Showing the 2017 Forester Limited ES. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2017 Forester
The 2017 Subaru Forester has 590 owner complaints, most often about air bags at 165, followed by electrical system at 106. Combined fuel economy is 24 to 28 mpg, with a 5-year fuel cost of $11,600 to $16,100 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 5 overall stars. It has 1 recall campaign covering air bags, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
24–28 mpgcombined; city 22–26, highway 27–32; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600–$16,100U.S. average; Ohio $10,370–$15,170 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Forester. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 590 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Forester. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
165
14
0
14
Electrical system
106
2
0
1
Visibility/wiper
104
0
0
0
Unknown or other
96
6
0
2
Engine
47
4
0
1
Power train
46
1
0
1
Seats
33
1
0
1
Vehicle speed control
33
18
0
7
Steering
25
2
0
2
Structure
15
1
0
4
Service brakes
13
6
0
2
Wheels
13
0
0
0
12 more parts
Suspension
12
0
0
0
Visibility
12
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
11
3
1
0
Seat belts
10
1
0
1
Forward collision avoidance
8
3
0
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
1
0
0
Lane departure
5
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
4
0
0
0
Back over prevention
2
1
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
1
0
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 Forester over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
Risk: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 449 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Forester, the latest on Oct 5, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (198), equipment (150), engine and engine cooling (53), power train (41), engine (37).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Preliminary evaluation PE19009 Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 Forester.
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data