2019 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

DRIVING UP TO TAHOE IN TRAFFIC GOING ABOUT 20 MPH. ABOUT 17 DEGREES OUT. CRANKING THE HEAT INSIDE THE CAR AND WIPER BLADES HEATED. HEARD A LOUD CRACK AND WINDSHIELD SPLIT RIGHT UP THE MIDDLE ABOVE THE DEFROSTER. NO IMPACT POINT VISIBLE. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN WE HAD THE HEAT ON HEADED TO THE MOUNTAIN THE CRACK STARTED TRAVELING SIDEWAYS TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE. PURCHASED VEHICLE 12/29/18. FIRST CRACK 2/22/19. WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH SECOND CRACK STORY ON 4/16/19, TWO WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT.

STEERING FLOATS AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. IT IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND TWITCHY REQUIRING CONSTANT DRIVER CORRECTION. DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT PATH IN TRAFFIC LANES DUE TO CONSTANT CORRECTION.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT KNOWN CAUSE 3 MONTHS AFTER BUYING NEW.

HAVE TAKEN MY BRAND NEW 2019 SUBARU FORESTER SPORT TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP A TOTAL OF 5 TIMES IN 2 MONTHS REGARDING THE REAR HATCH NOT OPENING. THEY STATE TO RESET IT I NEED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND LET IT DISCHARGE, THEN CONNECT THE TERMINALS. THIS IS A HEADACHE AND A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE TO HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE LOADS OF ITEMS YOU NEED TO LOAD INTO THE VEHICLE. THIS IS DEFINITELY DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY SUBARU TO FIX. DOESN'T MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS ON A FLAT SURFACE OR IF IT IS AT AN INCLINE. THE REAR HATCH WILL GET STUCK AND CAN'T OPEN IT.

THE HOMELINK GARAGE DOOR OPENER DOES NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE IGNITION IS OFF. THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR A WOMAN, DRIVING INTO HER GARAGE, SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, THEN GETTING OUT OF THE CAR TO WALK TO THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE WHERE THE WALL BUTTON IS LOCATED. THE DRIVER, KNOWING THAT THE OPENER IS INOPERATIVE WITHOUT THE IGNITION ON, CAN HIT THE HOMELINK BUTTON WHILE THE CAR IS STILL ON. HOWEVER, WHAT IF THE DRIVER IS DISTRACTED BEFORE SHUTTING THE CAR OFF BY SOME OTHER FACTOR, LIKE THE PHONE RINGING OR A FIRE TRUCK GOING BY? THE DRIVER NEGLECTS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND GOES INTO THE HOUSE, WITH POSSIBLE DISASTROUS RESULTS. WITH EVERY OTHER CAR (AND OTHER SUBARU MODELS AS WELL) THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER IS ALWAYS POWERED, AND YOU PULL INTO THE GARAGE, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, THEN CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR. THE FORESTER HAS IT ASS-BACKWARDS.

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.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON NOTHING HIT IT WENT TO DEALER NO HELP FROM THEM TOOK CAR TO GLASS EXPERT . SAID WINDSHIELD WAS NOT HIT (SPONTANEOUS CRACK) HAPPENS ON 02/13/2019 FOUND OUT NO REPLACEMENT IN THE USA. WINDOW OUT OF CAR 02/26/2019)SUBARU NO HELP LEFT WITHOUT CAR

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.

WITHIN THIS VEHICLE'S FIRST 500 MILES SOME WIND WHIPPED UP SAND PARTICLES ON THE HIGHWAY, I HEARD A "POP POP POP" AND WHEN I GOT OUT NOTICED THREE SMALL CHIPS ON THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE HAD CARS FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF MILES AND NEVER A CHIP. I AM NOW FEARFUL OF TAKING THIS CAR ON GRAVEL ROADS WHICH IS WHY I PURCHASED IT.

ON 2/9/19 ABOUT 5PM AFTER CAR WAS PARKED IN GARAGE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD JUST COME BACK DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD NOR DID I NOTICE A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. I HAD THE HEATER AND DEFROST ON ALONG WITH THE WIPERS GOING AT THIS TIME B/C IT WAS RAINING OFF AND ON. THE CRACK LINE WAS NEAR THE HEATING ELEMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD AND CONTINUED HORIZONTALLY TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. IT WAS ABOUT 20 INCHES LONG. I BELIEVE THE COMBINATION OF THE WINDSHIELD BEING COLD AND THE HEATING DEFROST MECHANISM BEING TURNED CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. MY INSURANCE, GEICO, REIMBURSED ME FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR $50.

WINDSHIELD CONSTANTLY GETS CHIPS IN IT FROM ANYTHING. AFTER A 2000 MILE ROAD TRIP THE WINDSHIELD HAS HUNDREDS OF TINY CHIPS IN IT.

WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE CRACK OCCURRED WHILE PARKED. I WAS TOLD WHEN REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD THAT THEY WERE ON BACKORDER DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF WINDSHIELDS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED, AND WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF INSTALLATION OF THE SECOND WINDSHIELD CHIPPED. THE CHIP WAS NOTICED AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING.*DT

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 INDICATE A ROCK OR PEBBLE HIT THE CAR AND SAID THEY WILL CALL SUBARU AND GET BACK TO ME

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?

WHEN I START MY CAR VIA SUBARU STARLINK THE FOLLOWING TECHNICAL ISSUES OCCUR VOICE OVER BLUETOOTH GETS DISTORTED, APPLE CARPLAY DOES NOT CONNECT OR AFFECTS RADIO FIRST WAS NOTICED JAN 23, 2019. ALSO, POWER REAR GATE DOOR WOULD FAIL AND WOULD NOT OPEN WITH REAR GATE BUTTON, DASH BUTTON OR VIA KEY FOB AS THIS ON AND OFF PROBLEM ALSO NOTICED AFTER CAR IS STARTED VIA REMOTE APP STARLINK. POWER GATE PROBLEM REPORTED FIRST ON JAN 23, 2019 AND CONTINUES THROUGH THE PRESENT DATE. EYESIGHT FAILED ON JUL 06, 2019 WHEN CAR WAS STARTED VIA STARLINK, JUL 07, 2019 EYESIGHT BACK ON AND FAILED AGAIN ON JUL 08, 2019 WHEN CAR WAS MANUALLY STARTED FROM PARKING POSITION. WHEN EYESIGHT FAILS IT EFFECT VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL WHICH ANALYZES STEERING ANGLE, ENGINE SPEED AND BRAKING CONDITIONS. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO WORK ANS WELL SUBARU REVERSE AUTOMATIC BREAKING. TOTAL MILES ON THE CAR 7321 AS OF JUL 08, 2019.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PELTIER SUBARU 3200 S SW LOOP 323, TYLER, TX 75701, (903)705-4300 FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V856000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE REMEDY PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PELTIER SUBARU 3200 S SW LOOP 323, TYLER, TX 75701 (903) 705-4300 WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,259. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *DT*JB

WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWO TIMES IN LESS THAN A YEAR. IN ONE INSTANCE IT WAS A MINOR ROCK CHIP (INCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY NEXT TO CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE) THAT TURNED INTO A FULL-BLOWN CRACK WITHIN 5 MINUTES, IN THE OTHER THERE APPEARS TO BE NO CAUSE (VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, CRACK APPEARED IN AM)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR AN IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF ONTARIO (888-905-4875, LOCATED AT 1195 AUTO CENTER DR, ONTARIO, CA 91761) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000.

SINCE OWNING CAR SINCE DECEMBER 2018, I HAVE NOTICED INTERMITTENTLY THAT THE REAR HATCH WILL NOT OPEN MANUALLY WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTONS IN THE BACK. ALSO SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT OPEN WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTON ON LEFT SIDE OF DASHBOARD. THERE IS A RELEASE MECHANISM ON THE INSIDE REAR DOOR PANEL BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO REACH BECAUSE I HAVE TO CRAWL INTO THE REAR OF CAR FROM A SIDE DOOR. I ALSO NEED A METAL TOOL TO OPEN PANEL. I THINK SUBARU NEEDS TO ADD A KEYHOLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF HATCH SO I CAN USE MY KEY TO OPEN IT IN EMERGENCIES.

PURCHASED 2019 SUBARU FORESTER ON 12/12/18. WITHIN 1 MONTH OF PURCHASE THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING AND NOTHING HAD GOT IT TO DAMAGE IT. BECAUSE OF A 500+ WINDSHIELD BACKORDER IN THE US AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY THERE WAS NO IDEA AS TO WHEN THEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE DUE TO THE CRACKS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SAFELY SEE THE RD TO DRIVE I HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SUBARU FOR THEM TO COVER THE COST OF A RENTAL VEHICLE. AT THIS TIME AND WITHIN THAT 1ST MONTH I SAID TO SUBARU MANAGEMENT AT DONALDSON SUBARU I WANT TO TRADE BACK MY VEHICLE FOR A DIFFERENT SUBARU. JUST REPLACED WINDSHIELD AGAIN IN 9/2019

BOUGHT THE CAR 11/23/2018, AND IN JANUARY 2019 THE WINDSHIELD CRACK FROM THE BOTTOM UP AND BRANCH OUT FOR NO REASON. THE CAR PARKED INSIDE OF OUR GARAGE. CONTACTED SUBARU HQ AND DEALERSHIP SUBARU OF ONTARIO CALIFORNIA, BOTH DENIED THE WINDSHIELD HAS ANY DEFECT. AND THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER ONLY LOOKED AT IT 2 SECONDS AND SAID IT'S IMPACTED!!

WINDSHIELD BROKE

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 PANEL HAS THE RELEASE BEHIND IT. IF FOR SOME REASON THERE IS AN EMERGENCY THAT NECESSITATES THE EMERGENCY USE OF THAT REAR DOOR, THE VICTIM WILL NEVER GET THE DOOR OPEN UNLESS (1) THEY KNOW OF THE PANEL AND (2) THEY HAVE A SCREW DRIVER WITH THEM!

WINDSHIELD CRACK AND ROCK CHIP. THE SUBARU OEM WINDSHIELD IS VERY WEAK AND I'VE ALREADY NOTICED A CHIP ON THE WINDSHIELD FOR A CAR THAT IS 5 MONTHS OLD. SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE ALREADY FILED A COMPLAINT FOR THE PREVIOUS YEARS, AND ITS THE SAME FOR 2019 AS WELL.

MY 2019 FORESTER PREMIUM, 6 WEEKS OLD AND <200 MILES ON IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT. IT WAS COLD OUT THAT NIGHT. WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR I TURNED IN THE HEATED WINDSHIELD AND REGULAR HEAT IN THE CAR. MOMENTS LATER AND WHILE STILL PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE WINDSHIELD HEATING ELEMENT HALFWAY UP TO THE TOP. BROUGHT IT TO THE AUTO GLASS PLACE NEARBY, WHERE IT WAS NOTED BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT NO IMPACT POINT WAS PRESENT. HE DOCUMENTED THIS ON MY WORK ORDER / RECEIPT. THE WINDSHIELD WAS ON BACKORDER FOR 3 WEEKS BUT WAS FINALLY INSTALLED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE WITHOUT AN IMPACT OCCURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERRA AUTO PARK (LOCATED AT 3281 S ARLINGTON RD, AKRON, OH 44312, (330) 644-1300) WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 400.

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 ROTOR AND DUST SHIELD. I TOOK PHOTOS OF SAID DEFECT (KEPT THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT) AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, I GAVE THEM THE DEFECTIVE MATERIAL WHICH WAS CRUSTED ON THE SIDE OF THE PAD LINING. THEY BROUGHT THE CAR IN AND TOLD ME IT WAS ROAD DIRT. FORTUNATELY I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT AS WELL AS THE BRAKE PAD. THEY GAVE ME THE CAR BACK WITHOUT CHANGING THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS. THE DEFECTIVE BRAKE PAD HAD A BUILD UP OF THIS CRUSTED OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE MATERIAL FROM BRAKE MANUFACTURE ON THE SIDES OF IT. THIS MATERIAL APPEARED TO HAVE A LAVA CRUSTY TYPE TEXTURE AND IS OBVIOUSLY NOT BRAKE PAD MATERIAL. THE MANUFACTURED BRAKE PADS ARE CURRENTLY ON THE VEHICLE. I CAN NOT UPLOAD PHOTOS ON THIS COMPUTER, DO HAVE PHOTOS HOWEVER. THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME EFFECT ON BRAKE LIFE AND AND PERFORMANCE AS A FOREIGN SUBSTANCE IS BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE SERVICE BRAKE COMPONENTS. I HAVE THE ACTUAL MILES WHEN THE DEALER BROUGHT IT INTO THE SHOP AS WELL. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER.

WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO REASON AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.

My 2019 forester touring. The sound system will randomly raise to extremely high volume. It’s an extremely loud, distorted, static version of what you were listening to. You cannot turn it down with the volume control with knob or power it off. It is unresponsive and you must wait 5-10 seconds for the sound to go back to normal. Not knowing when it’s going to happen scares the heck out of me. I’m afraid to drive off the road or cause an accident when being startled in this way. This has been happening since one month of my owning the car. (Ordered it, got it October of 2018] I’ve had it to the dealer numerous times and called Subaru of America. I was told if the problem doesn’t duplicate at the dealer nothing can be done. I only have 24k miles on it. It’s not safe! I now a have grand baby to drive. I also wear a hearing aide now which I cannot drive with as it’s way worse with the high volume the problem produces.