Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Subaru Forester owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I experienced unintended acceleration while parking my car. The car surged ahead, over a curb and collided with a metal lamppost. Damage was on the body of the car's right front. While no one was injured the car went across a space used by pedestrians including schoolchildren. There was no warning before the car surged. A friend later told me that she had experienced the same thing when she had stopped her 2018 Subaru Forester .
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.
Subaru part # 63269SG002 "hatch lift support / stay tailgate (rear gate, right)". Pin that attaches hydraulic lift to rear tailgate snapped in half when closing trunk - available for inspection. Lift extended fully, preventing closure of rear tailgate. Failure left tailgate solely held up with (1) remaining lift which could not fully support weight, letting door sag/droop and causing injury to scalp of (1) person. A 4 year old child was not injured, but was present - safety was at risk based on proximity to the door at the time of failure. Dealer advised no active recalls open on vehicle 5/26/26. Manufacturer does appear to have issued service bulletin 12-289-20 in 2020 providing warranty extension for this component. Component was not inspected. No warnings or symptoms were observed - corrosion noted on attachment point of life gate after removal.
While driving i noticed my hood bouncing up and down as if the hood latch was pulled. I havent pulled the hood latch in a while and thought it couldn't be open. Upon pulling off the roadway i noticed it was able to be opened simply by sliding the lever to open the hood. I then shut the hood thinking maybe I accidentally pulled the lever somehow with my foot. This was not the case because I then tested it by pulling up on the hood and it released again as if the lever was pulled. I checked the lever and it looks as it is ok and i gave it a pull to see if it seemed broken but it does not appear that way. I have not gone to a dealer yet and will bring it to my mechanic as soon as im able to safely get it there.
My 2015 Subaru Forester xt was taken to an authorized Subaru dealership numerous visits to the for an issue in which the cars engine lights and warnings would display, violently shake, shudder and lose power while at highway speed. Am authorized Subaru mechanic was able to replicate the issue, they did an ECM computer update...unfortunately, the problems did not go away after the update. I re-visited the dealership explaining that the problems persisted, at which point they decided to try to replicate the problem. After a week, the Subaru dealer sent me home in the car, saying they could not replicate the problem. Less then 4 days layer, while on my morning commute to work, the same problems which had plagued the car started to occur, however this time, I heard a loud pop/bang and smoke filled the cabin of the car. …
Car was driven out of new car dealer without incident by driver with 50 plus years experience. Approximately three to four miles into trip car experienced sudden unintended acceleration after going through a traffic light. Car proceeded into wooded area and hit tree causing lower leg injuries to driver and moderate to severe damage to car. Driver was not entrapped upon emt arrival. Engine returned to normal idle speed. Driver is confident car has problem with vehicle speed control and /or engine computer. Car traveled at over 40 MPH during incident and could not be stopped through normal braking action.
While parking and apply the brakes the car suddenly accelerated. My wife was parking the car and while pulling into the parking stall she applied the brakes and the car suddenly accelerated and rammed into a steel cable that separated the parking stalls.
Vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated while driver was parking while applying brakes. Vehicle hit house and porch, shearing off the gas meter where it meets the underground line. Eyesight object detection system did not stop the vehicle.
Car passed state inspection on 8/3/2017 with 18500 miles. One week later, car was taken on short errand and burst into flames with driver inside upon being placed in park. Fire department and police assessed the situation.
Car suddenly accelerated, about 10-15 feet, from reverse to drive into a brick building,in a private parking lot causing 7K damage to my cars. Prior to this crash, the lane departure and auto breaking lights were flashing on and off. I was going to take the car to the dealer however, the crash prevented that. The car was repaired and taken to the Subaru dealer where purchased, and they examined the car and said it was working properly. Since then, my screen date was set and then reverted back to feb 4, 2010. Also, the lane departure and auto braking lights have turned off while driving twice since getting the car back. Additionally, the screen now displays additional messages that it hadn't in the past, such as vehicle ahead has moved, and road conditions might be icy. The latter should have shown up prior to this accident, living in the snow belt of ne ohio. …
Body complaints in other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2015 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the body & structure of the 2015 Subaru Forester, 3% of the model year's 615 complaints. The component named most often is body (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Subaru Forester body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2015 Subaru Forester, though it has 3 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 2015 Subaru Forester body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 29,000 miles, and 46% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 2 fires and 5 injuries to body & structure 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.