2012 Subaru Forester Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
13/100
#14 most-complained of 16 Forester years
The 2012 Subaru Forester has a complaint index of 13 and ranks 14th worst out of 16 model years, earning a 'Best' verdict among Foresters. NHTSA lists 105 complaints, 15 recalls, and no reported deaths for this year.
- Complaints
- 105
- Recalls
- 15
- Crashes / fires
- 15 / 5
- Injuries / deaths
- 9 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 21 city / 26 hwy
Top 2012 Subaru Forester problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
What owners report
- Owners report sudden unintended acceleration while parking or driving at low speed, leading to collisions with vehicles, garage doors, or an ATM machine.
- Some drivers describe the accelerator pedal sticking to the floorboard, causing a crash even at very low speeds.
- Brake pedals reportedly sank to the floor or failed to respond after a brake-related recall repair, resulting in crashes.
- Electrical system complaints include smoke or fire near the O2 sensor wiring harness and clutch fluid draining and smoking under the hood.
- One owner reported a heated seat overheating and burning through the seat and clothing while driving.
- An airbag-related complaint describes brakes locking up on icy roads, leading to a slide and collision with a telephone pole.
2012 Subaru Forester recalls
15 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V838000Nov 10, 2022Seat Belts16 vehicles
Seat belts
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles. The front seat belt assembly force-limiter may not operate correctly in the event of a crash.
Risk: The seat belt assembly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRJ-22.
- NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
2012 Subaru Forester fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 26 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,800
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Subaru Forester reliable?
- Relative to other Forester model years, the 2012 ranks well. It has a complaint index of 13, the 14th worst (meaning 3rd best) out of 16 years tracked, and carries a 'Best' verdict.
- What problems does the 2012 Subaru Forester have?
- NHTSA data shows the top problem area is the engine, accounting for 44% of the 105 complaints, followed by airbags at 19% and brakes at 18%. Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 45,702.
- Does the 2012 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 15 recalls for the 2012 Forester, covering seat belts, airbags, and the electrical system, including an ignition switch inspection recall. None of these are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2012 Forester compare to other bad Forester years?
- The 2012 Forester's complaint index of 13 is far below the worst year, 2019, which has an index of 100 and an 'Avoid' verdict. Other 'Avoid' years include 2015 (index 87) and 2020 (index 93).
- What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Subaru Forester?
- EPA rates the 2012 Forester at 23 mpg combined (21 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800.