2022 Subaru Forester Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2022 Forester most often report windshield glass that chips or cracks with little or no impact, and EyeSight forward-collision / adaptive-cruise behavior that ranges from false warnings to unexpected hard braking or the system disabling itself. A smaller but consistent group of complaints covers battery drain and infotainment glitches, brake noises and odd pedal feel, and the LED headlights producing dark bands in the driver's view. Many of these are reported at low mileage, often within the first few thousand miles of ownership.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield chips and cracks without impact

   • 27 complaints (27%)
   • median 7,600 mi at 0.7 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2022–2026

   Complaints describe windshields that crack or chip with no rock strike or other impact, sometimes while the car is parked or garaged overnight. Several owners report small cracks growing quickly into long cracks across the glass, and repeat replacements within the first year. Where dealers were involved, complaints say the damage was treated as not covered by warranty, with owners referred to a glass vendor for replacement. Reported across a wide mileage range, from delivery mileage up to about 29,000 miles, with many cases in the first few months of ownership.

   What to check: Inspect the windshield closely for chips, star breaks or repair marks, including at the lower edge and along the driver's side, and ask whether the glass has ever been replaced. Confirm what glass was installed if it has.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The windshield seems to crack and get chipped very easily. I have been driving on the same freeway for 10 years. I bought the Subaru last year and have received four windshield cracks in one year. This can’t be a coincidence that this only became an issue with this specific vehicle. The windshield is incredibly expensive to replace yet breaks far too easily.”

   NHTSA complaint #11505548, filed 2023-02

   “Went to my car on the morning of Dec 10 and found a 4” crack in my windshield. I drive the car the night before around 9pm and it was in my secure garage overnight. No crack the evening before. Next morning - cracked. This is an ongoing problem with Subaru”

   NHTSA complaint #11496857, filed 2022-12
2. 2
   Forward collision avoidance

   EyeSight false alerts, hard braking, or shutting off

   • 16 complaints (16%)
   • median 11,625 mi at 2.3 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners describe the forward-collision and adaptive cruise systems warning or braking when there is nothing ahead, sometimes reacting to shadows or to vehicles in an adjacent lane, and in some cases bringing the car to a near stop on the highway. Other complaints say EyeSight disables itself while driving, taking adaptive cruise and pre-collision braking offline until the car is restarted or serviced. Complaints describe dealers recalibrating the cameras or applying a software update; one owner said a software fix was charged for because the vehicle was outside the initial warranty. Reported from very low mileage (a few hundred miles) up through roughly 23,000 miles, on clear days and on highways at cruising speed as well as in town.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: During a test drive, use adaptive cruise and watch for unexpected warnings or braking, and confirm on the dash that EyeSight is active. Ask the dealer whether any camera recalibration or software updates have been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had adaptive cruise control set to the speed limit of 55, I looked down to input directions and then heard the collision warning tone. There was a large box truck sitting at the stop light ahead of me. I slammed on the breaks and swerved into the right-hand turn lane. The vehicle did not make it entirely out of the way and hit the back passenger corner of the lift on the box truck at a slight angle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11482220, filed 2022-08

   “My Subaru Forrester Eyesight system cuts out and is disabled while driving, including while the cruise control was engaged causing me to brake hard while driving to avoid a collision and a message announcing it is disabled is displayed on the screen. I took the car to my dealership who confirmed that there is a software problem but because I was out of the initial warranty I would have to pay to have the fix installed on my car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11717893, filed 2026-02
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Battery drains and infotainment glitches

   • 17 complaints (17%)
   • median 16,764 mi at 4.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Complaints describe batteries going flat overnight or after short periods of sitting, sometimes repeatedly and within months of purchase, with dealers testing the battery as serviceable and attributing it to short trips or infrequent use. Others report the infotainment screen going black, freezing or making noise when a phone is connected, with a firmware update suggested as the remedy. Some owners say they were later told the factory battery was undersized for the vehicle's electrical load. Reported mostly within the first year, from a few months old to about 30,000 miles, and often after the car sat unused for a day or more.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for the battery's age and test result, and check that the infotainment software is current. Note whether the car has a history of jump starts or repeated battery replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The battery was completely discharged overnight when the car was only 4 months old. We had a flatbed tow to a dealer who charged the battery and performed tests which all checked out ok. Said we weren't driving the car often enough. This same battery discharge happened 3 more times, approximately 30 days apart each time. August 20 was the first time, September 19, October 13 and November 16, all in 2022. Car was purchased new in April 2022. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11497251, filed 2022-12

   “New vehicle with less tan 100 miles on it . Vehicle was parked in garage with garage door closed. Vehicle engine started horn, honked, and lights were on and engine ran for less than one minute. Two safety issues. Risk for carbon monoxide poisoning and personal safety of driver. Cannot trust if someone has control of vehicle. Dealer tried to sign us up Subaru Link, which we declined.”

   NHTSA complaint #11476430, filed 2022-07
4. 4
   Exterior lighting

   LED headlights leave dark bands in the driver's view

   • 9 complaints (9%)
   • median 10 mi at 0.8 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2022–2024

   Owners report two dark rectangular areas or shadowy lines projected on the road in the driver's field of view with the low beams on, which move with the steering-responsive headlights. Some also describe the beam cutoff as jagged or aimed low, limiting how far ahead they can see at night. Complaints generally note the condition was raised with dealers or the manufacturer without a resolution described. Reported from delivery mileage up to about 7,600 miles, with the pattern most noticeable on unlit roads at night.

   What to check: Drive the car at night before buying and look for dark patches or uneven cutoff in the low-beam pattern. Ask whether the headlight assemblies have been replaced or adjusted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving my 22 Subaru Forester at night, I’ve noticed the headlight projection has rectangular dark spots which causes a huge distraction and a blind spot that moves when steering. I’ve noticed that I’m not the only person that has encountered this issue. I’m bringing it into the dealership to bring this to their attention and to see what they can do about this. I really hope Subaru fixes this problem, as it is/can be very dangerous due to the blind spot and distraction.”

   NHTSA complaint #11568901, filed 2024-01

   “Three issues with the headlights. First, major shadowing. From the bumper to 6 feet out there is a dark spot. Second issue. Vehicle is two weeks old. We drive twisty windy roads. Headlights are almost a foot and a half low at 25ft. You can not see more than 50 feet on roads that are hilly due to the headlights being low and the auto level not correcting fast enough. I do not understand at all how this is ok from Subaru or federal agencies. Multiple times we had to slow down due to not being able to see or the headlights being so slow to adjust. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11472295, filed 2022-07
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake noise, spongy pedal and unexpected braking

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • median 4,000 mi at 1.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Complaints describe a spongy brake pedal, abnormal noises from the brakes, and in some cases the brakes engaging or locking on their own at low speed. A few owners report the car surging or accelerating while pulling into a parking space with the brake applied, which they associate with the braking and speed-control behavior. Complaints say dealers were often unable to reproduce the condition or retrieve fault codes. Reported from parking-lot speeds up to about 40 mph, mostly in the first several thousand miles, with one case at roughly 16,700 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Listen for cracking or clicking noises around the pedal when braking at low speed, and check pedal feel for sponginess. Ask whether any brake booster or stability-control reprogramming has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was pulling into a parking space at my apartment complex. I had my foot on the BRAKE, and the vehicle slowed as I approached the space. As I turned into the space with my foot light on the brake, the engine suddenly revved and the Forester surged forward. AT NO POINT DID I TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR. I have a size 7 (women’s) shoe, and the floor mat was flat and secured as always. The vehicle surged forward and drove over the curb and onto the sidewalk. No warning lights came on, no warning alarms sounded. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11562680, filed 2023-12

   “The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while pulling into a parking space, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning, causing the vehicle to drive over the curb. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal several times and the vehicle came to a complete stop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 1,430.”

   NHTSA complaint #11497153, filed 2022-12, 1,430 miles

Buying note. Check the windshield for cracks or prior replacement and test the driver-assistance features on a highway drive, since those are the two most frequently reported areas on this model year. Also ask about battery history, infotainment software status and any brake booster reprogramming before deciding.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.