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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER I COULD NOT SEE A ROCK OR ANYTHING ELSE, EXCEPT A TINY DOT AND A CRACK GOING OUT FROM IT. OVER THE NEW FEW DAYS THE CRACK STARTED GROWING. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW AND I ONLY HAD IT FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,484 |
| Dec 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | STARTED CAR ON A COLD MORNING, TURNED ON DEFROSTER AND WENT INSIDE GOT BACK IN CAR STARTED TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED A HUGE CRACK STARTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEED THE BOTTOM OF THE WIPER BLADE. AS I DROVE THE CRACK GOT WORSE NOW IT IS HALFWAY ACROSS MY WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE FIRST CRACK APPEARED | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Dec 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Dec 2020 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | DRIVING DOWN A SIDE STREET I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE I HIT THE BRAKES AND INSTEAD LURCHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PUSHED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME ABOUT 8 FEET AND FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. DURING THIS TIME I REPEATEDLY PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HAD NO RESPONSE. AFTER HAVING THE CAR REPAIRED AT THE COLLISION CENTER THEY BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO SUBARU. SUBARU RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. AFTER I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE COLLISION CENTER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DETECTOR WOULD NOT GO OFF FOR MY WIFE WHO WEIGHS UNDER 100 POUNDS.'TO CLARIFY THE SENSOR INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS OFF.' I SAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. TOTAL DAMAGE TO MY CAR WAS ABOUT $8200 AND I'M NOT CERTAIN OF THE DAMAGES TO THE OTHER VEHICLE. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 16,000 |
| Dec 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD WAS STRUCK BY A SMALL ROCK WHILE GOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS (DRIVER DID NOT SEE THE ROCK), CAUSING A 2 MM ROUGH CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD AND A 1 CM CRACK ON THE OUTSIDE AND ANOTHER 1 CM CRACK ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY 2019 FORESTER WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED FROM THE VERY TOP TO MID WAY DOWN. I NOTICED THE CRACK WHEN GOING TO MY CAR FOR WORK IN THE MORNING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,500 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND BROKE WITH NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CHIP FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON RURAL ROAD | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,629 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON LOWER DRIVERS SIDE FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CRACK THEN SPREAD ACROSS (AND UP) ALMOST THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD OVERNIGHT WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACK REALLY EASILY LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. MAYBE WE HIT A POT HOLE TOO HARD ON THE HIGHWAY OR SOMETHING BECAUSE IT STARTED AT THE VERY EDGE. OEM WINDSHIELD SEEM TO BE VERY THIN CRACKED EASILY AND CRACK GOT BIGGER OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS HAD TO GET WINDSHIELD REPLACED OUT OF POCKET. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN 2 PLACES 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR. STARTED AS A SMALL CHIP AND CRACK RAN ACROSS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF WINDSHIELD. THEN ANOTHER CRACK APPEARED THE NEXT DAY RUNNING LENGTHWISE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED DOWN THE MIDDLE WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MILLER SUBARU (1592 NJ-38, LUMBERTON, NJ 08048) WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO REASON AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, AN INCH-LONG HORIZONTAL CRACK FORMED OVER THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. OVER TIME, THE CRACK SPREAD TO APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK OBSTRUCTED HIS VISION WHILE DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,500 |
| Nov 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE PARKED IN EMPTY PARKING LOT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. REPLACING THIS DEFECTIVE PART WILL COST OVER $1000 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | LEAVING A PARKING LOT GETTING READY TO TURN ONTO A DIVIDED 4 LANE HIGHWAY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE CARE DID NOT GO WILE I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR DOWN AND I DID IT AGAIN AND STILL NOTHING. BEFORE I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG THE CAR DRIFTED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH NO POWER EXCEPT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT IDLE SPEED AND IN GEAR BUT STILL NO ACCELERATION SO I LEFT THE CAR DRIFT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR STARTED TO GO JUST BEFORE THE LIGHT CHANGED BACK. THE START-STOP WAS TURNED OFF AND THE ENGINE NEVER STOPPED THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING, BUT THEY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED 6 OR 7 TIMES IN ABOUT 4 MONTHS BUT THIS WAS THE MOST SERIOUS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,900 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO COLD WEATHER, WHILE STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY, WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS CHIPS OR IMPACTS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO ASK IF A REPLACEMENT WAS COVERED, AND WAS TOLD 'NOT A CHANCE. THAT JUST HAPPENS TO THOSE CARS.' UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH, I'VE FOUND OTHER 2019 FORRESTER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS, AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME CUSTOMER SERVICE. A WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK JUST BECAUSE IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE HAD 2 WINDSHIELDS CRACK ON ME DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE CRACKS ARE VIOLENT AND SUDDEN. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY SUBARUS MANY MILES BUT THE 2019 FORESTER IS VERY SENSITIVE TO INHERENT STRESS IN THE GLASS | Crash: No Fire: No | 65,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING AND STATIONARY. AT LEAST 4 CHIPS IN WINDSHIELD. 1 CRACK THAT OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE AT BETWEEN 55-65. INSURANCE FILLED INITIAL 2 CHIPS, BUT REFUSED TO FILL OTHERS OR REPAIR CRACK WITHOUT FILING A CLAIM THAT REQUIRES ME PAYING THE DEDUCTIBLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE VEHICLE HAS 16000 MILES ON IT AND IVE HAD TO 2 WINDSHIELDS CRACK IN 3 MONTHS TIME. THE FIRST SPREAD WITHING 5 MINUTES. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED BY MY INSURANCE. THE SECOND HAPPENED TODAY AND MY INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS NO FAULT. BOTH CAUSED IN THE SAME LOCATION LOWER WINSHIELD, CAUSED BY MINOR HIGHWAY DEBRIS. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND NEVER HAD A WIND SHIELD SO WEAK! BOTH TIMES CAR WAS IN MOTION. I CAN PROVIDE PIC OF SECOND INCIDENT BUT THE FIRST WAS AT LEAST 14 INCHES WIDE AFTER SPREADING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,500 |
| Oct 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THERE WAS A MILDLY HOT DAY IN REVERE MA IN 10/24 ALMOST 80 AND GOT COLD AT NIGHT AROUND 40. NEXT DAY WE GET IN THE VEHICLE AND NOTICE SOMETHING LIKE A CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD BUT AT THE MOMENT WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST DIRT. IN 10/27 WE NOTICE THAT IT WAS A REAL CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN CLEANING THE VEHICLE, RIGHT WHERE THE DEFROSTER BLOWS. CRACK IS DEFINITELY NOT DUE FROM ROAD DEBRIS, NOT ROCK CHIPS AROUND THE CRACK AT ALL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,700 |
| Oct 2020 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | BACK HOOD LATCH STUCK AND WON'T OPEN | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | LOVE MY SUBARU FORESTER BUT HATE HOW MANY ROCK CHIPS I'VE GOTTEN IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. TOMORROW WILL BE MY 3RD WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT I GET TO CALL INTO MY INSURANCE NOT TO MENTION JUST THE TIME IT TAKES TO WAIT FOR A NEW ONE AND MAKING TIME TO GET IT PUT IN. I DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY LESS THAN 15 MINUTES AT A TIME AND MAYBE ONCE A WEEK AND THE ONLY THING I THINK ABOUT WHILE DRIVING IS TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM SEMIS, TRUCKS AND TRAILERS TO TRY SAVE MYSELF SOME TIME AND MONEY AND NOT GET ANOTHER ROCK CHIP. I'VE HAD COUNTLESS ROCK CHIPS REPLACED IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS ALONG SIDE OF THE 2 WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENTS I'VE HAD SO FAR. ITS INSANE. TONIGHT I GOT A ROCK CHIP ALMOST THE SIZE OF A QUARTER WITH NO CAR AROUND EITHER FRONT OR BACK FOR AT LEAST 5 CAR LENGTHS! WITHIN 10 MINUTES ALMOST SPLIT HALF WAY ACROSS MY WINDSHIELD. ITS INSANE. SO NOW MY INSURANCE GETS TO REPLACE YET ANOTHER WINDSHIELD AND PAY FOR THE EYESIGHT TO BE RECALIBRATED, AGAIN. SUBARU SHOULD REALLY FIGURE THIS OUT OR AT LEAST BE WILLING TO REPLACE THEIR GLASS AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY BIG PROBLEM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Sep 2020 | ENGINE | LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE FROM EXHAUST PIPE AND LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING | Crash: No Fire: No | 66,085 |
| Sep 2020 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | WHEN DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STARTS TO JERK VERY STRONG AND HIGHWAY SPEED IS LOST MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE MODEL AND SUBARU IS NOT FIXING THE ISSUE. THE JERKING IS SO VIOLENT THAT IT COULD BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS AND ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD. THE JERKING HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS AND SOMETIMES IT IS MORE STRONG. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |