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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

833 reports
11,500 miles · Mar 6, 2020
Visibility/wiper

I DROVE TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND PARKED IN THE PARKING GARAGE. WINDSHIELD WAS TOTALLY FINE. WHEN I WALKED BACK IN THE EVENING, I SAW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A HUGE CRACK IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO OTHER APPARENT DAMAGE. MY CAR WAS STATIONARY THE ENTIRE TIME AND IT'S CLEAR THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL EVENT THAT CAUSED…

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I DROVE TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND PARKED IN THE PARKING GARAGE. WINDSHIELD WAS TOTALLY FINE. WHEN I WALKED BACK IN THE EVENING, I SAW IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A HUGE CRACK IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO OTHER APPARENT DAMAGE. MY CAR WAS STATIONARY THE ENTIRE TIME AND IT'S CLEAR THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL EVENT THAT CAUSED THE CRACK.

NHTSA ODI #11316490

4,000 miles · Mar 4, 2020
Visibility/wiper

MY WINDSHIELD HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK THAT IS 18" LONG. IT APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE . I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED. DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR DRIVERS.

NHTSA ODI #11316111

15,000 miles · Mar 4, 2020
Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD WAS STRUCK BY A ROCK IN THE BLACK AREA AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE DING IS TINY WITH NO SPIDERWEB CRACKS RADIATING FROM IT. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER, A LARGE CRACK STARTED FROM THE DING AND WEND DOWN AND ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11316050

8,500 miles · Mar 3, 2020
Visibility/wiper

ON THE MORNING OF SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2020, I WENT TO GET INTO MY PARKED 2019 SUBARU FORESTER AND NOTICED A HORIZONTAL CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK IS ROUGHLY 17 INCHES LONG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY THE DAY BEFORE, BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PAR…

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ON THE MORNING OF SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2020, I WENT TO GET INTO MY PARKED 2019 SUBARU FORESTER AND NOTICED A HORIZONTAL CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK IS ROUGHLY 17 INCHES LONG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY THE DAY BEFORE, BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT. THE CRACK APPEARS TO HAVE COME ABOUT WITHOUT CAUSE AND INHIBITS THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CLEARLY SEE THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI #11315899

16,000 miles · Mar 3, 2020
Visibility/wiper

MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER EXPERIENCED A TINY ROCK CHIP ON THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF WINDSHIELD FROM DEBRIS THAT WAS INITIALLY HARDILY NOTICEABLE UNTIL I REACHED HIGHWAY SPEED AND THE WINDSHIELD CHIP BEGAN TO GROW AND CRACK TO OVER 12" ACROSS THE LOWER LEFT PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11315814

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2020
Visibility/wiper

I WENT OUTSIDE IN THE MORNING AND MY SUBARU HAD A HUGE CRACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE THE CRACK. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY RIGHT UP IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE. THE CRACK RADIATED OUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD AND RENDERED THE EYE-SIGHT UNABLE TO WORK. INSURANCE STATE FARM CLAIM NUMBER …

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I WENT OUTSIDE IN THE MORNING AND MY SUBARU HAD A HUGE CRACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE THE CRACK. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY RIGHT UP IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE. THE CRACK RADIATED OUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD AND RENDERED THE EYE-SIGHT UNABLE TO WORK. INSURANCE STATE FARM CLAIM NUMBER IS 19-B151-3T0

NHTSA ODI #11315387

9,000 miles · Feb 29, 2020
Visibility/wiper

TWO CRAKCS ON MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER WINDSHIELD. DON'T REMEMBER HOW IT HAPPENED JUST SAW IT ALL OF A SUDDEN, IMPAIR VERSION AND SAFETY. DEALER RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AND HAVE THE EYE SIGHT SYSTEM READJUSTED.

NHTSA ODI #11312244

10,000 miles · Feb 27, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesUnknown Or Other

WE HAVE A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER, PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WITH THE EYESIGHT SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES FOR NO REASON, AND TURNING ON AND OFF AT RANDOM TIMES. THE MAJOR ISSUE HAS BEEN THE SLAMMED ON BRAKES WHEN THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR, JARRING ME AND PASSENGERS, MY WIFE LITERALLY HAD WHIPLASH AND A HEADACHE FROM THE EXTREME, UNEXPECTED BR…

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WE HAVE A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER, PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WITH THE EYESIGHT SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES FOR NO REASON, AND TURNING ON AND OFF AT RANDOM TIMES. THE MAJOR ISSUE HAS BEEN THE SLAMMED ON BRAKES WHEN THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR, JARRING ME AND PASSENGERS, MY WIFE LITERALLY HAD WHIPLASH AND A HEADACHE FROM THE EXTREME, UNEXPECTED BRAKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN A VEHICLE IN FROM OF US MADE A RIGHT TURN, ROAD AHEAD IS CLEAR, TRAVELING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MPH, SENSORS MUST BE PICKING UP THE CORNER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE AS WE APPROACH, LOCKING UP THE BRAKES, THINKING IT IS STILL IN FRONT OF US. ANOTHER INCIDENT, EYESIGHT SENSING AN EMPTY PAPER BAG BEING BLOWN ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION FROM A DRIVER BEHIND US IF THEY WERE FOLLOWING TO CLOSE, LIKE IS THE NORM IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. ANOTHER EVENT, A DOG RAN ACROSS THE FREEWAY, EYESIGHT NEVER ACTIVATED, I THOUGHT I HAD BRAKED AND CLEARED THE DOG, HE KEPT RUNNING, NO IMPACT, FOUND DAMAGE TO FRONT END UPON INSPECTION. ANOTHER ISSUE UNRELATED TO EYESIGHT, THE DEFROSTER BLOWER MOTOR DOES NOT RESPOND TO HIGH SETTING WHEN FIRST TURNED TO HIGH TO CLEAR WINDOW FOG, IT TAKES 3 TO 5 MINUTES BEFORE IT RAMPS UP TO HIGH SPEED. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR SALESPERSON AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT OUR SUBARU DEALERSHIP, MAYBE BE A CALIBRATION ISSUE, PROGRAM ISSUE WITH THE EYESIGHT SENSORS, THEY REFUSED TO DOCUMENT ANYTHING I SHARED AND TOLD ME THEIR IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT. THERE IS NO MORE LOVE IN OUR SUBARU, AND NO CONCERN FOR SAFETY AT THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER 2019 SUBARU FORESTER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME EYESIGHT ISSUES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE WE LEASED THE VEHICLE OCTOBER 2018 TO RECENTLY ON 2/20/2020. I WAS INFORMED TO FILE THIS BY THE OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL WHILE FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THEM.

NHTSA ODI #11311846

10,000 miles · Feb 27, 2020
Unknown Or Other

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SEEMED TO SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE CRACK BEGAN IN THE LOWER MIDDLE PART OF THE WINDSHIELD AND SPREAD UPWARD ABOUT TEN INCHES. I ADVISED MY SUBARU DEALER OF THE ISSUED, AND THEY REFERRED ME TO SAFELITE AUTO GLASS, WHERE I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD AT MY OWN E…

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THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SEEMED TO SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE CRACK BEGAN IN THE LOWER MIDDLE PART OF THE WINDSHIELD AND SPREAD UPWARD ABOUT TEN INCHES. I ADVISED MY SUBARU DEALER OF THE ISSUED, AND THEY REFERRED ME TO SAFELITE AUTO GLASS, WHERE I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD AT MY OWN EXPENSE.

NHTSA ODI #11311808

4,500 miles · Feb 26, 2020
Visibility/wiper

MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER DEVELOPED MULTIPLE CHIPS ON WINDSHIELD IN JUST 7 MONTHS (4500 MILES). DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DUE TO BAD ROADS/SALT ON THE ROAD. BUT I AM DRIVING MY OTHER VEHICLE (TOYOTA) ON THE SAME ROADS FOR PAST 5 YEARS, AND NOT A SINGLE CHIP/CRACK ON IT! THE PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY POOR QUALITY OF WINDSHIELD ON 2019…

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MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER DEVELOPED MULTIPLE CHIPS ON WINDSHIELD IN JUST 7 MONTHS (4500 MILES). DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DUE TO BAD ROADS/SALT ON THE ROAD. BUT I AM DRIVING MY OTHER VEHICLE (TOYOTA) ON THE SAME ROADS FOR PAST 5 YEARS, AND NOT A SINGLE CHIP/CRACK ON IT! THE PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY POOR QUALITY OF WINDSHIELD ON 2019 SUBARU FORESTER.

NHTSA ODI #11311754

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