Model year 2024 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2024 Subaru Forester: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2024 Subaru Forester at 26–29 mpg combined across 2 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 31 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

2

EPA combined mpg

26–29

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 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.

2024 Subaru Forester recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2024 Subaru Forester, newest first.

Power train: Driveline: Driveshaft

NHTSA 23V754000 Reported Nov 9, 2023
Filed by
Subaru of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. WRP-23)
Units affected
4,701 (estimate)
Problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek, Impreza, 2023-2024 Forester, and 2023 WRX vehicles. The front driveshaft assemblies' outer race may develop cracks and break.
Risk
A broken driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power while driving or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake engaged. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the left and right front driveshafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRP-23.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Engine and engine cooling

NHTSA 23V723000 Reported Oct 26, 2023
Filed by
Subaru of America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. WRO-23)
Units affected
49 (estimate)
Problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Forester vehicles. The engine water pipe may have loose attachment bolts, allowing the pipe to lose its seal and leak coolant.
Risk
Leaking coolant can contact a hot exhaust pipe, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Subaru’s independent distributor processing facilities will tighten the water pipe attachment bolts. The affected vehicles have not been delivered to dealers or sold to owners and therefore, no owner notification letters will be sent. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRO-23.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

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

2024 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.

2024 Subaru Forester EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Forester AWD2.5L 4-cylCVT (8 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular26/33/29 mpg$2,300310
Forester Wilderness AWD2.5L 4-cylCVT (8 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular25/28/26 mpg$2,600338

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.

2024 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.

2024 Subaru Forester NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2024 Subaru Forester SUV AWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Standard
2024 Subaru Forester Wilderness SUV AWDNot rated5 stars5 starsNot rated—Standard

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.

2024 Subaru Forester owner complaints

Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 Subaru Forester, most recently on Oct 20, 2026. 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2024 Subaru Forester complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Unknown or other9
Air bags7
Visibility/wiper5
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking4
Forward collision avoidance: Adaptive cruise control3
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings3
Exterior lighting2
Back over prevention: Sensing system: Camera1
Electrical system1
Engine1

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
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2026 Forester26–35 mpg4325/5
2025 Forester26–35 mpg4995/5
2023 Forester26–29 mpg1745/5
2022 Forester26–29 mpg11005/5
2021 Forester29 mpg02125/5
2020 Forester29 mpg06035/5
2019 Forester29 mpg38345/5
2018 Forester24–28 mpg34985/5
2017 Forester24–28 mpg15925/5
2016 Forester25–27 mpg34165/5
2015 Forester25–27 mpg36085/5

All Subaru Forester years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2024 Subaru models

2024 Subaru Ascent2024 Subaru BRZ2024 Subaru Crosstrek2024 Subaru Impreza2024 Subaru Legacy2024 Subaru Outback2024 Subaru Solterra2024 Subaru WRX

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 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.