2014 Subaru Forester · symptom sheet

Brakes grind, pulse or wear early

27owner reports
50,000median miles
11involved a crash

Newest report Nov 19, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026

27 of the 364 complaints on this car describe brake wear.

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026

11 crashesin 27 reports

9 people hurtin these reports

Tick what matches of 27 reports

grinding or squealing

pedal goes soft or to the floor

a brake warning light

the car did not stop in time

Brake wear on other Forester years

201427 reports 201535 reports 201629 reports 201926 reports

Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026.

What this problem usually is

Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.

Read the full explainer · Which cars report it most

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the ABS module (8 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the brakes covers the 2014 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 34,069 and 80,000 miles, from the 17 reports that gave a mileage.

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2014 Subaru Forester that deal with this problem. Newest first.

Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.

Service bulletin06-90-24Jun 25, 2024
This bulletin provides diagnosis and procedure information to be applied when diagnosing potential fluid leaks on front and rear brake calipers. This information has been developed to reduce unnecessary brake caliper replacement.
Service bulletin06-59-17RFeb 1, 2021
This Service Information bulletin announces availability of a new front brake pad shim kit to specifically address customer concerns of a squeaking or squealing sound on the models listed above.
Service bulletin06-51-15RAug 8, 2019
This bulletin announces availability of a new front disc brake pad, shim, grease and clip kit designed to reduce customer concerns of excessive brake squeal.
Service bulletin06-68-19RJul 11, 2019
This Service Information bulletin announces instruction for application of additional lubrication between the brake caliper support and pad clips.

1 more on the 2014 Subaru Forester page.

What owners wrote

“Brakes completely failed on the car when driving. Had it towed to the Subaru dealer, which reports that itâs the SAME issue as the recall on the 2008-13 Foresters: rear brake lines rusted completely through. Subaru claims itâs unrelated.”
Filed Apr 9, 2024

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 11 of 27 reports involved a crash and 9 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.

Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found