There are 2 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2017 Subaru Foresterin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Left front head light will turn off while turning left, more than 10deg. This is part of the Steering Responsive System where the headlights will move with the steering. This is a sealed unit and not a user replaceable component such as a head lamp. Replacement costs are excessive for this manufacture failure. This left front headlight turning off while turning left is a common problem found on the Subaru Forums.
SUBARU OF AMERICA DOES NOT CURRENTLY OFFER AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS AS AN OPTION ON ITS FORESTER PREMIUM TRIM. SUBARU OF AMERICA'S PARTS DEPARTMENT (PARTS.SUBARU.COM), LISTS THE AUTOMATIC LIGHT SENSOR AND SWITCH AS COMPATIBLE WITH THE FORESTER PREMIUM AND GIVES CONSUMERS DETAILS ON OFFICIAL DEALERSHIPS WHERE THESE PARTS CAN BE PURCHASED. SUBARU OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE, HOWEVER, CLAIMS THAT THESE PARTS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE 2017 FORESTER PREMIUM, THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE INSTALLED, AND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS IS TO UPGRADE TO THE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE LIMITED TRIM. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE PARTS DEPARTMENT IS INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING CUSTOMERS TO DRIVE PARTS SALES, OR WHETHER CUSTOMER SERVICE IS INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING CUSTOMERS IN THE HOPES OF SELLING CARS WITH HIGHER MSRP; EITHER WAY, SUBARU OF AMERICA IS MISLEADING CONSUMERS ABOUT SPARE/REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR A SAFETY CRITICAL VEHICLE SYSTEM.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026