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moderate 14 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Of the 14 steering complaints filed for the 2019 Subaru Forester, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is suspected.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces the design change made to the leather wrapped steering wheels.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2019 model year Forester and Crosstrek vehicles to inspect and, if necessary, replace the power steering gear box. A total of 10,417 U.S. vehicles will be affected by this recall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2019 model year Forester and Crosstrek vehicles to inspect and, if necessary, replace the power steering gear box. A total of 10,417 U.S. vehicles will be affected by this recall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2019 model year Forester and Crosstrek vehicles to inspect and, if necessary, replace the power steering gear box. A total of 10,417 U.S. vehicles will be affected by this recall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The 2019 Forester's steering and engine control systems are generating serious complaints. Most alarming: Lane Keep Assist applies excessive steering force when it misreads painted-over road markings as valid lane lines, forcing vehicles sideways without driver input. One owner needed to overcome this with three times normal assist force to avoid a collision. Multiple owners also report steering seizing completely while driving at highway speeds, with the problem returning after a temporary engine restart.
Steering wheel locking at parking is another pattern—the wheel locks so severely after parking that owners cannot start the vehicle again without extreme physical force. One dealer service manager noted hundreds of annual calls on this issue. Separate complaints describe steering becoming hypersensitive and twitchy above 50 mph, requiring constant correction to stay in lanes.
Engine stalling at highway speed with complete dashboard light activation and EyeSight system shutdown is reported multiple times. One owner's engine shut down in traffic repeatedly after the 30,000-mile service; the dealer eventually replaced a hood sensor but electrical failures continued. Another owner at 64,000 miles faced a stalled engine in highway rush-hour traffic with no power steering—the dealership diagnosed failed tumble generators and required fuel line work, then refused full coverage under warranty.
Brakes, collision assist, and auto start-stop failures also appear tied to these electrical events. Owners report the dealer and Subaru dismissing these as normal or warranty-expired rather than addressing them as defects.
Same Subaru Forester steering reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2020
EyeSight camera system registers dark paint covering old lane markings as valid white lines, causing Lane Keep Assist to apply excessive steering force—approximately three times normal assist force—pushing the vehicle toward adjacent lanes without driver input.
When: Occurs on highways where road workers have painted over old lane markings during construction or repainting
Symptoms owners cite: Forceful, unintended steering input toward incorrect lane; Lane Keep Assist activates despite no actual lane line present; Steering force exceeds normal Lane Keep Assist magnitude
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No response from Subaru when owner contacted; dealer only checked for recalls
Steering becomes completely unresponsive and locked while driving at highway speed (65 mph). Condition resolves temporarily after engine shutdown and restart, but recurs.
When: Approximately 20,210 miles; incidents occur during normal highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden steering wheel lock-up while driving; Complete loss of steering responsiveness
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; issue recurred at dealer during diagnostic appointment
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Referenced NHTSA Campaign 19V065000 (Steering); manufacturer not notified by dealer
Steering wheel locking mechanism engages so severely when vehicle is parked that it cannot be released to start the vehicle again. Requires excessive physical force to disengage.
When: Occurs after leaving vehicle parked and returning; multiple incidents reported
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel becomes immovable when attempting to start vehicle; Requires extreme manual force (owner's body weight and two-person effort) to unlock; Vehicle cannot be started until wheel is forcibly released
Repairs/costs cited: No repair documented; dealer service manager noted hundreds of calls per year on this issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer promised to contact Subaru; no response received
Steering becomes excessively sensitive, twitchy, and unpredictable above 50 mph, requiring constant driver correction. In some cases, steering response is intermittent—power steering assistance cuts in and out.
When: Above 50 mph highway speeds; sensitive at all speeds in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Steering extremely sensitive and twitchy; Constant small steering wheel movements required to maintain lane; Difficult to maintain consistent driving path; Steering response unpredictable on small wheel inputs; Power steering assistance intermittent or absent
Steering wheel jerks out of driver's hands at stoplights. Brake pedal requires excessive pressure (to floorboard) to achieve adequate stopping force. Brakes feel squishy and make unusual noises.
When: Approximately 23,000 miles; occurs at stoplights and during braking
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel jerks suddenly; Brake pedal requires depression to floorboard for adequate stopping; Brakes feel squishy; Unusual brake noises
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle traded in without repair; dealer claimed behavior was normal
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified
Lane Keep Assist prevents normal lane changes even when the feature is switched off. Collision Assist randomly applies braking at highway speeds even when disabled. Brake response becomes squishy and unreliable.
When: Occurs during highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Lane Keep Assist restricts lane changes when feature is off; Extreme steering force required to change lanes; Collision Assist applies random braking at highway speeds; Braking occurs even when Collision Assist is disabled; Brake pedal feels squishy; Brake engagement issues
Engine stalls unexpectedly during normal driving, often at highway speeds and in traffic. Accompanied by complete dashboard warning light activation, EyeSight system disabling, and loss of power steering. Multiple restart attempts required before engine operates normally again.
When: At 64,000 miles and after 30,000-mile dealer service; occurs during highway driving and after service
Symptoms owners cite: Complete engine stall during driving; Check engine light activation; EyeSight disabled warning; Emergency brake light activation; Entire dashboard warning lights illuminate; Loss of power steering function; Vehicle sputters at low speed after stall; Engine shuts down repeatedly after restart
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnosis revealed failed tumble generators on air intake manifold and fuel line replacement needed; dealer covered only $750 of $1,800 repair cost, claiming warranty expired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru and dealership refused full coverage citing warranty expiration; similar failures noted in other 2019 Foresters and prior recalls
Faulty hood sensor triggers a chain of electrical failures including ABS disable, auto start-stop malfunction, engine shutdown mid-traffic, seatbelt alarm false positives, and random ABS shutoff. Issue persists even after dealer hood sensor replacement.
When: After 30,000-mile service; continues after dealer repair attempt
Symptoms owners cite: ABS turns off randomly; Auto start-stop malfunctions; Engine shuts off in traffic; EyeSight system disables; Dashboard lights illuminate; Passenger seatbelt alarm beeps continuously despite empty seat; ABS shuts off randomly after hood sensor replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Hood sensor replaced by dealer; electrical failures continue despite repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated 'everything is fine' after hood sensor replacement; owner reports Subaru dismisses issues as 'just electrical'
Steering wheel is angled toward passenger side at rest. Dealership diagnostic found no detected failure despite visible misalignment.
When: At 4,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel angled to passenger side
Repairs/costs cited: No failure detected during diagnostics
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified
While vehicle is stopped in Auto Start/Stop mode at a traffic light, restarting the vehicle fails. Warning bell sounds and all dashboard warning lights illuminate. Vehicle eventually restarts after approximately one minute.
When: During normal stop-and-go traffic
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not restart from Auto Start/Stop mode; Warning bell sounds; All warning lights illuminate; Vehicle eventually restarts after delay
Vehicle experiences sudden, complete system failure triggering all dashboard warning lights. Vehicle shuts down after engine catches briefly on restart attempts. Cause remains unknown after towing to dealer.
When: During highway driving at 60 mph; vehicle traveled approximately one-quarter mile before stalling
Symptoms owners cite: All dashboard warning lights illuminate simultaneously; Entire vehicle systems shut down; Engine catches then shuts off repeatedly; Vehicle will not remain running
Repairs/costs cited: Towed to dealer; cause listed as unknown
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
I noticed a serious safety issue with Subaru's lane keep assist safety feature: when driving on a busy highway over an area where the dotted line had been painted over with dark paint (by road workers to cover it up for a new lane to be painted) lane keep assist registered it as a line that still exists and forcefully steered me into the lane on my left. To avoid hitting the car in that lane, I…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 14 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Based on the 14 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 14,116 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover steering issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.