2022 Subaru Forester Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 11about this part
- Share
- 11%of 100 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 18,100miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 11 complaints about the electrical system of the 2022 Subaru Forester, 11% of the 100 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 18,100 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My 2022 Subaru Forester Sport, <24,640 miles, suffers from persistent, life-threatening safety failures. Thick white exhaust is present in every temperature, and a heavy burning smell fills the cabin during acceleration regardless of outside temperature. I have been dealing with these failures since March/April of 2023. My car was in a rear-end collision in May 2023 and was repaired at an authorized Subaru body shop. Despite these authorized repairs, the mechanical and electronic failures have continued to deteriorate. …”
NHTSA complaint #11708697, filed 2026-01“At 7:30 am on 21May2024 I came out to find the car was dead, no electrical power at all, it would not start. I called Subaru customer service and arranged to have the battery jumped. When the tow driver tried to start the car, my car drained his battery in about 30 seconds. Because of the way my car was parked, the flatbed tow truck could not reach the car & I had to arrange for another truck to come pick up the car. That happened Thursday 23May2024 because my Subaru dealer did not have a loaner car available til then. …”
NHTSA complaint #11592408, filed 2024-06“I am writing to report a serious safety concern involving my '22 Subaru Forester, which is equipped with the Auto Start/Stop feature. This issue created a dangerous driving situation that could have resulted in severe injury or death to myself, my family, or other drivers on the road. While driving on the highway, our Forester's Auto Start/Stop system malfunctioned causing the engine to shut off completely while the vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle shut down in the left lane of traffic and failed to restart immediately leaving us unexpectedly immobile. …”
NHTSA complaint #11686115, filed 2025-09“Purchased car on 8/15/2022 and encountering issues with: 1. oil in the air when engine is turned on 2. Onion smell when engine is turned on 3. AC if affected by oil and onion smell ; too hot when sitting in car with engine on ..sulfur? 4. Please check the gas tank for possible leak. 5. 3-yr old grandson is affected by onion, oil and possible exhaust fumes leaking into the interior of the car. Daycare made a notation of oil smell and onion smell on grandson. We need oxygen to our brain and body; without it we cannot live.”
NHTSA complaint #11479790, filed 2022-08“I was driving to work and my car started stalling. So i pulled into a parking spot and when I got out I noticed a trail of oil behind the car. I closed the door and the car started smoking and within seconds it was in flames. I bought it on 7/25 and on 8/3 it was gone. It only had 78 miles on it, 100% driven on city streets. I have several pictures and videos of the event but this site doesn't support them so I can share separately if needed. You are also welcome to inspect the car as it will be hauled to a salvage yard shortly.”
NHTSA complaint #11484729, filed 2022-09Related service bulletins
- 11037943Oct 5, 2026This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
- 11037942Sep 28, 2026This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application.
- 11037938Sep 18, 2026"This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs: DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
- 11037929Sep 14, 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the…
- 11037928Sep 14, 2026In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed…
- 11037927Sep 14, 2026This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the…
- 11037926Sep 10, 2026This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water intrusion from the sunroof area.This is an revised version of the original…
- 11036824Aug 31, 2026This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water intrusion from the sunroof area. This is an revised version of the original…
- 11036804Aug 21, 2026This Announcement provides diagnostic assistance for CVT issues.
- 11036807Aug 20, 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is…
Electrical system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 25% |
| 2025 | 9 | 9% |
| 2024 | 1 | 3% |
| 2023 | 8 | 11% |
| 2022 | 11 | 11% |
| 2021 | 34 | 16% |
| 2020 | 103 | 17% |
| 2019 | 134 | 16% |
| 2018 | 71 | 14% |
| 2017 | 106 | 18% |
| 2016 | 93 | 22% |
| 2015 | 82 | 13% |
| 2014 | 42 | 10% |
| 2013 | 3 | 4% |
| 2012 | 10 | 9% |
| 2011 | 11 | 7% |
| 2010 | 13 | 5% |
| 2009 | 22 | 12% |
| 2008 | 5 | 10% |
| 2007 | 5 | 7% |
| 2006 | 7 | 8% |
| 2005 | 3 | 3% |
| 2004 | 4 | 2% |
| 2003 | 4 | 2% |
| 2001 | 2 | 1% |
| 2000 | 1 | 1% |
| 1999 | 4 | 3% |
| 1998 | 6 | 6% |
Other parts of the 2022 Subaru Forester
24 complaintsOther or unknown
18 complaintsForward collision avoidance
15 complaintsBrakes
11 complaintsEngine
11 complaintsVehicle speed control
9 complaintsExterior lighting
8 complaintsFuel system
8 complaintsAir bags
4 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
4 complaintsSuspension
3 complaintsLane departure
2 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2022 Subaru Forester
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology