Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Subaru Forester owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Basically, as I was driving on the freeway with my son and his brother, I got 5 lights flashing on dashboard. Abs at temp check engine cruise control hill assist vss etc.. the code were for cut but before I could check them everything shut down. Car went dark, no brakes and burning smell as well as burns oil. Front end damage on car with passenger side damage. Car started back up next day called Subaru and because it's 2014 forester, may not qualify but it only has 126k on the dash. Well maintained and had no issues besides the oil consumption.
The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 mph, the steering wheel moved back and forth while on cruise control with the tires wobbling. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed that the front driver's and passenger's side tires were able to move 6-8 inches without effort. The steering gear and all four tires were replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
During driving on the highway control arm failure causing wheel bearing failure and loss of control of the vehicle putting my safety and others at risk of collision at high speeds. Thankfully no major issue occurred and the vehicle was taken to be confirmed and fixed immediately. I paid for all service repairs out of pocket The vehicle was inspected and issue confirmed by independent service center. There was no warning prior to the issue.
Car started to excessively shake at 60,000 miles. The control arm bushings wore out. After doing some research, there was a technical service bulletin issued by Subaru on this issue which changed the design of the bushings. However, they did not notify owners.
I was driving home from work on Friday April 19, 2019 around 7:00 pm. I made a left run and heard a pop. The car became squirrelly. I pulled over at napa and called our mechanic and described what was going on. He asked me if the car was leaning to one side or the other. I said yes. He said it was likely a bad spring or strut. When I got home, I jacked up the car and removed the tire. The right spring was broken and fell off of the strut. Saturday April 20, 2019 I got 4 quotes from tom wood Subaru. One for springs ($120 x2). One for the struts ($191). One for all the hardware needed ($770). Lastly, what tom wood Subaru would charge to do the job (around $1100). The said they were booked for at least 2 weeks with airbag recalls. I wasn't sure if I lost any parts so I looked at the left rear sides a reference. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Subaru Forester. While driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal noise detected from the vehicle. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the passenger side of the vehicle was leaning. The vehicle was taken to brilliance Subaru (1500 n randall rd, elgin, il 60123, [phone]) where the contact was informed that the passenger side coil spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the driver's side coil spring fractured after the passenger side coil spring was repaired. The driver's side coil spring was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 48,000. Consumer states that when failure first occurred the vehicle was taken to a local auto shop. It was recommended that the passenger and driver side rear coil springs be replaced. …
At approximately 57,000 miles, on my 2014 Subaru Forester, I have experienced my second rear coil spring failure. The first, on the right rear, occurred as I put the car into reverse to back out of my driveway. I have a piece of this coil spring in my possession and clearly shows metal fatigue/stress failure. The second, on the left rear, I believe occurred while driving. As I notice the car tilting again as I went to reenter it and looked under and could see something wrong with the spring. It was towed to stohlman Subaru of tysons at 8435 leesburg pike, vienna, va and they have told me the left rear spring is broken and they are replacing it. I have called Subaru and up receiving documentation of repairs, they will reimburse me. However, I notice from doing a search on the internet that this is a know problem and often leads to failed rear struts. …
During a brake check, the mechanic discovered the right pass spring was broken on my 48K mile Forester. He felt it was a safety issue as the part could have broken off completely and possible injured someone else or caused an accident. The parts on others cars of the same model all break at the same point, it seems, and the opinion is that the springs are rusting from the inside out (see attached image of broken spring.) on online forums, I see this is not an isolated incident and my mechanic has seen many others with the broken springs in foresters of the same year. I called Subaru America, mentioned that I believe this should not happen in such a newish car, and more concerning it's a safety issue. They agreed to pay for the part only, not the labor since it was not done at a dealer. Because they are reimbursing owners, they seem to realize this is an issue. …
The right rear spring rusted out, broke and ultimately dropped down so it was hanging below the suspension mount. The vehicle was hanging low on the right rear quadrant. A body shop technician noticed this problem. I do not know exactly when the spring broke or dropped down. Once this was detected, I took it directly to my mechanic. I was told it was not safe to drive the vehicle. I had the repair done immediately at the non-Subaru shop that I had taken the car to. The mechanic said this suspension system was new to the 2014 Forester models and appears to be faulty to cause the spring to rust due to the design. He indicated it could have been much worse if it had happened while I was driving, so we believe it dropped when the car was stationary. My vehicle is at only 72K miles, and is 5 years old. I have possession of the rusted spring, but am unable to upload pictures at this time. …
2014 Subaru Forester was parked when the left rear coil spring shattered. Made a large noise and upon investigation discovered car at an angle in wheel bed. Car undriveable. On vacation at the time and had to drive 5 hours (roundtrip) to buy two new rear coil springs on advise of mechanic who towed car to his garage. He stated that the right coil spring was very rusted and showing signs of disintegration as well. Was advised that this part is very difficult to obtain as this is happening a lot. Our car had just over 41,000 miles on it. Driven primarily in the dc metro area. Single owner of the car. Given the amazed reaction of many, we are surprised that this part has not been recalled. I have been driving for over 50 years and have never had a problem like this. I do not haul heavy loads, nor do I use the car to tow anything. …
Suspension complaints in other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2014 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA has 94 complaints about the suspension of the 2014 Subaru Forester, 23% of the model year's 403 complaints. The component named most often is front › control arm › lower arm (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Subaru Forester suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2014 Subaru Forester, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2014 Subaru Forester suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.