2014 Subaru Forester Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
67/100
#6 most-complained of 16 Forester years
The 2014 Subaru Forester has a Complaint Index of 67, ranking 6th worst among 16 model years, with a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 403 complaints, 2 recalls, and a median failure mileage of 53,500, with Engine problems as the top issue.
- Complaints
- 403
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 48 / 3
- Injuries / deaths
- 28 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 23 city / 28 hwy
Top 2014 Subaru Forester problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine110 (27%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires105 (26%)
- Airbags57 (14%)
- Electrical System50 (12%)
- Other49 (12%)
- Structure & Body42 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain41 (10%)
- Brakes34 (8%)
- Fuel System21 (5%)
- Steering16 (4%)
What owners report
- Owners report sudden unintended acceleration while slowly entering parking spaces or driveways, at low speeds around 5-25 mph.
- Several complaints describe the vehicle lurching or surging forward when the driver's foot was on or coming off the brake pedal.
- Some incidents ended in low-speed crashes into walls, trees, garage doors, or parked objects after the sudden acceleration event.
- One report describes an airbag and engine fire after a head-on collision with a deer while cruise control was engaged.
- A separate complaint describes airbags failing to deploy and seat belts failing to lock during a head-on collision at low speed.
2014 Subaru Forester recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V149000Feb 28, 2019Electrical System1,303,530 vehicles
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
- NHTSA 13V159000Apr 24, 2013Other10,137 vehicles
Equipment
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.
Risk: Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle's clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace each of the vehicle's four (4) carpeted floor mats with new ones. These services will be performed free of charge. Subaru issued an interim notification during April 2013. Notification that the remedy is now available was mailed to owners on June 5, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQH-44.
2014 Subaru Forester fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 23 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,700
- 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.
2014 compared with other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2014 Subaru Forester reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2014 Forester a Complaint Index of 67, the 6th worst of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict relative to other Forester years. Engine complaints are the largest problem area, making up 27% of complaints.
- What year Subaru Forester should I avoid?
- Based on Complaint Index scores, 2019 (100), 2015 (87), and 2020 (93) are rated Avoid, worse than the 2014 model's Caution rating of 67.
- Does the 2014 Subaru Forester have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2014 Forester: one for a brake light switch electrical issue and one for improperly manufactured carpeted floor mats. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- What is the most common problem with the 2014 Subaru Forester?
- Engine complaints are the top problem area, accounting for 110 of 403 complaints (27%), followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 26%.
- How does the 2014 Forester compare to the 2013 and 2015 Foresters?
- The 2013 Forester has a much lower Complaint Index of 7 (Best verdict), while the 2015 Forester has a higher index of 87 (Avoid verdict), making 2014 a middle option with a Caution rating.