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, Jun 21, 2020
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NEXT THING I KNEW THERE WAS A HUGE CRACK THAT FORMED ACROSS MY WINDSHIELD. I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR ANYTHING AND THEN SAW THE CRACK SPIRAL. WHEN I LOOKED THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY SMALL CHIP IN THE BLACK AREA OF THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW THAT CHIP IN THE BOTTOM CORNER TURNED IN TO A CRACK AT LEAST HALF AS LONG AS THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 15, 2020
DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY I NOTICED A SMALL PEBBLE, NO BIGGER THAN THE VERY TIP OF MY PINKY FINGER COMING TOWARDS MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD. IT HIT THE UPPER PART OF MY DRIVER-SIDE WINDSHIELD. UPON IMPACT THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE DAMAGE. LESS THAN A MILE DOWN THE ROAD A VERY VISIBLE GROWING CRACK WAS OCCURRING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. NATURALLY, I HAVE HAD CAR WINDOWS CRACK IN THE PAST, THERE WAS SOMETHING STRANGELY BIZARRE AND DANGEROUS ABOUT THIS CRACK. UPON ARRIVING 2 HOURS LATER AT MY DESTINATION I WAS GREETED BY MY FATHER WHOM I REITERATED THE ACCOUNT TOO. HE SEEMED ASTONISHED BY THE SIZE AND DEPTH OF THE CRACK THROUGH THE GLASS. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 15, 2020
I HAVE A SECOND CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON MY FORESTER, WHICH I HAVE OWNED FOR 19 MONTHS, AND HAS JUST OVER 23,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN BOTH CASES, I NOTICED THE CRACKS AFTER GOING OUT TO START THE CAR IN THE MORNING. THOSE MORNINGS, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE LAST TIME I DROVE THE CAR, AND I COULDN'T THINK OF A NOISE I HEARD, WHICH YOU WOULD TYPICALLY ASSOCIATE WITH A FOREIGN OBJECT HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. NOTHING. NO MATTER HOW FAINT. THE FIRST CRACKED WINDSHIELD HAPPENED AT JUST OVER 10,000 MILES, AND THE SECOND HAPPENED AT 19,500 MILES. I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IS AN ENGINEERING ISSUE WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. I VOICED THIS CONCERN TO THE EMPLOYEES AT SUBARU, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT IS WAS NOT AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, THE TWO CRACKS STARTED WITHIN 4 INCHED OF EACH OTHER, BY MY ESTIMATE, SLIGHTLY LEFT OF CENTER IF LOOKING AT IT FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, AND NEAR TO BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS MATTER. *TR
Visibility, Jun 15, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
Visibility, Visibility/wiper, Jun 13, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT 3,400 MILES. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 13, 2020
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR THAT OUR 2019 FORESTER'S WINDSHIELD HAS SUDDENLY CRACKED WITHOUT BEING STRUCK. TODAY WE WERE DRIVING AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A POP (PICTURE WHEN YOU POUR COLD WATER ON HOT GLASS) AND WATCHED OUR PREVIOUSLY REPLACED WINDSHIELD CRACK STARTING AT THE EDGE ABOVE THE DRIVERS SIDE EYESIGHT CAMERA AND TRAVEL TO THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR IS 13 MONTHS OLD AND HAS 10,500 MILES. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD OR DEBRIS IN THE AIR, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT OUR WINDSHIELD HAS SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE EDGE TOWARD THE CENTER, BLOCKING THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM. *TR
Visibility, Other or unspecified, Jun 12, 2020
WINDSHIELD IS FRAGILE. THE WINDOW SHIELD HAD ROCK CHIP IN THE FIRST MONTH I GOT THE CAR. AFTER 1 YEAR, I GOT ANOTHER ROCK CHIP THAT CRACKED IT SO BAD, A HUG LINE RUNS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD MULTIPLE CARS BEFORE, THIS CAR IS PROBABLY THE MOST FRAGILE GLASS I EVER EXPERIENCE. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 11, 2020
MY FRONT WINDSHIELD RECEIVED A SMALL CHIP IN THE LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE SEVERAL DAYS AGO. TODAY, AFTER LEAVING THE CAR PARKED AND NOT DRIVING IT A LARGE CRACK HAS BEGUN PROPAGATING ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A LARGE CRACK GROW FROM SUCH A SMALL NICK BEFORE. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 10, 2020
A CRACK, LONGER THAN 16 INCHES, HAS DEVELOPED ON THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. THERE WAS NO CRACK WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED IN ITS PLACE. IT APPEARS TO HAVE DEVELOPED WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL INFLUENCE. *TR
Visibility, Visibility/wiper, Jun 2, 2020
WINDSHIELD STARTED A 6INCH CRACK WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE WIPERS WERE SITTING AT. IN ABOUT 12 HOURS, IT CRACK TO MORE THAN 12 INCH LONGER. ON DIFFERENT ONLINE FORUMS ABOUT SUBARU SUVS, THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO BE A FREQUENT, COMMON, YET NOT ADDRESSED PROBLEM BY SUBARU. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 23, 2020
PURCHASED USED 2019 SUBARU FORESTER FROM VROOM 4/07/2020. WINDSHIELD STARTING CRACKING HORIZONTALLY ABOUT DRIVERS EYESIGHT. CRACKING LINES VISIBLE IN PARALLEL LINES IN TWO AREAS 2" - 3" MOVING TO PASSENGER SIDE. NO HIGHWAY ROCK/PEBBLE DAMAGE NOTED ANYWHERE ON WINDSHIELD. TAKING VEHICLE TO AUTO GLASS SHOP TO CONFIRM IS CRACKS BECOMING A LARGER PROBLEM. CRACKS CAN BE SEEN WHEN FACING SUNLIGHT. *TR
Visibility, May 19, 2020
WITHOUT BEING HIT BY ANY ROCKS OR OTHER OBJECTS, THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK WHILE IT WAS PARKED. THE CRACK DEVELOPED FROM THE BASELINE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IS ABOUT 9 INCHES LONG. *TR
Seat belts, Service brakes, Visibility/wiper, May 19, 2020
BRAKES: THE CAR ACCELERATE WITHOUT ANY ACTION DURING DRIVING. WIPER: WIPER BLADE MAKE A NOISE LIKE ITS ABOUT TO FALL APART. SEAT BELT: SEAT BELT INSTALL IN A PLACE THAT( FRONT BOTH SEATS) THERE IS NO SPACE BETWEEN SEAT AND CAR BODY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 16, 2020
MY CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE FOR A FEW HOURS AND A CRACK APPEARED GOING ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. EARLIER THAT DAY A ROCK HIT IT ON THE ROAD BUT THERE WAS NO CRACK, CRACK SHOWED UP HOURS LATER. VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS WHEN THE CRACKED APPEARED. IT WAS OUTSIDE AND A SUNNY DAY BUT ONLY IN THE 60S. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 16, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACK FROM WIPER AREA, EXTENDING 12 INCHES UPWARD, WITH NO OBVIOUS IMPACT DAMAGE. PARKED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, RETURNED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND "[XXX]" - JUST LIKE THAT - NOTICED A CRACK GREW OUT OF NOWHERE! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 14, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED STARTING ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND EXTENDED OVER A FOOT TO THE MIDDLE. NO IMPACT FROM ROCK OR OTHER ROAD DEBRIS OCCURRED WHEN CRACK STARTED. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 9, 2020
A FEW WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING MY BRAND NEW 2019 SUBARU FORESTER, I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THERE WAS NO ROCK OR ANY DEBRIS THAT FLEW TOWARDS MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK STARTED NEAR THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND ANGLED DOWN AND TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IT STARTED AT ABOUT 6 INCHES AND PROGRESSED TO AT LEAST A FOOT LONG BY THE END OF THE TRIP. *TR
Power train, Engine, Visibility/wiper, May 7, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES IN A SIX-MONTH PERIOD. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE HOOD AND THE THICKNESS OF THE GLASS IN THE WINDSHIELD WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE FAILURES. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION WHENEVER THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BACKUP CAMERA FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE STOP/START FUNCTION WAS REACTIVATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE IDLED ROUGHLY AND LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOORE CHRYSLER JEEP FIAT (8600 W BELL RD, PEORIA, AZ 85382, 800-757-0140) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.
Visibility/wiper, May 5, 2020
WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A LARGE CRACK WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS NO ROCK CHIP THAT I COULD HEAR OR SEE. AS WITH OTHER FAILURES OF THIS TYPE, SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THE DEALER DO NOT WARRANTY THIS OR ADMIT TO WHAT IS CLEARLY A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL'S WINDSHIELD. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 4, 2020
THERE IS A CRACK/CHIP IN MY WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, May 4, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD HAS SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A LARGE (19") CRACK IN IT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. WE BELIEVE SOMETHING VERY SMALL KICKED UP AND HIT IT THE UPPER CORNER DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING ON A FRIDAY, AND THERE WASN'T NOTICEABLE DAMAGE WHEN IT WAS PARKED A FEW MINUTES LATER, BUT THE FOLLOWING MONDAY MORNING, AFTER THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED GARAGE ALL WEEKEND, THERE WAS A VERY LARGE CRACK. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON IT AND WE HAD IT FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS.
Visibility/wiper, May 4, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACK X2 IN NEW SUBARU
Visibility/wiper, May 3, 2020
SMALL CRACK IN WINDSHIELD STARTING UNDER PASSENGER WIPER BLADE. NO SUSPECTED DEBRIS IMPACT. CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN DUE TO ONGOING PANDEMIC. HAPPENED WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 23, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT ABOUT 4000 MILES
Visibility/wiper, Apr 12, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING WHICH QUICKLY GREW TO 22 INCHES