Complaint volume
202 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
2021 Subaru Forester Complaints
202 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
202 Total complaints
16 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
5 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, visibility. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 16 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 5 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 36 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 12,643 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, visibility?
- 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 2021 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.
2021 Subaru Forester
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Subaru Forester complaints?
16 Crash
5 Fire
5 Injury
0 Fatality
8 Towed
4 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Subaru Forester complaint categories?
VISIBILITY/WIPER 67
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20
VISIBILITY 13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12
ENGINE 11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6
POWER TRAIN 5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 4
SUSPENSION 4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3
202 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A small rock hit the top driver’s corner of the windshield and led to 2 continuous cracks which extended to the middle of the windshield. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | ENGINE | This is in reference to tracking # 11462054, a third incident of sudden engine power loss/deceleration. On 04/27/2022 the 2021 Subaru Premium was returned to the selling Subaru dealer to try and fix the two previously reported problems . They found no codes in memory and no problems when road tested. I left the dealer to return home, and about 10 min. after, on a two lane city street, the engine suddenly lost power while I was going about 25mph, and decelerated to about 10mph before regaining power. I drove back to the dealer and a service rep came with me for a road test of several miles, where the car operated normally. At the dealer, there was no code in memory. The mileage was about 13,135. No paperwork was provided by the dealer. How to resolve this problem??? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield chipped while driving 60mph on the freeway. A few minutes later while stopped at a light it developed an 18 inch crack as we watched it happen. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Used the car on Saturday, didn't get hit with a rock or a branch. When I parked the car there wasn't a crack. Woke up Sunday morning and the Windshield was cracked, it started from the bottom passenger corner up to the middle of windshield about 10-12". No trees nearby or rock damage. Taking it to Subaru today. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | ENGINE,POWER TRAIN | On 04/02/2022, several minutes after having filled the gas tank, I was driving at about 35 mph on a two lane road at constant throttle, when the engine suddenly lost power for several seconds before it regained acceleration. There was a pickup truck following me very closely and it swerved around me to avoid hitting me. On 04/13/2022 , several minutes after leaving my driveway, at about 27 mph on a two lane road, the engine again lost power for several seconds before resuming power. In the first case the engine was at operating temp., in the second case it was cold. I will take the vehicle to the Subaru dealer from whom I purchased it in a couple of days to evaluate the problem, which I consider to be serious. In both cases I was so surprised that I didn't look at the tach etc. 12,500 miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,500 |
| Apr 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windshield was cracked and was repaired successfully by Safelite. Then a new crack started about 18 inches long. Then a 3rd crack just happened. There was no major things hitting Windshield . 3 cracks to a brand new 1yr windshield seems to be very faulty material. Online comments have noted this is a major problem with subaru who don't seem interested in rectifying the situation. This seems to be a major safety issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | VISIBILITY | The contact's wife owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that a diagonal crack had formed on the bottom driver’s side of the windshield without incident. The contact then stated that the crack rapidly spread to the upper driver’s side of the windshield. The contact stated that the crack obstructed his wife's vision while driving. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 8,500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,500 |
| Apr 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Having the car less than a year already have several chips on the windshield. In doing research it seems that there are a lot of issues with new Subaru windshields with chipping and cracking. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Design flaw-2022 Subaru Forester, Antenna placements inside body of car result in pacemaker interference and make it impossible to drive in and avoid. Antennas are built into frame of car and cannot be disabled to accommodate for disabled persons who have implantable medical devices. Inability to be able to permanently and completely disable technology that can interfere with implantable medical devices including "StarLink", GPS, Wireless and Radio wave technologies. Failure by Subaru to release testing results of above telematic devices to consumers. Failure by auto industry to properly test these systems before implementing into autos. Failure by auto industry to allow for accomodating people with disabilities to operate and purchase safely autos with these features. I want a black box warning on all vehicle stickers and complete disclosure in writing to dangers and exclusion to disable person to operate these vehicles! I disclosed to sells staff at Subaru at time of looking at vehicles to purchase that I have pacemaker, no warning was giving or safety concerns for persons with pacemakers. After purchase of vehicle and experiencing pacemaker function issues caused by these systems I was informed to stay 8" away from all antennas, which is impossible to do while driving or sitting in or near vehicle. I now have a vehicle I cannot drive and Subaru has refused to buy back to vehicle. I also want all any any testing info result findings do by NHTSA/Subaru to be mail to me asap! Thanks for your time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield is faulty because it cannot hold up to small impacts of small rocks. I was driving on the freeway and a nearby car picked up a small rock which impacted my windshield glass. There was about one centimeter circumference star crack that webbed out 1 inches. While driving, the crack grew to 1 foot long in the span of less than 30 minutes during the drive (this day the outdoor temperature was 49-50 degrees F.). This is the second time this has happened. I had recently replaced my windshield about 8 months ago when rock hit windshield and crack grew over 2 feet. I have purchased the car 14 months ago and needing two windshield replacements. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Purchased brand new from dealer. Less than 3 months later a tiny pebble came up and hit the center of the windshield, immediately you could see an indentation and a spider web. Now the whole windshield has multiple spider web cracks. The splits go from edge of driver's side all the way to edge of passenger side of the car. As well as 3 separate rings going around center indentation. Only had the car 3 months when this occured. Have had 3 instances that I could not start the car. Now the cigarette lighter charge port will not work. Moon roof malfunctioning and will not close sometimes when fully opened. Now I am having issues with the brakes sticking. It's 1 year old and this is way too many issues for a brand new car! Never again! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | There was a small rock kicked up by another car, and there immediately was a 6 inch curved crack in the windshield from the bottom-most part of the windshield. It quickly spread to 10+ inches and is still growing. The car is only at 9.8k miles | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I heard a ping from a small rock kicked up by another driver, and I immediately noticed a 6 inch crack in the windshield. It quickly spread to 10+ inches and is still growing. The car is only at 7k miles…and I already had to replace the left rear quarter panel glass which shattered a month after buying new. I’ve never had vehicle glass crack so easily on any other vehicle!! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | While driving home 1/21/2022 I heard a rock hit the hood of my car, when I arrived home I checked for damage...nothing I could see. When I went out the next morning I had a 14 inch crack in my windshield. I took my car to have inspected at the dealership repair and they said it was due to a chip the size of a pinhead. I have contacted my insurance and filed a claim so the windshield will be repaired but I have to pay a $500 deductible. There's got to be some kind of fault with the windshield that it would sustain this kind of damage from such a small chip in the glass. I have included pictures magnified at 10X | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | There was a tiny pebble hit the windshield on Friday Jan 21st 2022. There was a minor chip in the windshield due to that and later in an hour or so it expanded into a 8-10 inches one. This is while I was driving, I still haven't got home. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | With no impact from flying debris the windshield developed a bubble/crack potentially in the interlayer. There crack/bubble cannot be felt on the inside or outside parts of the windshield. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My windshield shattered when hit by a small rock that apparently came from across and bounced up and hit the windshield. Subaru does not replace windshields... so you have to get Insurance to cover. The wiring in a Subaru is attractive to rodents - what the wiring is made of depends on who you speak with - most common answer is Oat Based Covering. I have spent over $4000.00 to have the wring in the front and fuel area. This is a 2021 Subaru Forester with less than 12K miles. Subaru can not give a straight answer on material in the wiring and says I need to build a shed. There are 4 other vehicles at my location that are there 20 hours a day - I go to an office 5 days a week so my car is gone over 50 hours a week - still my fault! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | BACK OVER PREVENTION | The RCTA system operates very poorly. When backing up and we see a car in the rear camera screen approaching from the back side of our car, we cannot hear or see any allert. My wife and I are both seniors in our seventies and I suffer from normal age-related hearing loss....my wife not so much. Her hearing is quite normal. But we cannot hear the alert alarm. Also, the visual alert is located in a place where you do not look when you are backing up. It wasn't until I owned the car for four months that I discovered that there is a visual RCTA alert in the side view mirrors (of all places)....an area one does not look at while backing up. With a car with a rear camera, your eyes are usually glued to the camera display screen when backing up; after all, it is a safety device. We have nearly had a collision a half dozen times already. I contacted Subaru about this issue, and they told me that there is nothing that they can do and that in their words "As you can imagine, finding the right balance for all of our owners is a difficult job." this sound alert should be adjustable...it is not. And the visual alert should be in a place where your eyes are looking when backing up. Right now, the Subaru RCTA is worthless to us. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I leased a 2021 Forester in April, and around September, I got a J shape crack in the bottom center of the windshield. Subaru dealership in Glendale, CA told me they would replace the windshield free for the first time. Had to wait until mid-December for the backordered replacement to come in. Today, 1/5/22, was driving on the highway and a small projectile on the road caused a starburst crack on my newly replaced windshield. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Today I replaced my windshield for the second time in less than 6 months of owning the vehicle. The first crack happened a few months after I bought the car with no impact while driving. The second one also happened a couple weeks ago with no impact while driving. After seeing the other complaints, I'm shocked that there isn't a recall on these windshields. It's very dangerous to have windshields constantly cracking, especially without impact while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windshield cracked with no impact. Started at top center and is expanding down the center of the windshield. I reached out to Subaru but no response. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH and passing a vehicle, he heard a sound coming from the windshield and the windshield cracked from the driver side to the middle of the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the windshield. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred at the same spot while driving and passing another vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who replaced the windshield a second time. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred a third time while passing another vehicle. The contact stated that the windshield had a small crack at the bottom; however, the crack significantly expanded overnight. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Dec 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The wiring system fails when the wiring - SOY BASED - is eaten by rats. SUBARU refuses to take responsibility for this. My car has less the 9500 miles and has had over $3500.00 work done to replace the wiring eaten by Rodents as this is considered "my fault?. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield cracked after it was hit by a rock. I have been told there is windshield issues with this vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the front windshield cracked without impact. The crack started at the top right on the passenger’s side and curved toward the rear-view mirror. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the vehicle was not covered and referred the contact the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |