"How reliable is the 2019 Subaru Forester?"

"Based on 1081 NHTSA complaints, the 2019 Subaru Forester has a median complaint mileage of 8743 miles. The most common issue is VISIBILITY/WIPER."

"What are common problems with the 2019 Subaru Forester?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2019 Subaru Forester is VISIBILITY/WIPER, accounting for a significant portion of the 1081 total complaints filed."

2019 Subaru Forester: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1081 complaints

1081

Total Complaints

8,743mi

Median Mileage

VISIBILITY/WIPER

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

3,000 25th Percentile

8,743 Median Mileage

16,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

370

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

143

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

131

ENGINE

106

POWER TRAIN

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

STRUCTURE:BODY

SERVICE BRAKES

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TAKATA RECALL, WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER FROM A SUBARU DEALER IN BERLIN VERMONT. IT DEVELOPED AN EXTREMELY LOUD SQUEAL WITH UNDER 2000 MILES. THIS WAS A RESULT OF DEFECTIVE BRAKE MATERIAL ON THE RIGHT REAR INNER BRAKE PAD BREAKING LOOSE FROM THE BRAKE PAD AND LODGING BETWEEN THE R..."

"THE 2019 SUBARU FORESTER WITH THE ELECTRIC REAR DOOR, HAS AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE MANUAL RELEASE MECHANISM FOR THE INTERIOR REAR HATCH DOOR (THE 5TH DOOR AT THE REAR). A LITTLE PANEL HAS TO BE REMOVED USING A SCREW DRIVE TO ACCESS THE MANUAL RELEASE. THERE IS NO SIGN OR INDICATION THAT THE PARTICULAR..."

"I AM HERE TO REPORT MY 2019 SUBARU FORRESTER WINDSHIELD CRACK. I THE CAR IS ONLY 1 MONTH OLD AND WE FOUND THE CRACK IN THE MORNING WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY I HEARD THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENS ON 2015 OUTBACK I CALLED THE SHOP AND THEY TOOK PICTURES AND THEY DID NOT FIND ANY CHIPS THAT WOULD INDI..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28