2023 Subaru Forester Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2023 Subaru Forester, and owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
1 safety recall for the 2023 Subaru Forester
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Driveshaft (power train)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek, Impreza, 2023-2024 Forester, and 2023 WRX vehicles. The front driveshaft assemblies' outer race may develop cracks and break.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and right front driveshafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at…
74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2023 Subaru Forester have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 7,209 miles. Complaints peaked in 2024 with 28 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Transmission slipped, stranded me in the middle of a road XXX. Stopped wouldn’t go. Started locking down in reverse 1 month after I purchased the vehicle. XXX, my husband was backing down a road that”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 2, 2026 · Service brakes
“I am writing to formally report a critical safety defect regarding the driver-side footwell design in my 2023 Subaru Forester Sport, which poses an immediate and severe risk of a crash. A hard plastic”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 5, 2026 · Service brakes
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2023 Subaru Forester (Forester AWD, Forester Wilderness AWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26–29 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 25–26 / 28–33 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AV-S7); Automatic (AV-S8) |
Compare Subaru Forester model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Subaru Forester model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2023 Subaru Forester
How do I know if my 2023 Subaru Forester has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2023 Subaru Forester; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Subaru dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 23V754000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Subaru models
- Outback9,756 complaints
- Legacy3,185 complaints
- Impreza2,651 complaints
- Crosstrek1,186 complaints
- Ascent1,033 complaints
- WRX975 complaints
- Svx291 complaints
- Xv Crosstrek264 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.