2012 Subaru Forester problems and complaints
Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Subaru Forester. The most-reported areas: Engine (27), Air Bags (20), Vehicle Speed Control (18).
Key takeaways
- 107 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 15 involve a crash, 5 a fire, 9 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 27 | 25% |
| Air Bags | 20 | 19% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 17% |
| Service Brakes | 17 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 10 | 9% |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 | 7% |
| Hydraulic | 6 | 6% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 | 6% |
| Structure | 5 | 5% |
| Power Train | 5 | 5% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 4% |
| Wheels | 3 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2012 Subaru Forester
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Headlight bulb
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Subaru Forester SUV AWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic - filed 2026-11-04
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard while attempting to shift out of park(P). A red brake warning light was illuminated with the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard. The contact notified her boyfriend of the fail...
Service Brakes, Hydraulic - filed 2026-10-22
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was brake fluid leaking from the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact became aware that the two-way connector was severely corroded and the brake line had separated due to the failure. The contact stated that the brake...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-04-22
I purchased the car Feb. 2026 from [XXX] in Seagirt. There were no problems with it. In Saturday April 18 , 2026 I was driving on Parkway north. As I paid toll at Tinton Falls toll I proceeded to go and the car made weird noises followed by a loud pop and black smoke and flames appeared under the hood. The car was eng...
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More for the 2012 Subaru Forester
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.