2015 Subaru Forester Suspension
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
LEFT REAR COIL SPRING JUST BROKE WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY, NO OFF ROAD DRIVING. CAR NOW TILTS AND I FEAR IT IS GOING TO RUIN THE TIRE. I AM UNABLE TO FIND ANY PARTS STORE THAT CARRIES THE PART - IT APPEARS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE COIL SPRINGS.
BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKEN AT THE LOWER PERCH OF THE STRUT. CAR HAS 9533 MILES. SUBARU REPLACED BOTH SPRINGS FOR NO COST BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. OWNER DID NOT NOTICE ANY PROBLEM UNTIL CAR WAS BROUGHT TO DEALER FOR BRAKE LAMP SWITCH RECALL. THE DEALER KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BEFORE IT WENT ON THE LIFT.
I BROUGHT MY 2015 SUBARU FORRESTER INTO SHEEHY SUBARU FOR A VA SAFETY INSPECTION AND OTHER WORK. I WAS ADVISED THAT MY RIGHT, REAR COIL HAD A CRACK IN IT. WHEN I SAW IT, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT ABOUT ONE HALF COIL TURN ON THE BOTTOM WAS TOTALLY DETACHED (PHOTO). SHEEHY PROVIDED AN INITIAL ESTIMATE OF $1,900 TO REPLACE BOTH OF THE BACK COILS/STRUTS AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE 3-4 DAYS. I DID SOME INTERNET SEARCHING AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OVER THE LAST YEAR-SOME PICS WERE IDENTICAL TO MINE. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY COILS THAT HAVE BROKEN, THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF COILS NATIONWIDE. BASED ON WHAT I SAW ON-LINE, I POINTED OUT TO THE SHEEHY SERVICE PERSON THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND I ASKED IF SUBARU WOULD COVER THE COST. HE ASKED AND HEARD BACK WITHIN AN HOUR THAT SUBARU WOULD PAY FOR THE RIGHT BROKEN COIL AS A GOOD WILL GESTURE, BUT I'D HAVE TO PAY FOR THE OTHER ONE, ESTIMATED AT $920. SINCE SHEEHY ADVISED ME THAT MY CAR WAS 'NOT SAFE TO DRIVE' (SEE P. 3 OF ATT. RECEIPT) BECAUSE OF THE BROKEN COIL, I AUTHORIZED SHEEHY'S TO MAKE THE REPAIR AND WAS GIVEN A LOANER. 5 DAYS LATER, I HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING SO I CALLED AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM GETTING REPLACEMENT COILS. IN THE END, IT TOOK 2 AND WEEKS FOR SHEEHY TO OBTAIN THE COILS AND REPAIR MY VEHICLE ON JULY 15, 2019. WHILE I'M NOT AN EXPERT, GIVEN HOW COMMON THIS DEFECT OCCURS, IT'S FAIRLY CLEAR TO ME TO THAT THERE IS EITHER A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN A LARGE NUMBER OF COILS, OR THE COIL HAS A DESIGN DEFECT. I'M NOT SURE WHICH IT IS BUT IT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH ON A BROADER BASIS. THE NEW COIL DOES HAVE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT DESIGN WITH A PROTECTIVE SLEEVE ON THE BOTTOM FEW TURNS OF THE COIL, WHICH MAY INDICATE A DESIGN DEFECT. FRANKLY, I'M SURPRISED THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL, GIVEN HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS AND THE SAFETY RISK THAT IT PRESENTS.
THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SUSPENSION COIL BROKE WHILE ON A TRIP. IT DIDN'T BREAK WHILE DRIVING BUT IN THE EVENING I HEARD A LOUD POP THINKING SOMETHING HIT THE CAR FROM ABOVE. HOWEVER, THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WHEEL WELL AND TIRE WERE ALMOST TOUCHING. MY MECHANIC SAID I SHOULD REPLACE BOTH AND THE DRIVER SIDE SUSPENSION COIL BROKE IN HIS HANDS WHILE HE WAS TAKING IT OFF. MY CAR HAD 23,000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT BROKE AND IS GARAGE KEPT. I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME OVER 700 MILES ON A BROKEN COIL SINCE THERE IS STILL A SHORTAGE ON THE PART. NOW MY TIRE NEEDS REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE WEAR FROM THE DRIVE HOME AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO REAR SUSPENSION COILS.
REAR COIL SPRING - LEFT SIDE. BROKE AT LOW SPEED ENTEREING GARAGE. NO RUST/CORROSION ON EXTERIOR OF BREAK.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF 1 WEEK BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. MY MECHANIC SAID THE RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN TILL REPAIRS ARE MADE DUE TO SAFETY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT.
CAR WAS NOT MOVING AND SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I NOTICED THE LEFT REAR BODY FRAME LOW, ALMOST TOUCHING THE TIRE. LOOKED UNDER CAR AND FOUND BROKEN SPRING PIECES, THAT WAS TOTALLY RUSTED INSIDE OUT. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A 4 YEAR OLD CAR WITH ONLY 38K MILES. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT DRIVING THE WHEN THIS FAILURE HAPPEN OR IT COULD OF LEAD TO A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I ALSO FOUND OUT THOUGH THE INTERNET THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME PROBLEM SUBARU IS HAVING WITH THESE SPRINGS BREAKING. I BELIEVE IT'S A MANUFACTURED MATERIAL DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOME ONE GETS INJURED! ALSO THE COST SHOULD BE BE HANDLED BY SUBARU..
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT'S SON NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEANING. WHEN THE CONTACT LOOK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS WERE DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GANLEY SUBARU OF BEDFORD (123 BROADWAY AVE, BEDFORD, OH 44146, (440) 439-3444) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH SPRINGS AND STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.
REAR COIL SPRING BROKE CAUSING SPRING TO SLOWING WORK ITS WAY DOWN TO CONTROL ARM AND CAR TO SAG. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE VEHICLE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, BUT IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT COULD BE NOTICED, UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS OUT ON THE ROAD. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE COIL STARTED WORKING ITS WAY DOWN THE STRUT, CAUSING THE CAR TO HANDLE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT, AND FIGURED OUT THE ISSUE AFTER DRIVING 30 MILES, RETURNING HOME, SEEING THE CAR BOTTOMED OUT ON ONE CORNER, AND FINDING THE BROKEN PIECE OF COIL IN MY DRIVEWAY, WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED BEFORE I DROVE THE CAR FOR THE DAY. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO LOSE CONTROL. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH ONLINE AND SPEAKING WITH THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THIS SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT AND A COMMON PROBLEM OF 2014 AND 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES ON IT, AND OTHERS HAD THE PROBLEM AROUND SIMILAR MILEAGE. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR OFF ROAD, TOWED WITH IT, NOR OVERLOADED IT. FROM THE IMAGE I UPLOADED OF THE BROKEN PART OF THE SPRING AND OTHER PHOTOS I HAVE SEEN FROM OTHER WITH THE SAME ISSUE, IT LOOKS LIKE THESE SPRINGS ARE PRONE TO CRACKING, RUSTING A LITTLE, THEN SNAPPING. I HAVE SEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. SUBARU SHOULD HAVE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS BEFORE MANY MORE OF THESE PROBLEM START TO ARISE, CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON A CLEAR, WARM DAY, MY DAUGHTER DROVE OVER A SPEED BUMP AND THE REAR SPRINGS BOTH BROKE LEAVING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. AT FIRST, I WAS ANGRY WITH HER, THINKING THAT SHE HAD HIT THE SPEED BUMP TOO HARD, BUT UPON DOING RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN REGARD TO THE SAME SITUATION. TALKING WITH A SERVICE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE (KENNY ROSS SUBARU), HE STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE 2014-2015 FORRESTERS, BUT THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL RECALL AND QUOTED A PRICE OF $925.00 FOR THE REPAIR. I FEEL THAT WITH A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT UNIQUE TO ONLY ME AND WITH THIS MANY OTHER OCCURRENCES, SUBARU SHOULD STEP UP AND ISSUE A RECALL AND REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD THE REPAIR MADE.
HAD JUST GOT DONE REGISTERING MY 2015 FORESTER WITH 69K MILES. HAD REPLACED MY TIRES SINCE THEY WERE NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR INSPECTION AND AS I WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE SHOP IT FELT LIKE I HAD POPPED MY TIRE. GOT OUT AND SAW THE WHOLE REAR DRIVERSIDE SPRING SHOT DOWN THROUGH THE STRUT. LUCKILY IT ALL HAPPENED IN THE PARKING LOT, NOT WITH ME DRIVING DOWN TO MY MECHANIC GET GET MY INSPECTION DONE. ALSO HAD BOTH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME SO I WAS PRETTY UPSET WITH THIS HAPPENING. BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY DEALERSHIP (PRIME SUBARU OF MANCHESTER) WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. TO MY SURPRISE NOT ONLY DID THE DRIVERSIDE SNAPPED, BUT ALSO THE OTHER REAR TOO. WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $550 FOR THE REPAIR. FROM WHAT I SAW BOTH SPRINGS SNAPPED DUE TO RUST. PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE SO I DIDNT HAVE TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS LIKE THIS BEING THAT I AM A YOUNG FATHER OF 2 AND CANNOT REALLY AFFORD NOR SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR STUFF LIKE THIS. WITH A VEHICLE BEING ONLY 5 YEARS I DO NOT FIND THIS ACCEPTABLE. SUBARU OF AMERICA REALLY NEED TO TAKE ACTION TOWARDS THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO BAIERL SUBARU (9545 PERRY PKWY, PITTSBURGH, PA 15237) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
2015 SUBARU FORSTER WITH 50,098 MILES. CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN IT AND THERE WAS NO BAGGAGE OR LOAD. AS I SAT DOWN ONTO THE SEAT, READY TO TURN IGNITION ON, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD POP AND I FELT THE REAR END OF THE CAR DROP. THE CAR WAS NOT EVEN TURNED ON. ALL TIRES WERE FINE BUT TWO PIECES OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING LAY ON THE FLOOR. PICTURES ARE ATTACHED (I HOPE). ONE BREAK HAD CLEARLY HAPPENED LONG AGO SINCE BOTH BROKEN EDGES WERE VERY RUSTED. AT THE OTHER BREAK, THE PART WHICH HAD JUST SNAPPED WAS FRESH BUT HALF OF THAT BREAK WAS ALSO VERY RUSTED. I COULD NOT SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR SINCE THE WHEEL WAS NEARLY TOUCHING THE TOP OF THE WHEEL WELL. ON THE REPAIR SHOP LIFT, WE FOUND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SPRING WAS ALSO BROKEN. THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP DID NOT ANSWER MY PHONE CALL. SUBARU NATIONALLY CLAIMS THEY HAVEN'T ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS POOR QUALITY STEEL IN THIS SPRING. SO, I GOOGLED IT AND FOUND AN AMAZING NUMBER OF SIMILAR CLAIMS WITH 2014 1ND 2015 FORESTERS AND MANY WITH NEARLY THE SAME MILEAGE AND ALSO PHOTOS SHOWING THE BREAKS IN NEARLY THE SAME LOCATIONS. I BELIEVE THERE IS BAD STEEL IN THESE SPRINGS. JUST 50 MILES EARLIER ON THE PREVIOUS DAY I HAD BEEN TRANSPORTING A MOBILITY LIMITED HANDICAPPED PERSON IN VERY RURAL AREAS. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE SCENE IF THE FINAL BREAK HAD HAPPENED THEN. THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES - NO UNDO STRESS.
AT 40K MILES, THE REAR SUSPENSION COIL SPRING IS FOUND BROKEN DURING A REGULAR OIL CHANGE AND BRAKE INSPECTION. THE SPRING IS RUSTED INSIDE OUT. MECHANICS SAID IT IS RARE THAT THIS PART WOULD BREAK IN THE LIFETIME OF A CAR. THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR BROKEN SPRING CASES AMONG 2014 AND 2015 SUBARU FORESTER MODEL CARS. PLEASE CHECK HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T61866_DS789686. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT SUBARU DID NOT TAKE PROMPT ACTION. EVEN IF ONE LIFE LOST AS A RESULT OF THIS IN THE FUTURE IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. SUBARU VALUES MONEY OVER LIVES. IT IS NOW UP TO NHTSA TO TAKE FURTHER ACTIONS TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY.
I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT YESTERDAY WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG. I HAD DIFFICULTY DRIVING HOME ON THE STREET WITH BRAKES & STEERING EVEN AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO SUBARU TODAY. THE CONTROL ARM WAS TOTALLY RUSTED THROUGH & BROKE APART.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS LOADING GROCERIES INTO THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE, SHE STEPPED BACK AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS VERY LOW. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. HERITAGE SUBARU CATONSVILLE (6624 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE, BALTIMORE, MD 21228, (844) 224-1954) WAS CONTACTED TO SCHEDULE A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000.
ON JULY 30 2019 I CAME BACK FROM A 6 WEEK VACATION. MY SUBARU SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE ON VACATION, I GOT IN THE CAR TO MOVE IT , I NOTICED IT WASN'T SITTING RIGHT. I ASKED MY BOYFRIEND TO CHECK MY TIRES THINKING ONE WAS LOW OR FLAT. ALL TIRES WERE GOOD SO I PULLED MY CAR OUT OFF THE DRIVEWAY, AS I WALKED BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY I SAW THE PIECES OF MY SPRING WHERE MY CAR WAS MOVED FROM. HOW CAN THIS SPRING BRAKE JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY ? THE ATTACHED PICTURE SHOWS THE PIECES , RUST AND ALL . I'VE FOUND FROM MY WEB SEARCH THIS IS A COMMON ISSUES WITH THE 2014 -2015 SUBARU'S , MY EXPERIENCE IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUES. SOME BREAK SITTING IN THEIR GARAGE OR DRIVEWAY, SOME BREAK WHEN DRIVING CAUSING ACCIDENT AND ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AND DRIVER. TO WHERE I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES, IT COULD HAVE HAPPEN DIFFERENT. THIS COIL SPRING IS MOST DEFIANTLY DEFECTIVE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
DURING ROUTINE 45000 CAR MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION, BRAKE INSPECTION) THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING HAD RUSTED AWAY FROM ITS' RETAINING BRACKETS (TOP AND BOTTOM) AND WAS HANGING LOOSE AROUND THE SHOCK ABSORBER AND COULD BE WIGGLED OR ROTATED BY HAND. INITIAL COST ESTIMATE IS $1300.00 TO REPLACE BOTH SPRINGS. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED.
RIGHT REAR COIN SPRING FAILED (BROKE). APPEARS TO BE RUSTED THROUGH THE COIL. DISCOVERED WHEN VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND ON A LIFT. PART OF COIL FELL OUT.
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL ON BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND STOHLMAN SUBARU TOLD ME THE RIGHT REAR SPRING WAS BROKEN, BUT THE PARTS ARE OUT OF STOCK. THEY RECCOMMEND REPLACING BOTH REAR SPRINGS AT $700-800, WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE. A HARDSHIP FOR ME AS I AM A SENIOR. I WAS NOT AWARE OF WHEN IT BROKE, OR THAT IT WAS BROKEN. THEY TOLD ME IT PROBABLY RUSTED
BROKEN LEFT REAR COIL SPRING AT 52,600 MILES. DEALER STATED THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL YEAR.
REAR COIL SPRING FAILURE. TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP FOR PA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. WAS TOLD (AND PERSONALLY VERIFIED) THAT RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. THE CAR HAD 21,428 MILES AT THAT TIME.
COIL SPRING OF REAR STRUT BROKE, ONLY 53K MILES AND NOT TAKEN OFFROAD. CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND IT JUST "POPPED" AND I FOUND A PIECE OF THE COIL ON THE GROUND. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR 2014 AND 2015 FORESTERS AND THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS IF IT SNAPS WHILE TURNING. SUBARU NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T61866_DS789686
FAILED STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AT 25,594 MILES DUE TO TWO BROKEN REAR COIL SPRINGS.TOTAL COST TO REPLACE: $560.94 PLUS TAX.
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SPRINGS AND STRUTS BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
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Quick Summary
The 2015 Subaru Forester has 62 Suspension complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.