2022 SUBARU Forester

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
⚠️Elevated Concerns

The 2022 Subaru Forester demonstrates a mix of reliability, highlighted by a singular recall. However, with the primary issue concerning the power train and the average failure mileage of just under 8,500 miles, there are critical considerations for families focused on safety.

Key Factor:Power train vulnerability

πŸ“‹Why This Matters

The recall concerning the power train's automatic transmission park/neutral start interlock switch is alarming, particularly for families who prioritize the safety of their children in the back seat. An insufficient weld that may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch could lead to unexpected vehicle movement, posing a significant risk during operation. Such defects can impact child passengers more severely as they rely on effective vehicle controls for their safety.

Focus Area:Safety Profile
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Expert Analysis

  • πŸ“ˆ
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • ⚠️
    Primary Risk Area:Crack
  • βš–οΈ
    Vs Brand: Better than avg (1.3)
    πŸ“
    Summary: While Subaru has maintained a strong engineering reputation over the years, this vehicle's current risk profile raises concerns due to recall specifics and numerous complaints. The presence of TSBs further emphasizes potential operational issues that could affect safety systems critical for family travel.

Safety & Reliability Score

88/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-8
Complaint Impact-4.15
Investigation Impact-0

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2022 SUBARU Forester

Model Year2022
MakeSUBARU
ModelForester
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Jan22
NEWProduction
Feb22
ISSUEFirst Report
Sep23
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

25 complaints (30% of total)
➑️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
βœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 83 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
9(11%)
🟑Medium
22(27%)
🟒Low
52(63%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

βš™οΈEngineering Insight

With peak failure occurring in the early stages of ownership (0-20k miles), current owners should be vigilant as problems seem to arise shortly after purchase. Families must closely monitor performance and address any anomalies promptly to ensure all passengers remain safe.

πŸ“Š Mileage data extracted from 16 of 83 complaints (19% coverage)
0-20k
13 reports (81%)
20k-40k
3 reports (19%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
0 reports (0%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

πŸ› οΈ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

POWER TRAIN

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Power Train

Issue: Insufficient weld may cause inhibitor switch failure.

βœ…

Have your park/neutral start interlock switch inspected immediately to avoid unexpected movements.

πŸ”

Request detailed service records about this recall before purchasing to understand any prior remedies or ongoing risks.

Campaign:21V734000
πŸ’‘Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your SUBARU dealer to verify recall completion status.

Official Safety Recalls (1)

Campaign: 23V755000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

Summary

Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.

Consequence

An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.

NHTSA Investigations

0 investigations
βœ“

No active investigations for this vehicle.

Consumer Complaints

83 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2022 Forester.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Crack30%
Warning19%
Acceleration Issues12%
Fire7%
Stall6%
Accident5%
Crash/Accident5%
Leak5%
Body/InteriorπŸ”΅ Low
STRUCTURE

The exterior B-pillar trim on my 2022 Subaru Forester (passenger side) has warped, bubbled, and lifted away from the vehicle. At approximately 24,700 miles, the trim began deforming significantly, with visible bubbling and separation at the top edge. The dealer inspected it and recommended replacing the entire window panel assembly, stating it is not covered under warranty. I am concerned that the loose and distorted trim could detach while driving, especially at highway speeds, creating a hazard for me and other drivers. The damage also affects visibility around the door frame and may compromise the door and window sealing. Subaru of America declined to cover the repair, and I believe this may be a material or manufacturing defect that could impact other owners.

Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
ENGINE

I hit a deer going 45 mph, the air bags deployed, and my engine caught on fire. Within 10 minutes my car burned to the ground.

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I was steering my car into my own garage as I do daily. Suddenly, as the car was making the turn, the car accelerated abruptly on its own. I was somehow able to steer into the garage, but the rapid acceleration continued. I braked and stopped the car just before it went into the wall that adjoins the interior of my home. There was an inch to spare. There were no warnings or messages or sympoms prior to this event.

Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am writing to report a serious safety concern involving my '22 Subaru Forester, which is equipped with the Auto Start/Stop feature. This issue created a dangerous driving situation that could have resulted in severe injury or death to myself, my family, or other drivers on the road. While driving on the highway, our Forester's Auto Start/Stop system malfunctioned causing the engine to shut off completely while the vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle shut down in the left lane of traffic and failed to restart immediately leaving us unexpectedly immobile. Fortunately, my husband remained calm and immediately placed his foot back on the brake, placed the vehicle in park and restarted the vehicle manually by pressing the ignition button. However, had he hesitated during the confusion by not placing his foot back on the brake we could have been rear-ended, possibly by a large semi-truck which would have propelled us into the vehicle in front of us. Our dealer said the Auto Start/Stop system failing to restart the vehicle due to a weakening batteryβ€”for which there is no warning. The fact that a non-critical feature like fuel-saving Start/Stop is allowed to override the engine's operability based on battery voltage is deeply concerning. Batteries degrade over time. But a degraded battery should not be allowed to disable a moving vehicle.Having spoken directly with Subaru of America about this issue, they acknowledged and documented my case however I was told that it would be used as data for potential future action if other similar cases arise. In the meantime, no corrective action is being taken by Subaru, with me as an owner or proactively with the feature design.I respectfully urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter as a potential safety defect. The Auto Start/Stop system, as implemented in certainSubaru models (specifically the 2022 Forester in my case) may compromise safe vehicle operation when battery voltage drops below a certain threshold which is a safety flaw.

Safety SystemsπŸ”Ά Medium
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

Several months ago, the automatic front collision activated on the freeway doing about 65mph. There was nothing in front of us, but there was a car behind us that almost rear ended us. I thought this was a one-off thing but reading this site I am not the only one. Also, with in the last 2 weeks the Eye Site has turned off. This I see is also a known problem.

Safety SystemsπŸ”Ά Medium
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving on a main road at 32 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system suddenly engaged while there were no objects or vehicles nearby. Additionally, the contact stated that the Subaru EyeSight system was disabled due to being a seasoned driver. The contact stated that she was forced to purchase the vehicle with the feature. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was inspected and recalibrated. The dealer informed the contact that the EZ Pass may have contributed to the failure; however, the contact stated that the EZ Pass had been on the console for approximately three years. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.

VisibilityπŸ”΅ Low
VISIBILITY

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the front windshield was cracked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled for the front windshield replacement. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.

OtherπŸ”΅ Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I pulled into a parking space and as I slowed to a stop my car surged forward. I put my foot on the brake and the car continued to surge for a few seconds before the brakes engaged. I almost hit a fence and had to circle my car on a grassy lawn until the brakes egaged and I was able to park the car.

Safety SystemsπŸ”Ά Medium
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

This happened to me a few days ago: The pre-collision braking system slammed my car to a stop when I was going 30 mph on a straight country road, and there was nothing in front of me or on the side of the road. No one anywhere around. It was 1 PM with good weather. Nothing to trigger the pre-collision braking system on my 2022 Forester. The sensors weren't dirty. The car suddenly slammed on the brakes. It felt like I'd slammed into something, but nothing was there! There was nothing anywhere around. I turned off the pre-collision feature and took the car to the dealer (where I bought the car and have it serviced). Cost me $135 to be told that there was nothing wrong. And they said that my extended warranty wouldn't cover the cost because they didn't find anything wrong and couldn't make it happen in a test drive. Having the brakes slam on like that was terrifying! Imagine if I'd been on a highway and there had been someone behind me. They would have rear-ended me! And I've read MANY, MANY similar accounts by Subaru owners on Reddit and the Subaru owners forum. Please do something about this. It's dangerous! Thank you!

Engine/PowertrainπŸ”΅ Low
ENGINE

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while her husband was stopped at a stoplight, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to move. There were three abnormal beeps heard. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are common issues reported with the 2022 Subaru Forester?

Common issues with the 2022 Subaru Forester primarily revolve around one significant recall related to the power train. Owners have reported concerns linked to an insufficient weld affecting the park/neutral start interlock switch, which could pose risks during vehicle operation.

How does Subaru's engineering reputation affect my family's safety in a Forester?

Subaru has long been recognized for its commitment to quality engineering and safety features across its models. However, even well-reputed brands can face specific vulnerabilities like those noted in the Forester. It's vital for families considering this model to remain informed about recalls and take proactive measures to ensure their children's safety while traveling.

πŸ“ŠYear-over-Year Context

➑️Stable Pattern

Compared to earlier years, the 2022 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.

🧭What This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 1 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your SUBARU dealer.
  • Unaddressed recalls pose real-world risks. Prioritize scheduling any pending repairs to maintain vehicle integrity.
  • Proactive tip: Enroll in SUBARU's owner notification program for real-time safety updates.
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If You're Buying Used

  • Obtain proof of recall completion for all 1 campaigns before purchase.
  • Account for potential service downtime when calculating your initial ownership budget.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: February 23, 2026.