2017 Subaru Forester Issues Include Airbag Recall, Unintentional Acceleration Complaints

Consumers reported the 2017 Subaru Forester for defective airbags, weak windshields, and vehicles that moved haphazardly. Originally named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the complaints are cause for concern.

Key points

• Subaru has recalled certain 2017 Subaru Foresters due to faulty wiring in an airbag sensor. The issue of airbags potentially not deploying in a crash led to the NHTSA’s one-time investigation of Forester in 2017.
• Some NHTSA complaints report that 2017 Subaru Forester models lurch forward when stopped in traffic or parked. The problem is said to have caused minor accidents, such as jumping off curbs and hitting parked vehicles.
• Another frequently reported complaint involves the 2017 Forester’s weak windshields that crack easily, sometimes on their own. Additionally, recent complaints mention false battery discharge that may require replacement of the batteries.

NHTSA’s 2017 Subaru Forester One recall also launched an investigation into defective airbags that may not deploy

The 2017 Subaru Forester only has one active recall, and that’s concerning. Subaru has recalled certain 2015-2018 Foresters equipped with heated seats due to faulty wiring in an airbag sensor. If the cable connection becomes loose, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even if the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Although the recall involves the front passenger airbag, additional problems with airbag deployment have appeared in nearly 100 NHTSA complaints since September 2021. Several reports from 2017 Forester owners mention accidents in which the airbag Front passenger air did not deploy correctly. Some owners claim that it wasn’t just the front passenger airbag that failed in a high-speed collision, but all of them.

NHTSA’s Defects Office launched an investigation in 2019 into the airbag issue.

In August 2019, NHTSA’s Defects Office began investigating complaints and reports of failures in the front passenger airbag system in 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles.

Airbags in vehicles, including the 2017 Subaru Forester, rely on an apparently defective occupant sensing system that incorrectly turned off the front passenger airbag even though the seat was occupied, increasing the risk of injury In case of an accident.

NHTSA’s complaint analysis showed that the majority of complaints concerned vehicles with heated seats. Subaru has asked owners of Foresters produced on the affected production line to visit a dealership to have the sensor mat harness inspected and replaced, if necessary.

A weak windshield prone to breaking easily consumes almost 20 pages of owner complaints

There are currently 370 consumer complaints on file with NHTSA, and most of them focus on three different areas: visibility, electrical system, and engine/powertrain. The visibility problem appears to be a serious and widespread problem and stems from a windshield that would crack easily and frequently without even being touched by anything.

Some 2017 Subaru owners have mentioned that they have had to replace their windshield more than once because it cracked on its own or after being hit by a small piece of road debris. One owner says his windshield cracked after being hit by a “small piece of debris no bigger than a dime.”

Given the prevalence of complaints about weak windshields, which take up 18 pages on NHTSA’s website, one would assume a recall or investigation is warranted, but neither has been issued.

“I replaced my windshield for the second time in 30 days,” laments a 2017 Subaru Forester owner in an April 2021 complaint. I didn’t see anything hit the windshield. As soon as I replaced it, three days later I woke up and saw that my windshield was cracked again. Nothing touched the windshield each time, and it only cracked sporadically.

As unusual as the experience seems to be, countless complaints repeat the same windshield scenario almost word for word, with another owner writing in March 2021: “Forester’s windshield started cracking for no clear reason, crashed, and quickly spread to a crack of 20″ or more that continues to grow.”

Nearly 400 consumer complaints relate to engine stalling, fuel odors in the cabin, and random accelerations that caused at least one fender bender.

The 2017 Subaru has almost 400 consumer complaints, and the majority of them, almost 100, relate to airbag problems and range from trivial to serious, with some consumers reporting that they have been involved in serious crashes and that the airbags did not deploy.

Other individual complaints noted exhaust fumes in the cabin and loss of power when climbing small hills or accelerating on the highway. A common complaint from many 2017 Subaru Forester owners was the frustration of having their keys stuck in the ignition cylinder after turning off the vehicle. The complaints first appeared in September 2019 and were even discussed on Subaru Forester owner forums.

Among the most serious complaints are reports of vehicles continuing to accelerate after drivers take their foot off the accelerator pedal. One owner reported that the same scenario occurred while he had his foot on the brake. In a March 2021 complaint, he said: “While pulling into a parking spot, the vehicle jumped forward when the brake pedal was depressed, causing the vehicle to jump. The vehicle jumped over a cement bumper and the bushes in front of the vehicle. The vehicle was still running when it was turned off and placed in park.

Another 2017 Forester owner echoed a similar situation, mentioning that “I was parked in a parallel parking spot, braked slowly to a stop when my car accelerated forward even though I was braking hard, and hit the car in front of him. The collision is what stopped the car.

Although the consequences were relatively minor, the problem of unintentional acceleration has already led to class action alleging defective circuit boards and electronic components may be responsible for the acceleration problem.

Latest 2017 Forester Complaint Owner Reviews Electrical Problems Can Cause Excessive Battery Drain

More recently, complaints have surfaced of 2017 Subaru Forester models suffering from excessive battery drain. Some owners have reported that their 2017 Forester needs multiple battery replacements with less than 50,000 miles on the vehicle.

“My 2017 Forester’s battery was replaced three times under warranty after it was found dead,” one owner said in a complaint in May 2021. “All three times Subaru said it was a bad battery, and my mechanic said it was an electrical problem if it happened more than once.

Another owner said: “Our 2017 Subaru Forester’s battery died three times from June 26, 2021 to August 20, 2021. Simply put, overnight, the battery was dead.

Many owners have confirmed that Subaru replaced the battery under warranty, but 2017 model year Foresters are no longer eligible for the three-year/36,000-mile warranty. Subaru. Therefore, battery replacement would now be the financial responsibility of the vehicle owner.

Is the 2017 Subaru Forester a reliable vehicle, despite its recall and hundreds of consumer complaints?

The 2017 Subaru Forester currently has 370 consumer complaints covering a variety of issues ranging from moderately concerning to life-threatening. When considering a 2017 Subaru Forester, you need to weigh everything from the potential inconvenience caused by keys stuck in the ignition to a sober reminder about airbags that may not deploy in the event of a crash.

It is also important to note that the 2017 El Forester was named a 2017 Top Safety Pick+ by the International Highway Safety Institute. The IIHS also gave the 2017 model its highest rating of “Good” in its crash test, with the front passenger side small overlap being the only area that earned a “marginal” rating. Additionally, the 2017 Forester received an impressive 4.6 out of five stars in Vehicle history is more than 600 consumer opinions.

In the end, the 2017 Subaru Forester has enough complaints to consider, as does Subaru’s solid reputation for reliability. Be sure to check the VIN here under Vehicle History to make sure you’re looking at a trouble-free Forester.

Images: Subaru