# Subaru Forester tire pressure light: complaints, recalls and what to do **Verdict:** Drive to a shop this week - **Owner complaints:** 15 - **Most complaints:** 2015 (7) - **Related recalls:** 0 - **Verdict:** This week ## Quick answer NHTSA has 15 owner complaints about the tire pressure light on the Subaru Forester (2015-2026 models), most for the **2015** model year (7). No recall covers the parts behind this light, so a repair is usually at the owner's cost. Drive to a shop this week: You can drive carefully to the nearest air pump. ## Subaru Forester tire pressure light complaints by model year | Model year | Complaints mentioning the tire pressure light | All complaints that year | Share | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2015 | 7 | 616 | 1% | | 2016 | 2 | 416 | 0% | | 2017 | 1 | 592 | 0% | | 2018 | 2 | 498 | 0% | | 2019 | 1 | 834 | 0% | | 2020 | 1 | 603 | 0% | | 2023 | 1 | 74 | 1% | Counts are complaints filed with NHTSA whose description mentions this light. They show where owners have had trouble, not a failure rate: popular years collect more complaints simply because more cars are on the road. ## Is there a recall for the Subaru Forester tire pressure light? Not for the parts behind this light, as of 2026-11-04. The Subaru Forester has 17 recalls for other parts in 2015-2026; see the [Subaru Forester page](/vehicles/subaru-forester) or check your VIN at [nhtsa.gov/recalls](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). ## What Subaru Forester owners report - "There was no low tire pressure light on my vehicle. The light had been on not too long before this and I had filled the tires. But no warning light on the day this happened. I was able to successfully drive further with no issues. Subaru does not seem to be taking this seriously. But, no matter the cause, if either..." -- owner of a 2023 Subaru Forester, complaint filed 2024 - "Vehicle has some electrical issue with the tpms that less than a year in, one of them is seems to be going out. Thee head unit (infotainment sys) also had connection issue that was aware and known by subura dealer rep when called and as to bring in for maintenance. Blinds pot monitor on the right has tendency to not..." -- owner of a 2020 Subaru Forester, complaint filed 2021 - "Tpms tire pressures do not appear on instrument panel. The pressures are in the computer, but never appear on the screen. The driver does not know whether tpms indicates a fuel economy issue, or an emergency. The "low tire pressure" display shows a large box on the display. That should have a number at each corner..." -- owner of a 2019 Subaru Forester, complaint filed 2020 Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly cleaned for reading. They are owners' own accounts and have not been verified. ## What the tire pressure light means A steady tire pressure light means one or more tires is significantly underinflated, usually 25% or more below the pressure on the driver door sticker. Cold weather and slow leaks are the most common reasons. If the light flashes for about a minute and then stays on, the monitoring system itself has a fault, often a dead sensor battery. The most common causes, on any make: 1. **Cold weather dropped the pressure** (most common) 2. **Slow leak or puncture** (common) 3. **Dead TPMS sensor battery** (common) 4. **Sensors not relearned after tire work** (less common) Full causes, what to do and how to reset it: [Tire pressure (TPMS) light](/warning-lights/tire-pressure). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a recall for the Subaru Forester tire pressure light? Not for the parts behind this light, as of 2026-11-04. A repair is usually at the owner's cost unless the car is under warranty. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, since new recalls are added often. ### Which Subaru Forester years have the most tire pressure light complaints? In NHTSA's database the 2015, 2016 and 2018 Forester model years have the most complaints mentioning the tire pressure light, with 7 for 2015. Complaint counts reflect how many cars were sold as well as how often problems happen. ### Is it safe to drive a Subaru Forester with the tire pressure light on? Drive to a shop this week. You can drive carefully to the nearest air pump. If a tire looks visibly flat, the car pulls hard, or you hear flapping, stop and change to the spare or call for help, because driving on a very low tire can destroy it and cause a blowout. ### How do I check if my Subaru Forester has an open recall? Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask any Subaru dealer. Open recalls are fixed free of charge, even if you are not the first owner. ## Sources - [NHTSA: Vehicle safety complaints and recalls (api.nhtsa.gov)](https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis) - [NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) ## Other Subaru Forester warning lights - [ABS warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/abs/subaru-forester): 20 complaints - [Airbag (SRS) warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/subaru-forester): 280 complaints - [Brake warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/brake/subaru-forester): 43 complaints - [Check engine light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/check-engine/subaru-forester): 179 complaints - [Coolant temperature warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/coolant-temperature/subaru-forester): 38 complaints - [Oil pressure warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/oil-pressure/subaru-forester): 21 complaints - [Power steering warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/power-steering/subaru-forester): 26 complaints - [Traction control light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/traction-control/subaru-forester): 26 complaints ## Tire pressure (TPMS) light on other models - [Honda Accord](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/honda-accord): 154 complaints - [Honda CR-V](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/honda-cr-v): 146 complaints - [Honda Civic](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/honda-civic): 59 complaints - [Ford Escape](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/ford-escape): 36 complaints - [Ford Explorer](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/ford-explorer): 23 complaints - [Hyundai Sonata](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/hyundai-sonata): 23 complaints - [Chevrolet Equinox](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/chevrolet-equinox): 20 complaints - [Hyundai Elantra](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/hyundai-elantra): 20 complaints - [Honda HR-V](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/honda-hr-v): 18 complaints - [Jeep Grand Cherokee](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/jeep-grand-cherokee): 18 complaints ## Subaru Forester - [Subaru Forester specs and mpg by year](https://diagxcar.com/vehicles/subaru-forester) --- Source page: https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/tire-pressure/subaru-forester Updated: 2026-11-04 General information, not a substitute for a qualified mechanic.