Subaru Forester Complaints (2019)

834 consumer complaints on file.

#11770445October 11, 2026
WHEELS
Wheel studs on my 2019 Forester broke or stripped during a flat tire change. In XXX, studs on this vehicle broke after dealership service where the lug nuts were overtightened; the dealer replaced them at no charge. On XXX I had a flat tire on a rural road in [XXX]. When we removed the wheel, multiple studs snapped or had stripped threads. We were left with a wheel held on only by 3 studs and had to drive 3 hours home that way, on a weekend when nearly everything was closed. COMPONENT: Wheel studs and lug nuts. I kept the broken parts and they are available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: A wheel held on by 3 studs can come off at speed. I was stranded in a rural area, then had to drive a long distance with a compromised wheel. I friend with a 2017 Outback had the same problem and the wheel came off entirely. Many other Subaru owners report the same failure of weak studs with a peculiar torque requirement and fine threading making them easy to break. CONFIRMED BY DEALER OR SHOP: Not yet. INSPECTED BY MANUFACTURER, POLICE, OR INSURANCE: No. WARNING SIGNS: None before the failure. CAUSE: Overtightenging from shop with an impact tool, but these studs are unusallly prone to snapping or cross-threading during ordinary tire service. A driver should not need to carry spare studs or replace them with aftermarket parts to change a flat tire safely. The stud and lug nut design must be reviewed and changed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762369September 5, 2026
AIR BAGS
On 9/2/2016, my 2019 Subaru Forester was involved in a right-front collision. During the collision, the driver's frontal airbag did not deploy. Actually none of the airbags deployed. As a result, the driver's chest and upper abdomen struck the steering wheel.And sustained significant bruising and other injuries and required evaluation and treatment at an emergency department. The vehicle has substantial damage and may be considered a total loss. I am reporting this because the driver's frontal airbag did not deploy during an injury-producing collision. Actually no airbags deployed. I would like NHTSA to document the incident and determine whether the airbag/SRS system may have malfunctioned or whether there may be a safety defect affecting this vehicle or other vehicles of the same type. I can provide photographs of the vehicle and damage, medical documentation, the crash/police report if available, the vehicle identification number (VIN), mileage, and additional information about the collision if needed. I am not making a determination about why the airbag failed to deploy; I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the circumstances and determine whether a safety defect may be involved.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11758532August 21, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH with the adaptive cruise control engaged, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact depressed the brake pedal; however, the engine revved loudly, the vehicle continued to accelerate and collided with the rear of a minivan. The contact was able to steer the vehicle to the side of the bridge and stopped the vehicle. The side air bags deployed after the crash. No injuries were reported. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard by the Port Authority Police. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact retained legal counsel. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738249May 16, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car swirving as if someone grabbed the steering and pulled right left quickly when applying breaks. First incident happened on interstate which nearly caused an accident. Carriage makes a “clunk” sound when moving forward or backwards and you feel the cabin continue in motion when first stopping. When taken to Subaru, “trailing arm” was not attached to vehicle. Car is currently being fixed at Subaru of Olympia.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737088May 11, 2026
STEERING
I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2019 Subaru Forester related to failure of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system. Since April 21, 2026, I have been in communication with Subaru of America regarding whether this issue is related to an existing safety recall (WUC-88). During this time, I provided detailed information about multiple occurrences of EPS warning light activation and intermittent loss of steering assist while driving. A local repair shop also inspected the vehicle and confirmed EPS-related diagnostic trouble codes (including B2811 and C2512), which are consistent with known EPS issues. This information was shared with Subaru of America; however, I did not receive a clear or actionable response, and the case has been delayed without resolution. Initially, the issue was intermittent, with the EPS warning light turning on and off. However, since May 9, 2026, the EPS warning light has remained continuously ON, indicating that the condition has worsened. On May 11, 2026, I visited an authorized Subaru service center while the EPS warning light was actively ON. Despite the issue being clearly present, the dealership only took photos confirming the EPS warning light and did not perform any additional diagnostic testing or repair. They advised that the EPS rack needs replacement at an estimated cost of approximately $2,500, with the part currently on backorder and no clear repair timeline. I have already reported this visit and the current condition to Subaru of America and am still awaiting a response. This issue involves intermittent and now persistent loss of steering assist while driving, causing the steering wheel to become extremely stiff and difficult to control. This poses a significant safety risk. Given that the issue has been ongoing since April, has been confirmed by both a repair shop and a Subaru dealer, and remains unresolved, I believe this represents a safety defect that is not being properly addressed. Please review th
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729108April 3, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
We have replaced the battery twice and likely will need a third battery soon. I have learned that there is a known issue with the DCM trying to connect using 3G. This is causing a parasitic drain on the battery. The vehicle will fail to start. This has occurred many times over the last few years. We have just learned of the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724205March 13, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Dear National Transportation Safety Board, I would like to bring a situation that happened to me while driving my 2019 Subaru Forester last Saturday March 7th, 2026 at 10:40am. I was coming back to my house from an errand. While waiting for my garage door to go all the way up, my car suddenly accelerated forcefully and lunged through the garage and into my home through the wall. There was a chest freezer that was against the wall in the garage which was against the back wall. This freezer was also taken through the wall and into my laundry room. The freezer was crushed. The front of the car and tires were up through the wall and in the home. There was a water spigot also in the garage that came into my home that broke and dispersed water. The furnace was crushed, water heater damaged, washer and dryer damaged, a water cooler damaged along with crushed metal bifold doors that were ripped off HVAC closet. And other things in garage totally crushed. Thankfully, no-one was killed. I was barely able to get out of car as when it suddenly accelerated, and clipped the bottom of garage door that wasn’t finished being up, then it went towards the left and corner of garage instead of of how I would normally pull in and park which would have been straight and middle of garage. The car went so fast and would not stop until it had hit the items in house that would make it not be able to go any further. This vehicle definitely had something faulty with it that caused this car to suddenly take off and crash. And the air bags did not go off. Surprised with such a forceful impact. My car had 62,039 miles on it and was well maintained. I bought brand new at Dellenbach Subaru in Fort Collins, CO in December 2018. Please contact me at [XXX] nk you so much in advance, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723269March 10, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:THERMAL MANAGEMENT:SENSOR/THERMOSTAT
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, with several unknown warning lights intermittently illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with thermal control valve failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the thermal control valve needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718775February 18, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The electrical system fails, and the battery is not charging sufficiently. When the auto start/stop engages, the car does not restart in traffic. Requested a battery test at the dealership in May 2025; was told it could not be done that day because it would require leaving the dealer service shop. Eventually, the electrical system became unstable, and the car stopped in traffic on 11/07/2025. Replaced battery following OEM specs. In February 2026, symptoms reappeared with a new battery failing on 02/15/2026, resulting in all saftey systems failing in traffic when auto start/stop enages.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714955February 2, 2026
Tether, Lower Anchor (on car seat or vehicle)
Pipa Rx Aire base latch system appeared to latch when it wasn’t secured to the anchor. I moved the base between vehicles. When reattaching the base, the right indicator clicked and turned green without actually being attached to the anchor. The seat felt secure, but shifted when I removed the carrier, which is when I realized it was not attached. Photo of latch system showing green and of manufacturer information is attached.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711684January 17, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While at a Stop as the engine turns off and awaits decompression of brake to turn on again vehicle moves forward bit, then the engine shuts down while in drive (stalls) had a vehicle hit me in rear but luckily I had my trailer hitch on because it saved me from body damage . I had to place in park and restart this has happened several times before and I’m kinda nervous and makes my wife nervous when stopping at lights or stop signs it might turn off in the middle of the intersection. When this occurrence happens all dash lights pop up … I checked engine with code reader after the incidents but it doesn’t give out any info on what could possibly be happening. I had the Dealership change the Thermo control module in 2025 but these occurrences has happened before and after the TCM replacement.Having the dealership check is like wasting my time and money because they aren’t able to pinpoint the cause without a code . There has to be a problem somewhere in the system it’s just that the dealership in Hawaii has no clue ..
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710626January 13, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The Thermal Control Valve on my Subaru Forester failed while I was driving recently. The failure caused the car to stop while making a turn. It was a very frightening experience. Luckily at that time the traffic was light. The car was towed to a Subaru dealer, and the Thermal Control Valve was replaced at no charge because Subaru extended the factory warranty. Subaru should have had a Recall Notice put out because this problem could cause serious bodily injury.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709593January 8, 2026
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Engine lost power and was misfiring while many warning symbols appeared on the dash. There was a divider separating the lanes. The car coasted to almost to a stop, but the engine chugged enough to slowly turn left at the first opening in the divider and just barely made it off the main road. The engine stopped. I restarted it several times. The engine was misfiring barely running. The electric brake was applied on its own. The car did not respond to moving the shift selector out of park, so the car was immobilized. I put the 4-way flashers on and called AAA. There seemed to be no way for me to move it out of park or release the electronic parking brake. AAA could not respond quickly and suggested I call the police to divert traffic around my car for safety which I did. The tow truck operator was able to disengage the wheels and was able to flatbed it to the nearest repair shop. This being Saturday 1/3/26 it wasn't until Tuesday the repair shop determined the car would not run long enough to provide a reliable diagnosis due to the multiple trouble codes coming up on the computer analysis. I had the car towed to the nearest Subaru dealership who replaced the thermos control valve under their warranty extension. The dealership said usually when this part fails it just triggers a check engine light and not the dangerous situation I experienced. I believe a recall to replace this part should be issued on all cars with this defective part as its failure can cause a dangerous situation without warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707014December 25, 2025
WHEELS
I had a tire rotation at my Subaru dealer in 12/2024. Two weeks later I had a flat and could not break two lug nuts. Tire repair dealer found that the lug bolts had been stripped. I had the remaining lug bolts examined by the dealer and a 3rd was found stripped. All three had to be replaced. I underwent tire rotation on 12/11/2025 and dealer found a fourth lug bolt stripped which needed replacement. I was assured this was not the fault of the mechanics and was instead told that this was a manufacturer problem with the lug bolts. If this is true, there are a host of Subaru's out there with lug nuts that cannot be user removed to repair a flat. Although when stripped, the lug nuts are apparently firmly attached, does this represent a wheel / tire failure issue? Thanks for your attention.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704694December 12, 2025
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving and merging onto the highway in the rain approximately 62 MPH, the contact’s vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle that was driving erratically. Due to the impact, the vehicle spun out of control approximately 3-4 times and the vehicle bounced off the concrete highway sound barrier. The vehicle continued to spin out of control and struck the barrier wall on the passenger’s side before coming to a stop. The contact stated that the rear driver’s axle fractured and ended up on top of the wheel, and the wheel was flat on the ground. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy upon impact or during the crash. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact and his wife were transported to the hospital and were both treated for whiplash, body pain, and pain to the head and neck. The contact also had a throbbing headache from the crash. The contact and his wife both received CT scans that showed no signs of injuries. The other driver also spun out of control and struck the metal guardrail located in the middle of the highway. The contact stated that the other driver had not received medical attention at the scene. A Police Report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision yard where it remained. The insurance company had not inspected the vehicle; however, the contact expected that the vehicle would be deemed a total loss. The contact stated that the driver who caused the accident was cited by the Police for causing the crash. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,400.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11702536December 2, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Subaru Forester 2019 January - February of 2025: issue initially presented as the hatch beeping, indicating that it was not closing fully. The hatch would not pop back up as if something was in the way, just remain down & continue beeping. The car would then not start, with only the hatch beeping noise (beep beep beep) going off. When I drove it, it kept warning me that the hatch wasn't shut completely. After I parked it in the garage, the next morning it would be dead. The issue was supposedly resolved in February of 2025 as I replaced the battery on my own and replaced this part: 29182AA060. Schomp Subuaru reported no issues with their diagnostic tests. November 30th - December 2025: I started the car just fine. When I opened the trunk and closed it, it gave me three beeps and wouldn't fully close, even if I pushed it shut and locked it. The next morning, the car would not start - the battery was dead. The tow company also could not jump start the car. As the car was being towed, the hatch alert was the only thing working/beeping. Even when not trying to use the hatch. I have used the car every single day up until this issue started. I have not left the keys in the car. The car is now back at the dealership. The unreliability of this can/has left me and my passengers stranded and cold. The dealership found no issue the last time this occurred even though there was a class action lawsuit about this exact issue, but somehow my car was not considered included. I cannot have Subaru tell me that there is no issue again.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700763November 21, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated, and the vehicle immediately decelerated to 56 MPH. The failure was intermittent but had occurred several times over 5 years. The contact had to manually turn off the Forward Collision Avoidance system to avoid the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699899November 17, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have reported this before but it never went anywhere. When at a red light or in a traffic slowdown, the car will activate the auto start/stop system. Three times in the past 2 days, the car would not turn back on and required me to turn the car off and back on again. You can imagine that this leaves me in a dangerous situation because the cars behind me see a green light and get ready to move, or they see traffic clearing up and they get ready to move. I am forced to turn my car off and back on again in the middle of a 4 lane highway or on a busy city street. I get cursed at and nearly rear ended each time this happens. I did an internet search and there are entire threads dedicated to this exact problem with this subaru model and year. There should be a recall. It is very unsafe
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695464October 24, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
About a month ago while approaching a stop light turning green at a busy intersection, I was slowing into the left turning lane when my car just stopped. No avoidance, no alerts. I had a semi behind me who started pulling out around me in heavy traffic. I could use my flashers. I turned the car off, then on and it finally restarted. This is a 2019 Subaru Forester, original owner, only one incident - but it was definitely weird, and unsafe!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694543October 20, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
While I was driving on a major road, the car appeared to sense an issue and automatically started to brake. While I was a road with 55mph drivers, my car was forcing me to stop. May warning light appeared; Eyesight Issue, Check Engine, Brake and many others. I was able to disengage the crash prevention manually and continue to drive. When I took it to my mechanic, he told me all the codes went to a Technical Service Bulletin for the Thermo Control Valve. He reset the codes and told me to take it to Subaru for an under warranty repair. Once I left the mechanic, I was travelling home and the car had the same issues, again while driving on a very busy road. This time I could not disengage the system, and I struggled to get the car over to the left shoulder. It was very narrow, and not safe. I ended up having to have the car towed to the dealer. The dealer did fix the car, under warranty. However, twice I was caught on busy roads in a very dangerous situation. I am very glad that I was not injured, nor those that came to rescue me. But this should not have happened. The Technical Service Bulletin was issued on April of 2024 and I had no idea.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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