UsedScore

2019 Subaru Forester: Avoid

Owners filed 715 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Subaru Forester in its first five years on the road, about 402 for every 100,000 sold: 3.0× the rate of a typical Forester year. That's more than twice a typical year, across more than one problem area.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (55% of complaints, median 8,000 miles).

Complaint index
3.0×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Forester year
Rank
14th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
715
first five years; 402 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
3
campaigns
5th generation, 2019–2024 (first year of the generation; redesign years often run worse) · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2019 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring

Photo: 2019 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring · Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Visibility55% · 396 complaints · median 8,000 miles
  2. Electrical14% · 101 complaints · median 7,000 miles
  3. Engine9% · 67 complaints · median 18,000 miles
  4. Air bags2% · 12 complaints · median 12,000 miles
  5. Brakes4% · 29 complaints · median 12,000 miles
  6. Driver assistance4% · 32 complaints · median 13,000 miles
  7. Powertrain4% · 27 complaints · median 14,000 miles
  8. Speed control3% · 22 complaints · median 9,000 miles
  9. Fuel and propulsion2% · 15 complaints · median 4,000 miles
  10. Body and structure3% · 23 complaints · median 5,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Electrical

Owners describe their Forester suddenly losing power or shutting off while driving, sometimes with multiple warning lights and disabled safety features, along with recurring dead batteries that leave the car unable to start. Dealers frequently could not find a cause, though some parts like batteries, sensors, or valves were replaced with varying success.

Warning signs:
Owners report dashboard warning lights (Eyesight, ABS, check engine) illuminating suddenly, beeping alarms, stalling, and rear power hatch failing to open before or during the failure.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate or diagnose the issue, though some replaced the battery, hood sensor, thermal/coolant control valve, or alternator, with mixed results.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 20,000 miles, among 41 complaints that give it

“When driving at a low speed the car lost all power without any warning lights”

“The battery drains when the car is not driven for 5 days or more.”

Engine

Owners of this Forester report the engine unexpectedly stalling or losing power, often accompanied by warning lights and disabled safety features. Repairs commonly involved a thermo control valve or PCV valve replacement, with some owners referencing a related recall or service bulletin.

Warning signs:
Many report the check engine light and other warning lights illuminating, with EyeSight and other safety features disabled, sometimes preceded by hesitation, rough idle, or a burning smell.
What shops did:
Dealers frequently replaced the thermo control valve or PCV valve, sometimes under warranty or as part of a recall, and in a few cases replaced the entire engine; some owners say the shop could not duplicate the problem.
Mileage:
most between 10,000 and 65,000 miles, among 24 complaints that give it

“The engines shut down or stalled on me while driving completely. It did not accelerate when I was trying to move the car off the road.”

“caused the car to unexpectedly lose power rapidly and enter limp mode, dropping from 55 MPH down to 5 MPH in seconds”

Visibility

Owners describe windshields on this model cracking or chipping unusually easily, sometimes with no apparent impact, and sometimes repeatedly on the same vehicle. Repairs often mean costly OEM glass replacement plus camera recalibration, and some owners say dealers denied warranty coverage or blamed road debris.

Warning signs:
Many report hearing a faint tick, snap, or pop before noticing a chip or crack, though several say cracks appeared with no sound or warning at all, including while parked.
What shops did:
Dealers and glass shops typically replaced the windshield and recalibrated the EyeSight camera system, often at owner expense, with some reporting long backorders for replacement glass and others saying issues could not be duplicated or were denied as warranty coverage.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 15,000 miles, among 298 complaints that give it

“I heard a slight tick and noticed a very small chip on the windshield (about the size of a bug)”

“Neither impact started as anything big judging by the size of the tiny pit and the fact the cracks developed days afterwards”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (3)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 21V263000April 2021408,271 vehicles

    Suspension: rear

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. 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.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V856000December 201951,613 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. 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.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V065000February 201910,417 vehicles

    Steering: electric power assist system

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Forester and Crosstrek 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.

    Fix: None of the affected vehicles have been sold yet.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Subaru sent NHTSA 568 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2019 Forester. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 12-269-25R · August 2026This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water intrusion from the sunroof area.
  • SubaruNet Announcement (C · August 2026This Announcement provides diagnostic assistance for CVT issues.
  • 15-308-23R · August 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to…
  • 15-304-22R · August 2026This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns.
  • Article Locator · August 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.
  • 15-333-25R · August 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure.
  • 09-123-24R · July 2026This bulletin announces the design change made to the high-pressure fuel pump developed to prevent DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure – Too Low Bank 1).
  • 09-81-21R · July 2026This bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector in response to the DTCs listed.

All 2019 Forester bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2019 Subaru Forester reliable?
Owners filed 715 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Subaru Forester in its first five years on the road, about 402 for every 100,000 sold: 3.0× the rate of a typical Forester year. That's more than twice a typical year, across more than one problem area. Ratings compare Forester years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2019 Forester problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (55%), the electrical system (14%) and the engine (9%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2019 Subaru Forester been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 Subaru Forester, the most recent in April 2021 (suspension). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Subaru. The 2019 Subaru Forester on NHTSA.gov · How we rate