I was stopped at a red light. When the light changed to green I put my foot on the gas and the car totally stalled out. There were no lights, fans or radio on just total silence. I tried to restart the car putting it is park and depressing the brake while pushing the start button and nothing. It didn't even try to turn over. silent, dead. I tried several times with no luck. I got out of the car to signal to the bus and row of cars behind me to pass me. I got back into the car and tried to start it again and this time it started. I drove immediately to the mechanic near my house. They couldn't see what was going on without me leaving the car next week. The battery had been replaced 6 months ago. This was a busy intersection and I was worried about getting out of the car but I had no choice.
Subaru Forester stalling problems
242 of the 6,539 owner complaints about the Subaru Forester describe engine stalls while driving, most of them for the 2015 model year.
- owner complaints
- 242
- worst model year
- 2015
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,800
- typical mileage
- 32,858
By model year
Often reported together
Check engine light 26Loss of power 21Warning lights 18Start-stop 18Hesitation 17Jerking 13Fuel pump 13CVT failure 13
Trouble codes mentioned
P2764 1P26A6 1P2682 1P2138 1P0700 1
What owners say
On Thursday October 1st upon leaving work the dashboard and infotainment system glitched and rebooted while driving. I thought I was seeing things. I was stopping at a stop sign ad paying attention to the road. Everything seemed fine at that point. On October 3rd while driving approximately 45 MPH our 2026 Subaru Forester stalled and quit running without any warning or warning lights. Both the dashboard lights and the infotainment system went black then came back on. After restarting the car the transmission would not engage. Subaru of America had it towed to the closest dealership. A loaner was obtained. Said dealership found nothing and said car was good to go. Upon pick up a buzzing sound was noted upon start. Left the car again. The phone charger was replaced. Still nothing found of the original stall while driving. Under duress, the was driven to the original dealership it was purchased from. Still nothing found of the original stalling issue.
Experience a total engine stall while stopped/accelerating at an intersection. The stall triggered immediate 'EyeSight Disabled' and 'Engine Oil' dashboard warnings, requiring a manual button restart in traffic. Had concerns of permanently being stalled in intersection. Taking to dealer for inspection.
The contact owns a 2026 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the engine sputtered before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with an inoperable fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure returned three weeks later. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicated the failure but determined that the failure was caused by a blown fuse and the fuse was replaced. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Three times within 30 minutes on short drive, the engine stalled at stop sign or stop light. The car had a half tank of gas, and at the same time as the engine stalled, the miles remaining until empty display showed an anomalous 0.3miles to empty reading. Put the car in park allowed the engine to restart and the range remaining display to return to normal.
Car stalls when it shouldn't i.e. when stopped at traffic light Transmission Control Module (TCM) Software Issue
My car is violently shaking and completely stalling out in intersections when attempting to restart from an Auto-Stop.
My 2021 Subaru Forester has a recurring, worsening defect in the Idle Stop/Start (ISS) system that creates a stalling hazard. When ISS shuts the engine off at a stop, the engine intermittently fails to restart when I try to move again. It cranks progressively slower, warning lights illuminate, a continuous alert sounds, and the vehicle cannot proceed until I shift to Park and restart manually. This has left me immobile in live traffic at lights, stop signs, and mid-turn. The system also attempts to shut down in unfavorable moments, such as mid-turn, or as I am already releasing the brake (meaning it was depressed only lightly or briefly); it then tries to restart while still mid-shutdown, producing a pronounced shake. This is not a battery-charge problem. It has occurred even when the battery tested above its rated cold-cranking amps, and after each failure the engine restarts smoothly by manual start, indicating the starter, engine, and fuel systems function normally. I raised this before 2024, but it was not recorded until May 2024. At that visit the dealer performed the TCM reprogramming in Service Bulletin 16-147-24 (Forester, auto start/stop engine speed drop on restart) plus an ECM update. A later visit added another ECM update. A dealer has now identified yet another TCM reprogramming, quoted for a fee. The failure has persisted across all of these updates. Dealer staff acknowledge repeated customer complaints with these exact symptoms and say there is no known effective fix. Because ISS cannot be permanently disabled through any factory control, I must remember to disable it manually every drive to avoid a restart failure in traffic. The vehicle is available for inspection. This is an ongoing, unresolved safety defect that repeated manufacturer software remedies have failed to correct, and it can leave the vehicle disabled in live traffic.
My new vehicle, with under 4,000 miles, has already suffered multiple chewed wires due to rodents attracted to the soy-based wire coatings used by the manufacturer. This is not a minor inconvenience — it is a serious safety issue. Damaged wiring can cause loss of power steering mid-drive, ABS and braking system malfunctions, airbag deployment failures, engine stalling on highways, and electrical fires — any of which can result in injury or death. The manufacturer knows soy-based coatings attract rodents, the consequences are safety-critical, and proven mitigations exist (capsaicin-infused coatings, hardened sheathing, metal conduit) yet are not implemented from the factory. If vehicles are engineered to withstand foreseeable environmental hazards like water intrusion, heat, and road debris, there is no justification for leaving critical wiring defenseless against a well-documented and predictable threat. A material choice known to invite damage, paired with insufficient physical barriers, is not an external cause — it is a design flaw.
I have owned this vehicle since 2019 and the auto start has ALWAYS stalled out when I stop at a light or stop sign. The vehicle needs to be put in park and restart the car. It is very dangerous
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Forester vehicles. The engine water pipe may have loose attachment bolts, allowing the pipe to lose its seal and leak coolant.
- Risk
- Leaking coolant can contact a hot exhaust pipe, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Subarus independent distributor processing facilities will tighten the water pipe attachment bolts. The affected vehicles have not been delivered to dealers or sold to owners and therefore, no owner notification letters will be sent. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1‑844‑373‑6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRO-23.
Recall number 23V723000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.
- Risk
- An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑844‑373‑6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.
Recall number 19V856000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
- Risk
- An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑800‑782‑2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
Recall number 16V162000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- Subaru is recalling 16,715 my 2007-2008 legacy sedans and wagons, my 2008 impreza sedans and wagons, and my 2009 forester vehicles. Some vehicles may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled.
- Risk
- Vibration would occur while driving and, over time, could eventually result in cracking the pipe which would allow oil to leak. If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, an engine compartment fire could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect for cracking or an oil leak at the oil supply pipe at the cylinder head-side. An additional bracket will be installed to increase rigidity of the pipe and the pipe assembly will be replaced with a modified part. The recall began on october 20, 2008. Owners may contact subaru at 1‑800‑782‑2783.
Recall number 08V460000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the cover bolts for the engine oil control valve may not be sufficiently tightened, allowing oil to leak from around the cover gasket.
- Risk
- If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, a fire could result in the engine compartment.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and retighten the oil-flow control valve cover bolts. The recall began on october 8, 2004. Owners should contact subaru at 1‑800‑782‑2783.
Recall number 04V473000 · Recall details
Questions about the Subaru Forester stalling
Which Subaru Forester years have engine stalls while driving problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2015 (43 complaints), 2019 (33 complaints) and 2020 (29 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix engine stalls while driving on the Subaru Forester?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,800 (median of 15 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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