Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Subaru Forester owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the key remained stuck in the ignition after multiple attempts to shut-off the vehicle. The contact stated that he had to restart the vehicle or move the shift lever back and forth from the park position to release the key from the ignition. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the failure could be related to the shifter cable or the ignition switch. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle would not start due to battery drainage. The contact stated that the battery had to be connected to a battery charger after each use. The contact stated that the check engine warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,375.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 88,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 88,223.
With engine running and shift lever in Park (CVT transmission) driver is unable to turn the engine off or remove the ignition key from the steering wheel. This occurs sporadically/unpredictably such that driver has no forewarning and cannot take proactive steps to avoid the problem, resulting in instances where driver is forced to leave the car running in situations that present safety concerns. (Examples: in a garage or enclosed area; when temporarily exiting vehicle necessitating leaving the doors unlocked; etc.). The problem is widespread in Subaru vehicles and consistent with problems exhibited/described in Subaru Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #16-112-18R for which no recall has to date been issued for corrective action by Subaru. …
The battery of our Subaru Forester 2017 has died three times from June 26, 2021 through August 20, 2021. Simply put, from one day to the next, the battery is suddenly drained of all its power. From July 2017 when we first leased the car through May 2021, we had no battery problems. The safety issue is one of personal safety -- that we can't depend on the car, so we hesitate to use it. We don't want to be stranded somewhere unexpectedly because the battery suddenly dies, especially after dark. Our Subaru dealership ran diagnostic tests today (August 23, 2021) and claimed there is no problem, that the draw on the battery is within acceptable parameters. They will continue to test it tomorrow, but from conversations with the tech manager today, I feel certain they will claim there is no problem. The solution the technician suggested is that we drive the car more frequently. …
My 2017 Subaru Forester battery died in June 2019, leaving me stranded in a parking lot on a Sunday 50 miles from my home. The battery was still under warranty & was replaced by Subaru. I was told by the Service Manager that the batteries only last approximately 2 years. In early Oct 2021, my car sat idle for 10 days in the airport parking garage at JFK Int'l airport in NYC while I was away. When I returned home, the battery was dead, again stranding my approximately 50 miles from my home. I had to get a jump from a tow company who found that the red terminal on the battery was completely corroded. He advised that I would need to get a new battery when I returned home. …
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System module failed which also disabled the key fob remotes. I had the TPMS module replaced 3 times. The first occurrence was on August 26th 2021 and was confirmed by the dealership Subaru Service Center. During the failure and malfunction of the module, the dashboard warned about not to drive because there is problems with the tires and key fob not working. This worried me because of the potential safety to me and others if I continued to drive with defective tires. Eventually I found out my tires did not have any problems. After the module malfunctioned the second time, the service center replaced it stating that the first module was defective. Several months passed by and the module failed the third time. …
There appears to be a parasitic battery drain in the vehicle when it is stopped and all electrical systems are off (lights, heated seats, chargers etc) but the key is in the ignition. The most recent event was 7/20/2022 when the car was stopped for fueling and the key left in the ignition for no more than 10 minutes. Battery discharged sufficiently in that time that the car would not start requiring roadside assistance. Spoke with dealer who stated to keep the key 30 feet from the car (note, this is NOT a smart key car) and to ensure all is off as all computer electricals will continue to run even with the car off. Will be having a battery test next week but I see that this is a recurring issue for this make/model on this forum. …
We took our 2017 Subaru Forester on December 9, 2022, to change the ignition switch because our key continued getting stuck. It was covered under an extended warranty. The spark plugs were changed during the same appointment only to satisfy the maintenance agreement. Before we took our Subaru in, our vehicle was running at an optimal level, and nothing was wrong with how it drove. On December 10, 2022, we drove our car, and it started to hesitate and misfire. This has never happened before. We called the dealership, and they had us bring the vehicle back in. They performed a fuel injection cleaning and reset the computer. Once again, the same problem continued after picking up our vehicle. The same problem continued daily, and several calls were made to the dealership and trips to the maintenance service department. …
I have a 2017 Subaru Forester 2.5i touring that seems to be plagued by a parasitic battery drain issue. I bought the car used in 2019 and successfully moved from Seattle to the Boston area in it shortly after the purchase with no issues. The dead batteries started during the pandemic, when the car was sitting undriven for extended periods of time. I've had the battery replaced multiple times, most recently in January of this year with a Diehard (3 yr warranty), and yet, once again, the car is dead and I had to call AAA yet again today. I'm at my wits end and cannot afford to continually purchase new batteries over and over again. My online research has produced dozens and dozens of stories about Subaru knowing about this parasitic drain and not admitting wrongdoing. I even found a class action lawsuit. …
Electrical complaints in other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2017 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA has 106 complaints about the electrical system of the 2017 Subaru Forester, 18% of the model year's 592 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Subaru Forester electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2017 Subaru Forester, though it has 1 recall 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 2017 Subaru Forester electrical 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 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.