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
831 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
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.
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.
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 is available on 467 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 13,263 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
831 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | THE CAR OCCASIONALLY ACTS LIKE IT GOING TO STALL , PRIMARILY WHEN TURNING LEFT AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS. THE ACCELERATOR HAS TO BE PUSHED HARD TO OVERCOME THE APPROXIMATELY 1- 1.5 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE CAR STARTS TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAS CAUSED NEAR COLLISIONS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE ENGINE STOP BUTTON WAS ACTIVATED TO PREVENT ENGINE STOPPING AT CAR IDLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,700 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | BOUGHT THE CAR ON FEB-2019. PARKED THE VEHICLE ON THE STREET 12/27/2019 NIGHT, NEXT DAY MORNING THE VEHICLE WINDOWSHIELD GET 8 INCHES CRACK. CHECK AROUND THE VEHICLE, DID NOT FIND ANYTHING ON THE VEHICLE & NO SCRATCH ON THE CAR BODY. FIXED IT SAME DAY, 4 WEEKS LATER, THE CRACK GET ANOTHER 7 INCHES LONGER. COMPLAINED IT TO THE DEALER & GET TOLD: I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAD THE ISSUE, IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, INSURENCE SHOULD COVER IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Feb 2020 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | OFTEN, BUT NOT ALWAYS, MOSTLY WHEN TURNING LEFT FROM A STOP AS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE CAR WILL HESITATE AND LOSE POWER AND SPEED. THEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR SURGES FORWARD TOO FAST. I FEEL THAT I AM GOING TO STALL IN THE INTERSECTION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,600 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I TOOK MY FORESTER 2019 UP TO BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN. MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF THE CABIN. IN THE MORNING DUE TO COLD WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD HAD ICE AND SNOW, WHEN I TURNED ON THE HEATER IN DEFROST MODE A BIG CRACKED APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED. NO VISIBLE AREA THAT WOULD INDICATE IT WAS THE RESULT OF A ROCK AND THE CRACK FORMING FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT. UNCERTAIN OF CAUSE. CRACK IS ROUGHLY 14-16 INCHES FROM THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOWN TO JUST UNDER THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR IN A HOOK LIKE FASHION. CRACK WAS INITIALLY DISCOVERED ON A STATIONARY VEHICLE, PARKED IN A RESTAURANT PARKING LOT. THE CRACK WAS NOT OBSERVED PRIOR TO GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,500 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ON OCTOBER 15, 2019 MY HUSBAND, I AND OUR GRANDSON WERE DRIVING ON A TOWN STREET AND THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW GLASS ON THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE AND SHATTERED AND GLASS FLEW ALL OVER THE CAR. THERE WAS A LANDSCAPER ON A LAWN FACING AWAY FROM THE ROAD BUT NO ROCK OR ANYTHING CAME AT THE WINDOW. ON DECEMBER 11, 2019 A TRUCK DROVE BY OUR CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE ON A SIDE STREET AND THIS TIME THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW ON THE LEFT SIDE BROKE AND THE GLASS SHATTERED ALL OVER THE CAR. BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS SEEMED TO HAPPEN FROM THE FORCE OF THE AIR/WIND PRESSURE. WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THESE WINDOWS AS THEY SHOULD NOT SHATTER OUT OF NOWHERE LIKE THIS. WE CONTACTED DONALDSONS SUBARU IN SAYVILLE, NY AND WERE TOLD THE REPAIRS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. WE EXPLAINED THAT NOTHING CAUSED THESE WINDOWS TO SHATTER, SO WE SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. WE ALSO CALLED THE SUBARU CORPORATE OFFICE AND WERE TOLD IT IS 'ENVIRONMENTAL' SO THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. WE HAVE NOTICED ONLINE THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH SUBARU VEHICLES ALSO COMPLAINED OF THIS SAME THING HAPPENING. THIS IS DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY AS WE DRIVE WITH OUR GRANDSON IN THE BACK SEAT. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SUBARU SHOULD ADDRESS AND BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR. WE HAD THE FIRST WINDOW REPAIRED ON JANUARY 20, 2019 AT THE COST TO US OF $550 DOLLARS. ON FEBRUARY 4, 2019 WE ARE HAVING THE SECOND WINDOW REPAIRED AT THE SAME COST. EVEN IF NOTHING CAN BE DONE AT THIS POINT IN REGARD TO THIS WE WANT IT ON RECORD IN CASE IT HAPPENS AGAIN OR IF IT HAPPENS TO OTHERS AND A PATTERN IS NOTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Feb 2020 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | WHILE DRIVING AND VEHICLE IN MOTION, INTERMITTENTLY THE FOLLOWING INDICATOR/WARNING LIGHTS COME ON, STAY ON, GO OFF, AND COME BACK ON AGAIN WITHOUT ANY PATTERN: THE BSD/RCTA WARNING, THE AUTO START STOP, HILL DESCENT CONTROL, ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE/BRAKING, LANE ASSIST, AND EYESIGHT. ONE OR MORE WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN SOMETIMES GOES OFF EVERY TIME I DRIVE. STARTED ON JANUARY 18TH-STILL HAPPENING FEB 1, 2020.. HAPPENS REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITION (DRY, WET), TEMPERATURE (VERY COLD, WARM (40 DEGREES), OR SPEED (25 MPH TO 60 MPH). THIS HAS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY, CITY, RURAL ROADS. THE DRIVER TOUCHES NOTHING AND DOES NOTHING TO BEGIN/END THESE. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS STAY ON AND THEN WHEN TRIP IS ENDED, VEHICLE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, THE LIGHTS REMAIN ON. SOMETIMES NEXT TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE LIGHTS ARE OFF. THE LANE ASSIST INDICATOR AND AUTO BRAKING IN PARTICULAR, ARE OF CONCERN. THE LANE ASSIST COMES ON (ON ITS OWN) AND IS WHITE'THEN, WHILE DRIVING, IT TURNS GREEN AND TRIES TO STEER THE CAR OFF TO THE RIGHT 'THE DRIVER HAS TO HOLD ON TIGHT AND FIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL AND CAR. THIS SEEMS VERY UNSAFE. THE DRIVER HAS TRIED TURNING OFF THESE LIGHTS/FUNCTIONS WHEN THEY JUST POP UP'WHILE DRIVING'BUT IF IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, CANNOT ALLOW FOR THESE DISTRACTIONS. IF CLEAR/NO TRAFFIC, DRIVER ATTEMPTS SHUTTING OFF THESE FEATURES BY PRESSING THE BUTTONS WITH THESE ICONS 'ON THE CENTER REAR VIEW MIRROR PANEL OR ON THE LOWER LEFT PANEL BELOW DASHBOARD. SOMETIMES THIS WORKS, SOMETIMES DOESN'T AND THEY REMAIN ON. THE UNEXPECTED NATURE OF WARNING LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF AND DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE STEERING WHEEL ARE REALLY CAUSING CONCERN. IT IS LIKE THE CAR IS POSSESSED. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE (5 MONTHS). DEALER CONTACTED FOR SERVICE BUT TOLD HAD TO WAIT 3 WEEKS FOR APPOINTMENT. TRYING NOT TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT UNTIL THEN... | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,917 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | FIRST WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT OCCURRED 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE DUE TO A SMALL ROCK CHIP, NOW 8"-LONG CRACK HAS SPONTANEOUSLY APPEARED WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE 9 MONTHS LATER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,143 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A FOOT-LONG, SNAKING CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BOTTOM SPONTANEOUSLY ONE NIGHT WHILE PARKED IN A COVERED CARPORT. NO INCLEMENT WEATHER THAT NIGHT, AND NOTHING ELSE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,000 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS PARKED ON A PUBLIC STREET FOR 15' AND FOUND 6 INCH CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. I WAS NOT PARKED UNDER ANY TREES AND THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR. THE CRACK STARTED UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2020 | STRUCTURE | THE REAR DOOR ON THE FORRESTER SPORT DOES NOT OPEN. IT FIRST HAPPENED AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH, THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN EVEN IF THE CAR IS UNLOCKED. NEITHER BY FOB OR DOOR BUTTON. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RECREATE PROBLEM HOWEVER IT HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER A LIGHT RAIN. DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR CLAIMS ONLINE FOR THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL. ONLY FIX I HAVE IS HOLDING THE DOOR BUTTON UNTIL IT SWITCHES FROM AUTOMATIC TO MANUAL AND IT SEEMS TO RESET IT. HOWEVER THIS ONLY WORKED ONCE OUT OF THE 2 TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST MONTH. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | GOT IN MY CAR, AND NOTICED A GIANT CRACK GOING UP FROM BOTTOM OF DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD TO MIDDLE. ONCE LOOKING THERE IS A SMALL CHIP AT BASE OF WINDSHIELD | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED DURING DAY WHILE SITTING IN PARKING LOT AT MY OFFICE. NO H/O INJURY OR ROCK HITTING WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |
| Jan 2020 | STEERING | WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM ENGAGES IN A WAY THAT AFTER LEAVING AND COMING BACK TO VEHICLE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RELEASE TO START THE CAR BACK UP AGAIN. MY WIFE HAS BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES WHERE I HAD TO COME AND ASSIST IN RELEASING THE STEERING WHEEL BY ADDING THE FORCE AND WEIGHT OF MY BODY TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER TO RELEASE IT AND BE ABLE TO START THE CAR UP. THE DEALER(800 455 0701) PROMISED TO CONTACT SUBARU AND GET A RESPONSE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE. NO RESPONSE. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER NOTED THAT THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF CALLS PER YEAR ON THIS ISSUE. THE POTENTIAL OF GETTING STUCK IN A UNSAFE AREA ( EMERGENCY NEED TO TRAVEL, STUCK ON THE HIGHWAY, SNOW STORM REQUIRES TEMPORARY STOP, LATE EVENING PARKING AREA, REMOTE COUNTY PARK OR STATE PARK OR FEDERAL PARK) ARE ALL POSSIBLE AND COULD BE DANGEROUS. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Jan 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD CRACK BEGINS AT THE TOP OF WINDSHIELD AND DECLINES TO MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD. THERE IS NO APPARENT OBJECT IMPACT CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,850 |
| Jan 2020 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1. WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION (AND UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS) ON HIGHWAYS, MY FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED 4X SINCE TAKING DELIVERY OF NEW VEHICLE AT THE END OF JULY 2019. ONCE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKS, IT CONTINUES TO SPREAD. DURING THE PROCESS OF PAYING FOR THE VEHICLE, I WAS ENCOURAGED AT EVERY STEP TO PURCHASING ADDITIONAL WINDSHIELD COVERAGE TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IN CASE IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE EYESIGHT CAMERA SYSTEM. THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED ON THE INTERSTATE, A STATE TOLLWAY, AND A HIGHWAY. 2. THE BLUE TEMPERATURE LIGHT TURNS ON FOR FIVE MINUTES OR MORE WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DISMISS ME SAYING THAT THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION OF THE CAR (WHICH WAS NOT MENTIONED DURING THE SALES PROCESS) AND TO JUST WAIT UNTIL THE BLUE TEMPERATURE LIGHT GOES OUT BEFORE DRIVING THE CAR. WHEN TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FOR 4TH TIME, THEY FINALLY LISTENED TO ME AND ADDED CHECKING THE COOLANT TO THE LIST BUT IT HAS BEEN A FIGHT TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT. 3. WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND WITH NO OTHER CARS IN FRONT OF ME, TO THE SIDE OR BEHIND ME, THE CAR PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND BRAKED THE CAR ON ITS OWN. THERE WAS NO PRE-WARNING THAT THE CAR WAS GOING TO BRAKE. 4. THE CAR AUTO LIGHT ON AND OFF FUNCTION DOES NOT FULLY TURN ON THE CAR LIGHTS AT NIGHT. 5. WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, I HEAR A BIG KA-THUNK SOUND FROM THE FRONT LEFT OF THE CAR. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH WAY THE STEERING IS BEING TURNED. ORDERED THE CAR IN JUNE 2019, WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WOULDN'T BE READY UNTIL MID-AUG. DUE TO THE FACTORY SHUTTING DOWN FOR A TWO WEEK HOLIDAY IN JAPAN, RECEIVED NOTICE FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN DELIVERED MUCH EARLIER THAN EXPECTED IN JULY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 100 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ONE MORNING I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR AND NOTICED TO LARGE PARALLEL CRACKS VERTICAL CRACKS ABOUT A FOOT APART IN THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. ONE CRACK RUN STARTS AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD AND RUNS ABOUT 12 INCHES. THE OTHER CRACK STARTS AT THE BOTTOM AND RUNS ABOUT 18 INCHES. THE CRACKS CAN BE FELT TO THE TOUCH FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THAT WOULD LEAD TO THE CRACKS SPONTANEOUSLY APPEARING. SHORTLY AFTER FINDING THE CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD, SMALL HORIZONTAL CRACKS BEGAN DEVELOPING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDOW. MY SUBARU DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ODD BEHAVIOR AND APPEARANCE OF THE CRACKS AND WAS NOT SURE WHAT COULD CAUSE SUCH BEHAVIOR, BUT WOULD NOT CLAIM THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED THAT MANY OTHER SUBARU FORESTER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR CRACKING IN THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A SMALL CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD TOWARDS THE CENTER. THIS HAS PROBABLY NOT HAPPENED DURING DRIVING AND THE CHIP WAS CONFIRMED DURING THE FIRSTS ERVICE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,500 |
| Jan 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | MY WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY CRACKED. ONE MORNING I WOKE UP AND WENT OUT TO MY CAR AND IT HAD A LARGE CRACK AFTER BEING PARKED OUTSIDE OF MY APARTMENT ALL NIGHT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Jan 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | AS I WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE AT 75 MPH, MY DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. THE ENTIRE WINDOW DISINTEGRATED WITH MOST OF THE GLASS FLYING INTO THE CAR. TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY ABOUT 75 DEGREES. NOTHING IMPACTED THE WINDOW - IT JUST EXPLODED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,275 |
| Dec 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WAS DRIVING ON A US HWY WHEN ALL IF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD SNAP. I WAS PASSING A SEMI AT THE TIME SO THOUGHT THE SOUND MIGHT HAVE COME FROM THE SEMI THROWING ROCKS. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A CHIP OR CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE NEXT MORNING THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED FROM THE FAR RIGHT SIDE ACROSS THE DRIVER'S LINE IF VIEW. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,000 |
| Dec 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT I HAD A FIX DONE BUT CRACK SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Dec 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ON 10/23/19, I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. I HAD NOT SEEN OR HEARD ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD PRIOR TO SEEING THE CRACK. I TOOK THE SUBARU FORESTER TO THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND WAS INFORMED THAT WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. I THEN PAID SAFELITE $772.10 ON 10/25/19 TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Dec 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | DEFECTED WINDSHIELD, WINDSHIELD CRACKED. WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ATTACHED PHOTOS ARE THE SAME TODAY AS THE DAY IT HAPPEN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,800 |
| Dec 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CRACKING SOUND COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND FELT SOME ROUGH SPOTS THAT WERE CRACKS ON THE GLASS. THE CONTACT CALLED KEARNY MESA SUBARU (4797 CONVOY ST, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111, (858) 278-7100) AND WAS INFORMED TO CALL HER INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH A WINDOW REPAIR COMPANY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,731. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,731 |