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2019 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forester years

Owner complaints for the 2019 Subaru Forester are substantially higher than the model-year median of 131.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

468 reports with mileage · 365 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 370 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 134 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

37 crash reports11 fire reports16 injury reports

Structure complaints

25 reports
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15,455 miles · Jan 4, 2021
StructureUnknown Or Other

SUBARU FORESTER 2019 MODEL CRACKED WINDSHIELD BY IT SELF.

NHTSA ODI #11386354

Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 2020
StructureUnknown Or Other

BACK HOOD LATCH STUCK AND WON'T OPEN

NHTSA ODI #11366276

6,300 miles · Aug 2, 2020
Structure

CRACKED FRONT WINDSHIELD

NHTSA ODI #11342795

17,500 miles · Mar 28, 2020
Structure

THE BACK LIFT GATE WILL RANDOMLY STOP OPENING. THIS HAS ONLY BEEN TESTED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, IN PARK WITH EITHER ENGINE RUNNING OR SHUT OFF. IT WILL SOUND 3 SHORT BEEP/TONES BUT WILL NOT FUNCTION APPROPRIATELY WHEN THE LIFT GATE BUTTON IS PUSHED IN EITHER THE INTERIOR CONTROL, THE KEY FOB CONTROL, OR THE ACTUAL BUTTON …

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THE BACK LIFT GATE WILL RANDOMLY STOP OPENING. THIS HAS ONLY BEEN TESTED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, IN PARK WITH EITHER ENGINE RUNNING OR SHUT OFF. IT WILL SOUND 3 SHORT BEEP/TONES BUT WILL NOT FUNCTION APPROPRIATELY WHEN THE LIFT GATE BUTTON IS PUSHED IN EITHER THE INTERIOR CONTROL, THE KEY FOB CONTROL, OR THE ACTUAL BUTTON ON THE LIFT GATE. THE ONLY THING THAT FIXES THE ISSUE IS TO DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND RECONNECT IT. THIS FIX IS TEMPORARY AND THE LIFT GATE WILL AGAIN HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN DISCUSSING WITH THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11319619

6,500 miles · Mar 16, 2020
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE CRACK MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK. THE CONTACT STATED IT WAS NOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE CRACK MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK. THE CONTACT STATED IT WAS NOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,500.

NHTSA ODI #11318295

12,000 miles · Feb 22, 2020
Service BrakesStructureVehicle Speed ControlCrash

I WAS PARKING AT A BUSY SKI CENTER, CAR IN DRIVE AS I WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO AN OPEN SPACE, CAR IN FIRST ROW OF VEHICLES FACING A SMALL ROAD. THE ROAD CONNECTS THE PARKING LOT WITH THE SKI SHOP . 5 MPH WOULD BE NORMAL SPEED ON THIS ROAD, WHERE PEDESTRIAN SKIERS WALK FROM THE LOT TO THE SKI SHOP. BEFORE I COULD STOP TO TURN OF…

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I WAS PARKING AT A BUSY SKI CENTER, CAR IN DRIVE AS I WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO AN OPEN SPACE, CAR IN FIRST ROW OF VEHICLES FACING A SMALL ROAD. THE ROAD CONNECTS THE PARKING LOT WITH THE SKI SHOP . 5 MPH WOULD BE NORMAL SPEED ON THIS ROAD, WHERE PEDESTRIAN SKIERS WALK FROM THE LOT TO THE SKI SHOP. BEFORE I COULD STOP TO TURN OFF THE CAR, THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING CRAZILY, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND. I WAS ABLE TO STEER ONTO THE ROAD, CAR ACCELERATING FASTER AND FASTER, NO BRAKES, NO CONTROL. THERE WAS A SMALL CAR DRIVING SLOWLY SOME DISTANCE AHEAD, AND I WAS GAINING ON IT FAST, A SPLIT SECOND AWAY FROM CRUSHING IT, SO I DELIBERATELY SWERVED INTO A SNOWBANK, HIT SOME TREES, AND THAT FINALLY STOPPED MY CAR. I WAS UNHURT. EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE AND PASSENGER DOOR DAMAGE FRONT AND BACK, AND ROOF RACK DAMAGE. POLICE CAME TO THE SCENE, CAR WAS TOWED BY FLATBED BACK TO THE DEALER. INSURANCE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. MANUFACTURER WILL EXAMINE THE VEHICLE THOROUGHLY, WILL REMOVE THE "BLACK BOX" TO FIND WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF BRAKES. THIS EXAMINATION MAY TAKE 4-6 WEEKS. SO FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED. I CANNOT ESTIMATE WHAT SPEED THE CAR REACHED ON ITS OWN.

NHTSA ODI #11310740

16,500 miles · Feb 9, 2020
Electrical SystemStructureUnknown Or Other

THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I PRESSED THE POWER REAR GATE OPEN BUTTON ON THE DRIVER SIDE DASH, BUT THE REAR GATE DIDN'T OPEN, AND THE CAR JUST BEEPED THREE TIMES. THE BEEPS WOULD HAPPEN EVERY TIME I TRIED TO PRESS THE GATE BUTTON ON THE CAR OR ON THE FAUB. I OPENED THE ACCESS PANEL AND MANUALLY OPENED THE DOOR, EXTENDING THE D…

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THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I PRESSED THE POWER REAR GATE OPEN BUTTON ON THE DRIVER SIDE DASH, BUT THE REAR GATE DIDN'T OPEN, AND THE CAR JUST BEEPED THREE TIMES. THE BEEPS WOULD HAPPEN EVERY TIME I TRIED TO PRESS THE GATE BUTTON ON THE CAR OR ON THE FAUB. I OPENED THE ACCESS PANEL AND MANUALLY OPENED THE DOOR, EXTENDING THE DOOR TO FULL HEIGHT. WHEN I PRESSED THE BUTTONS ON THE CAR, THE POWER GATE WOULD GO DOWN BUT WOULD SLAM SHUT AND THE CAR WOULD ISSUE A LONG BEEP. WHEN I PRESSED THE BUTTON EITHER ON THE CAR OR THE FAUB TO REOPEN THE REAR GATE, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE AND THE THREE BEEPS HAPPENED AGAIN. I THEN PRESSED THE BUTTONS ON THE CAR AND HELD THEM PASSED THE THREE BEEPS UNTIL THE GATE UNLOCKED AND I WAS ABLE TO LIFT IT OPEN. THE GATE CLOSED AGAIN WHEN I PRESSED THE LOCK/GATE CLOSE BUTTONS, SLAMMING SHUT AS BEFORE WITH THE LONG BEEP. NO MATTER WHAT I TRIED, I COULDN'T GET THE GATE TO OPEN ON ITS OWN ( WITH POWER). WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE REAR GATE WAS OPEN, BUT WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND STARTED TO DRIVE, THE CAR CONTINUOUSLY BEEPED UNTIL I STOPPED DRIVING AND PUT IT IN PARK. I TURNED IT OFF AND LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT DAY, I TRIED TO OPEN THE HATCH AS MENTIONED ABOVE AND IT STILL DID NOT OPEN, THOUGH I COULD MANUALLY OPEN IT IF I HELD THE BUTTONS DOWN BEYOND THE THREE BEEPS. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR ON, THOUGH, IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER I TRIED TO START THE CAR WITH THE PUSH BUTTON START, ALL THE ICONS BEGAN FLASHING AND CLICKING ON THE DASH AND CONTROL PANELS AND THE EYESIGHT FUNCTION WAS OFF AND THE CAR SAID TO CHECK VEHICLE FUNCTION, ALL WHILE FLASHING AND CLICKING. WHEN I PRESSED HE BUTTON START AGAIN IT ALL STOPPED. THE PARKING PEDAL SEEMED VERY STIFF AND WAS DIFFICULT TO PRESS AT ALL. THE CAR WOULD NOT START THROUGH STARLINK EITHER, SO NOW IT SITS IN MY PARKING LOT UNTIL I TOW IT TO A DEALER TOMORROW.

NHTSA ODI #11308060

Mileage unknown · Jan 21, 2020
Structure

THE REAR DOOR ON THE FORRESTER SPORT DOES NOT OPEN. IT FIRST HAPPENED AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH, THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN EVEN IF THE CAR IS UNLOCKED. NEITHER BY FOB OR DOOR BUTTON. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RECREATE PROBLEM HOWEVER IT HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER A LIGHT RAIN. DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR CLAIMS ONLINE…

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THE REAR DOOR ON THE FORRESTER SPORT DOES NOT OPEN. IT FIRST HAPPENED AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH, THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN EVEN IF THE CAR IS UNLOCKED. NEITHER BY FOB OR DOOR BUTTON. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RECREATE PROBLEM HOWEVER IT HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER A LIGHT RAIN. DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR CLAIMS ONLINE FOR THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL. ONLY FIX I HAVE IS HOLDING THE DOOR BUTTON UNTIL IT SWITCHES FROM AUTOMATIC TO MANUAL AND IT SEEMS TO RESET IT. HOWEVER THIS ONLY WORKED ONCE OUT OF THE 2 TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST MONTH.

NHTSA ODI #11300695

1,345 miles · Sep 25, 2019
Electrical SystemStructureUnknown Or Other

REAR HATCH WILL NOT OPEN. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RANDOM AND PERIODIC SINCE WE TOOK DELIVERY FROM DEALER AT END OF MAY, 2019. TODAY AFTER SHOPPING I TRIED TO PLACE ITEMS IN THE HATCH. IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED THE INSIDE BUTTON AND THE HANDLE ON THE HATCH, NEITHER WORKED. I LOADED THE ITEMS IN THE BACK SEAT, STARTED THE CAR THEN ST…

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REAR HATCH WILL NOT OPEN. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RANDOM AND PERIODIC SINCE WE TOOK DELIVERY FROM DEALER AT END OF MAY, 2019. TODAY AFTER SHOPPING I TRIED TO PLACE ITEMS IN THE HATCH. IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED THE INSIDE BUTTON AND THE HANDLE ON THE HATCH, NEITHER WORKED. I LOADED THE ITEMS IN THE BACK SEAT, STARTED THE CAR THEN STARTED TO BACK OUT OF THE SPACE. AS VEHICLE TRAVELED IN REVERSE THERE WAS A NOISE LIKE A MOTOR AND THE HATCH OPENED. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL SO FAR BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT OPENED WHILE IN MOTION

NHTSA ODI #11258213

200 miles · Aug 29, 2019
StructureVisibility/wiper

MY 2019 FORESTER PREMIUM, 6 WEEKS OLD AND <200 MILES ON IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT. IT WAS COLD OUT THAT NIGHT. WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR I TURNED IN THE HEATED WINDSHIELD AND REGULAR HEAT IN THE CAR. MOMENTS LATER AND WHILE STILL PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE WINDSHIELD HEATING ELEMENT HALFWAY…

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MY 2019 FORESTER PREMIUM, 6 WEEKS OLD AND <200 MILES ON IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT. IT WAS COLD OUT THAT NIGHT. WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR I TURNED IN THE HEATED WINDSHIELD AND REGULAR HEAT IN THE CAR. MOMENTS LATER AND WHILE STILL PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE WINDSHIELD HEATING ELEMENT HALFWAY UP TO THE TOP. BROUGHT IT TO THE AUTO GLASS PLACE NEARBY, WHERE IT WAS NOTED BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT NO IMPACT POINT WAS PRESENT. HE DOCUMENTED THIS ON MY WORK ORDER / RECEIPT. THE WINDSHIELD WAS ON BACKORDER FOR 3 WEEKS BUT WAS FINALLY INSTALLED.

NHTSA ODI #11252216

Official recalls

3

21V263000 · Suspension:rear

Apr 15, 2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21.

19V856000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:crankcase (pcv)

Dec 2, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.

19V065000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Feb 6, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Forester and Crosstrek vehicles. A connector inside the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) unit may short circuit resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: None of the affected vehicles have been sold yet. Subaru has notified dealers and they will inspect the steering gearbox, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUC-88.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems