camera, interior lights, key fob and radio. There were no warning lights or trouble codes associated with…
Transmission slipped, stranded me in the middle of a road XXX. Stopped wouldnât go. Started locking down in reverse 1 month after I purchased the vehicle. XXX, my husband was backing down a road that had no turnaround. The RAB locked down, slammed so hard, the car slid six feet and the motor shut…
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…
Smoke and fire occurred in the engine and spread into the car while the car was being driven. The car has not been inspected yet.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Subaru Foresters have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 797 owner complaints about electrical system for the Subaru Forester. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Subaru Forester electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Subaru Forester?
Owners report a typical cost of $870 (half paid between $610 and $1,550), from 17 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
Other Subaru Forester problems
- Visibility/wiper problems (1,061)
- Engine problems (827)
- Air Bags problems (817)
- Power Train problems (556)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (532)
- Suspension problems (415)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (350)
- Service Brakes problems (273)
See all Subaru Forester problems.