Model year 2017 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2017 Subaru Forester: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2017 Subaru Forester at 24–28 mpg combined across 3 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 592 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

24–28

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Subaru dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2017 Subaru Forester recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2017 Subaru Forester, newest first.

Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification

NHTSA 19V701000 Reported Oct 3, 2019

Filed by: Subaru of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. WUM-98)
Units affected: 366,282 (estimate)
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
Risk: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2017 Subaru Forester fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2017 Subaru Forester EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Forester AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	CVT (8 modes)	All-Wheel Drive	Premium	23/27/25 mpg	$3,300	359
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	Automatic	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/32/28 mpg	$2,400	315
Forester AWD	2.5L 4-cyl	Manual 6-spd	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	22/28/24 mpg	$2,800	368

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2017 Subaru Forester crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2017 Subaru Forester NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2017 Subaru Forester SUV AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	16.9%	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2017 Subaru Forester owner complaints

Owners have filed 592 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester, most recently on Oct 20, 2026. 40 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 28 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2017 Subaru Forester complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Air bags	164
Visibility/wiper	104
Electrical system	102
Unknown or other	97
Engine	47
Power train	43
Seats	34
Vehicle speed control	33
Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification	25
Steering	25

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Subaru Forester model years

Subaru Forester by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2026 Forester	26–35 mpg	4	32	5/5
2025 Forester	26–35 mpg	4	99	5/5
2024 Forester	26–29 mpg	2	31	5/5
2023 Forester	26–29 mpg	1	74	5/5
2022 Forester	26–29 mpg	1	100	5/5
2021 Forester	29 mpg	0	212	5/5
2020 Forester	29 mpg	0	604	5/5
2019 Forester	29 mpg	3	834	5/5
2018 Forester	24–28 mpg	3	498	5/5
2016 Forester	25–27 mpg	3	416	5/5
2015 Forester	25–27 mpg	3	608	5/5

All Subaru Forester years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2017 Subaru models

2017 Subaru BRZ 2017 Subaru Crosstrek 2017 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport 2017 Subaru Legacy/Outback 2017 Subaru WRX

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Subaru.