Owners have filed 583 safety complaints about the 2017 Subaru Forester with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 39 crashes, 1 fire, 27 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2017 Subaru Forester, here is how reports break down by system.
"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."
Complaint filings for the 2017 Subaru Forester over time:
Across the Subaru Forester model years we track, the 2019 has the most complaints on file (832); the 2017 ranks 4 of 7.
1 recall applies to some or all 2017 Subaru Forester vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
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 583 complaints about the 2017 Subaru Forester with NHTSA. The most-reported system is airbags & restraints.
The 2017 Subaru Forester has 1 NHTSA recall on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2017 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.