Subaru Forester harsh shifting problems

Filed May 16, 2026 · WA

Car swirving as if someone grabbed the steering and pulled right left quickly when applying breaks. First incident happened on interstate which nearly caused an accident. Carriage makes a “clunk” sound when moving forward or backwards and you feel the cabin continue in motion when first stopping. When taken to Subaru, “trailing arm” was not attached to vehicle. Car is currently being fixed at Subaru of Olympia.

Filed Oct 29, 2025 · Suspension · FL

Issue started with hearing a clunking noise from the front of the car, had the dealer inspect at 37,000 miles. They said they the clunking was caused by ECU issue and reprogrammed the ECU to correct it. Obviously, a software update did not correct the noise. Had an independent repair shop inspect the vehicle and found both front control arm bushings were cracked and torn allowing the control arm to move around causing the noise. Since the control arms are an integral component of steering the failure of these bushings could've caused loss of control, or an accident. They were replaced by the independent shop and now the noise is gone.

Filed Feb 12, 2024 · Acceleration, Engine · MA · crash

The 2021 Subaru Forester had been functioning normally with no warning lights. About 25 minutes into the drive I had come to a stop light on an upward incline. When the light turned green I moved from the brake to the gas as usual. However the auto-start function on the car failed, causing the engine to stall. A loud clunking sound was heard and the dashboard lit up with multiple lights, although I do no recall which ones were illumined. I attempted to press the gas again and the car did not respond. During this short time my foot was pressing on the gas the car rolled backwards and collided with the vehicle behind me. I continued attempting to press the gas pedal and still no acceleration was made. After parking and restarting the car it has resumed normal function. I have not yet visited the dealership so this issue has not yet been reproduced, nor has the offending system been inspected. I'm summary, the automatic engine start failed at a critical location, putting myself and others in serious danger and ultimately caused a crash.

Filed Feb 9, 2023 · Body · MA

I was traveling on the highway when I heard a clunk and noticed that my hood had released and was bouncing against the hood safety release. I had not touched the hood release lever, and the hood was fully closed prior to coming unlatched. I have not had any prior accidents or work performed on the vehicle that might have affected the release mechanism. Had the safety release not caught the hood when it was unlatched, the hood would have blown open and obstructed my visibility, potentially causing an accident. This has happened twice before, but initially I assumed I must have hit the release inadvertently. I am certain that I was not touching the release lever this time. I will be having the mechanism inspected at my next service.

Filed Oct 25, 2022 · Suspension · TN

At only 3,000 miles front suspension “clunks” at low speeds over speed bumps, potholes, and other uneven surfaces

Filed Jun 24, 2021 · Steering · MN

I was getting on the highway in Minnesota doing 55-60 mph when the car started violently shaking and I lost steering with cars whizzing by me at 65-70+ mph. I was finally able to get the car just off the road and called for roadside assist. Once the car was left at my house I examined the right front wheel which was cockeyed to discover the lower control arm steel body had disintegrated (see photos). Looking online I discovered there had been a recall on these arms 9 years ago. I sent a message to Subaru Customer Care and received no reply. I sent a tweet on twitter to Subaru of America and received no reply. I finally called their 800 number and was told the recall had been completed on this vehicle in 2012 by putting some "rust-proofing" on the arms. They did not go through the effort to replace with the upgraded replacement part. SOA said they would not cover any repair or replacement of the lower control arms. There have to be 10s of thousands of these vehicles on the roads with arms rotting from the inside out because SOA did the recall on the cheap. The bushings and balljoint was still intact and no clunking or judder prior to the catastrophic failure. Is it going to take a death(s) to get this corrected. SOA know they should have replaced these arms and will sell you the upgraded one for around $300. No aftermarket companies are making these arms as far as I can find. Subaru admits on their own parts site the arms "do not often fail" i.e the body and instead the bushings wear out. The body of the car has very minimal rust and no signs the arm(s) would have deteriorated. I have asked SOA to replace the arms with ones that are structurally sound but think a second recall on cars that didn't get new arms may be required.

Filed Jan 10, 2020 · Engine, Fuel system · 76,000 miles · NY

Subaru 2015 forester 2.5l at CVT transmission no turbo engine revs to 4-6000 RPM transmission slams into gear car takes off accelerating without driver input. The driver must slam on brakes place the car in neutral to regain control. The car does this intermittently both at low and high-speed travel.. This car has been at dealer several times for diagnosis without success. This is dangerous in that the driver is at risk of loss of control due to high engine RPM and sudden acceleration with slamming transmission engagement requiring hard brakeing and placing the car in neutral to regain control . I believe this is long standing problem with this car and the origianal buyer traded in this vehicle because of this defect. I believe this is a problem with the electriclal engine control system that will only be diagnosised documented by 24/7 monitoring of engine functions. In order to catch the events as they occur no codes are being thrown or recorded. The dealers have refused to provide this service to diagnosis this intermittant problem.

Filed Aug 12, 2019 · Suspension · 67,000 miles · MN

Within the span of ~3-5 months, both rear coil springs have broken. I'm not sure when/how the first broke; noticed a tilt in the vehicle (from the rear the left side was distinctly lower than the right). Took vehicle in for an oil change some weeks after left spring broke (still waiting for replacement part), they noted that the right rear spring was also broken. I suspect right rear spring broke after vehicle was parked; started driving away and noticed a clunk sound near right rear after moving 10-20 feet. I stopped, checked for debris under/behind the vehicle, didn't notice anything, continued on. Research online suggests this is a fairly common problem on this vehicle.

Filed Apr 9, 2019 · Suspension, Transmission · 10,000 miles · CT

When on an incline, and or entering a highway while accelerating the car will go into the hill decent mode. Every light on the dash will light up! I am forced to pull over because the engine is now screaming!!! I then need to turn the car off and on two times in order to be able to drive it. Now half the lights are still on. But the car is running normally. It will take to more times turning off the engine before all the lights go off. The dealer claimed I was driving two footed. Left foot on brake and right on gas. Not true I do not drive like that. You can verify this behavior with starlink which I had the first year. Stamford subaru has had the car a week now and I have heard nothing! The second issue is the front end. When going over a bump or turning into a driveway there is a loud clunk. To me it sounds like ball joints. Stamford subaru has told me it is the all wheel drive system lifting one wheel off the ground, that's bull. I'm doing five miles an hour. Both issues have been going on for over a year. I do not feel safe in my subaru. Stamford subaru has given me an impresa as a loner and I am loving it. I have put six hundred miles on it and no problems. Please get in their butts to fix or replace my forester!!! Thank you in advance... Ps, the computer code said incorrect gear ratio for the transmission problem. In addition this has happened five times in a year and four months. Very scary!!!

Filed Nov 30, 2017 · Suspension · 162,500 miles · MI

Put vehicle in reverse after being at bank and heard a huge clunk. Gentleman ran up to me and said not to move it. Got out and left front tire was about laying flat on ground. Had brother bring tow dolly and then took it apart. Ended up spending 600 just on parts as the control arms were rotted horribly. Left one as stated, was rotted in half, right was in such bad shape my brother said it would not be safe if not replaced also. So 600.00 later and now I have it at kocur krew and will have another 750.00 bill as the subframe and cradel assembly are rotted bad. Like wow all in 2.5 months. I think I am lucky to be alive as I have driven this vehicle to ohio numerous times in last 1.5 years.