Subaru Forester problems
203 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
- Electrical system: 27 complaints, classified severe
- Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average
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.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while shifting the vehicle into the drive gear, the vehicle accelerated at high speed without any warning and drove into the wall of her garage causing front damage to the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle…
Today I replaced my windshield for the second time in less than 6 months of owning the vehicle. The first crack happened a few months after I bought the car with no impact while driving. The second one also happened a couple weeks ago with no impact while driving. After seeing…
Windshield cracked with no impact. Started at top center and is expanding down the center of the windshield. I reached out to Subaru but no response.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH and passing a vehicle, he heard a sound coming from the windshield and the windshield cracked from the driver side to the middle of the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2021 Subaru Forester reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 203 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Subaru Forester is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2021 Subaru Forester?
The 2021 Subaru Forester is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 27 complaints, classified severe; Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2021 Subaru Forester?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is visibility, with 82 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 8,726 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The visibility is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 8,726 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Subaru Forester has open recalls?
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.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2021 Subaru Forester?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 203 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.