IllustrationWINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN VEHICLE WAS 5 WEEKS OLD
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Forester years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
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 reportsWHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT MY FORESTER LUNGED FORWARD EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. ALSO, WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES FEELS AS THOUGH IT WANTS TO ACCELERATE EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TOO HARD.
WHILE PARKED AT WORK, MY WINDOW CRACKED ABOUT 10-12' RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT FORMED FROM A SMALL PIT IN THE WINDOW. EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS MAYBE 5 WEEKS OLD, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THESE SMALL PITS ALL OVER THE WINDOW WHICH COULD BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MY FRIEND HAS A 2020 FORESTER THAT HAD THE…
Read full complaint
WHILE PARKED AT WORK, MY WINDOW CRACKED ABOUT 10-12' RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT FORMED FROM A SMALL PIT IN THE WINDOW. EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS MAYBE 5 WEEKS OLD, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THESE SMALL PITS ALL OVER THE WINDOW WHICH COULD BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MY FRIEND HAS A 2020 FORESTER THAT HAD THE WINDOW CRACK IN THE SAME FASHION AFTER ABOUT 5 WEEKS OF OWNING THE CAR AS WELL. I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE WINDOW.
I HAVE OWNED THE CAR ONLY SINCE NOV AND ON MY FIRST ROAD TRIP LAST MONTH THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING HOME TO NEW ORLEANS FROM MOBILE, AL. A COLD FRONT WAS COMING THROUGH AND IT WAS RAINING. WE DROVE FROM A WARMER AIR MASS INTO THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. AT FIRST WE COULD NOT SEE THE CRACK BUT WHEN WE NOTICED…
Read full complaint
I HAVE OWNED THE CAR ONLY SINCE NOV AND ON MY FIRST ROAD TRIP LAST MONTH THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING HOME TO NEW ORLEANS FROM MOBILE, AL. A COLD FRONT WAS COMING THROUGH AND IT WAS RAINING. WE DROVE FROM A WARMER AIR MASS INTO THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. AT FIRST WE COULD NOT SEE THE CRACK BUT WHEN WE NOTICED THE CRACK IT WAS ALREADY ABOUT 5 INCHES LONG AND BY THE TIME WE COULD STOP TO LOOK AT THE WINDSHIELD IT HAD GROWN TO OVER 18 INCHES LONG.03
WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES I CAUGHT A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD, SAFELITE REPAIRED THAT CRACK AND FILLED IT, THEN LATER THAT NIGHT WITH NO CARS AROUND ME ANOTHER ROCK HITS THE WINDSHIELD AND IT'S GOT A HUGE CRACK...THE CAR IS A 2021 WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES ON AND IT AND I NEED A NEW WINDSHIELD ALREADY!! I'VE OWNED CARS FOR YEARS AND…
Read full complaint
WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES I CAUGHT A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD, SAFELITE REPAIRED THAT CRACK AND FILLED IT, THEN LATER THAT NIGHT WITH NO CARS AROUND ME ANOTHER ROCK HITS THE WINDSHIELD AND IT'S GOT A HUGE CRACK...THE CAR IS A 2021 WITH LESS THAT 800 MILES ON AND IT AND I NEED A NEW WINDSHIELD ALREADY!! I'VE OWNED CARS FOR YEARS AND THIS HASN'T HAPPENED. I FEEL THE GLASS IS DEFECTIVE OR WEAK.
THE CAR IS TWO MONTHS OLD AND THE BATTERY DIED (NOTHING WAS LEFT ON)!
I HAVE A 2021 SUBARU FORESTER, BOUGHT IN OCT. 2020. THE VEHICLE WAS PARK IN THE GARAGE. I WENT TO GET INTO THE CAR AND NOTICE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.