Owners have filed 403 safety complaints about the 2014 Subaru Forester with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 48 crashes, 3 fires, 28 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2014 Subaru Forester, here is how reports break down by system.
"Car started to excessively shake at 60,000 miles. The control arm bushings wore out. After doing some research, there was a technical service bulletin issued by Subaru on this issue which changed the design of the bushings. However, they did not notify owners."
"OIL IS CONSTANTLY HAVING TO BE CHECKED BECAUSE THIS VEHICLE GOES THROUGH LOTS OF OIL. I'VE PUT A NEWER ENGINE IN THE CAR DUE TO THE FIRST ONE DOING THIS. ALSO THE FRONT RIGHT CV JOINT IS ABOUT TO NEED REPLACEMENT AND IS LOUD. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED AS SOON AS I BOUGHT THE CAR APRIL 2020.ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL WORKS ON AND OFF LITERALLY BACK WINDOWS WON'T COME DOWN, HORN WON'T HONK AND BLUETOOTH IS HORRIBLE."
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2014 Subaru Forester peaked later than usual, in 2019.
Across the Subaru Forester model years we track, the 2019 has the most complaints on file (832); the 2014 ranks 7 of 7.
2 recalls apply to some or all 2014 Subaru Forester vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
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.
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 t…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 403 complaints about the 2014 Subaru Forester with NHTSA. The most-reported system is suspension.
The 2014 Subaru Forester has 2 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2014 Subaru Forester an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.