I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY 2019 AND DO NOT DRIVE VERY FAR TO WORK. I DO VERY LITTLE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IN JUNE 2019, WITH LESS THAN 4000 MILES, WE WERE RETURNING HOME FROM A TRIP WHEN WE HEARD THE WINDSHIELD CRACK. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY A ROCK SO WE TURNED THE CLAIM INTO OUR INSURANCE. THEN YESTERDAY, WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A TINY ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD. TODAY THAT TINY PIT HAS CRACKED OVER HALF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE READ THAT SUBARU HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THEIR WINDSHIELDS FOR BOTH FORESTER AND OUTBACKS AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE YEARS 2017-2019. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY AND HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS LIKE THIS WITH NEEDING TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WITH VERY LITTLE TO NO DAMAGE CAUSING THE CRACK. IN ORDER FOR THE EYESIGHT TO WORK PROPERLY YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN APPROVED GLASS COMPANY AND THEN HAVE SUBARU CALIBRATE THE WINDSHIELD. THE COST TO REPLACE IS OVER $1200. SUBARU HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS AND KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THEIR WINDSHIELD AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I HAVE READ REVIEWS THAT OWNERS OF 2020 MODELS ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES.
2019 Subaru Forester complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2019 record →
VEHICLE COMPLETELY DEAD FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. NO WARNING. I TAKE 27 MILE EACH WAY TRIPS SEVERAL LIMES A WEEK AS WELL A DAILY SHORT 3MILE EACH WAY TRIPS. THIS SAME PATTERN OF DRIVING WITH BOTH A FORD ESCAPE AND A HYUNDAI FOR MORE THEN TEN YEARS. THIS SUBARU FORESTER HAS LESS THAN 12,000 MILES. NO LIGHTS WERE LEFT ON. THERE WAS A SOUND THAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT THAT I OCCASIONALLY HEAR THE WHURR NOISE AND A KLUNK AS I EXITED THE FORESTER. I ALSO HEARD A WHIRRING SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT SOUND AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK THURSDAY. IT SOUNDS LIKE A VACUUM PUMP THAT I THOUGHT WAS A FUEL EVAPORATION RECOVERY SYSTEM. IT WAS A HOT DAY AND I HAD THE A/C RUNNING AS I DROVE.
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY
COMPARE TO MY PREVIOUS 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THIS 2019 SUBARU FORESTER IS VERY EASY TO GET CHIP IN THE SAME ROUTE OF GOING TO WORK FROM HOME. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHIP OR CRACK ON 2016 SUBARU FORESTER'S WINDSHIELD BUT I NOTICED THIS 2019 FORESTER'S WINDSHIELD HAS A LOT CHIPS ON THE WINDSHIELD AND COMPLAIN TO DEALER IN JUNE 2019 AND THEY TAKE A LOOK BUT SAID IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND REJECT TO REPLACE IT. AT THAT TIME, MY CAR ONLY HAS AROUND 2100 MILES. RECENTLY MY CAR GET HIP BY ROCK AND THE WINDSHIELD IS START CRACKING FROM THE CHIP. IF SUBARU WANT TO HAVE THE SELLING POINT FOR EYESIGHT AND USE THE CHEAP WINDSHIELD TO SAVE THE TOTAL COST OF CAR AND GIVING CUSTOMER MORE PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. I WAS VERY UPSET THEY DID THAT AND LOSING MY TRUST TO THEM.
JUST GOT ANOTHER CRACK ON WINDSHIELD.. NOTICED TINY STAR 3 INCHES FROM RIGHT SIDE ..WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY .WITHIN MINUTES IT SPREAD TO A 2 FT CRACK . REPLACING WINDSHIELD FOR THE 3 RD TIME . CAR HAS ONLY 8200 MILES ON IT . APPARENTLY WINDSHIELDS ARE DEFECTIVE . VERY UNHAPPY . TAKES HOURS TO RECALIBRATE WINDSHIELD AFTER REPLACEMENT .
WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY, OUR WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING, WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING STRIKE WINDSHIELD, BUT ASSUMED IT WAS A PEBBLE. WE HAD IT REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP. ONE MONTH LATER, A PEBBLE DID MAKE A DING ON WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. WHILE THAT DING WAS BEING REPAIRED (FILLED), THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED... THUS, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.
I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL NICK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK IN FEBRUARY 2020. IN JUNE OF 2020, IT TURNED INTO A CRACK THAT RUNS 1/2 THE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. I'VE ATTACHED PICTURES OF THE NICK AND CRACK. *TR
THE GPS SYSTEM IS UNSAFE. IT SAYS "EXIT RIGHT AHEAD", WHICH WOULD IMPLY THAT YOU SHOULD EXIT AT THE NEXT EXIT. BUT IT SAYS THIS WHEN THE EXIT PROGRAMMED IS THE 2ND OR 3RD EXIT. MY WIFE TRIED TO EXIT AT THE NEXT EXIT, AND THEN AT THE LAST MINUTE, SHE REALIZED THAT IT WAS WRONG AND SHE SWERVED BACL ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. SUBURU HAS TO REPROGRAM THE GPS SYSTEM SO THAT IT DOESN'T SAY "EXIT RIGHT AHEAD" WHEN IT ISN'T THE CORRECT EXIT. THEY SHOULD THEN ISSUE A RECALL AND REPROGRAM SUBURU OWNERS GPS SYSTEM FOR FREE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GPS WAS PROVIDING UNSAFE DIRECTIONS WHEN DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PREMIER SUBARU WATERTOWN, 795 STRAITS TURNPIKE, WATERTOWN, CT 06795, AND WAS INFORMED THAT SHE WOULD NEED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000.
WINDSHIELD IS CRACKING, SECOND WINDSHIELD NOW DEALERSHIP DISCLOSED THAT MY WINDSHIELD IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND BREAKS EASILY ALSO ABOUT THIS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *TR
BEFORE I REACHED THE 20K MILES MARK, I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. IT SEEMS ANY SMALL BEAD OR ROCK CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD ON THIS MODEL TO SHATTER VERY EASILY. I HAVE OWNED AN OLDER SUBARU MODEL THAT I HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH THE SAME ROADS WITHOUT ANY ISSUE. BECAUSE OF I-SIGHT THIS WINDSHIELD IS EXTRA EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND VERY DIFFICULT TO REPAIR IF IT IS IN THE WAY OF THE I-SIGHT CAMERAS. $1,600 FIX. *TR
IN JUNE 2019, 2 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2019 SUBARU FORESTER, A VERY SMALL ROCK HIT THE BOTTOM OF MY WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD 6 INCHES, WHICH IS ABOVE THE LEGAL ROCK CHIP REPAIR LENGTH. SO I WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. I WAS ON THE I-15 FREEWAY DIVING 80 MILES PER HOUR, THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT. *TR
WINDSHIELD CRACKING. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NEXT THING I KNEW THERE WAS A HUGE CRACK THAT FORMED ACROSS MY WINDSHIELD. I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR ANYTHING AND THEN SAW THE CRACK SPIRAL. WHEN I LOOKED THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY SMALL CHIP IN THE BLACK AREA OF THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW THAT CHIP IN THE BOTTOM CORNER TURNED IN TO A CRACK AT LEAST HALF AS LONG AS THE WINDSHIELD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
I HAVE A SECOND CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON MY FORESTER, WHICH I HAVE OWNED FOR 19 MONTHS, AND HAS JUST OVER 23,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN BOTH CASES, I NOTICED THE CRACKS AFTER GOING OUT TO START THE CAR IN THE MORNING. THOSE MORNINGS, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE LAST TIME I DROVE THE CAR, AND I COULDN'T THINK OF A NOISE I HEARD, WHICH YOU WOULD TYPICALLY ASSOCIATE WITH A FOREIGN OBJECT HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. NOTHING. NO MATTER HOW FAINT. THE FIRST CRACKED WINDSHIELD HAPPENED AT JUST OVER 10,000 MILES, AND THE SECOND HAPPENED AT 19,500 MILES. I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IS AN ENGINEERING ISSUE WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. I VOICED THIS CONCERN TO THE EMPLOYEES AT SUBARU, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT IS WAS NOT AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, THE TWO CRACKS STARTED WITHIN 4 INCHED OF EACH OTHER, BY MY ESTIMATE, SLIGHTLY LEFT OF CENTER IF LOOKING AT IT FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, AND NEAR TO BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS MATTER. *TR
DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY I NOTICED A SMALL PEBBLE, NO BIGGER THAN THE VERY TIP OF MY PINKY FINGER COMING TOWARDS MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD. IT HIT THE UPPER PART OF MY DRIVER-SIDE WINDSHIELD. UPON IMPACT THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE DAMAGE. LESS THAN A MILE DOWN THE ROAD A VERY VISIBLE GROWING CRACK WAS OCCURRING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. NATURALLY, I HAVE HAD CAR WINDOWS CRACK IN THE PAST, THERE WAS SOMETHING STRANGELY BIZARRE AND DANGEROUS ABOUT THIS CRACK. UPON ARRIVING 2 HOURS LATER AT MY DESTINATION I WAS GREETED BY MY FATHER WHOM I REITERATED THE ACCOUNT TOO. HE SEEMED ASTONISHED BY THE SIZE AND DEPTH OF THE CRACK THROUGH THE GLASS. *TR
PURCHASED NEW JAN.9,1919.ON JUNE 13,2020 CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY, OFF WITH WINDOWS CLOSED.MY WIFE OPENED DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TO REMOVE AN ITEM.WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR, THE HATCH BACK WINDOW SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY.WE WERE AND ARE SHOCKED.SPOKE WITH OUR SALESMEN WHO REJECTED OUR CLAIM FOR DAMAGE.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR THAT OUR 2019 FORESTER'S WINDSHIELD HAS SUDDENLY CRACKED WITHOUT BEING STRUCK. TODAY WE WERE DRIVING AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A POP (PICTURE WHEN YOU POUR COLD WATER ON HOT GLASS) AND WATCHED OUR PREVIOUSLY REPLACED WINDSHIELD CRACK STARTING AT THE EDGE ABOVE THE DRIVERS SIDE EYESIGHT CAMERA AND TRAVEL TO THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR IS 13 MONTHS OLD AND HAS 10,500 MILES. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD OR DEBRIS IN THE AIR, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT OUR WINDSHIELD HAS SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE EDGE TOWARD THE CENTER, BLOCKING THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM. *TR
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT 3,400 MILES. *TR
WINDSHIELD IS FRAGILE. THE WINDOW SHIELD HAD ROCK CHIP IN THE FIRST MONTH I GOT THE CAR. AFTER 1 YEAR, I GOT ANOTHER ROCK CHIP THAT CRACKED IT SO BAD, A HUG LINE RUNS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD MULTIPLE CARS BEFORE, THIS CAR IS PROBABLY THE MOST FRAGILE GLASS I EVER EXPERIENCE. *TR
MY FRONT WINDSHIELD RECEIVED A SMALL CHIP IN THE LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE SEVERAL DAYS AGO. TODAY, AFTER LEAVING THE CAR PARKED AND NOT DRIVING IT A LARGE CRACK HAS BEGUN PROPAGATING ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A LARGE CRACK GROW FROM SUCH A SMALL NICK BEFORE. *TR
A CRACK, LONGER THAN 16 INCHES, HAS DEVELOPED ON THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. THERE WAS NO CRACK WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED IN ITS PLACE. IT APPEARS TO HAVE DEVELOPED WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL INFLUENCE. *TR
WINDSHIELD STARTED A 6INCH CRACK WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE WIPERS WERE SITTING AT. IN ABOUT 12 HOURS, IT CRACK TO MORE THAN 12 INCH LONGER. ON DIFFERENT ONLINE FORUMS ABOUT SUBARU SUVS, THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO BE A FREQUENT, COMMON, YET NOT ADDRESSED PROBLEM BY SUBARU. *TR
PURCHASED USED 2019 SUBARU FORESTER FROM VROOM 4/07/2020. WINDSHIELD STARTING CRACKING HORIZONTALLY ABOUT DRIVERS EYESIGHT. CRACKING LINES VISIBLE IN PARALLEL LINES IN TWO AREAS 2" - 3" MOVING TO PASSENGER SIDE. NO HIGHWAY ROCK/PEBBLE DAMAGE NOTED ANYWHERE ON WINDSHIELD. TAKING VEHICLE TO AUTO GLASS SHOP TO CONFIRM IS CRACKS BECOMING A LARGER PROBLEM. CRACKS CAN BE SEEN WHEN FACING SUNLIGHT. *TR
BRAKES: THE CAR ACCELERATE WITHOUT ANY ACTION DURING DRIVING. WIPER: WIPER BLADE MAKE A NOISE LIKE ITS ABOUT TO FALL APART. SEAT BELT: SEAT BELT INSTALL IN A PLACE THAT( FRONT BOTH SEATS) THERE IS NO SPACE BETWEEN SEAT AND CAR BODY. *TR
WITHOUT BEING HIT BY ANY ROCKS OR OTHER OBJECTS, THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK WHILE IT WAS PARKED. THE CRACK DEVELOPED FROM THE BASELINE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IS ABOUT 9 INCHES LONG. *TR
WINDSHIELD CRACK FROM WIPER AREA, EXTENDING 12 INCHES UPWARD, WITH NO OBVIOUS IMPACT DAMAGE. PARKED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, RETURNED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND "[XXX]" - JUST LIKE THAT - NOTICED A CRACK GREW OUT OF NOWHERE! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE FOR A FEW HOURS AND A CRACK APPEARED GOING ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. EARLIER THAT DAY A ROCK HIT IT ON THE ROAD BUT THERE WAS NO CRACK, CRACK SHOWED UP HOURS LATER. VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS WHEN THE CRACKED APPEARED. IT WAS OUTSIDE AND A SUNNY DAY BUT ONLY IN THE 60S. *TR
WINDSHIELD CRACKED STARTING ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND EXTENDED OVER A FOOT TO THE MIDDLE. NO IMPACT FROM ROCK OR OTHER ROAD DEBRIS OCCURRED WHEN CRACK STARTED. *TR
A FEW WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING MY BRAND NEW 2019 SUBARU FORESTER, I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THERE WAS NO ROCK OR ANY DEBRIS THAT FLEW TOWARDS MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK STARTED NEAR THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND ANGLED DOWN AND TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IT STARTED AT ABOUT 6 INCHES AND PROGRESSED TO AT LEAST A FOOT LONG BY THE END OF THE TRIP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES IN A SIX-MONTH PERIOD. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE HOOD AND THE THICKNESS OF THE GLASS IN THE WINDSHIELD WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE FAILURES. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION WHENEVER THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BACKUP CAMERA FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE STOP/START FUNCTION WAS REACTIVATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE IDLED ROUGHLY AND LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOORE CHRYSLER JEEP FIAT (8600 W BELL RD, PEORIA, AZ 85382, 800-757-0140) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.
EXTREME SWAY WHILE DRIVING. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE YESTERDAY GOING FROM LINDALE, TEXAS TO DALLAS, THE WINDS WERE MODERATELY HIGH. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTREME SWAY AND WAS VERY EXTREMELY TO SAFELY MAINTAIN. *TR
WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A LARGE CRACK WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS NO ROCK CHIP THAT I COULD HEAR OR SEE. AS WITH OTHER FAILURES OF THIS TYPE, SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THE DEALER DO NOT WARRANTY THIS OR ADMIT TO WHAT IS CLEARLY A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL'S WINDSHIELD. *TR
WINDSHIELD CRACK X2 IN NEW SUBARU
THE TOUCH SCREEN SYSTEM (RADIO-AM/FM AND SATELLITE) FREQUENTLY DO NOT WORK ON THE TOUCH SCREEN SYSTEM. TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, TAKING THE KEY OUT AND REPEATING THE STARTING PROCESS OF THE VECHICLE DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. IT OCCURS ABOUT 1 OUT OF 3 TIMES STARTING AND/OR DRIVING THE VEHICLE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS ELECTRONIC SYSTEM IS GOING TO WORK OR NOT. SUBURU NEEDS TO RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, STATIONARY, OR DRIVING. IT MAY NOT WORK FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THEN STARTS WORKING AGAIN.
THE WINDSHIELD HAS SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A LARGE (19") CRACK IN IT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. WE BELIEVE SOMETHING VERY SMALL KICKED UP AND HIT IT THE UPPER CORNER DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING ON A FRIDAY, AND THERE WASN'T NOTICEABLE DAMAGE WHEN IT WAS PARKED A FEW MINUTES LATER, BUT THE FOLLOWING MONDAY MORNING, AFTER THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED GARAGE ALL WEEKEND, THERE WAS A VERY LARGE CRACK. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON IT AND WE HAD IT FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS.
THERE IS A CRACK/CHIP IN MY WINDSHIELD.
SMALL CRACK IN WINDSHIELD STARTING UNDER PASSENGER WIPER BLADE. NO SUSPECTED DEBRIS IMPACT. CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN DUE TO ONGOING PANDEMIC. HAPPENED WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY.
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 55 MPH HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND DISCOVERED A LARGE CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. TOOK TO SUBARU DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND HAD WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND "EYESIGHT" GUIDANCE RECALIBRATED AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 55 MPH I HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND THEN DISCOVERED A LARGE DIAGONAL CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. TOOK TO SUBARU DEAL WHO CONFIRMED WINDSHIELD NEEDED REPLACING. REPLACEMENT AND RECALIBRATION OF "EYESIGHT" GUIDANCE SYSTEM PERFORMED BY DEALER
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT ABOUT 4000 MILES
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO ROCKS OR PEBBLES STRUCK THE VEHICLE. CRACKED ON WINDSHIELD APPEAR WHEN IT WAS PARKED.
THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRIC MIRROR WHERE THE BACK CASING WAS BROKEN. WE WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A COSMETIC ISSUE ONLY AND THEY ORDERED A MIRROR FOR US. WE LEFT AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE SITTING IN A DRIVEWAY TURNED OFF. THE INSURANCE INSPECTOR IS SAYING THE FIRE STARTED IN THE WIRING IN THE DOOR. THE MIRROR OPERATED 100% WITHOUT ISSUES, IT APPEARS MOISTURE FROM RAIN GOT INTO THE MIRROR WIRES WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE.
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING WHICH QUICKLY GREW TO 22 INCHES
A UNKNOWN SMALL OBJECT HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON A INTERSTATE FREEWAY WHICH CAUSED A LARGE CRACK. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 10,000 MILES ON IT.
SECOND CRACKED WINDSHIELD AFTER ONLY 12,000 MILES. PEBBLE STRIKE ON FREEWAY DEVELOPED INTO HUGE CRACK IN ONLY A MATTER OF MINUTES. I WAS DRIVING SPEED LIMIT AND KEPT DISTANCE FROM CAR IN FRONT OF ME. PICKUP TRUCK PASSING ON LEFT MUST HAVE KICKED UP PEBBLE.
PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN DC OF 2018. SINCE THEN IT HAS HAD A SERIES OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES DATING BACK TO AS EARLY JUNE OF 2019. THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO GET SERVICED. MY FIRST RED FLAG. THEN THE BATTERY RANDOMLY DIED WHILE WAITING PARKED IN DECEMBER (TEMPERATURE THAT DAY WAS ABOVE FREEZING). AFTER THAT INSTANCE, I HAD SEVERAL MORE DEAD BATTERY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. FAST FORWARD TO 2 WEEKS AGO WHERE AGAIN MY BATTERY DIED, I GOT THE CAR JUMPED AND THE BATTERY KEPT DYING THE NEXT DAY. RECENTLY HAD A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED BY THE DEALER (TUESDAY) AND AGAIN THE BATTERY DIED THE NEXT TIME I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE! THE CAR ALSO HAS OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES REGARDING THE START/STOP FEATURE. I'VE HAD INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND I HAD TO MANUALLY RESTART IT. THE CRUISE CONTROL SPEED CONSTANTLY VARIES. THE CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS RECOGNIZE WHEN I PLUG IN MY PHONE. IT SEEMS THAT ANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE CAR SIMPLY DON'T WORK AND ARE NOT RELIABLE. SUBARU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR ALLOWING THIS DEATH TRAP OF A VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND A 2019 SUBARU FORRESTER TO ANYONE LOOKING TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT AN EXPENSIVE HEADACHE SINCE THE MOMENT I PURCHASED IT. THE IRONY OF IT ALL IS THAT I TRADED IN MY OLD 2014 SUBARU FORRSTOR INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT HAD "ELECTRICAL ISSUES" ACCORDING TO THE DEALER AND I WAS BETTER OFF GETTING A NEW CAR. ME
I HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR INFREQUENTLY IF AT ALL FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS AS THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN SHELTERING AT HOME - THIS IS PROBABLY THE LEAST AMOUNT OF STRESS ANY CAR HAS EVER BEEN PUT UNDER. THE LAST TIME I USED MY CAR WAS OVER A WEEK AGO AND OTHERWISE IT'S BEEN SITTING IN MY APARTMENT'S SMALL, OUTDOOR PARKING LOT DOING NOTHING AT ALL. WEATHER FOR THE LAST WEEK HAS BEEN EXTREMELY MODERATE IN THE HIGH 60S FAHRENHEIT AND NO WIND AT ALL. THEN I WENT OUT TO MY CAR TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING AND INSTEAD FOUND A GIANT CRACK EXTENDING ACROSS HALF MY WINDSHIELD AND CURVING DOWN UNDER THE BOTTOM "SEALED" EDGE. THIS HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUE AS I HAVEN'T EVEN USED IT. EVEN BEFORE THE CURRENT IMMOBILITY, WITH A 7 MINUTE SUBURBAN COMMUTE THERE REALLY WASN'T MUCH GOING ON WITH A CAR SUPPOSEDLY BUILT FOR TOUGH CONDITIONS.
I DROVE TO A SHOPPING CENTER AND PARKED. AFTER A COUPLE HOURS, I RETURNED TO MY CAR, AND FOUND THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED FROM THE TOP PASSENGER SIDE DIAGONALLY ACROSS TO THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED BY SAFELITE.
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2019 Subaru Forester → · Every Forester year → · How the figures are calculated →