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2021 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 Subaru Forester do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 131.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 37 of 207 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports5 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

207 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2021
Visibility/wiper

The windshield was hit by a small stone on highway and show a minor chip mark a while ago. Nothing else happened and the chip mark remain as it happened on my other vehicles. I parked in my indoor garage as usual on the July 4 weekend. When I pull out the vehicle to work on Tuesday. I was terrible surprised by finding long crack…

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The windshield was hit by a small stone on highway and show a minor chip mark a while ago. Nothing else happened and the chip mark remain as it happened on my other vehicles. I parked in my indoor garage as usual on the July 4 weekend. When I pull out the vehicle to work on Tuesday. I was terrible surprised by finding long cracks appeared on my windshield. One of them is more than a foot long.

NHTSA ODI #11423699

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2021
Suspension

Top bolt on strut fell out. Caused wheel to collapse and bent drive axle.

NHTSA ODI #11423682

Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2021
Visibility/wiper

This is the second cracked windshield on our new Subaru Forester in the past four months. We purchased the car new just over six months ago (12/29/2020). The first time, the windshield cracked, something hit the windshield while driving. The crack was extensive and we paid to replace the windshield on 3/22/2021. The second tim…

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This is the second cracked windshield on our new Subaru Forester in the past four months. We purchased the car new just over six months ago (12/29/2020). The first time, the windshield cracked, something hit the windshield while driving. The crack was extensive and we paid to replace the windshield on 3/22/2021. The second time something hit the windshield while driving (on 6/8/2021), it just chipped the windshield, and since the chip was a small star, less than the size of a quarter, we had the chip repaired to prevent further damage (on 6/10/2021). Today (7/4/2021), the windshield cracked while the car was parked in the driveway. The crack extends from the original chip. Since an intact windshield is critical to the safety of the vehicle, we will replace the windshield again. See attached photos and receipts. It is disappointing to have to replace the windshield twice within the first seven months we have owned the car. This seemed so unusual, I searched online to see if other Subaru owners have had similar problems. There is evidence that this has happened to others as well, so this may be a bigger issue. See https://www.subaruforester.org/threads/2021-3-days-new-and-my-windshield-is-crack-already-moan.821592/ and https://www.torquenews.com/1084/can-your-subaru-windshield-shatter-its-own-new-forester-and-outback-owners-say-yes

NHTSA ODI #11423415

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2021
Unknown Or Other

I was on highway and I was not tailgating other cars. While on highway, a tiny rock (so tiny didn't even see it make impact) hit the windshield of my 2021 Subaru Forester. It left less than .5 inch of crack on windshield. The next day, the crack grew to the edge to over of half the windshield. The windshield is surprisingly extr…

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I was on highway and I was not tailgating other cars. While on highway, a tiny rock (so tiny didn't even see it make impact) hit the windshield of my 2021 Subaru Forester. It left less than .5 inch of crack on windshield. The next day, the crack grew to the edge to over of half the windshield. The windshield is surprisingly extremely weak and susceptible to cracking and breaking. If such a tiny rock cause cause that much damage to the windshield, I fear for my safety and passengers' safety if larger hail or other debris will hit the windshield. Worse, if an accident would occur face-on, we will not be protected by the windshield. This is unacceptable that the windshield is weak and poorly manufactured. I brought car to the dealership and they inspected and took photos. I have also contacted Subaru corporate and I am waiting for their follow-up contact.

NHTSA ODI #11423036

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2021
Visibility/wiper

Unknown crack in front windshield

NHTSA ODI #11422493

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2021
Visibility/wiper

The windshield cracked for no reason. It’s hotter than average today, about 102 F at the time of the incident.

NHTSA ODI #11421441

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2021
Visibility/wiper

For no observed reason, the windshield cracked while the car was parked in the shade between the hours of 11:56 - 12:43 PM. The crack appeared to originate from the lower right corner and spread diagonally towards the center of the windshield.

NHTSA ODI #11421390

Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2021
Visibility/wiper

Cracked Front Windshield location is bottom passanger side by wiper up left to towards the rear view mirror. Car is a new 2021 Subaru Forester.

NHTSA ODI #11421150

Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2021
Visibility/wiper

The windshield cracked at 1,700 miles, while parked. The car had no visible chips/cracks and is brand new. After researching, it is apparently a common defect with the Subaru windshield. Crack is comparable to photos of other Subaru Forester owners. Seems that Subaru should already be aware of this problem and issue a recall on …

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The windshield cracked at 1,700 miles, while parked. The car had no visible chips/cracks and is brand new. After researching, it is apparently a common defect with the Subaru windshield. Crack is comparable to photos of other Subaru Forester owners. Seems that Subaru should already be aware of this problem and issue a recall on the windshield

NHTSA ODI #11420487

Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 2021
Visibility/wiper

Windshield on the car has a 18" crack after no impact. It was brand new when we got it just over 2 months ago. Only 1500 miles on the car and already the windshield cracked so badly that it's beyond repair and needs to be replaced. This is a known issue with Subarus that they have not addressed

NHTSA ODI #11419844

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems