Diagsheet

2015 Subaru Forester · symptom sheet

Suspension noise, struts or alignment

  • 66owner reports
  • 52,084median miles
  • $800median quote
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Jun 3, 2024 · checked Oct 2, 2026

66 of the 607 complaints on this car describe suspension.

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026
No crash reportedin 66 reports

Tick what matches of 66 reports

5
19
4
8

Suspension on other Forester years

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: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026.

What this problem usually is

Suspension complaints are mostly about noise and handling: a clunk over bumps, a car that pulls to one side, a ride that bounces or leans more than it used to. The more serious reports describe a part breaking or coming loose, and that's where the recalls in this group are concentrated.

Read the full explainer · Which cars report it most

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the struts or shocks (19 reports), the control arm (7 reports) and the bushing (4 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the suspension system covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the suspension system on the Forester

PE11-011opened Apr 7, 2011
Suspension · model years 2003 to 2008

Front suspension control arm failure. Closed sep 23, 2011, led to recall 11V-464.

None of these investigations covers the 2015 model year.

What owners paid

11 of the 66 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $550 to $1,300.

$550$800$1,300
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 40,000 and 62,000 miles, from the 62 reports that gave a mileage.

Complaints by the year NHTSA received them: 2016: 1, 2018: 3, 2019: 43, 2020: 13, 2021: 1, 2022: 3, 2024: 21'163'1843'1913'201'213'222'24

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 4 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 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.

What owners wrote

“Rear suspension is garbage, is rusted and broken and seized to the vehicle. The spring has fallen off the strut. Did not know what the weird noise was, but apparently it is the rear suspension. Cannot use the vehicle until repaired, was not notified of the brake sensor recall, and this part should be recalled as well. I want a reimbursement for my expenses to repair this faulty suspension”

Filed Jul 12, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 66 reports involved a crash. 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

Other problems on this car