Owners have filed 832 safety complaints about the 2019 Subaru Forester with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 36 crashes, 11 fires, 20 injuries, 1 death.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2019 Subaru Forester, visibility & lighting issues stand far above everything else.
"Car was sitting outside for the day (with camera observing it). Windshield had no issues when the car was moved to the street in the morning. Windshield was cracked from driver side bottom corner all the way past the half way point and about half way up the windshield. Review of camera video confirmed that no one or thing touched the car during the day. Suspect that the windshield is defective."
"Windshield spontaneously cracked without any known impact or damage. Vehicle was not in motion at time. Sitting at stoplight heard a ping and then noticed crack across bottom of windshield affecting visibility. No other vehicles were near enough or in motion that debris could have been at fault."
Complaint filings for the 2019 Subaru Forester over time:
Across the Subaru Forester model years we track, the 2019 has the most complaints on file.
3 recalls apply to some or all 2019 Subaru Forester vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
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.
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.
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.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 832 complaints about the 2019 Subaru Forester with NHTSA. The most-reported system is visibility & lighting.
The 2019 Subaru Forester has 3 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2019 Subaru Forester an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.