2012 Subaru FORESTER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
105 owner complaints analyzed
15 distinct recall campaigns
45,703 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 68 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 27 of 105 complaints (25.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 22 | 21.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 5.7% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 4.8% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 4.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 3.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 27 |
| Air Bags | 20 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 |
| Service Brakes | 11 |
| Electrical System | 10 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 4 |
Engine: 27; Air Bags: 20; Vehicle Speed Control: 17; Service Brakes: 11; Electrical System: 10; Unknown Or Other: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 22 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 14 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 13 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (22). 37 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 12 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2011: 1; 2012: 10; 2013: 7; 2014: 9; 2015: 8; 2016: 12; 2017: 13; 2018: 7; 2019: 12; 2020: 10; 2021: 5; 2022: 4; 2023: 3; 2024: 1; 2025: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10449990 · 2012-03-01 (March 1, 2012)
OUR FORESTER HAS AN INCONSISTENT BRAKE PEDAL. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL IS FIRM AND RESPONSIVE. SOMETIMES THE PEDAL GOES TOWARDS THE FLOOR BEFORE IT RESPONDS. WE NEVER KNOW HOW FAR IN THE PEDAL WILL GO. THUS FAR THE BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS WORKED BUT EXTRA TIME AND DISTANCE ARE NEEDED TO STOP. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS BEEN THERE EVER SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING FROM SUBARU'S RECALL OF OTHER 2012 MODELS EXPLAINS ALMOST EXACTLY HOW THIS MANIFESTS FOR US. PRESSING THE PEDAL LIGHTLY AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAVING TO HIT THE PEDAL HARD…
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10449990 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10456177 · 2012-04-23 (April 23, 2012)
MY FORESTER HAS HAD THE ISSUE OF MISFIRING ON THREE OCCASIONS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE FIRST TWO, NOW THEY TELL ME I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THEY CREATE A COMPUTER UPDATE, THAT MY CAR HAS A "GLITCH IN THE COMPUTER". MY CRUISE CONTROL BECOMES DISABLED, WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES, ALONG WITH VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL WARING LIGHT ALSO BLINKS. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THE CAR WILL RUN PROPERLY, NOT TO WORRY. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT THE ABS IS POROBLABLY MALFUNCTIONING. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THEY DE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10456177 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10509051 · 2013-04-22 (April 22, 2013)
2012 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UNLESS HE DROVE THE VEHICLE REGULARLY, OR STARTED IT AND LET THE ENGINE IDLE, THE COMPLEX OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS WOULD RUN DOWN THE BATTERY TO A NO START AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ALL SYSTEMS WOULD BE DEAD. THE CONSUMER STATED SELLERS ADMITTED TO THE PROBLEM AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND RUNNING THE ENGINE MORE OFTEN.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10509051 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10630794 · 2014-09-08 (September 8, 2014)
2012 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION. THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER, AT WHICH TIME, THEY DIAGNOSED THE IGNITION ISSUE AS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND STATED THAT IT WAS FIXED WITH AN UPDATE TO THE FIRMWARE. HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME IGNITION PROBLEM, BUT ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS. THE CONSUMER WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY STATED THE PROBL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10630794 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10672594 · 2015-01-14 (January 14, 2015)
I WANT TO ALSO SUBMIT A STATEMENT ABOUT THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY BRAKES,I ALSO NOTICED OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS,AS SOON AS I GOT THE CAR I NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE VERY SOFT.I TOOK THE CAR IN,I WAS TOLD THEY WERE FINE.A COUPLE WEEKS LATER I WAS IN LINE AT STARBUCKS AND THE BRAKES WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR,I PULLED THE EMERGENCY UP NARROWLY MISSING THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME.I CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN,BEFORE I GOT THE CAR BACK IN AGAIN AT DUNKIN DONUTS IT DID THE SAME THING.IT HAD ALSO STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE SMELL AND HAD NO POWER.…
Owner-reported narrative. 29,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10672594 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10919796 · 2016-10-28 (October 28, 2016)
WHICH DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT RUSH HOUR AT 65 MPH... WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING OR WARNING LIGHT MY CAR STALLED. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE STEERING WENT OUT ALONG WITH THE BRAKES AND ALL POWER. I SAT IN THE FAST LANE OF TRAFFIC UNABLE TO SAFELY EXIT MY CAR FOR ALMOST AND HOUR UNTIL HELP ARRIVED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP NEIL HUFFMAN IN LOUISVILLE KY WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW 4 YEARS AGO. I WAS TOLD THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR HAD FAILED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED AT 65 MPH WITH NO WARNING. I PAID THE 403.…
Owner-reported narrative. 800,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10919796 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11051371 · 2017-11-29 (November 29, 2017)
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS TURNING LEFT WHEN I WAS STRUCK BY A CAR GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. ACCORDING TO POLICE THE IMPACT WAS AT 01-1 O'CLOCK. . MY CAR WAS SPUN INTO THE GUARD RAIL CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT FRONT AND RT REAR OF MY CAR. THE SEAT BELT LATCH FAILED AND RELEASED THE SEAT BELT AND THE FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR ,STEERING COLUMN , GEAR SHIFT ,ETC. I SUSTAINED RATHER SEVERE NECK INJURIES WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD HAVE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED IF THE SAFETY SYSTEMS HAD OPERATED.
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11051371 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10504167 · 2013-03-22 (March 22, 2013)
2012 FORESTER 2.5X, 4-SPD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 50+ MPH, ANY ATTEMPT TO QUICKLY ACCELERATE CAUSES THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT ALL THE WAY TO SECOND GEAR. THIS RESULTS IN VERY HIGH RPMS, BUT A LOSS IN VELOCITY AS THE DOWNSHIFT TO SECOND GEAR IS NOT APPROPRIATE AT THE HIGH END OF THE ALLOWABLE RPMS FOR THE ENGINE. THE LOSS IN SPEED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE IS VERY UNSAFE AND HAS CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO UNEXPECTEDLY RETURN TO MY LANE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. LIKEWISE, ATTEMPTING T…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10504167 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10546145 · 2013-09-30 (September 30, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, HE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THEN INTO A TREE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAG…
Owner-reported narrative. 34,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546145 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10486638 · 2012-12-01 (December 1, 2012)
DURING COLD WEATHER STARTS, THE VEHICLE CABIN SMELLS STRONGLY OF RAW FUEL, AS IF THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE SMELL PERSISTS UNTIL THE ENGINE HAS REACHED ITS NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. LOOSE FUEL LINES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN PREVIOUS MODEL YEAR FORESTERS, AND RARE INSTANCES OF THIS OCCURRING IN CURRENT GENERATION FORESTERS (09-13). *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486638 at NHTSA ↗