2017 Subaru Forester Structure & Body Problems
NHTSA lists 49 Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 Subaru Forester, 8% of its 587 total complaints. Owners report an unexpected tailgate opening, a door handle lock design issue, and windshield cracking. No related recall is listed for this component, and median mileage at failure is 25,500 miles.
- Structure & Body complaints
- 49
- 8% of 587
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 5
- Median mileage
- 25,500 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical body and structure symptoms owners report
- Rear tailgate has opened on its own while the vehicle was moving, triggering an alert and drawing horn honks from surrounding traffic.
- Windshields have cracked without an obvious impact, in one case shortly after purchase and again months later, with one owner reporting a leak afterward.
- Door handles require an extra mechanical or electrical step to unlock, which some owners found confusing, paired with an audible chime described as too high-pitched.
- Hard plastic trim near the front driver's seat has repeatedly caught on owners' shoes when exiting the vehicle, creating a trip risk near passing traffic.
- One owner objected to the fixed forward-tilt design of the front head rest, saying it pushed them uncomfortably close to the steering wheel.
When 2017 Subaru Forester body and structure complaints were filed
First complaint Oct 17, 2016, latest Aug 19, 2026.
Structure & Body recalls for the 2017 Subaru Forester
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Structure & Body complaints by Forester model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Structure & Body complaints does NHTSA have for the 2017 Subaru Forester?
- NHTSA lists 49 Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 Forester, which is 8% of the 587 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2017 Subaru Forester's structure or body?
- No related recall is listed in the data for this component area on the 2017 Forester.
- What structure and body problems do owners report on the 2017 Forester?
- Owners describe an unexpected tailgate opening while driving, windshield cracking without impact, a confusing door handle unlock design, and interior trim that catches on shoes when exiting.
- At what mileage do these structure and body problems tend to appear?
- The median mileage at failure for Structure & Body complaints on the 2017 Forester is 25,500 miles.
- Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
- Across the 2017 Forester's overall complaint data, NHTSA logs 2 crashes and 5 injuries, though these are not all necessarily tied to Structure & Body specifically.