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2022 Subaru Forester problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
18%
15 of 85 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2022 Subaru Forester. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 18% of relevant complaints.

Better than 91% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 13 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 15%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2022 Subaru Forester have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 15 of 85 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2022 Subaru Forester concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (18%). For comparison, the 2021 scores 20% and the 2023 scores 16%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
15
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
98
this model year
Fires reported
6
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
8 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

VISIBILITY/WIPER20 · 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER18 · 18%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE15 · 15%
SERVICE BRAKES10 · 10%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM10 · 10%
ENGINE10 · 10%

The years either side

2010
25%
53 of 262
2011
65%
73 of 147
2012
46%
38 of 105
2013
53%
32 of 77
2014
31%
104 of 403
2015
45%
226 of 614
2016
36%
113 of 415
2017
22%
90 of 586
2018
16%
64 of 496
2019
18%
145 of 833
2020
19%
112 of 600
2021
20%
41 of 207
2022
18%
15 of 98
2023
16%
10 of 73

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2022 Subaru Forester

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN06/23/2026
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed inhibitor switch. The contact was informed that the inhibitor switch needed to be replaced. The veh…

One of 15 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2022 Subaru Forester?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2022 Subaru Forester involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch23V755000 · Nov 2023

Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.

Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2022 Subaru Forester? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2022 Subaru Forester

Does the 2022 Subaru Forester have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 15 of 85 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2022 Subaru Forester concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (18%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2022 Subaru Forester?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2022 Subaru Forester involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 in total: 23V755000 (power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Subaru Forester years are better?

Among the Subaru Forester years we track, the 2018 (16%) and the 2023 (16%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2022 (18%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2022 Subaru Forester?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2022 Subaru Forester shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.