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
406 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Dec 23, 2019
WHILE DRIVING A SMALL STONE FLEW UP HIT THE WINDSHIELD & IT CRACKED NOT A CHIP A CRACK.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 23, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CHIPPED WHEN DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT (35MPH).
Visibility/wiper, Dec 23, 2019
OVER 8,200 MILES OF DRIVING MY 2019 FORESTER, MY WINDSHIELD HAS EXPERIENCED THREE STONE CHIPS, ONE REQUIRING THE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF MY WINDSHIELD. ONE CHIP (AND ONE DAY LATER, A CRACKED WINDSHIELD) WAS WHILE SITTING STATIONARY ON A HIGHWAY; A SECOND WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON A LOCAL CITY ROAD; AND THE THIRD WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY. COMPARE THIS TO ONE STONE CHIP WHILE IN MOTION, ON MY 2009 FORESTER, COVERING OVER 80,000 MILES AND TEN YEARS OF DRIVING.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 20, 2019
WHILE DRIVING FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS I HAVE HAD 2 CHIPS IN MY WINDSHIELD FROM SMALL UNKNOWN OBJECTS STRIKING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AND UNDER 45 MPH. FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE ON THE OFF RAMP OF AN INTERSTATE CAUSING A SMALL CHIP. SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE ON A STATE ROUTE AND IN THE PASSING LANE. SMALL UNKNOWN OBJECT STRUCK WINDSHIELD CAUSING QUARTER INCH CHIP.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 19, 2019
MY WIFE AND I WERE RETURNING TO OUR PARKED VEHICLE AND AND THERE WAS AN APPROXIMATE 18 INCH CRACK APPEARING ON THE LOWER DRIVERS SIDE PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. NO CRACK OR ANY SIGN OF DAMAGE WAS VISIBLE BEFORE THAT. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 18, 2019
WINDSHIELD WAS HIT BY A SMALL ROCK WHILE DRIVING. FROM A CHIP ON THE WINDSHIELD THE CRACK IS NOW ABOUT 1/3 -1/2 OF THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD, AS IT CONTINUES TO EXPAND. CRACK GREW ABOUT 2IN WHILE SITTING INSIDE MY GARGE OVERNIGHT. CRACK CONTINUES TO EXPAND WHILE CAR IS STATIONARY.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 16, 2019
STOPPED TO GET GAS AND WHILE WASHING WINDOW NOTICED A 12 INCH CRACK ON WINDSHIELD STARTING FROM REARVIEW MIRROR DOWN. UNSURE WHAT HAS CAUSED THIS CRACK AS WE HAVE ONLY OWNED OUR 2019 FORESTER FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 14, 2019
IN UNDER 8 WEEKS MY WINDSHIELD HAS HAD 3 CHIPS AND FINALLY IT HAS CRACKED TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED. AFTER THE 2ND CHIP I REALIZED THIS WAS NOT BAD LUCK BUT FAULTY PRODUCT. I CONTACTED MY DEALER & THE SUBARU FACTORY WITH NO HELP. THE FIRST 3 CHIPS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE 4TH JUST WARMING UP THE CAR. I UNDERSTAND PEBBLES HIT YOUR WINDSHIELD WHEN DRIVING BUT THE 4TH TIME IT HAPPENED THE CAR WAS STATIONARY
Visibility/wiper, Dec 13, 2019
2019 FORESTER PURCHASED 4/19, WINDSHIELD CRACKED SPONTANEOUSLY ON 12/13/19
Visibility/wiper, Dec 13, 2019
A SMALL PEBBLE HIT MY WINDSHIELD ON THE FREEWAY ON THE BOTTOM DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, THIS NOT ONLY CAUSE A CHIP, BUT ALSO A CRACK OVER 12 INCHES LONG. I HAVE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD WITH SUCH A LARGE CRACK FROM SUCH A SMALL CHIP. I SUSPECT THE GLASS IS DEFECTIVE.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 11, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING. SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND LEFT A SMALL CRACK THAT SPREAD QUICKLY. REPLACED WINDSHIELD AT SAFELITE. NOW EYESIGHT SYSTEM TURNS OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 11, 2019
JUST AS OTHERS SAID, I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET WITHOUT ANY BIG RIG / TRUCK IN SIGHT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WINDSHIELD GOT A SPOT CRACK, ABOUT PENNY SIZE. CAR IS 2019 SUBARU FORESTER LIMITED.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 10, 2019
RETURNED TO VEHICLE FROM GROCERY STORE,PARKED FAR AWAY FROM OTHER VEHICLES. TEMP WAS 60 + DEGREES OUTSIDE. RETURNED TO CAR 1 + HRS. LATER TEMP DROPPED TO 30 + DEGREES TO 35. WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED FROM LEFT PLIER MID HEIGHT TO CENTER OF WINDSHIELD REAR VIEW MIRROR HEIGHT. NO OTHER EXPLANATION FOR THE CRACK.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 7, 2019
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE I GOT THE SAME ISSUES AS MANY OTHERS WITH MY FORESTER: DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, GOT SMALL ROCK HIT RIGHT CORNER OF MY WINDSHIELD. NOTHING HAPPENED THEN, NO CRACK, JUS TINY SPOT FROM THE ROCK. PARKED CAR OVERNIGHT INTO THE GARAGE AND DISCOVERED HUGE CRACK IN THE MORNING, ALL WAY FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE GLASS. I HAD MANY OTHER ROCKS, BIG AND NOT HIT ME BUT I DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT. FOR 20 YEARS OF DRIVING MY WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ONCE, JUST BECAUSE OF CHIP LOCATION (UNREPAIRED ZONE). THIS IS RIDICULOUS! SUBARU, TAKE AN ACTION ON THIS.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 5, 2019
WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A CRACK. NO STONE OR OBJECT HIT THE WINDSHIELD. DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. PUT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. CAME OUT AN HOUR LATER AND THERE WAS A 15" CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD
Visibility/wiper, Dec 3, 2019
OUR 2019 SUBARU FORESTER HAS HAD NUMEROUS WINDSHIELD CRACKS AND CHIPS AND CURRENTLY HAS LESS THAN 7000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST CHIP OCCURRED AT AROUND 2000 MILES AND SPLIT INTO A SIZABLE CRACK WITHIN 24 HOURS. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED FOR OVER $1000 AT 3330 MILES BUT HAD RECEIVED A COUPLE ADDITIONAL CHIPS PRIOR TO ITS REPLACEMENT. ADDITIONAL CHIP REPAIRS OCCURRED AT AT 5125 MILES AND 6460 MILES. ALL CHIPS/CRACKS OCCURRED FROM MINOR ROCK STRIKES THAT HAVEN'T/WOULDN'T CAUSE ISSUES IN OTHER VEHICLES. ALL ROCK STRIKES OCCURRED ON PAVED ROADS AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 30 AND 55 MPH. DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO DENY ANY ISSUE AND CLAIMS WE JUST HAVE BAD LUCK. HAVING 4 CHIPS AND 1 CRACK ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS ROUGHLY 6500 MILES IS TOUGH TO BELIEVE IT IS JUST BAD LUCK HOWEVER...
Visibility/wiper, Nov 30, 2019
A MONTH AFTER FIRST WINDSHIELD CRACK REPLACEMENT, WHICH SUBARU COVERED AS A GESTURE OF 'GOOD WILL' WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE OBVIOUS ISSUE, MY SECOND WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THIS TIME I WAS NOT EVEN DRIVING. CAR WAS PARKED IN TEMPERATE SAN FRANCISCO PARKING LOT. THE CRACK WAS EXACTLY THE SAME A FIRST ONE (SOME ODDS I HAVE TO BE AT FAULT FOR TWO INVISIBLE IMPACT POINTS IN THE SAME EXACT AREA, I SHOULD PROBABLY BUY A LOTTERY TICKET!). NO IMPACT POINT (EXCEPT TO DRAG A BALL POINT PEN UP THE LINE AND STICK IT INTO THE SAME SPACE THAT THE FIRST SPOT STUCK). CRACK STRAIGHT UP FROM DEFROSTER IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD AND CURVED TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE. BROUGHT IT IN TO THE SAME SERVICE MANAGER WHO SAID THERE IS OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE WITH THE SEAM OR THE GLASS. MIRACULOUSLY, HIS STATEMENT WAS NOT SENT TO CORPORATE AND HE NO LONGER WORKED THERE WHEN I CALLED TO FOLLOW-UP ON WHY I HADN'T HEARD BACK. I HAVE PICTURES OF BOTH AND THEY ARE THE SAME. IRONICALLY, AFTER BRINGING IT BACK IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC LOOK BY ANOTHER MANAGER, MY WINDSHIELD WAS ACTUALLY HIT BY A ROCK TWO DAYS LATER. THIS IMPACT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE OTHER TWO. IT ACTUALLY HAS A POINT OR ORIGIN WITH THE SPIDER EFFECT ONE EXPECTS FROM A ROCK HITTING THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 30, 2019
DRIVING UP TO TAHOE IN TRAFFIC GOING ABOUT 20 MPH. ABOUT 17 DEGREES OUT. CRANKING THE HEAT INSIDE THE CAR AND WIPER BLADES HEATED. HEARD A LOUD CRACK AND WINDSHIELD SPLIT RIGHT UP THE MIDDLE ABOVE THE DEFROSTER. NO IMPACT POINT VISIBLE. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN WE HAD THE HEAT ON HEADED TO THE MOUNTAIN THE CRACK STARTED TRAVELING SIDEWAYS TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE. PURCHASED VEHICLE 12/29/18. FIRST CRACK 2/22/19. WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH SECOND CRACK STORY ON 4/16/19, TWO WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 22, 2019
A ROCK HIT WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING 60MPH LEAVING AN UNNOTICED CHIP. A FEW DAYS LATER, AN 18 INCH CRACK IN WINDSHIELD APPEARED WHILE PARKED. CURRENTLY AWAITING REPLACEMENT OF WINDSHIELD THROUGH INSURANCE CLAIM DEPARTMENT.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 12, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON ITS OWN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED HER INSURANCE COMPANY AND AN EMPLOYEE WAS SENT TO PERFORM A TEMPORARY REMEDY ON THE CRACK TO PREVENT MORE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,350. *LN *TR
Visibility/wiper, Nov 12, 2019
DID NOT SEE AN IMPACT POINT, BUT A LARGE CRACK (18") APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD. CAR SAT IN THE GARAGE AND THE CRACK GREW TO ABOUT 24". IT IS IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER SIDE EYE SIGHT GOES DOWN ABOUT HALF WAY ON THE WINDSHIELD AND THEN TURNS TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE. READ THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. SUBARU STATED NO RECALL, HAD TO GO THROUGH INSURANCE
Visibility/wiper, Nov 11, 2019
ON THE MORNING OF 11/9/19 I HAD DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES FROM HOME AND WAS AT A STOP LIGHT. SUDDENLY, WHILE STOPPED, I HEARD A CRACK AND SAW THAT MY WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS IN THE AREA. THE CRACK BEGAN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD JUST ABOVE THE END OF THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER BLADE. THE CRACK SPREAD UPWARDS ABOUT 8 INCHES AND THEN WENT RIGHT ANOTHER 4 INCHES. I CONTACTED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY OPENED A CLAIM AND ADVISED ME TO VISIT THE CLOSET DEALERSHIP. UPON VISITING THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, THEY SUGGESTED THAT A SMALL ROCK MAY HAVE CHIPPED THE GLASS, BUT THERE IS NO CHIP OR STARBURST WHERE THE POINT OF IMPACT MAY HAVE BEEN. THIS WAS COMPLETELY SPONTANEOUS AND WAS NOT INFLUENCED FROM ANY ROCKS/PEBBLES, ETC. BECAUSE SUBARU AND THE DEALERSHIP DISREGARDED MY CONCERN, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO FILE A CLAIM AS TO NOT RISK THE CHANCE OF BEING PULLED OVER AND ISSUED A TICKET. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS HAPPENED AND REALLY HOPE THAT SUBARU WILL TAKE ACTION. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WAS VERY HESITANT TO APPROVE AN OEM WINDSHIELD AND I WILL HAVE TO FRONT THE COST OF THE RECALIBRATION. THIS IS VERY DISHEARTENING AS I LOVE MY SUBARU, BUT NOW I'M HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ON HOW SAFE IT ACTUALLY IS.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 10, 2019
AFTER 3500 MILES WINDSHIELD CRACKED BETWEEN EYE SIGHT SYSTEM CAMERAS. CRACK HAS AROUND 20 INCHES. NO VISIBLE STONE IMPACT. LOOKS LIKE GLASS QUALITY ISSUE.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 4, 2019
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN WINDSHIELD CRACKED. A SMALL PEBBLE FROM THE HIGHWAY HIT THE GLASS AND CAUSED A LONG CRACK. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER BEING PARKED OVERNIGHT, THE CRACK WAS EVEN LONGER. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD LESS THAN ONE MONTH AGO FOR ANOTHER CRACK.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 3, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. IT HAS SPREAD TO THE MAJORITY OF THE DRIVES SIDE.