2021 Subaru FORESTER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
207 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
8,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 37 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility/Wiper is the most frequently named component, appearing in 76 of 207 complaints (36.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 30 | 14.5% |
| Braking behavior | 25 | 12.1% |
| Engine operation | 13 | 6.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 3.9% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 2.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 1.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 76 |
| Unknown Or Other | 41 |
| Electrical System | 33 |
| Engine | 32 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 13 |
| Visibility:Windshield | 13 |
| Power Train | 12 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 |
Visibility/Wiper: 76; Unknown Or Other: 41; Electrical System: 33; Engine: 32; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 13; Visibility:Windshield: 13; Power Train: 12; Vehicle Speed Control: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 29 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 29; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 170 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 58 |
| 2022 | 49 |
| 2023 | 26 |
| 2024 | 24 |
| 2025 | 37 |
| 2026 | 13 |
2021: 58; 2022: 49; 2023: 26; 2024: 24; 2025: 37; 2026: 13
Pattern summary
Visibility/Wiper leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 30 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11389145 · 2021-01-21 (January 21, 2021)
I HAVE A 2021 SUBARU FORESTER, BOUGHT IN OCT. 2020. THE VEHICLE WAS PARK IN THE GARAGE. I WENT TO GET INTO THE CAR AND NOTICE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11389145 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11395055 · 2021-02-07 (February 7, 2021)
THE CAR IS TWO MONTHS OLD AND THE BATTERY DIED (NOTHING WAS LEFT ON)!
Owner-reported narrative. 6,252 miles reported. Look up ODI 11395055 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11396102 · 2021-02-13 (February 13, 2021)
WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES I CAUGHT A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD, SAFELITE REPAIRED THAT CRACK AND FILLED IT, THEN LATER THAT NIGHT WITH NO CARS AROUND ME ANOTHER ROCK HITS THE WINDSHIELD AND IT'S GOT A HUGE CRACK...THE CAR IS A 2021 WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES ON AND IT AND I NEED A NEW WINDSHIELD ALREADY!! I'VE OWNED CARS FOR YEARS AND THIS HASN'T HAPPENED. I FEEL THE GLASS IS DEFECTIVE OR WEAK.
Owner-reported narrative. 805 miles reported. Look up ODI 11396102 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11400019 · 2021-03-09 (March 9, 2021)
I HAVE OWNED THE CAR ONLY SINCE NOV AND ON MY FIRST ROAD TRIP LAST MONTH THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING HOME TO NEW ORLEANS FROM MOBILE, AL. A COLD FRONT WAS COMING THROUGH AND IT WAS RAINING. WE DROVE FROM A WARMER AIR MASS INTO THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. AT FIRST WE COULD NOT SEE THE CRACK BUT WHEN WE NOTICED THE CRACK IT WAS ALREADY ABOUT 5 INCHES LONG AND BY THE TIME WE COULD STOP TO LOOK AT THE WINDSHIELD IT HAD GROWN TO OVER 18 INCHES LONG.03
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11400019 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11402918 · 2021-03-14 (March 14, 2021)
WHILE PARKED AT WORK, MY WINDOW CRACKED ABOUT 10-12' RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT FORMED FROM A SMALL PIT IN THE WINDOW. EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS MAYBE 5 WEEKS OLD, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THESE SMALL PITS ALL OVER THE WINDOW WHICH COULD BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MY FRIEND HAS A 2020 FORESTER THAT HAD THE WINDOW CRACK IN THE SAME FASHION AFTER ABOUT 5 WEEKS OF OWNING THE CAR AS WELL. I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE WINDOW.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 11402918 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406235 · 2021-04-03 (April 3, 2021)
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT MY FORESTER LUNGED FORWARD EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. ALSO, WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES FEELS AS THOUGH IT WANTS TO ACCELERATE EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TOO HARD.
Owner-reported narrative. 155 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406235 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406508 · 2021-04-05 (April 5, 2021)
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN VEHICLE WAS 5 WEEKS OLD
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406508 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406803 · 2021-04-06 (April 6, 2021)
ON MARCH 2, 2021 I NEEDED TO GET TO AN APPOINTMENT AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START, NOR WOULD MY FOB WORK TO EVEN OPEN THE DOORS. AFTER CALLING FOR ASSISTANCE THEY JUMPED THE BATTERY. THEN I BROUGHT IT TO SUBARU WHERE THEY DID A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND FOUND THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE. I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR NOV. 25, 2020, ONLY THREE MONTHS BEFORE! THEY REPLACED IT WITH THE SAME KIND OF BATTERY. I WAS DISMAYED TO FIND THAT I HAD BEEN SOLD A NEW CAR WITH A DEFECTIVE BATTERY.
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406803 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.