2019 Subaru Forester
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility/wiper is the leading concern among 833 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 26 Forester model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 37 involved a crash and 11 involved a fire. 21 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Suspension, rearApr 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.
Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 21V263000 on NHTSA.gov
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.
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 19V856000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemFeb 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.
Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 19V065000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility/wiper
370 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Oct 28, 2019
WINDSHIELD ARE EASILY CRACK BY DEBRIS ON THE ROAD. AND SAT IN THE SON, IT WILL CRACK. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND A CAR FLICK A ROCK FROM ROAD (CONSTRUCTION AREA) AND HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY CRACKED. ALSO PRIOR TO THE ROCK CHIP, MY CAR WAS PARKED AT WORK AND WHEN I CAME OUT TO SIT IN MY CAR ON MY BREAK, I NOTICE THERE IS A LONG LINE ON WINDSHIELD AND THERE'S A LINE CRACK
Visibility/wiper, Oct 28, 2019
WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWO TIMES IN LESS THAN A YEAR. IN ONE INSTANCE IT WAS A MINOR ROCK CHIP (INCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY NEXT TO CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE) THAT TURNED INTO A FULL-BLOWN CRACK WITHIN 5 MINUTES, IN THE OTHER THERE APPEARS TO BE NO CAUSE (VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, CRACK APPEARED IN AM)
Electronic stability control (ESC), Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHEILD THOUGH THE TOP CENTER , WHERE THE EYESIGHT TECHNOLOGY CENTER IS LOCATED, OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT TO CATALYZE THE CRACKING OF THE GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
ON 2/9/19 ABOUT 5PM AFTER CAR WAS PARKED IN GARAGE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD JUST COME BACK DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD NOR DID I NOTICE A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. I HAD THE HEATER AND DEFROST ON ALONG WITH THE WIPERS GOING AT THIS TIME B/C IT WAS RAINING OFF AND ON. THE CRACK LINE WAS NEAR THE HEATING ELEMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD AND CONTINUED HORIZONTALLY TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. IT WAS ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG. I BELIEVE THE COMBINATION OF THE WINDSHIELD BEING COLD AND THE HEATING DEFROST MECHANISM BEING TURNED CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. MY INSURANCE, GEICO, REIMBURSED ME FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR $50.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD GOING 45 A SMALL ROCK POPPED UP AND HIT MY WINDSHIELD CAUSING A CHIP IN IT. I'VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF ROCKS POP UP BEFORE AND HIT MY WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING, AND HAVE NEVER HAD ONE THIS SMALL CAUSE A CHIP. IT IS PRETTY MUCH DIRECTLY IN FRONT ON MY EYE SIGHT CAMERAS.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE PARKED 3 WEEKS AFTER O BOUGHT IT. SUBARU REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY, SO I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND RECALIBRATION.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS A SMALL ROCK (SOUNDED LIKE A SMALL 'CLICK') HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE CRACK WITH ONLY A SMALL CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER LEAVING WORK THAT DAY THE CHIP HAD TURNED INTO A CRACK APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES IN LENGTH. THE CRACK CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN LENGTH OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS AND EVEN SPLIT OFF INTO A SECONDARY CRACK.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL ON A BYPASS AND A WORK TRUCK KICKED UP A ROCK THAT HIT ME WINDSHIELD, NOTHING HAPPENED THEN, I CHECKED HOURS LATER AND IT TURNED INTO A SMALL CRACK, A FEW DAYS LATER THAT SMALL CRACK TURNED INTO A BIG CRACK THAT GREW THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD AND IS IN FIELD OF VISION
Visibility/wiper, Oct 22, 2019
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE. AMBIENT WAS ABOUT 65 DEGREES F. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER WIPER BLADE. I ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED THE WIPER ARM WHICH STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD WITHOUT THE BLADE. THE RESULT WAS AN IMMEDIATE CRACK OVER 12" LONG. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 16,500 MILES. I HAVE OWNED IT FOR LESS THAN 1000 MILES.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 22, 2019
WE WERE DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD WITH NO OTHER CARS AROUND AND THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY DEVELOPED A 12 INCH CRACK COMING UP FROM VERY LOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 65 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND WE DID NOT HAVE EITHER THE HEATER OR A/C RUNNING. OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS THE CRACK INCREASED TO ABOUT 24 INCHES. ON CLOSE EXAMINATION I DID SEE AN EXTREMELY SMALL 'STAR' WHERE THE CRACK STARTED. I DO REMEMBER HAVING A PEBBLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD OVER A MONTH AGO BUT I COULD NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE AT THE TIME. I SUPPOSE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE TINY CHIP. I HAVE RECEIVED STONE CHIPS WITH OTHER CARS BUT NEVER HAD ONE PROGRESS INTO A MAJOR CRACK LIKE THIS BEFORE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 18, 2019
THERE HAD BEEN A SQUEAKING / CRACKLING NOISE COMING FROM THE AREA WHERE THE DASH MEETS THE WINDSHIELD. THIS NOISE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS VERY HOT OUTSIDE 85 DEGREES OR MORE. WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM UP. THE CRACK STARTING WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. I HAVE FULL GLASS COVERAGE SO I DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT. SINCE THEN I'VE HEARD ABOUT A POSSIBLE FAULTY WINDSHIELD IN THE 19 FORESTERS. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN I'LL BE GOING TO SUBARU FOR A REPLACEMENT. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AS THE CAR ONLY HAD 5,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 15, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY
Visibility/wiper, Oct 14, 2019
WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TO WORK, THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED, OUT OF NOWHERE, NO ROCK CHIP, NO IMPACT FROM OUTSIDE. IT'S A 3 MONTHS OLD FORESTER 2019 WITH ~5000 MILES ON IT. REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 14, 2019
I PURCHASED A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER IN MID-JULY AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO WINDSHIELDS DUE TO CRACKING. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS IN SEPTEMBER DUE TO A ROCK HITTING THE WINDSHIELD ON THE FAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CHIP QUICKLY DEVELOPED INTO AN 18' CRACK. I NOTICED A SECOND CRACK YESTERDAY WHICH ORIGINATED BEHIND THE WIPER BLADE IN THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT EXTENDS ON A 16' ARCH IN THE SAME DIRECTION OF THE WIPER BLADE MOTION. THERE IS VERY SMALL CHIP, LOCATED BEHIND THE METAL PORTION OF THE WIPER BLADE FROM A ROCK THAT MUST HAVE FALLEN OUT OF THE SKY. I WAS TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE ON M55 BETWEEN LAKE CITY AND CADILLAC ON PAVED ROADS BUT HAD STARTED OUT THE MORNING IN MARQUETTE, MI WHERE THE TEMPERATURES WHERE IN THE 30S WITH A RAIN/SNOW MIX. I DID NOT HEAR ANY ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 13, 2019
JUST YESTERDAY MY SUBARU EXPERIENCED AN INEXPLICABLE SUDDEN WINDSHIELD FRACTURE. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY WARMING UP AND I TURNED ON THE FRONT DEFROSTER AND SUDDENLY, FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, A GIANT CRACK APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE. MY FORESTER CURRENTLY HAS 7600 MILES ON IT AND A ROCK/STONE HAS NEVER STRUCK MY WINDSHIELD. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS CRACK STARTED AT THE VERY BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD UNDER THE PLASTIC MOLDING PART AND MADE ITS WAY UP FROM THERE. THE CRACK STARTED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE HEATING ELEMENTS / DEFROSTER ON THE BOTTOM MIDDLE FRONT WINDSHIELD AS SOON AS I ACTIVATED THE FRONT DEFROST FEATURE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 12, 2019
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A WELL TRAVELED ROAD I'M ASSUMING A SMALL STONE CAUSE A MINUTE DIVOT IN THE WINDSHIELD. I WAS PLANNING ON REPAIRING IT THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE NEXT MORNING THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. I PURCHASED MY SUBARU FORESTER TOURING AUGUST 2019. I DIDN'T EVEN OWN IT A MONTH AND HAVEN'T EVEN MADE A PAYMENT. NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AND HAVE THE SENSORS RECALIBRATED. I HAD MANY STONES HIT MY WINDSHIELD IN THE PAST AND I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE IT JUST REPAIR. I FOUND IT ODD AT THE TIME, THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. NOW AFTER READING ON CAR AND DRIVER, FACEBOOK AND NOW NHTSA I DECIDED TO REPORT IT. SINCE THE SENSOR ONLY WORKS WITH OEM GLASS AND YOU CAN'T USE RAINX I'M ASSUMING THE WINDSHIELD GLASS HAS SOME TYPE OF ISSUES. WHY ELSE COULD I NOT USE A NON OEM GLASS? I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP A KNOWN ISSUE IS THE SENSOR MAY NOT WORK.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 12, 2019
WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN APRIL, AND BY JULY I ALREADY HAD TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED TWICE AND REPAIRED ONCE. IT CRACKS IF BARELY ANYTHING HITS IT.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 11, 2019
MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER IS NOW ON ITS SECOND FRONT WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. IN EACH CASE, I ASSUME THERE WAS IMPACT FROM A SMALL ROCK DUE TO THE VERY TINY CHIP IN-LINE WITH THE EVENTUAL CRACK. NEITHER IMPACT STARTED AS ANYTHING BIG JUDGING BY THE SIZE OF THE TINY PIT AND THE FACT THE CRACKS DEVELOPED DAYS AFTERWARDS, THE FIRST DURING CITY DRIVING AND ON THE SECOND INCIDENT, WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. I HAVE TAKEN PREVIOUS SMALL PROJECTILE IMPACTS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH OTHER CAR MAKES OWNED AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELDS DUE TO SIMILAR INCIDENTS ALTHOUGH NOW I AM ON THE SECOND WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT ON A SUBARU OWNED LESS THAN A YEAR. I HAD A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER AND A 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA AND ONLY REPLACED ONE WINDSHIELD IN THE 25 YRS COMBINED THAT I OWNED THOSE CARS.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 11, 2019
PURCHASED NEW IN OCT. 2018. WAS ABSOLUTELY SURPRISED JUST HOW EASY EVERY LITTLE TINY BIT OF SALT OR NORMAL DEBRIS FROM WINTER DRIVING CHIPS THE WINDSHIELD (PAVED, INTERSTATE). BY THE END OF THE WINTER, I HAD NEAR AS MANY PITS IN THIS SUBARU WINDSHIELD WITH 10,500 MILES ON THE FORESTER AS MY PICKUP WHICH HAS 200,000 MILES ON IT. THEN IN APRIL 2019, I'M DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, A SMALL ROCK GETS THROWN AT ME, AND THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERS! IT WASN'T A HARD HIT, AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG. (I SAY THIS BASED ON SOUND. USUALLY WHEN A WINDSHIELD SHATTERS, THE NOISE IS SO INTENSE IT'LL MAKE YOU JUMP!) THEN TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THEY HAVE THE NERVE TO TELL YOU IT COSTS $1,200 TO REPLACE! OBVIOUSLY I HAVE NO CHOICE, THE CRACK IS RIGHT IN THE WORST SPOT POSSIBLE FOR VISIBILITY. I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO MY HEIGHT AND THE WHERE THE CRACK WENT AS IT CREATED A DOUBLE VISION ISSUE. I GO AHEAD AND SCHEDULE THE REPLACEMENT, BUT THE DEALER TELLS ME ITS ON BACK ORDER. IT TAKES THEM 17 DAYS TO GET ME A NEW WINDSHIELD, DURING WHICH TIME I CANT REALLY DRIVE THE CAR. I DID NOT GET THIRD PARTY REPLACEMENT GLASS, I GOT AN OEM WINDSHIELD ORDERED THRU THE DEALER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM. NOW OCT. 2019 I HAVE 18,300 MILES ON THE CAR, AND WHILE SUMMER DRIVING HAS BEEN LESS HARD ON THE WINDSHIELD, THE NEW ONE SEEMS TO PIT EASILY/OFTEN AS WELL.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 10, 2019
IN MAY A SMALL ROCK FROM HIGHWAY DRIVING NICKED THE WINDSHIELD OF MY CAR, PUTTING A SMALL SCRATCH IN THE GLASS. WITHIN HOURS THE SCRATCH HAD SPREAD INTO A MAJOR CRACK SPANNING 3 FEET ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD A GLASS WARRANTEE ON THE CAR FROM THE DEALER, WHICH THE DEALER DECLINED TO HONOR BECAUSE THE CRACK WAS GREATER THAN 12 INCHES, ALTHOUGH STARTING OUT AS ONLY A NICK. I SEE FROM CAR AND DRIVER THAT THIS HAS BECOME A CONCERN FOR AT LEAST 100 2019 SUBARU FORESTER OWNERS. I HAD SIMILAR DAMAGE ON MY 2011 ACURA RDX WITH A ROCK CREATING A SCRATCH ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN INCH LONG, BUT IN THAT CASE THE SCRATCH STAYED A SCRATCH. SUBARU MADE ME PAY FOR THE ENTIRE LABOR AND WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT COSTS ON A VIRTUALLY NEW CAR, APPROXIMATELY $1,100.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 30, 2019
VERY WEAK WINDSHIELD A VERY SMALL ROCK CAUSED A CRACK ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD IT DIDN'T EVEN HIT IT DIRECTLY OR HARD.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 28, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON A BAY BRIDGE 1 MONTH AFTER WE GOT OUR NEW SUBARU FORESTER. THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT AND NO SIGNS OF ANY OBJECTS HITTING THE GLASS. IT WAS REALLY SUSPICIOUS AND WE DECIDED TO SEARCH FOR ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND FOUND A LOT HERE, SO IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE SOME MANUFACTURER ISSUE.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 16, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ABOUT 40MPH ON A HOT DAY MID-SEPTEMBER WITH THE A/C GOING. THERE WAS A SUDDEN "POP" AND I NOTICED A CURVED CRACK HAD INSTANTLY APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WERE NO CARS NEAR ME. LOOKING AT THE WINDSHIELD, I DIDN'T SEE AN OBVIOUS IMPACT BUT I COULD SEE NEAR THE DEFROSTER TRACES THE CRACK APPEARED TO FORM THERE. I'M CONCERNED THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FROM THERMAL STRESS AND THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT HAVE CRACKED THAT EASILY. THE CRACK APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM INSIDE TO OUTSIDE AND SOME OF THE GLASS SORT OF FLAKED WHEN I PROBED IT WITH MY FINGER.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 16, 2019
I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A CITY STREET ON HOT DAY WITH THE A/C ON WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD "POP". A DIAGONAL CRACK INSTANTLY APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE WINDSHIELD. NO OTHER CARS WERE NEAR ME AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 40MPH. THE CAR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SITTING IN THE SUN WITH A WINDSHIELD SHADE FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. I'D BEEN DRIVING ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. WHEN I INSPECTED THE CRACK, IT APPEARED NEAR THE DEFROSTER AND APPEARED TO FLAKE A BIT WHEN I PROBED IT WITH MY FINGER. IT APPEARS TO BE A CRACK STARTING FROM THE INSIDE TO OUT. THIS COULD BE THERMAL STRESS AND I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE THE CAR HAS UNDER 250 MILES ON IT AND NO WINDSHIELD SHOULD CRACK THAT EASILY.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 11, 2019
WHEN I PARKED MY CAR AT MY WORKPLACE THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD AND WHEN I RETURNED AFTERWARDS, THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK, OVER A FOOT LONG COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON INSPECTION, THERE IS AN EXTREMELY TINY POINT OF IMPACT FROM A TINY PEBBLE. THE WINDSHIELD IS SO FRAGILE. I SUSPECT THEY USE THINNER GLASS TO ALLOW EYESIGHT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE NEEDING TO REPLACE WINDSHIELDS WITHIN WEEKS OF EACH OTHER. IT'S CONCERNING WHEN SUBARU MARKETS THESE VEHICLES TO BE CAPABLE OF HANDLING ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT EVEN STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND A TINY PEBBLE. I DRIVE THE SPEED LIMITS, NEVER TAILGATE, AND I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM ON ANY OTHER VEHICLES I'VE OWNED. I'M TRULY DISAPPOINTED THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD AND HAVE EYESIGHT RECALIBRATED, WHICH WILL BE VERY COSTLY, WITH LESS THAN 4,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER.