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.
Complaint records
2019 Subaru Forester Complaints
831 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
831 Total complaints
35 Crash reports
11 Fire reports
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.
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?
35 Crash
11 Fire
15 Injury
1 Fatality
37 Towed
11 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Subaru Forester complaint categories?
VISIBILITY/WIPER 346
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 98
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 73
ENGINE 35
VISIBILITY 32
POWER TRAIN 11
STRUCTURE 11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 10
ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 10
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER 10
831 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD GLASS OF MY SUBARU FORESTER 2019 MODEL IS HIGHLY PRONE TO CRACKING. IT IS JUST OVER 10K MILES. IT HAS A 12 INCH CRACK OUT OF NOWHERE. I CANNOT IDENTIFY THE REASON FOR THIS CRACK AS I DID NOT HEAR ANY ROCK-HITTING SOUND WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THERE MIGHT BE A ROCK OR OTHER SMALL OBJECT HITTING MY WINDSHIELD. BUT THE SOUND MUST BE TOO GENTLE TO NOTICE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,500 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SPONTANEOUS CRACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. STARTED AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER AND PROGRESSED ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD TO THE EDGE OF THE MIDDLE LEFT SIDE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Jan 2021 | ENGINE | WHISTLING OR WHINING NOISE COMING FROM A/C SYSTEM AFTER HAVING A/C OR HEAT RUNNING. THIS CONDITION IS FROM THE EXPANSION VALVE ACCORDING TO SUBARU OF AMERICA. DEALER STATES A NEW EXPANSION VALVE FOR THE A/C SYSTEM IS COMING BUT NOT YET AVAILABLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,000 |
| Jan 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOWS FAILED TO FULLY CLOSE WHICH CAUSED MOLD TO DEVELOP INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GATEWAY SUBARU (30275 WINNER BLVD, DELMAR, MD 21875, (410) 896-3800) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AND STONE HIT MY WINDSHIELD, CAUSING IT TO CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A SMALL PEBBLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER HUNTER SUBARU (220 HUNTER AIRPORT DR, FLETCHER, NC 28732, (866) 536-3409) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE WINDSHIELD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,537. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,537 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD 2 TIMES IN 15 MONTHS. WINDSHIELD CANNOT WITHSTAND SMALL CHIPS-THEY RESULT IN LARGE CRACKS THAT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. NORMAL DRIVING ON FREEWAY, SURFACE ROADS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHEN DEFROSTING MY CAR AFTER A RECENT SNOWSTORM, I NOTICED THAT A CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE WINDSHIELD JUST BELOW THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. IT APPEARS THAT A SMALL ROCK/PEBBLE HITTING THE WINDSHIELD CAUSED THE CRACK, BUT I DO NOT REMEMBER HEARING A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD NOT DONE ANY HIGHWAY DRIVING IN THE DAYS PRIOR TO NOTICING THE CRACK EITHER. ATTACHED PHOTOS SHOW THAT THERE WAS ONLY A SMALL CHIP (IE NOT A BIG CRATER) AT THE IMPACT POINT, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT WHATEVER HIT THE WINDSHIELD MAY HAVE BEEN SMALL AND DID SO AT RELATIVELY LOW VELOCITY. GIVEN THAT CRACKED WINDSHIELDS ARE A COMMON ISSUE WITH NEWER SUBARU VEHICLES, I BELIEVE THAT THIS CRACK IS THE RESULT OF POOR QUALITY WINDSHIELD MATERIALS AND/OR POOR WINDSHIELD DESIGN. THE CAR IS ONLY ~2 YEARS OLD, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER HAD ANY SORT OF CHIP/CRACK TO A WINDSHIELD ON ONE OF MY VEHICLES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,200 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD BROKE WITHIN DAYS OF BUYING THE VEHICLE. NO KNOWN ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD. CRACK FORMED WHILE DRIVING AND HAS BEEN THERE EVER SINCE | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | HELLO, WINDSHIELD CRACKED AGAIN ON MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THERE WAS A LOUD CLICKING SOUND AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE AND A HUGE HORIZONTAL CRACK APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. PLEASE SEE THE PICTURES ATTACHED BELOW. IT IS A SECOND SUDDEN WINDSHIELD CRACK IN TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP! THIS ISSUE IS BECOMING A REAL FRUSTRATION DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF THE GLASS AND UNREASONABLY HIGH COST TO REPLACE IT AND RECALIBRATE THE EYE-SIGHT. I AM AWARE THAT THE NEW CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST SUBARU COVERING THE NEW FORESTER SK 2019+ FOR THE SUDDEN WINDSHIELD CRACKS. THAT PROVES THAT I AM NOT ALONE. WHAT ARE THE REASONS WHY THE RECALL WAS NOT ISSUED YET? PREVIOUS WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WAS COVERED BY SUBARU DUE TO A WELL-KNOWN GLASS DEFECT THAT TRACES BACK TO 2015. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. BEST REGARDS, ML | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,450 |
| Jan 2021 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | CAR STALLS SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING FROM ONE STREET INTO ANOTHER STREET, ABOUT ONE TIME IN TWENTY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,500 |
| Jan 2021 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | SUBARU FORESTER 2019 MODEL CRACKED WINDSHIELD BY IT SELF. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,455 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD INEXPLICABLY CRACKED ALONG THE HEATER ELEMENT AND SPREAD UP INTO THE MIDDLE RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD, WHILE IN MOTION ON A FAIRLY EMPTY INTERSTATE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WIFE HEARD A POP AND FOUND THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 500 |
| Jan 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED TO WHERE IT NEEDED RPARE WHEN JUST ON A DIRT ROAD | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WITHIN A YEAR OR USE MY WINDSHIELD UNEXPECTEDLY APPEARED CRACKED ONE DAY IN PARKING POSITION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,532 |
| Dec 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | THE CAR HAS 12600ISH MILES. THERE ARE NO ROCK CHIPS, ETC. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY WHEN WE PARKED LAST NIGHT AND NOW THERE IS A 6 INCH CRACK COMING FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER. THERE WERE NO INSTANCES OF ROCKS, DRIVING OVER BUMPS, ETC.THE CAR DIDN'T HAVE A CRACK WHEN WE PARKED IT LAST NIGHT AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN DOES TODAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,660 |
| Dec 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE HAD MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER FOR 18 MONTHS. I HAVE 15,500 MILES AND SUDDENLY MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER TO 13" UP TOWARDS THE DRIVER SIDE. I DO NOT SEE AN IMPACT ON GLASS. NO APPARENT NOISE OF ROCK OR DEBRIS. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 44 DEGREES AND RAINING. I TRAVEL THE SAME ROUTE TO WORK FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS WITH NO APPARENT SIGNS OF CONSTRUCTION OR LOOSE ROAD MATERIAL. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU DEALER WITH NO CALL BACK. I HAVE READ SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF EMINENT DANGER OF VEHICLE SAFETY FEATURES MALFUNCTIONING DUE TO A FRACTURE LIKE THIS. NOT TO MENTION MY OWN LINE OF SIGHT THAT COULD BE IMPAIRED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,500 |
| Dec 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | SATURDAY, DEC 26, AROUND 2:30-3PM I WAS LEAVING ESTES PARK COLORADO, DRIVING DOWN A WINDY MOUNTAIN ROAD. AT THIS TIME I WAS APPLYING MY BRAKES AROUND THE CORNERS AND , CONSTANT ON/OFF FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. DURING ONE OF THESE BRAKING MOMENTS ON A CORNER MY CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD, AS I'M APPLYING THE BRAKE, FOR 1-2 SECONDS. IT'S LIKE A LURCH FORWARD INSTEAD OF A BRAKE. THEN IT CORRECTED ITSELF AND DID NOT DO THIS AGAIN. I ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS PHENOMENON WHEN DRIVING IN THE SNOW IN 2019. IT OCCURRED 3-4 TIMES WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN THE SNOW APPLYING THE BRAKE FREQUENTLY. THE CAR WOULD UNEXPECTEDLY LURCH FORWARD WHILE MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. EACH TIME I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS I WAS DRIVING WITH ECO MODE ON, PRESSING THE BRAKE FREQUENTLY FOR A DURATION OF TIME. IT'S AS IF THE CAR GETS CONFUSED OR IS TRYING TO SWITCH GEARS. THIS IS MY FIRST AWD VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |
| Dec 2020 | STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | I NOTICED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH SUBARU'S LANE KEEP ASSIST SAFETY FEATURE: WHEN DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY OVER AN AREA WHERE THE DOTTED LINE HAD BEEN PAINTED OVER WITH DARK PAINT (BY ROAD WORKERS TO COVER IT UP FOR A NEW LANE TO BE PAINTED) LANE KEEP ASSIST REGISTERED IT AS A LINE THAT STILL EXISTS AND FORCEFULLY STEERED ME INTO THE LANE ON MY LEFT. TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN THAT LANE, I FORCEFULLY TURNED TO THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. LUCKILY I AM A HEALTHY MAN WHO WAS ABLE TO STEER MYSELF BACK INTO MY LANE, BUT IT TURNED MY WHEEL WITH ABOUT THREE TIMES THE FORCE OF REGULAR LANE ASSIST: I THINK MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING YOUNGER PEOPLE AND THE ELDERLY ARE AT AN EVEN HIGHER RISK LEVELS IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL LIKE I DID. IT WAS A MUCH MORE FORCEFUL TURN THAN SUBARU'S REGULAR 'NON-URGENT' LANE KEEP ASSIST. THERE WERE NO VISUAL OBSTRUCTIONS PRESENT THAT THE EYESIGHT CAMERA WAS PICKING UP: IT WAS REGISTERING THE OLD LINE THAT HAD BEEN PAINTED OVER. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY RISK FOR ANY TYPE OF ROAD WORK THAT PAINTS OVER LINES DURING CONSTRUCTION OR REPAINTING, BUT THIS ALSO POSES AN IMMEDIATE DANGER TO LIFE AND HEALTH TO PEOPLE DRIVING ON ROADS WITH LINES THAT HAVE BEEN PAINTED OVER AND LEFT IN THAT CONDITION. THE COMPUTER REGISTERED THE DARK LINE, MEANT TO VISUALLY COVER UP THE OLD PAINT, AS A WHITE LINE! I CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE AND NOT JUST INCIDENTAL WITH ME. I FOUND A POST ON A SUBARU FORUM WHERE TWO PEOPLE DESCRIBE THE SAME SITUATION I HAD. I WILL LINK THAT BELOW. HTTPS://WWW.ASCENTFORUMS.COM/THREADS/LANE-KEEP-ASSIST-MALFUNCTION.9530/ I TRIED REACHING OUT TO SUBARU BUT THEY DID NOT REPLY. I BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY SUBARU DEALER WHO ONLY CHECKED FOR RECALLS. I NEED THIS TO GET THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE HERE. THEY PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Dec 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 26,000 MILES ON MY CAR NO REAL REASON AS TO WHY MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED. BUT IT DID, THERE WAS NO WINDSHIELD CHIP. IT JUST DECIDED TO CRACK. REALLY FRUSTRATING WHILE OUT OF TOWN. COSTS $1200.00. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,000 |
| Dec 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY FORESTER HAVE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY REASON. NO STONE HITTING NO CHIPS. JUST BROKEN WHILE IT'S PARKED. IT'S DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE CLEANING THE INSIDE FRONT WINDSHIELD, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED. I DIDN'T APPLY ANY UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE, JUST "REGULAR" WIPING PRESSURE. IT HAS SINCE "SPIDERED" OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 18 MPH WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED, GOING AROUND A BEND UP-HILL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOWSER SUBARU (1001 CLAIRTON BLVD, PLEASANT HILLS, PA 15236, (412) 469-2100) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |