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831 owners have filed defect reports on this one. That's not a small number. 3 active recall campaigns on file.
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the electrical system was repaired or replaced.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
The Forester is a safe, capable, well-liked Subaru — but the 2019 specifically is the year to be careful about, and the data is blunt about why.
2019 is the launch year of the fifth-generation (SK) Forester, and it’s by far the worst year of the modern run — north of 800 complaints, the lowest score of the range. It cleans up dramatically: 2022-2023 are genuinely good (under 100 complaints, scores around 4.0). So a buyer with any flexibility should target 2021+ over the 2019.
The Forester’s transmission is the Subaru Lineartronic CVT, number seven on our worst-platforms list. On the lighter Foresters it holds up better than in the heavier Outbacks and Legacys, but it’s still a CVT — it rewards fluid service and punishes neglect.
A Forester is a sound, safe family vehicle (IIHS-strong, EyeSight on most trims, good AWD). But:
A well-maintained later Forester is reliable; the CVT is the long-term watch item. On an out-of-warranty one, the warranty calculator is exactly the tool for the CVT-risk math.
All of a sudden, the eyesight and collision prevention stopped working, the check engine light came on, the blue light thermostat indicator came on. We had no heat. The flashing "S" (sportsmode indicator) came on. We were driving on the highway and still over an hour from…
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery would become drained after three days of the vehicle not being driven. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed him that the failure was not due to the battery. The contact stated…
The car has 12600ish miles. There are no rock chips, etc. The windshield cracked for no apparent reason. It didn't have any when we parked last night and now there is a 6 inch crack coming from the bottom center. There were no instances of rocks, driving over bumps, etc.the car…
[XXX], driving home, dark at [XXX] in Airway Heights WA. About 10 mins to home, lights in dashboard suddenly lit (brake, check engine, battery icon, water temp icon, 2 yellow colored pictures that had the word “off”, park, ABS, exclamation point next to a circle that had a…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.2 out of 10 based on 831 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2019 Subaru Forester has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
On the NHTSA data, the 2019 Subaru Forester is one to avoid unless a specific vehicle proves otherwise. The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the electrical system was repaired or replaced. The record behind that call: 7 fire-related complaints and 6 crash-related complaints on the electrical system; Powertrain: 38 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 6,500–36,000 mi; Reliability score 6.2/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is visibility, with 387 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 12,557 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop.
The visibility is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 12,557 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 831 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $350, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.