The vehicle will just stall. It has happened three times; usually at a stop sign or slowing down to turn. I have had it towed and in the shop, and they can't find anything wrong with it. No error messages. One shop cleaned the throttle body and thought that might be the problem. The vehicle has always consumed oil; at least a quart is added every 700-1000 miles. We have changed the oil regularly and don't understand why the oil consumption problem. Now the cruise light flashes off and on. The traction light and check engine light stays on all the time.
2012 Subaru Forester electrical problems
10 complaints (9% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 65,235.
- owner complaints
- 10
- of this car's complaints
- 9%
- typical mileage
- 65,235
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 2
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Subaru Forester electrical problems in other years
Related recalls
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
- Risk
- The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑844‑373‑6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
Recall number 19V297000 · Recall details
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
- Risk
- If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑800‑782‑2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
Recall number 16V738000 · Recall details
What 2012 Subaru Forester owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
2012 subaru dash light all come on and then the car starts to stall out. Dealer can not find out the problem. The happens intermittently. They reset the computer and it runs for a couple hours or day and then it happens again. This will happen in the while driving on the highway and is very dangerous.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 subaru forester. While traveling approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost all power without warning. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the mass air flow sensor and battery failed. There was also too much fuel in the system. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 65,235.
Which driving on the interstate at rush hour at 65 MPH... With absolutely no warning or warning light my car stalled. When this happened the steering went out along with the brakes and all power. I sat in the fast lane of traffic unable to safely exit my car for almost and hour until help arrived. I took the car to the dealership neil huffman in louisville ky where I purchased the car new 4 years ago. I was told the mass airflow sensor had failed. I was also told that they had no idea why this happened at 65 MPH with no warning. I paid the 403.00 repair and contact subaru USA due to my concerns. Although I called several times and was on hold each time for up to 10 min and also emailed.. Still not response. This seems to be a major safety concern. I no longer feel safe in the car.. And plan to purchase a new car soon.. But am concerned someone else will be my car and be in danger.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 subaru forester. While driving 5 MPH, the vehicle powered down on its own. The vehicle was able to restart after two attempts; however, smoke emitted under the hood near the driver's side windshield area. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that clutch fluid drained out of the reservoir, and the smoke was caused by fluid draining to the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was not repaired and the diagnostic was not accurate. The vehicle was towed to another dealer where it was diagnosed as starter relay failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. In addition, the chip for the key fob was not responding to the system. It was diagnosed that the body integrated unit failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 subaru forester. While at a red light, the vehicle lost power and had electrical issues. The contact stated that the speedometer read 2 MPH over the actual speed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was unable to be restarted by the mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 56,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 subaru forester. While coming to a stop, the vehicle made an intermittent clunking sound when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle had a lot of electrical issues. While driving 5 MPH, all the electrical components in the instrument panel failed and a whining noise was heard. The contact also stated that the vehicle was experiencing fuel issues. When the vehicle was fueled, the fuel gauge reading was inaccurate. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it could not be diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 3,330.
While idling in a parking lot, my forester caught fire. The fire was put out quickly. So, the damage was fortunately isolated to the location where the fire started. It seems that the connector between the wiring harness and one of the o2 sensors on the front of the vehicle ignited. The fire burned the wiring harness near the connector and damaged the o2 sensor. Both needed to be replaced to repair my vehicle. This fire happened spontaneously and seems to be a safety risk . In my opinion, a 3.5 year old vehicle should not spontaneously catch fire.
2012 subaru forester. Consumer writes in regards to ignition problems. *smd the dealer claimed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. However, the consumer continued to experience intermittent problems with the ignition. The consumer went to another dealer, at which time, they diagnosed the ignition issue as a software problem and stated that it was fixed with an update to the firmware. However, he continued to have the same ignition problem, but on a more frequent basis. The consumer went back to the dealer, where they stated the problem was the battery. Despite the new battery replacement, he continued to have the same problem at the same frequency. The consumer returned to the dealer, where they stated the problem was with the fuel pump, but were unable to confirm the diagnosis 100% until their fuel pump mechanic made further inquires with the subaru factory. The consumer made another appointment, as it was finally confirmed the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The consumer was then informed, the part was not available.
2012 subaru forester. Consumer writes in regards to engine problems. *smd the consumer stated unless he drove the vehicle regularly, or started it and let the engine idle, the complex of electric circuits would run down the battery to a no start and shortly thereafter, all systems would be dead. The consumer stated sellers admitted to the problem and the service department recommended driving the vehicle and running the engine more often.
Questions about the 2012 Subaru Forester electrical
Does the 2012 Subaru Forester have electrical problems?
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the electrical of the 2012 Subaru Forester, 9% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2012 Subaru Forester electrical problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 65,235 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Subaru Forester electrical?
Yes, 2 recalls: 19V297000, 16V738000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Subaru Forester have the most electrical problems?
The Subaru Forester model years with the most electrical complaints are 2019 (134 complaints), 2017 (106 complaints) and 2020 (103 complaints).
Other 2012 Subaru Forester problems
Engine 29Airbags 20Acceleration 18Brakes 17Fuel system 8Body 5Transmission 5Visibility 5Driver assistance 4Seat belts 3Wheels 3Seats 2Lights 1Steering 1Suspension 1Tires 1
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