YearToAvoid

2014 Subaru Forester Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 110 Engine complaints for the 2014 Subaru Forester, 27% of its 403 total complaints for the year. Median mileage at failure is 35,000 miles, with 28 crashes, 2 fires, and 13 injuries tied to this area. No related recalls are listed.

Engine complaints
110
27% of 403
Crashes reported
28
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
13
Median mileage
35,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration while slowly entering or exiting parking spaces, resulting in the vehicle jumping curbs or hitting walls, trees, or buildings.
  • Several reports describe the vehicle surging forward or backward at low speed even though the driver was pressing the brake pedal, sometimes repeatedly over multiple incidents.
  • One owner reported that pressing the brake after the surge failed to stop the vehicle and the steering wheel seized before it crashed into a pole.
  • One complaint describes an engine control module reprogramming tied to an unspecified recall for engine detonation, followed a year later by discovery of burned spark plugs.
  • A dealer inspection in one case found no mechanical cause for the sudden acceleration after checking the brake and accelerator area.

When 2014 Subaru Forester engine complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 19, 2013, latest Dec 7, 2025.

2014 Subaru Forester engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter122013 Q32015 Q12016 Q42018 Q22019 Q42021 Q22023 Q3
110 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q3 to 2025 Q4; peak 2014 Q3 (12).

Engine recalls for the 2014 Subaru Forester

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Forester model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201058 (22%)
  2. 201179 (54%)
  3. 201246 (44%)
  4. 201333 (43%)
  5. 2014110 (27%)
  6. 2015191 (31%)
  7. 201691 (22%)
  8. 201776 (13%)
  9. 201858 (12%)
  10. 2019136 (16%)
  11. 2020105 (17%)
  12. 202142 (20%)
  13. 202218 (18%)
  14. 202310 (14%)
  15. 20242 (7%)
  16. 20258 (9%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2014 Subaru Forester have?
NHTSA lists 110 Engine complaints for the 2014 Forester, which is 27% of the 403 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2014 Subaru Forester engine?
The data provided shows no related recalls listed for this Engine complaint area, though one owner mentioned a dealer reprogramming tied to an unspecified recall for engine detonation.
At what mileage do 2014 Forester engine problems typically occur?
The median mileage at failure for Engine complaints on the 2014 Forester is 35,000 miles.
Are the engine complaints linked to crashes?
Yes, NHTSA records show 28 crashes, 2 fires, and 13 injuries associated with the Engine complaint area for the 2014 Forester.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.