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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD ARE EASILY CRACK BY DEBRIS ON THE ROAD. AND SAT IN THE SON, IT WILL CRACK. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND A CAR FLICK A ROCK FROM ROAD (CONSTRUCTION AREA) AND HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY CRACKED. ALSO PRIOR TO THE ROCK CHIP, MY CAR WAS PARKED AT WORK AND WHEN I CAME OUT TO SIT IN MY CAR ON MY BREAK, I NOTICE THERE IS A LONG LINE ON WINDSHIELD AND THERE'S A LINE CRACK | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE ONLY HAD MY FORESTER FOR 3-4 MONTHS WHEN I NOTICED A CHIP ON THE WINDSHIELD, I CALLED SAFE LIGHT AND THEY CAME TO REPAIR IT. THEN IT CRACKED ACROSS MY WINDSHIELD NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VERY NEXT WEEK ANOTHER CHIP HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING UNDER 35 MPH. I HAVE TO GET THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND RE CALIBRATED WHICH IS 1,000-2,000 + | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I HEARD THE CRACK, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE OBJECT. AFTER I HEARD THE SOUND, I SAW THERE'S A CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,600 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE PARKED 3 WEEKS AFTER O BOUGHT IT. SUBARU REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY, SO I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND RECALIBRATION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 300 |
| Oct 2019 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),VISIBILITY/WIPER | A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHEILD THOUGH THE TOP CENTER , WHERE THE EYESIGHT TECHNOLOGY CENTER IS LOCATED, OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT TO CATALYZE THE CRACKING OF THE GLASS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED VERY EASILY WITH SMALL ROAD DEBRIS MAKING CONTACT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE EYESIGHT COLLISION AVOIDANCE OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT FUNCTION DUE TO THE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ON 2/9/19 ABOUT 5PM AFTER CAR WAS PARKED IN GARAGE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD JUST COME BACK DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD NOR DID I NOTICE A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. I HAD THE HEATER AND DEFROST ON ALONG WITH THE WIPERS GOING AT THIS TIME B/C IT WAS RAINING OFF AND ON. THE CRACK LINE WAS NEAR THE HEATING ELEMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD AND CONTINUED HORIZONTALLY TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. IT WAS ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG. I BELIEVE THE COMBINATION OF THE WINDSHIELD BEING COLD AND THE HEATING DEFROST MECHANISM BEING TURNED CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. MY INSURANCE, GEICO, REIMBURSED ME FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR $50. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Oct 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | SINCE OWNING CAR SINCE DECEMBER 2018, I HAVE NOTICED INTERMITTENTLY THAT THE REAR HATCH WILL NOT OPEN MANUALLY WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTONS IN THE BACK. ALSO SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT OPEN WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTON ON LEFT SIDE OF DASHBOARD. THERE IS A RELEASE MECHANISM ON THE INSIDE REAR DOOR PANEL BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO REACH BECAUSE I HAVE TO CRAWL INTO THE REAR OF CAR FROM A SIDE DOOR. I ALSO NEED A METAL TOOL TO OPEN PANEL. I THINK SUBARU NEEDS TO ADD A KEYHOLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF HATCH SO I CAN USE MY KEY TO OPEN IT IN EMERGENCIES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 500 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WENT OVER A SET OF TRAIN TRACKS AND THE NEXT DAY MY WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. REPLACED WINSHIELD | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,200 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS A SMALL ROCK (SOUNDED LIKE A SMALL 'CLICK') HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE CRACK WITH ONLY A SMALL CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER LEAVING WORK THAT DAY THE CHIP HAD TURNED INTO A CRACK APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES IN LENGTH. THE CRACK CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN LENGTH OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS AND EVEN SPLIT OFF INTO A SECONDARY CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL ON A BYPASS AND A WORK TRUCK KICKED UP A ROCK THAT HIT ME WINDSHIELD, NOTHING HAPPENED THEN, I CHECKED HOURS LATER AND IT TURNED INTO A SMALL CRACK, A FEW DAYS LATER THAT SMALL CRACK TURNED INTO A BIG CRACK THAT GREW THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD AND IS IN FIELD OF VISION | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2019, I HEARD A NOISE AND SAW THAT A CRACK APPEARED TO THE LEFT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDOW. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES STRAIGHT ACROSS. I CALLED MY INSURANCE AGENCY TO REPORT IT. IT TOOK A WEEK FOR THE WINDSHIELD TO COME IN. DURING THAT WEEK THE CRACK SPREAD TO THE CENTER OF THE CAR. THE WINDSHIELD COMPANY FIXED IT AND 2 WEEKS TO THE DAY, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD SOMETHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD. I KNOW HAVE A SPIDER WEB CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. SO FAR IT HASN'T GONE ANY FURTHER SO I HAVE NOT CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY YET. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | PURCHASED 2019 SUBARU FORESTER ON 12/12/18. WITHIN 1 MONTH OF PURCHASE THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING AND NOTHING HAD GOT IT TO DAMAGE IT. BECAUSE OF A 500+ WINDSHIELD BACKORDER IN THE US AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY THERE WAS NO IDEA AS TO WHEN THEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE DUE TO THE CRACKS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SAFELY SEE THE RD TO DRIVE I HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SUBARU FOR THEM TO COVER THE COST OF A RENTAL VEHICLE. AT THIS TIME AND WITHIN THAT 1ST MONTH I SAID TO SUBARU MANAGEMENT AT DONALDSON SUBARU I WANT TO TRADE BACK MY VEHICLE FOR A DIFFERENT SUBARU. JUST REPLACED WINDSHIELD AGAIN IN 9/2019 | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD GOING 45 A SMALL ROCK POPPED UP AND HIT MY WINDSHIELD CAUSING A CHIP IN IT. I'VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF ROCKS POP UP BEFORE AND HIT MY WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING, AND HAVE NEVER HAD ONE THIS SMALL CAUSE A CHIP. IT IS PRETTY MUCH DIRECTLY IN FRONT ON MY EYE SIGHT CAMERAS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Oct 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE BIGGEST ISSUE, AND POTENTIALLY THE MOST DANGEROUS, IS THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY SHUTTING ITSELF OFF - NOT STALLING. THE PROBLEM OCCURS MOST OFTEN WHILE STOPPED AT LIGHTS, BUT HAS OCCURRED IN OTHER SITUATIONS AS WELL. ALL FUNCTIONS IN THE VEHICLE STOP, A LOUD, CONTINUOUS BEEP BEGINS AND THE DASH INDICATES AN 'EYE SITE' ERROR. APPARENTLY, WHEN THE EYE SITE FEATURE HAS AN ISSUE, IT RESPONDS BY RENDERING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. SO FAR, RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO PARK AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE RESETS THE FEATURE AND RESTORES FUNCTIONALITY. THE PROBLEM IS, HOWEVER, HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. THE SECOND ISSUE IS A LOUD, RAPID CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASH. IT ALSO OCCURS RANDOMLY AND WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HINDER FUNCTIONALITY, BUT IT CAN BE INCREDIBLY DISTRACTING. FINALLY, AS OTHERS HAVE REPORTED, THE REAR HATCH ALSO RANDOMLY SHUTS ITSELF OFF AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO PROMPT TO OPEN. SUBARU'S RESPONSE TO THESE ISSUES HAS THUS FAR BEEN THE EQUIVALENT OF A SHOULDER SHRUG. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Oct 2019 | ENGINE | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GREGORIS SUBARU (575 W MERRICK RD, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580, (516) 825-8700) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS SEPARATED FROM THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SUBARU DEALER. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO CONTACT THEM IF ANY FURTHER DEFECTS OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 996. *LN*JB | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 996 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | MOON ROOF WILL RANDOMLY FAIL TO CLOSE WHEN PRESSING THE "CLOSE" BUTTON. NEED TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN RE-START THE VEHICLE AGAIN BEFORE THE BUTTON/MOON ROOF WILL OPERATE AGAIN. IT ALREADY HAPPENED THREE TIMES SINCE SEPTEMEBER 7, 2019. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,500 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | REAR HATCH WILL NOT OPEN USING REMOTE OR BUTTON ON DASHBOARD OR BUTTON ON DOOR. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PARKED AT GROCERY STORE. TRIED AGAIN AT HOME AND STILL NOT WORKING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,373 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE. AMBIENT WAS ABOUT 65 DEGREES F. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER WIPER BLADE. I ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED THE WIPER ARM WHICH STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD WITHOUT THE BLADE. THE RESULT WAS AN IMMEDIATE CRACK OVER 12" LONG. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 16,500 MILES. I HAVE OWNED IT FOR LESS THAN 1000 MILES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,500 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WE WERE DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD WITH NO OTHER CARS AROUND AND THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY DEVELOPED A 12 INCH CRACK COMING UP FROM VERY LOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 65 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND WE DID NOT HAVE EITHER THE HEATER OR A/C RUNNING. OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS THE CRACK INCREASED TO ABOUT 24 INCHES. ON CLOSE EXAMINATION I DID SEE AN EXTREMELY SMALL 'STAR' WHERE THE CRACK STARTED. I DO REMEMBER HAVING A PEBBLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD OVER A MONTH AGO BUT I COULD NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE AT THE TIME. I SUPPOSE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE TINY CHIP. I HAVE RECEIVED STONE CHIPS WITH OTHER CARS BUT NEVER HAD ONE PROGRESS INTO A MAJOR CRACK LIKE THIS BEFORE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Oct 2019 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | MY SON'S NEW 2019 SUBARU FORESTER TOURING BURNED TO A CRISP (TOTAL) ON SATURDAY, 10/19 IN I-95 NEAR NEW ROCHELLE, NY. VEHICLE WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND THE CAR IN FRONT STOPPED AND THEY HIT IT, THEN THEY WERE HIT IN THE BACK, TOO. THEIR CAR BURNED BUT THE CAR IN FRONT AND BEHIND DID NOT. THE CAR IN FRONT WAS EVEN ABLE TO MOVE INDICATING NOTHING WRONG WITH ITS GAS TANK. | Crash: Yes Fire: Yes Towed | Unknown |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THERE HAD BEEN A SQUEAKING / CRACKLING NOISE COMING FROM THE AREA WHERE THE DASH MEETS THE WINDSHIELD. THIS NOISE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS VERY HOT OUTSIDE 85 DEGREES OR MORE. WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM UP. THE CRACK STARTING WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. I HAVE FULL GLASS COVERAGE SO I DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT. SINCE THEN I'VE HEARD ABOUT A POSSIBLE FAULTY WINDSHIELD IN THE 19 FORESTERS. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN I'LL BE GOING TO SUBARU FOR A REPLACEMENT. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AS THE CAR ONLY HAD 5,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY | Crash: No Fire: No | 840 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I PURCHASED A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER IN MID-JULY AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO WINDSHIELDS DUE TO CRACKING. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS IN SEPTEMBER DUE TO A ROCK HITTING THE WINDSHIELD ON THE FAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CHIP QUICKLY DEVELOPED INTO AN 18' CRACK. I NOTICED A SECOND CRACK YESTERDAY WHICH ORIGINATED BEHIND THE WIPER BLADE IN THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT EXTENDS ON A 16' ARCH IN THE SAME DIRECTION OF THE WIPER BLADE MOTION. THERE IS VERY SMALL CHIP, LOCATED BEHIND THE METAL PORTION OF THE WIPER BLADE FROM A ROCK THAT MUST HAVE FALLEN OUT OF THE SKY. I WAS TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE ON M55 BETWEEN LAKE CITY AND CADILLAC ON PAVED ROADS BUT HAD STARTED OUT THE MORNING IN MARQUETTE, MI WHERE THE TEMPERATURES WHERE IN THE 30S WITH A RAIN/SNOW MIX. I DID NOT HEAR ANY ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,400 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TO WORK, THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED, OUT OF NOWHERE, NO ROCK CHIP, NO IMPACT FROM OUTSIDE. IT'S A 3 MONTHS OLD FORESTER 2019 WITH ~5000 MILES ON IT. REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE GLASS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,750 |