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#BS-2014-SUBFOR-326B

2014 Subaru Forester

Based on reports from 573 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
573
Crashes
83
Fires
6
Recalls
2
TSBs
612
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 573 complaints, 83 crashes, 6 fires, and 2 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.3x the class average. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

high oil consumption

32 complaints • Severity 8.1/10

$X,XXX
2

broken coil springs

19 complaints • Severity 7.9/10

$X,XXX
3

flat spot bog and bucking lurching and studdering

5 complaints • Severity 7.2/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SuspensionHIGH

93 owners reported suspension issues — failures commonly reported around 50K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

127
0–30K
109
30–60K
106
60–90K
45
90–120K
19
120–150K
6
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (127 reports) • Median: 50K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Suspension (93 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Suspension93 (16%)
Engine72 (13%)
Airbags55 (10%)
Other43 (8%)
Speed Control41 (7%)
Drivetrain41 (7%)
Electrical40 (7%)
Brakes31 (5%)

2014 Subaru Forester: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 16% of all reports filed for the 2014 Subaru Forester, with 93 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 50,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 50K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2014 Subaru Forester, with 72 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2014 Subaru Forester, with 55 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2014 Subaru Forester, with 41 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

6
13
67
14
30
15
31
16
34
17
48
18
138
19
81
20
53
21
21
22
22
23
23
24
19
25

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2014 Subaru Forester. Recent trend: stable.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

13V159000Jun 2013

EQUIPMENT

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.

19V149000Apr 2019

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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This is the worst model year for the Subaru Forester according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.

2014 Subaru Forester vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD)

This vehicle

573

Class avg

173

3.3x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 573 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Subaru Forester Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
View all Subaru Forester years →

2014 Subaru Forester: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2014 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2014 Subaru Forester is related to the suspension, with 93 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2014 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2014 Subaru Forester has 573 complaints, 83 crash reports, and 6 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 3.3x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2014 Subaru Forester problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2014 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
Yes, the 2014 Subaru Forester has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Subaru Forester problems start?
Based on 412 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 50,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 573 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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