2015 Subaru Forester: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
613 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Forester's record mirrors the Outback's: oil-consumption complaints on the FB25 engine in 2014–2015, a long moderate stretch, and then a spike for the 2019 model year with the fifth generation's launch — the Starlink infotainment, battery drain, and the EyeSight driver-assistance system braking unnecessarily. The 2021–2024 years score between 83 and 91. Read the full note on the model page. 2015 specifically: 613 complaints on record, score 66/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Subaru Outback and Forester: oil consumption, then Starlink, then a clean run, including 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 613 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 55.73
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I was parking at the dentist office in their parking lot going slow, turned into a parking space and thought i was slowly braking but my car lunged forward and hit a tree. I would normally be minimally braking, so I'm not sure what happened but it was sudden. I could have hit the gas pedal but i would have pressed it a lot I think for the sudden lunge to happen.
The contact's spouse owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop or at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended. The Hill Assist and Automatic Transmission Oil Temperature warning lights flashed, and the ABS, Traction Control, and VDC warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turne…
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated, and the air bag module warning light was illuminated. The air bag occupant classification system was not operating as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and an occupant detection system malfunction code was retriev…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 19V701000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. |
| 16V162000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. |
| 19V149000 | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 25 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,050
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine131 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Air Bags101 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Power Train95 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System82 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other73 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Vehicle Speed Control70 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Subaru Forester years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Subaru Forester?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (131 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Subaru Forester a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 66/100, computed from 613 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Subaru Forester's most common problem?
131 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Subaru Forester sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Subaru Forester cost to run per year?
About $6,318 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,590 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Subaru Forester have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Subaru Forester, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/10/2019. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Subaru Forester really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 613 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 613 NHTSA complaints on record (55.7/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (41.1/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems