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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 3, 2026

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

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

How the 2022 compares with other Subaru Forester years

Of the 14 Subaru Forester years with enough complaints to score, the 2022 is the 3rd-best on engine and transmission share (18%). The worst is the 2011 (65%), the best the 2023 (16%). By volume, the 2022 drew 98 complaints (15 drivetrain), against 207 for the 2021 and 73 for the 2023.

Subaru Forester years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2022 Subaru Forester

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

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 up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2022 Subaru Forester transmission recalls

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 3, 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.

What is the most common problem with the 2022 Subaru Forester?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2022 Subaru Forester is visibility/wiper: 20 of 98 complaints (20%) name it, followed by forward collision avoidance (15) and service brakes (10). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 18% of the relevant total.

Is the 2022 Subaru Forester reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 18% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 91% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Subaru Forester years we score, it ranks 3rd-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

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. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/subaru-forester

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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.