Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
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).
On Wednesday November 10 I was arriving at Chase Bank 4229 Woodruff Ave Lakewood Ca. I was turning right into a parking stall heading due east, parking between a pickup truck to the right and a passenger car to the left. I was braking with my right foot only traveling 5 miles per hour and suddenly the car accelerated over a parking stop and into the bank building. It was so sudden I couldn't react and pull up the parking brake. The collision caused major front end damage to my 2015 Subaru Forrester XT. It also caused damage to the Chase Bank building. I was lucky to be a couple of parking spaces south of the ready teller , as there was a male white customer at the outside teller and he would of been killed or at least very severely injured. My wife selected this car new in 2015 because of the safety of it.
Vehicle accelerated from a stop sign at high speed and brakes were pushed down all the way with no respond the steering wheels was stiff and the Vehicle continued at high speed on its own crashing curbs side walk vegetation along the way until final crash at a tree. not warning lamps messages and air bag did not deploy. Car engine remained on at time of crash until manually turned off. safety of driver & passenger and others near by were at very high risk. Head on collision with other vehicles and homes could have happened. Insurance adjuster inspected and determined it is a "Total Lose" but did not gave reason for incident. police report was done and suggested to follow up with dealership. Emailed about this incident to Subaru dealership. Unknown if any additional inspection was done.
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 turned off to cool down on each occurrence. After approximately 45 minutes, the vehicle was restarted and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the antilock braking system (ABS), vehicle dynamic control (VDC), and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brake light switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then stated that the vehicle was previously repaired at a local dealer under a manufacturer's recall code WUE-90 for Brake Lamp Switch. The dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they were not available. The failure mileage was 56,915
The contact's wife owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while reversing into the driveway, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated he depressed the brake pedal all the way to the floorboard and he pulled up the parking brake to stop the vehicle from crashing into the wall. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 53,002.
At about 101,000 miles I took the car in to the dealership where I bought it for another issue. When the tech got it up on his lift he came in and notified the service manager that there was bubbles on my brake line. The service manager came to us and she said "I really shouldn't let you drive out of here with those bubbles because I would be an unsafe condition", the implication was that if they burst I would have no brakes. The road salt on the roads in the winter in Vermont was indicated as the cause of the problem. They installed all new brake lines behind the cabin. I had asked them to save a section of the brake lines showing the bubbles and that DID NOT happen. I do much of my own maintenance and to have steel brake lines bubble it's hard to understand. …
REPORT OF FAILED RECALL REMEDY (RECALL 19V-149 / WUE-90) My 2015 Subaru Forester experienced a total recurrence of the defect addressed in 2019. The vehicle became trapped in 'Park' intermittently on several occasions before remaining immobilized. During one incident, the manual shift-lock override failed to function. While the brake lights functioned during these incidents, the failure to shift is a documented symptom of a failing brake light switch. I had the switch replaced by a technician who initially suggested a full shifter assembly replacement. However, replacing ONLY the brake light switch immediately and permanently resolved the issue. This confirms the recall-related part was the point of failure. Subaru of America was notified but declined to acknowledge this as a failure of the safety remedy. …
While finalizing parking within a parking lot space at very low speed (last 2 feet) with foot on brake, the engine suddenly revved and the car accelerated without warning and struck the parked car on the opposite parking space. Both cars sustained moderate front-end damage. The other car was able to be driven away but ours had front fender parts pushed into the front drivers tire and had to be towed away to the repair shop. Not sure of the cost to repair the other (parked) car but ours ran approximately $5000 due to front frame damage. No air bags deployed, no one was injured. Police officer who responded said low speed impacts do not normally set off the air bags. Repair shop said they were not able to tell on the car computer what the sudden acceleration was due to. Contacted our insurance agent who recommended we report the sudden acceleration to Subaru and NHTSA. …
While backing up a winding hill on a hard packed gravel driveway I backed into a seven inch diameter tree on the edge of the road. Did not hit it hard enough to damage the back bumper. I put the car in drive and in an instant the motor went wide open. I hit the brakes, but no noticable effect. I narrowly missed the corner of the garage. The car dug four depressions in the driveway when it took off. And threw gravel all the way down the hill and on the flat until it hit a large tree, the motor still racing. The runaway happened in seconds. The car was totaled. My wife suffered a badly broken right wrist. I was nearly knocked out. I have been a safe driver for 60 years. Drove professionally for about four and a half years. I also have over 175,000 miles and counting on motorcycles. This car definitely did malfunction. Fortunately the house security camera captured the action. …
This car was repaired under campaign 19V149000 on July 27 for the brake light switch issue. Since the repair of the recall, I have taken my car back to international Subaru in tinley park, il for follow up service related to the replacement part. The problem I've encountered on a number of occasions is the car alerts that there is an issue stating "hill start assist system needs to be checked" while the car is in motion. The car then cuts all throttle capabilities for approximately 5 seconds and the car just coasts before resuming taking a throttle input. When this happens the car is just coasting and drops 15+ MPH in speed. This alert seems to be triggered randomly and it causes serious safety concerns when without warning my car suddenly loses any usage of the throttle. …
Brake complaints in other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2015 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the brakes of the 2015 Subaru Forester, 6% of the model year's 615 complaints. The component named most often is antilock › abs warning light (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Subaru Forester brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes 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 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to brakes 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.