Follow us today…
The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid may not be safe for your child or baby to ride in. This is a matter that requires immediate attention.
Subaru of America and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have taken responsibility and issued a recall for the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid, ensuring your child’s safety is their top priority.
The NHTSA says, “Subaru of America is recalling certain 2025 Forester vehicles (Hybrid trim). The child seat anchor bolts may have been improperly tightened, allowing the bolts to come loose. A loose child seat anchor bolt increases the risk of injury to a child during a crash.”
That’s not good for parents who recently purchased a 2025 Forester Hybrid. Subaru is supposed to be the safety leader in keeping your family safe, but this is disturbing news for parents of young children and babies.
Here are the details
- Components: CHILD SEAT
- Potential Number of Units Affected: 2,938
Problem Description:
The affected Subaru Forester Hybrid SUVs may have been manufactured with insufficiently tightened child seat anchor bolt(s). Over time, an affected attachment bolt may become loose, leading to possible separation from the vehicle frame.
Description of the safety risk, including crash, fire, death, and injury:
Subaru says, “If a child seat is installed using the ISO FIX anchors in a location where an anchor bolt has separated, the child seat may not be anchored properly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.”
How did the faulty anchor bolt occur in the manufacturing process?
“An inadequate work instruction may have caused the child seat anchor attachment bolts to be insufficiently tightened during the assembly process,” says Subaru.
The Timeline
- March 5, 2025 – Subaru identified an insufficiently tightened child seat anchor bolt and opened an investigation. An additional torque check procedure was added on the assembly line.
- March 6, 2025, to mid-May 2025 – Subaru conducted an investigation and identified the cause as a new product introduced to the line on February 13, 2025, which had higher panel rigidity in the relevant area due to a difference in panel shape and larger panel gaps resulting from differences in panel assembly precision.
- From mid-May 2025 to June 11, 2025, Subaru conducted a safety evaluation based on CAE analytics, including bolt separation as the worst-case scenario.
Have There Been Any Accidents Involving Children?
Subaru reassures that they are not aware of any field reports, warranty claims, or VOQs related to this condition, providing some peace of mind.
“However, out of an abundance of caution, Subaru decided to conduct a safety recall. Subaru is not aware of any reports involving accident, fire, or injury related to this condition,” the report says.
What is the Remedy?
Subaru dealer notification is expected to occur on June 20, 2025. Dealers will inspect the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid child seat anchor bolts and, if necessary, tighten the bolts free of charge to the customer.
What Should 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid Owners Do Now?
Owner notification will occur within 60 days, and owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru’s number for this recall is WRC-25.
Owners should check out the Subaru VIN recall website here.
Conclusion:
For your child’s safety, it would be prudent not to use a child or baby seat in the back seat of the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid until the faulty bolts have been inspected and tightened correctly.
Check out my 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid story: America’s Most Anticipated New Models, The All-New Subaru Forester Hybrid Is Wild
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you’ll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Subaru of America
Follow us today…
————————————————
