831 Total complaints
35 Crash reports
11 Fire reports
15 Injury reports
Quick answer: The 2019 Subaru Forester has 831 consumer-submitted complaints in our database. The most common complaint categories are visibility/wiper, unknown or other, electrical system. Enriched records show 35 crash reports, 11 fire reports, and 15 injury reports.
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.

Buyer interpretation

How to use these complaints before buying

Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.

Complaint volume

831 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.

Pattern to inspect

The most common categories are visibility/wiper, unknown or other, electrical system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.

Severity flags

Enriched records include 35 crash reports, 11 fire reports, 15 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.

Mileage clue

Mileage is available on 467 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 13,263 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.

Questions to ask the seller

  • Have you had any problems related to visibility/wiper, unknown or other, electrical system?
  • Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
  • Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
  • Can we also check the recall record for this 2019 Subaru Forester?
Used-car checklist

Use these complaints before the test drive.

Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.

2019 Subaru Forester
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.

How severe are the 2019 Subaru Forester complaints?

Enriched complaint indicators from official bulk records.

35 Crash
11 Fire
15 Injury
1 Fatality
37 Towed
11 Medical attention

Mileage at failure is available on 467 complaints ; average reported mileage is 13,263 miles.

Most common incident states: MI (1), MO (1), NY (1), WA (1).

What are the most common 2019 Subaru Forester complaint categories?

831 total complaints on record

Latest complaints

Showing 376-400 of 831 complaints.

Date Component Summary Severity Mileage
Jun 2021 VISIBILITY The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary in his driveway, he noticed a large diagonal crack on the windshield. The contact stated that the crack happened without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,900.
Incident: Jun 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 18,900
Jun 2021 AIR BAGS 2019 Subaru Forester was stopped with left directional signal on to make a left turn. Waiting for oncoming traffic to pass. Vehicle was hit multiple times from the front, back AND side. Airbags did NOT deploy. Driver of the vehicle which hit us said he was “distracted” when he hit us and that it was his fault.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention Unknown
May 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER Windshield spontaneously developed a large crack. The crack decreased driver's visibility. Dealership representative said damage was unlikely covered by warrantee. The windshield required replacement and recalibration of the EyeSight system, no other inspections were performed. There was no warning of impending failure or antecedent trauma.
Incident: Mar 2021
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
May 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER My forester was parked in an open area with no other cars or people close - The car had just been turned off, and I had gotten out to open the rear gate when to my surprise, without explanation or frankly noise or other evidence of it what caused it to happen, I came back to find my windshield has spontaneously cracked.
Incident: May 2021
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
May 2021 VISIBILITY The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated the windshield crack without impact. The contact called and notified the local dealer of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
Incident: May 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 15,000
May 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER Windshield cracked after no impact
Incident: May 2021
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
May 2021 VISIBILITY THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRACTURE STARTED OFF ON THE PASSENGER’S SIDE AND EXPANDED TO THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS LOCATED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
May 2021 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THE BATTERY OF THE CAR DRAINED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE IT WAS OFF AND PARKED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE BATTERY WAS FINE. ONE MONTH LATER THE BATTERY DRAINED AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BATTERY OF THE CAR AFTER THAT. THE CAR HAS TO BE PLUGGED INTO A CHARGER WHEN IT IS NOT IN USE.
Incident: Dec 2020
Crash: No Fire: No 3,021
May 2021 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TWICE LAST WINTER I NEEDED TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DRAINED. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS UNUSED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. WE LATER REALIZED THAT THE CONTROLLER AREA NETWORK (CAN) WAS OPERATING EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. WE LEARNED THIS WHEN WE HEARD A WHIRRING NOISE COMING FROM THE CAR AT TIMES WHEN IT WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND NOT BEING USED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL, AND THE CAR WAS DOING WHAT IT SHOULD. DRAINING THE BATTERY IS NOT NORMAL.
Incident: Feb 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 8,700
May 2021 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TWICE WE WERE STRANDED AFTER TRYING TO USE THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING THE NIGHT BEFORE. WE'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY - AT 20,000 MILES! GETTING ROAD SERVICE WAS VERY DIFFICULT, SINCE THE CAR IS HARD TO REACH IN A GARAGE ON A HILL. ANOTHER TIME MY WIFE DROVE 15 MILES WITH A CONSTANT BEEPING DUE TO THE REAR GATE LATCH NOT CLOSING PROPERLY. WE HAVE RESET THE THING DOZENS OF TIMES.
Incident: Mar 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 15,000
May 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT REASON. THIS IS APPARENTLY COMMON AND THEY HAVE NOT DONE A RECALL. THIS WILL COST ME OVER $1,000.
Incident: May 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 31,000
May 2021 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE THE CAR BATTERY GOES STONE COLD DEAD IF THE CAR SITS FOR MORE THAN A WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING. LAST GUY WHO JUMPED THE CAR HAD A HARD TIME GETTING IT TO CHARGE. THE CAR WAS SITTING FOR 2 MONTHS WHILE I WAS AWAY.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 9,565
May 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH OUT ANY OBVIOUS IMPACT. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 32,164
May 2021 VISIBILITY TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, SHE BECAME AWARE THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 26,000.
Incident: May 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 26,000
May 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER I GOT INTO MY CAR (PARKED IN PARKING GARAGE) AND NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. I REMEMBER USING THE DEFROSTER THAT MORNING AND DON'T RECALL SEEING A CRACK. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH SUBARU OWNERS AS THERE IS A LAWSUIT OUT FOR DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS. THERE ARE NO POINTS OF IMPACT. THE CRACK STARTS CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE AND SPREADS UPWARD, NOT HORIZONTAL.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 18,000
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER A CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT IS EXPANDING WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 25,612
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON A COOL, OCCASIONALLY DRIZZLY EVENING, NOTICED A SHORT VERTICAL CRACK AT BASE OF WINDSHIELD MIDWAY BETWEEN DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. DEFROSTER WAS USED A FEW TIMES TO KEEP WINDSHIELD CLEAR. THERE HAD BEEN NO IMPACT. A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAD GROWN SEVERAL INCHES AND MADE A HARD LEFT TURN. A WEEK LATER WHILE PARKED IN THE SUN, THE CRACK SPREAD ALL ACROSS DRIVER SIDE AND ALSO ADDED A NEW VERTICAL CRACK A FEW INCHES TALL THAT THEN TURNED AND SPREAD TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE.
Incident: Feb 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 26,800
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM NORMAL ROAD DEBRIS. THIS IS THE SECOND CRACK IN AS MANY MONTHS (NOT DUE TO NEGATIVE DRIVING HABITS). THE WINDSHIELD IS UNABLE TO PROTECT THE VEHICLE FROM ROAD DEBRIS AS IT CRACKS FROM MINIMAL DEBRIS IMPACT AND BECOMES UNSTABLE.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 54,000
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE PARKED
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 32,000
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE. FIRST TIME WE HAD IT REPLACED ON 12/17/2019 PROBABLY DUE TO A ROCK. 6359 MILES ON VEHICLE. SECOND TIME IT CRACKED ON SEPT. 8, 2020. IT WAS IN A WARM GARAGE AND PULLED OUT ON A COOL MORNING. DRIVEN A MILE ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS. CRACK DUE TO COOLER TEMPERATURES OR UNKNOWN. 8,700 MILES AT TIME. THIS CAR IS NOT DRIVEN MUCH. CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE SECOND TIME AT $1400.
Incident: Sep 2020
Crash: No Fire: No 8,700
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A SMALL CRACK. STARTED IN THE LOWER LEFT DRIVERS SIDE AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO THE IMPAIR MY VISIBILITY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN YAKIMA WA, AND THE INSPECTOR SAID IT WAS A ROCK. WHICH I KNOW IT WASN'T AS I WOULD'VE NOTICED SUCH AN EVENT, THERE WAS NOT AN IMPACT WHICH I'VE WITNESS PLENTY OF, AND AM VERY PROTECTIVE OF MY VEHICLES. THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T COVER IT. I HAD TO TAKE IT TO SAFELIGHT REPAIRS IN YAKIMA WASHINGTON TO HAVE IT REPLACED WHICH TOOK TWO MONTHS TO GET THE NEW WINDSHIELD IN AS THEY WAS A SHORTAGE WHICH WAS EXPLAINED TO ME. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ON 03MAY2019. I HAVE THE RECEIPT FOR THIS REPLACEMENT AND STILL OWN THE VEHICLE.
Incident: Mar 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 1,200
Apr 2021 STRUCTURE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRUNK OPENED UP, LOCK IS TOTALLY NOT WORKING AND HAD TO DRIVE WITH A OPEN LATCH. THIS WAS REPLACED UNDER A RECALL AND STILL ITS BAD.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 32,000
Apr 2021 UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. HUGE CRACK FROM LOWER DRIVER SIDE OF WINDSHIELD ARCING UP TOWARDS CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. CAR WAS PARKED. NO SIGN OF DAMAGE TO WINDSHIELD OTHER THAN LARGE SINGLE CRACK.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No 17,000
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING HER VEHICLE, HER HUSBAND NOTICED THAT A CRACK HAD FORMED ABOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR ON THE WINDSHIELD. SHE STATED THAT THE CRACK STARTED FROM THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE AND EXTENDED VERTICALLY AND A FOOT IN LENGTH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK OBSTRUCTED HER VISION WHILE DRIVING. PRESTIGE SUBARU OF TURNERSVILLE NEW JERSEY (4271 E BLACK HORSE PIKE, TURNERSVILLE, NJ 08012) WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNAWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Apr 2021 VISIBILITY/WIPER WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN VEHICLE WAS 6 WEEKS OLD
Incident: May 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 1,000

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