Subaru Forester Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 273 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Subaru Forester across 23 model years. The 2015 model year has the most (34). The words owners use most often: “foot brake” (7% of reports).
- 273service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 77mention a crash
- 28mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $1,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 22%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Foot brake: mentioned in 20 of 273 complaints (7%)
- Parking space: mentioned in 18 of 273 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the Subaru Forester at $1,200, and half of them between $920 and $1,900.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2023), 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 service brakes problems happen?
Based on 170 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 273 complaints, 77 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 28 an injury.
Subaru Forester service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Forester | 5 | 5% | 2,800 |
| 2024 Forester | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Forester | 6 | 8% | — |
| 2022 Forester | 10 | 10% | 9,097 |
| 2021 Forester | 7 | 3% | 10,000 |
| 2020 Forester | 13 | 2% | 7,500 |
| 2019 Forester | 22 | 3% | 16,500 |
| 2018 Forester | 13 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2017 Forester | 13 | 2% | 23,413 |
| 2016 Forester | 29 | 7% | 32,000 |
| 2015 Forester | 34 | 6% | 37,000 |
| 2014 Forester | 31 | 8% | 41,870 |
| 2013 Forester | 9 | 12% | 21,603 |
| 2012 Forester | 11 | 10% | 28,800 |
| 2011 Forester | 17 | 12% | 31,148 |
| 2010 Forester | 28 | 11% | 57,000 |
| 2009 Forester | 11 | 6% | 62,500 |
| 2007 Forester | 2 | 3% | 64,000 |
| 2005 Forester | 4 | 4% | 71,200 |
| 2004 Forester | 2 | 1% | 160,000 |
| 2002 Forester | 1 | 1% | 172,500 |
| 2001 Forester | 3 | 2% | 107,252 |
| 1999 Forester | 1 | 1% | 80,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Service brakes, hydraulic
Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia that were remedied under recall 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014. The brake lines may experience brake line corrosion due to salt water splashing on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector.
Risk: Brake fluid may leak due to the brake line corrosion and may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will apply an anti-corrosion wax to the four-way joint connector area of the brake line system, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQQ-52. Notes: This recall is specific to affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI customers who had their car remedied under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014. Subaru has determined that this remedy was inadequate due to incomplete repair instructions provided to dealers. Affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI vehicles that were not repaired under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014 will continue to be processed under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311. Affected vehicles not currently, or formerly, registered in the salt belt states identified in this recall are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
Risk: Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Model years: 1998, 1999
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles equipped with anti-lock braking system (abs). (the 1999 2.2 liter legacy vehicles are excluded). In extremely cold weather, the brake pedal goes to the floor and the vehicle stopping distance is increased.
Risk: This condition causes the vehicle stopping distance to be increased, possibly resulting in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
I was parked at my banks' ATM to deposit a check into my account. The car was parked and I put the gear shift in the Neutral position and applied the emergency hand brake. When I finished with the deposit, I released the hand brake. Then I moved the shift from Neutral to Drive and the vehicle did a…
On May 30, 2026, I was driving the freeway 2(Glendale Fwy) south, I was using the cruise control and driving 63 0r 68 miles. All of sudden, my car start to shaking violently, moving toward right lane, so I tried move my car back to my lane. My car was out of control and driving zig zag way then…
On 8/15/2026 my car's EyeSight system falsely automatically engaged Pre-Collision Braking on a clear road with no cars, obstacles or potholes ahead, on a sunny day, accelerating at 10â15 mph from a traffic light stop. The car was brought to an abrupt stop with no warning beeps from the Eyesight…
I am writing to formally report a critical safety defect regarding the driver-side footwell design in my 2023 Subaru Forester Sport, which poses an immediate and severe risk of a crash. A hard plastic lower extension for the HVAC air duct sits dangerously low directly above the brake and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Subaru Foresters have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 273 owner complaints about service brakes 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 service brakes?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the Subaru Forester?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,200 (half paid between $920 and $1,900), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “foot brake”, in 20 of 273 complaints, followed by “parking space” (18).
Other Subaru Forester problems
- Visibility/wiper problems (1,061)
- Engine problems (827)
- Air Bags problems (817)
- Electrical System problems (797)
- Power Train problems (556)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (532)
- Suspension problems (415)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (350)
See all Subaru Forester problems.