2018 Subaru Forester: battery drain or dead battery

Filed May 11, 2026 · Electrical · CA

June 2025: I proactively replaced the battery October 2025: Left the car parked for 17 days. Dead battery. Got a jump, drove for 2 hours. May 2026: Left the car parked for 10 days. Dead battery. Got a jump, drove to mechanic who replaced it under warranty. Saw article about Subaru class action lawsuit about this issue, so I'm reporting it. I will visit the Subaru dealer where I purchased to car and ask them about it and Subaru's plans for permanent repair.

Filed Feb 3, 2026 · Electrical · WA

The defect presents itself when the equipped data communications module (DCM) attempts to communicate with 3G cellular networks. As 3G networks within the U.S. are no longer functioning, the call will continuously fail even after the vehicle has been turned off, draining the battery and resulting in a no-start safety risk for drivers but in order to replace the DCM to the 4G it will cost upwards of $2000.

Filed Nov 1, 2025 · Electrical · ID

The defect presents itself when the equipped data communications module (DCM) attempts to communicate with 3G cellular networks. As 3G networks within the U.S. are no longer functioning, the call will continuously fail even after the vehicle has been turned off, draining the battery and resulting in a no-start safety risk for drivers. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 18, 2024 · Electrical · VT

I bought the car certified used from a Grand Prix Subaru in Hicksville, NY. They did not mention this issue. I’ve had the car for 2 years, drive it 1-2x a week, have it serviced regularly, etc. all of a sudden in the past week it’s needed a jump 2x, maybe a few days apart. My lights are on auto, always, & shut off when the car turns off after a few seconds. My interior lights are all set to off, after the first jump. Doors & cargo door are all closed well. Battery has been tested & they say it’s not bad & doesn’t need replacing. So what is draining the battery then? When the battery is dead, it’s completely dead. No turnover at all & the cargo door won’t open until it’s running & charged enough again. I’m shocked the cargo door can’t open without the battery!

Filed May 6, 2023 · Electrical · CA

Purchased NEW , after 5 years battery died ..OK time for a replacement, Les Schwab installed a New Higher Capacity battery. 3 weeks later dead Battery, had it jumbled, Les Schwab replaced new battery. 4-5 weeks later DEAD battery. Made appointment with Dealership (Lithia Subaru) 3-17-2023 in Reno Nv. A hour + away. I waited a few hours for their service department to check out the charging/battery issues. Came back said NOTHING WRONG, need to drive it more ! Drove it a couple days ago , this morning DEAD Battery AGAIN ! I’m almost 70 / Disabled and live in a very Rural mountainous area and need a dependable vehicle… especially in the SNOW. HELP Please!

Filed Feb 2, 2023 · Electrical · VA

My car is a 2018 with only 28100 miles on it. I have now had to replace the battery three times. Subaru tells me I need to drive it every two days in order to keep it from discharging the battery. This is unacceptable. Clearly there is a parasitic drain. My issue is very common, and affects many late model subarus. I have already been stranded several times by this issue.

Filed Sep 26, 2022 · Electrical · IN

We have discovered that our 2019 Forester has a parasitic battery drain of almost 1 amp when the car is off and the hatchback is open. This resulted in full battery drain several times until we did several tests to determine the root cause of the problem (Subaru was of no help). This led to replacement of the OEM battery at about 52,000 miles.

Filed Sep 22, 2022 · Electrical · CA

Car battery died within 4 months of purchasing, had to purchase a replacement

Filed Jul 4, 2022 · Electrical · CT

Multiple episodes of car not starting, most similar to dead battery scenario. These incidents have occurred after car was parked in my driveway for 24-48hours. However, AAA responded on three separate occasions and tested battery which always was “green” or “good” and alternator was also “fine, not a problem”. On fourth occasion, I went ahead and replaced battery as recent Subaru scheduled service at a Subaru dealer yielded “no problems” on electrical survey when I told them of these incidents. Now, one month after having purchased a completely new battery, my car again will not start and AAA says battery is “good” and alternator is also fine.

Filed Apr 10, 2022 · Electrical · CO

The battery drains quickly when the car is switched off, potentially causing the driver to be stranded in dangerous situations without a functional car.

Filed Apr 2, 2022 · Electrical · NY

The battery went dead on Jan 14th 2022. This isn't totally unexpected as this was the first time the battery needed replacing since the car was purchased new. However, after the battery was replaced the same day, three days later Jan 17th the battery was again dead. Since then, the battery has been replaced once more and again died on both March 27th and April 1st. The car is driven weekly at least and has no warning lights on. After the most recent incident it was researched more heavily and found that there is a potential class action lawsuit against Subaru for this exact problem. Though it hasn't been dangerous for us it could be potentially dangerous should the car decided to fully shut off in the middle of traffic.

Filed Mar 28, 2022 · Electrical · IN

1. The car battery failed on six separate occasions within a 12 month time frame. First on May 8, 2021, August 21, 2021, September 9, 2021, November 5, 2021, February 5, 2022, and on March 28, 2022 2. The drivers safety was placed at minimal risk on one occasion since cars were lined up behind in a parking lot when the car would not start. 3. Yes, the problem has been reproduced due to the number of different times the battery died and the car would not start. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. 4. No, to date the vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. 5. No, there were not any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to failure. They first appeared on May 8, 2021.