10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 5,309 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
In an accident involving front end to other car rear end on an interstate highway, the airbag system didn't deploy. The engine then caught fire in the right front of the engine. The entire car burned. Fortunately no injury to driver or passenger.
- Dalton, PA, USA
This complaint relates to the unsafe nature of the auto start/stop feature on our 2019 Subaru Forester. The vehicle automatically shuts the engine off when you come to a stop, at a stop sign for example. It then takes a second or more for the engine to start again after taking your foot off the brake. This hesitation is very unsafe in any situation where there is a need for the vehicle to move out of the way of approaching danger, such as an out-of-control vehicle coming at the car. The hesitation in movement caused by this feature could easily mean the difference between being hit and getting out of the way. The feature's default setting is "on." Even if you turn it off, the next time you start the car it will be back on again. It would be much safer if the feature's default setting was "off." The Subaru dealer says they cannot change the default setting to "off." I have written to Subaru several times about this issue and they are unresponsive. The car is clearly less safe to operate with the feature on, so Subaru should be required to change the default setting to "off."
- Warrington, PA, USA
Bottom passenger side windshield cracked across glass. Grew fast and still growing across to drivers side. Did not see anything hit it. Was driving and just heard pop of glass and crack. No star just crack from corner under wiper.
- Dallas, TX, USA
Crack occurred on passenger side windshield with in overnight. I haven't heard any rock hitting sound.
- Bothell, WA, USA
Homelink, the in car operation for garage door openers changed creating what I believe to be a hazard. The current version only operates with the ignition on while previous models did not have this requirement. I contacted Subaru and their reply was "working as intended". my point is this, how many people might now start their car in an enclosed space (closed garage) because the homelink won't open the door until ignition is on" I recognize that you can turn ignition on without starting the vehicle, but how many people might not understand or take the extra step to do that"
- Glenville, PA, USA
I was driving on the highway nowhere near another car, when my windshield spontaneously cracked. It's a horizontal crack across almost half of my windshield on the passenger side, about 19 inches long and 14 inches from the bottom. I was out in the open, no trees, no overpass, no other cars nearby.
- Kansas City, MO, USA
Wife was driving down the highway and hit a very small pebble about the size of a skittle and the windshield cracked and needs a full replacement.
- Yreka, CA, USA
Windshield is weak and cracks very easily. Have had it replaced and five days later it needs replacing again due to crack. Both times from a small rock hitting the windshield on the highway.
- Randolph, NJ, USA
I was driving the vehicle and a crack appeared spontaneously in the windshield starting from the bottom of the windshield close to the wiper. I have been unable to obtain a replacement windshield due to backorder and unavailability of Subaru windshields for this vehicle. I am unable to drive the car due to the condition of the windshield. I am responsible for payments for a car that I cannot drive because Subaru does not have the necessary replacement part. I have requested a substitution of collateral for this reason and am waiting to hear from Subaru. According to various forums this seems to be an ongoing problem with this model Subaru. Is the part unavailable because so many windshield replacements are needed?
- Staten Island, NY, USA
Drove the vehicle in the morning (heat on high). Parked it in a private lot for about 5 hrs. There was light snow/ice that day. I got out to drive and see a huge crack on the windshield spanning from the passenger side through to the center of the windshield. There were previously no discernable nicks on the windshield. Contacted Subaru, all Forester windshields are backordered. Some on the Forester forums have waited over a month for their windshield. Mine will supposedly take at least 3 weeks. Not acceptable to be driving with a defective and already cracked windshield. Subaru is aware of their windshield issue but there is no recall as of yet.
- Woodbridge, NJ, USA
Rear gate door would not open whether using keyless fob, rear gate door button or dash button. Had to have car battery disconnected for a short period of time and then reconnected it to get the rear gate door to work.
- El Sobrante, CA, USA
Windshield cracked, bottom center up about 15" circle.vehicle parked.no stone mark or star mark. Looks like factory defect. I've heard of others doing same.
- Auburn Ny, NY, USA
- Clinton, MT, USA