AutoUtility currently tracks 582 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2017 Subaru Forester. Air Bags & Restraints issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 166 complaints (28.5% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 39 filings cite a crash, 1 cites a fire, 24 report one or more injuries.
- • Total NHTSA Complaints: 582 reports
- • #1 Reported Problem Area: Air Bags & Restraints (166 reports • 28.5% of submitted complaints)
- • Secondary Problem Areas: Visibility, Wipers & Glass (115), Electrical System (106)
- • Crash-Citing Complaints: 39 filings
- • Fire-Citing Complaints: 1 filings
- • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 24 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Most Reported Problems for 2017 Subaru Forester
Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records
Air Bags & Restraints
NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:
- Campaign #19V701000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Visibility, Wipers & Glass
Electrical System
Engine & Cooling
Powertrain & Transmission
Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Subaru Forester
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.
12V Battery Parasitic Drain / Dead Battery
Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Subaru Forester
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"The airbag warning light for the front passenger seat has been intermittently lighting. Both when the passenger seat is occupied and vacant. The light sometimes indicates the passenger airbag is off when there is a passenger in the seat. I took the car to the Subaru dealer where I purchased the..."
"The airbag sensor in the passenger front seat has malfunctioned and it is indicating that the passenger airbag will not deploy. This is after the recall that was completed on the ODS from service campaign 19V701000."
"Airbag sensor does not work. It is not activated when someone sits in the passenger seat. This was recalled in other Subaru Foresters but for some reason our specific vin number is not eligible for repair."
"My 2017 Subaru Forester is experiencing the exact component failure and severe safety hazard outlined in NHTSA Recall 19V-701 (Subaru Campaign WUM-98R). The front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) is failing continuously, which illuminates the "Passenger Airbag Off" indicator and..."
"The passenger airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) has failed on my 2017 Subaru Forester (VIN: [XXX]) at 78,255 miles. This failure completely deactivates the front passenger airbag, creating an immediate, severe safety hazard for any front-seat passenger. This vehicle previously had Federal..."
Complaint History for Subaru Forester
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Subaru Forester | 613 | 53 | 3 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Subaru Forester | 410 | 39 | 3 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Subaru Forester Current Page | 582 | 39 | 1 | Current |
| 2018 Subaru Forester | 492 | 26 | 3 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Subaru Forester | 832 | 36 | 3 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Subaru Forester | 596 | 26 | 0 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Subaru Forester | 207 | 16 | 0 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Subaru Forester | 96 | 8 | 1 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Subaru Forester | 73 | 8 | 1 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Subaru Forester | 29 | 4 | 2 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Subaru Forester | 90 | 11 | 4 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Subaru Forester | 0 | 0 | 3 | View 2026 Problems → |
Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2017 Subaru Forester
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 90 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Reported Injury Entries | Reported Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 117 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 71 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 57 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEATS | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 10 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEATS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SUSPENSION | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)
Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or o...
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.