NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 834 owner complaints for the 2019 Subaru Forester.
Recalled components: suspension, engine and cooling, and steering. Most-described problem: a cracked or shattered windshield (402 complaints, 48%). Most-reported area: visibility/wiper (370 complaints, 44%; median mileage when it happened: 8,000).
One of the Forester years to avoid
The 2019 drew 525 owner complaints in its first three years, against 164 for a typical Forester year: 3.2 times as many.
Years to avoid: 2019 and 2020; best years: 2016, 2022, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
Risk: Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles.
NHTSA listing: FORESTER. Subaru campaign WRD-21.
Engine and cooling
Dec 2, 2019
exhaust system · emission control · crankcase (pcv)
The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.
Risk: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles.
A connector inside the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) unit may short circuit resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.
Risk: Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: None of the affected vehicles have been sold yet. Subaru has notified dealers and they will inspect the steering gearbox, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUC-88.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Forester and Crosstrek vehicles.
NHTSA listing: FORESTER. Subaru campaign WUC-88.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2019 Subaru Forester.
What owners report
Owners have filed 834 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Forester. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Cracked or shattered windshield402 · 48%
Median 8,000 miles at failure, from 297 reports with mileage
Check engine light66 · 8%
Stalling or shutting off46 · 6%
Dead battery or battery drain35 · 4%
Driver-assist errors or blocked-sensor messages31 · 4%
Median 8,000 miles at failure, from 267 reports with mileage
Electrical system134 · 16%
Median 8,700 miles at failure, from 41 reports with mileage
Engine106 · 13%
Median 18,300 miles at failure, from 20 reports with mileage
Forward collision avoidance43 · 5%
Most named: automatic emergency braking (27); warnings (22)
Powertrain38 · 5%
Visibility38 · 5%
Most named: windshield (33) · Median 15,000 miles at failure, from 33 reports with mileage
Speed control27 · 3%
Most named: accelerator pedal (4) · Median 12,000 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Unknown or other144 · 17%
Median 6,600 miles at failure, from 72 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Subaru Forester recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2019 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Forester drew the most (525).
Owner complaints
2019: 834 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Forester
Model year
Complaints
2010
262
2011
147
2012
107
2013
78
2014
403
2015
617
2016
416
2017
594
2018
499
2019
834
2020
604
2021
215
2022
100
2023
76
2024
31
2025
102
2026
35
Safety recalls
2019: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Forester
Model year
Recalls
2010
17
2011
16
2012
15
2013
12
2014
2
2015
3
2016
3
2017
1
2018
3
2019
3
2020
0
2021
0
2022
1
2023
1
2024
2
2025
4
2026
4
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 834 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Subaru Forester, the problems described most are a cracked or shattered windshield (402), the check engine light coming on (66), and stalling or shutting off (46). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2019 Subaru Forester safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2019 Subaru Forester earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2019 Subaru Forester?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2019 Subaru Forester.
How do I check if my Forester has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: FORESTER.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.