repaired · 2020 Q3
Brake lights: switch
Risk. Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
2014 Subaru ForesterProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 403 owner complaints about the 2014 Subaru Forester, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-149 the manufacturer reports only 76% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 12, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2014 Subaru Forester has problems
403 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
94Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
69Engine6 crash/fire/injury
57Air bags10 crash/fire/injury
42Vehicle speed control25 crash/fire/injury
42Electrical system4 crash/fire/injury
41Power train7 crash/fire/injury
31Service brakes
27Structure
16Steering
9818 other systems7 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 94 | 1 |
| Engine | 69 | 6 |
| Air bags | 57 | 10 |
| Vehicle speed control | 42 | 25 |
| Electrical system | 42 | 4 |
| Power train | 41 | 7 |
| Service brakes | 31 | 11 |
| Structure | 27 | 13 |
| Steering | 16 | 1 |
| 18 other systems | 98 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2014 Subaru Forester recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Equipment
Risk. Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle's clutch, brake,…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Subaru.
Mileage at failure
When do suspension problems start?
55kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 81 suspension complaints. 95% were reported before 100,000 miles.
11under 30k miles77under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
16 owners mentioned a cost$1,100median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,200
Suspension
8 owners mentioned a cost$835median
Middle half: $703 – $950
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2014 vs. every other Forester year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Forester median. How we score
'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2014 Subaru Forester safety ratings
2014 Subaru Forester SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (16.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
In owners' words
What Forester owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Basically, as I was driving on the freeway with my son and his brother, I got 5 lights flashing on dashboard. Abs at temp check engine cruise control hill assist vss etc.. the code were for cut but before I could check them everything shut down. Car went dark, no brakes and burning smell as well as…
During driving on the highway control arm failure causing wheel bearing failure and loss of control of the vehicle putting my safety and others at risk of collision at high speeds. Thankfully no major issue occurred and the vehicle was taken to be confirmed and fixed immediately. I paid for all…
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.
Own a 2014 Forester?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.