2019 Subaru Forester: Is It Reliable?
Problems, Recalls & Buyer Verdict
Shopping for a used 2019 Subaru Forester? This page highlights owner-reported complaint patterns and recall history so you can inspect the right systems before buying. Current data includes 829 complaints, with Visibility/Wiper as the top reported area.
2019 Subaru Forester Fuel Economy
✓ EPA Official DataEPA official fuel economy rating for the 2019 Subaru Forester.
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Figures reflect EPA lab testing; real-world results vary by driving style, load, and conditions.
2019 Subaru Forester Safety Ratings
NHTSA 5-Star ProgramOfficial crash test results from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Stars reflect government-conducted tests; higher is safer.
Overall
16.9% rollover risk
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
16.9% probability
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Ratings are based on government crash tests and may not reflect all trim levels.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2019 Subaru Forester has 829 owner complaints, 35 crash-related complaints, and 3 recall campaigns on record. The most frequently reported component is Visibility/Wiper. NHTSA reliability signal: Severe Issues.
- Make
- Subaru
- Model
- Forester
- Model year
- 2019
- NHTSA owner complaints
- 829
- Crash-related complaints
- 35
- Safety recall campaigns
- 3
- Top reported component
- Visibility/Wiper
- Reliability signal
- Severe Issues
- EPA MPG combined
- 29
- EPA MPG city / highway
- 26 / 33
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- 5/5 stars
- NHTSA frontal crash rating
- 5/5 stars
- NHTSA side crash rating
- 5/5 stars
- NHTSA rollover rating
- 4/5 stars
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
Most Common 2019 Subaru Forester Problems
Top owner-reported complaint areas and where they often appear.
Visibility/Wiper
Uncategorized Issues
Electrical Faults
Complaint patterns center on Visibility/Wiper, Uncategorized Issues, Electrical Faults. Use these as a pre-purchase inspection guide, then verify recall and damage history on the specific VIN.
Should You Buy a Used 2019 Subaru Forester?
The 2019 Subaru Forester shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase.
Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report.
What to Check Before Buying a Used 2019 Subaru Forester
Inspection Focus
- Inspect wiper operation and visibility systems thoroughly.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for electrical and engine-related repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Before You Close the Deal
- Inspect wiper operation and visibility systems thoroughly.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for electrical and engine-related repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Shortlist with model-year data. Decide with the exact VIN.
Before buying a used 2019 Subaru Forester, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, theft checks, and open recalls for the exact vehicle.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology
Complaints for the 2019 Subaru Forester are heavily concentrated in the Visibility/Wiper category, accounting for a large share of total reports. Electrical faults and engine problems also appear frequently, while crash-related complaints are relatively few. The data suggests potential issues with wiper performance and electrical systems, but the low confidence level means these patterns should be interpreted cautiously.
- Visibility/Wiper complaints dominate the dataset, with 370 reports.
- Electrical faults and engine problems are the next most common complaint categories.
- Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB and unintended acceleration are less frequent but notable concerns.
- Visibility/Wiper issues, including potential wiper malfunction or poor visibility.
- Electrical faults, possibly affecting various vehicle systems.
- Engine problems, which may include stalling or performance issues.
All 2019 Subaru Forester Complaints by Category
Every owner-reported complaint category filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Subaru Forester. Use this as a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 370 | — | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 143 | 4 | 3 | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 134 | 7 | 7 | — | |
| Engine Problems | 111 | 7 | 7 | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 42 | 2 | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 38 | 5 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 38 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 26 | 5 | — | — | |
| Brake System | 25 | 8 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 25 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 22 | 4 | 5 | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 16 | 10 | 2 | — | |
| Lane Departure | 16 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Steering Defects | 13 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 10 | 1 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 6 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 6 | 3 | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 5 | 1 | — | — | |
| Back Over Prevention | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tether | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Lower Anchor (On Car Seat Or Vehicle) | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Real Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2019 Subaru Forester. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
We have replaced the battery twice and likely will need a third battery soon. I have learned that there is a known issue with the DCM trying to connect using 3G. This is causing a parasitic drain on the battery. The vehicle will fail to start. This has occurred many times over th…
Dear National Transportation Safety Board, I would like to bring a situation that happened to me while driving my 2019 Subaru Forester last Saturday March 7th, 2026 at 10:40am. I was coming back to my house from an errand. While waiting for my garage door to go all the way up,…
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, with several unknown warning lights intermittently illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mech…
The electrical system fails, and the battery is not charging sufficiently. When the auto start/stop engages, the car does not restart in traffic. Requested a battery test at the dealership in May 2025; was told it could not be done that day because it would require leaving the de…
Pipa Rx Aire base latch system appeared to latch when it wasn’t secured to the anchor. I moved the base between vehicles. When reattaching the base, the right indicator clicked and turned green without actually being attached to the anchor. The seat felt secure, but shifted when …
While at a Stop as the engine turns off and awaits decompression of brake to turn on again vehicle moves forward bit, then the engine shuts down while in drive (stalls) had a vehicle hit me in rear but luckily I had my trailer hitch on because it saved me from body damage . I had…
The Thermal Control Valve on my Subaru Forester failed while I was driving recently. The failure caused the car to stop while making a turn. It was a very frightening experience. Luckily at that time the traffic was light. The car was towed to a Subaru dealer, and the Thermal Con…
Engine lost power and was misfiring while many warning symbols appeared on the dash. There was a divider separating the lanes. The car coasted to almost to a stop, but the engine chugged enough to slowly turn left at the first opening in the divider and just barely made it off th…
I had a tire rotation at my Subaru dealer in 12/2024. Two weeks later I had a flat and could not break two lug nuts. Tire repair dealer found that the lug bolts had been stripped. I had the remaining lug bolts examined by the dealer and a 3rd was found stripped. All three had…
The contact owned a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving and merging onto the highway in the rain approximately 62 MPH, the contact’s vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle that was driving erratically. Due to the impact, the vehicle spun out of control …
Subaru Forester 2019 January - February of 2025: issue initially presented as the hatch beeping, indicating that it was not closing fully. The hatch would not pop back up as if something was in the way, just remain down & continue beeping. The car would then not start, with only …
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated, and the vehicle immediately decelerated to 56 MPH. The failure was intermittent but had occurred several times over 5 years. The …
I have reported this before but it never went anywhere. When at a red light or in a traffic slowdown, the car will activate the auto start/stop system. Three times in the past 2 days, the car would not turn back on and required me to turn the car off and back on again. You can im…
About a month ago while approaching a stop light turning green at a busy intersection, I was slowing into the left turning lane when my car just stopped. No avoidance, no alerts. I had a semi behind me who started pulling out around me in heavy traffic. I could use my flashers.…
While I was driving on a major road, the car appeared to sense an issue and automatically started to brake. While I was a road with 55mph drivers, my car was forcing me to stop. May warning light appeared; Eyesight Issue, Check Engine, Brake and many others. I was able to dise…
The auto stop/start feature occasionally causes the entire vehicle to totally shut off. This happened 3 times 2 years ago and I was to it was a low battery. On 10/4/25, the car is stopped at a red light on a four lane highway and when my wife stepped on the gas to start, the veh…
- *Incident 1 (2023):* While driving, my vehicle suddenly stopped while in drive gear, accompanied by a high-pitched alarm and multiple engine service lights. It took over 30 seconds to shift into park and restart the vehicle. The incident occurred at an intersection, and I was f…
50k Mileage Mark: When the vehicle turned off at the stop light to save gas, the car stalled. I had to frequently put the car back in Park, and restart the engine. Since then, I had to turn off the “auto turn off” function for fear of the car stalling on the road. This has caused…
Car has died 10+ times in the last 2 weeks. Will not hold a charge and it’s getting to the point that my car is dying in the middle of the road, during heavy traffic. That or the car will just not start unless jumped
At a stop light, auto stop engaged. When foot put on gas, engine died and every warning light the car has appeared on the dash board. It took several tries, but I did get the car started again. Took to dealer who confirmed the incident and replaced the starter at 38, 126 miles…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2019 Subaru Forester.
2019 Subaru Forester Recalls
3 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2019 Subaru Forester. 3 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Recalls are free to fix at authorized dealers, but completion status must be verified on the exact VIN.
2019 Subaru Forester Buying FAQ
Buyer-focused answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this model year.
Is the 2019 Subaru Forester reliable?▾
Severe Issues. NHTSA currently shows 829 owner complaints, 35 crash-related complaints, and 3 recall campaigns for this model year. The 2019 Subaru Forester shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Treat this as a model-year signal, then verify the exact vehicle's condition and history before purchase.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Subaru Forester?▾
#1: Visibility/Wiper (370 complaints). #2: Uncategorized Issues (143 complaints). #3: Electrical Faults (134 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2019 Subaru Forester?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2019 Subaru Forester?▾
Complaint data is not the same as crash-test scoring, but it does highlight possible risk patterns. For the 2019 Subaru Forester, NHTSA complaints include 35 crash-related reports and 11 fire reports out of 829 total complaints. 20 injury reports are also on file. For controlled crash-test ratings, check nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2019 Subaru Forester have any recalls?▾
Yes. 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2019 Subaru Forester. A major recall area is SUSPENSION:REAR. 3 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Always verify open recalls by VIN because completion status varies by vehicle.
Should I buy a 2019 Subaru Forester?▾
The 2019 Subaru Forester shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report. Pay extra attention to Visibility/Wiper during inspection. Before committing, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, and recall completion for the exact car.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Subaru Forester reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Owner Reliability Rating
Rate the 2019 Subaru Forester based on your ownership experience.
Add your rating:
Ratings are based on owner experience and are separate from NHTSA data shown above.
Check the Exact Vehicle History Before You Buy
Model-year complaints and recalls reveal patterns. A VIN report confirms whether the exact car has accident history, title brands, mileage issues, or open recalls.