What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2021 Subaru Forester

Typical pattern

19.3% of complaints about the 2021 Subaru Forester came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2021 vehicle — around the middle of the 159 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 2.5 yr in service. The most-reported system is visibility / wipers (76 complaints), typically at 1.3 yr or about 2,000 miles.

Complaints
285
Median age at failure
2.5 yr
Median mileage
8,500 n=41
Crash / fire / tow
13% of reports
Safety recalls
0

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Visibility / wipers
76 reports · 2,000 mi
1.3 yr
0%
Other
41 reports · 1,750 mi
2.9 yr
12.2%
Electrical system
33 reports · 22,500 mi
4.2 yr
6.1%
Engine
32 reports · 30,000 mi
4.3 yr
21.9%
Collision avoidance
22 reports · 24,000 mi
2.7 yr
4.5%

In owners’ own words

Visibility / wipers 3,400 mi 4 mo in service
I HAVE A 2021 SUBARU FORESTER, BOUGHT IN OCT. 2020. THE VEHICLE WAS PARK IN THE GARAGE. I WENT TO GET INTO THE CAR AND NOTICE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Visibility / wipers 805 mi 5 mo in service
WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES I CAUGHT A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD, SAFELITE REPAIRED THAT CRACK AND FILLED IT, THEN LATER THAT NIGHT WITH NO CARS AROUND ME ANOTHER ROCK HITS THE WINDSHIELD AND IT'S GOT A HUGE CRACK...THE CAR IS A 2021 WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES ON AND IT AND I NEED A NEW WINDSHIELD ALREADY!! I'VE OWNED CARS FOR YEARS AND THIS HASN'T HAPPENED. I FEEL THE GLASS IS DEFECTIVE OR WEAK.
Visibility / wipers 2,000 mi 6 mo in service
I HAVE OWNED THE CAR ONLY SINCE NOV AND ON MY FIRST ROAD TRIP LAST MONTH THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING HOME TO NEW ORLEANS FROM MOBILE, AL. A COLD FRONT WAS COMING THROUGH AND IT WAS RAINING. WE DROVE FROM A WARMER AIR MASS INTO THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. AT FIRST WE COULD NOT SEE THE CRACK BUT WHEN WE NOTICED THE CRACK IT WAS ALREADY ABOUT 5 INCHES LONG AND BY THE TIME WE COULD STOP TO LOOK AT THE WINDSHIELD IT HAD GROWN TO OVER 18 INCHES LONG.03
Electrical system 400 mi 6 mo in service
ON MARCH 2, 2021 I NEEDED TO GET TO AN APPOINTMENT AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START, NOR WOULD MY FOB WORK TO EVEN OPEN THE DOORS. AFTER CALLING FOR ASSISTANCE THEY JUMPED THE BATTERY. THEN I BROUGHT IT TO SUBARU WHERE THEY DID A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND FOUND THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE. I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR NOV. 25, 2020, ONLY THREE MONTHS BEFORE! THEY REPLACED IT WITH THE SAME KIND OF BATTERY. I WAS DISMAYED TO FIND THAT I HAD BEEN SOLD A NEW CAR WITH A DEFECTIVE BATTERY.

Other Forester model years

2025202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200620052004200320022001200019991998

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