Model year record
2021 Subaru Forester recalls & problems
The 2021 Subaru Forester has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 212 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is visibility/wiper (76 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2021 Subaru Forester.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2021 Subaru Forester SUV AWD
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover risk | 16.9% |
Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Forester AWD
| City / highway | 26 / 33 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.5 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AV-S7) · All-Wheel Drive · about $2,300/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 76 | 2,000 mi |
| Unknown or other | 42 | — |
| Electrical system | 34 | 14,376 mi |
| Engine | 34 | 30,000 mi |
| Forward collision avoidanceAutomatic emergency braking; Warnings | 22 | — |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission | 15 | 11,250 mi |
| VisibilityWindshield | 14 | 8,750 mi |
| Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal | 12 | 7,000 mi |
| Lane departureBlind spot detection; Warning | 9 | — |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | — |
| Service brakes | 7 | — |
| SuspensionRear | 4 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Electrical system
I was stopped at a red light. When the light changed to green I put my foot on the gas and the car totally stalled out. There were no lights, fans or radio on just total silence. I tried to restart the car putting it is park and depressing the brake while pushing the start button and nothing. It didn't even try to turn over. silent, dead. I tried several times with no luck. I got out of the car to signal to the bus and row of cars behind me to pass me. I got back into the car and tried to start it again and this time it started. I drove immediately to the mechanic near my house. They couldn't see what was going on without me leaving the car next week. The battery had been replaced 6 months…
- Structure › Body
Thereâs two brackets that are at the top of the tailgate, and also at the top of the body where they meet to match up, The bracket on the right sits flush, the bracket on the left since indented about a 1/4â give or take. Because itâs painted by the factory, thereâs no cracks around the bracket and the paint, meaning it happened at the factory. Iâve looked at other cars that are in that same model year bracket between 2018 and 2025, and theyâre all variations of the Subaru Forrester. Didnât matter if a sport or limited any of that. They all have the same indented left hand bracket that is causing mold on the interior of the car, some worse than others, and I spoke to the…
- Unknown or other1 injury
Driver side rear window spontaneously failed while driving on the highway. Passenger experienced cuts due to glass fragments
- Power train
The transmission very suddenly (perfectly fine one day, bad the next) developed a severe transmission slip. Like getting rear ended feeling transmission slip. Dealership quotes the CVT control valve body.
- Fuel/propulsion system
On two separate occasions, less than one year apart after Subaru Service replaced my battery with a âlargerâ battery without my knowledge my vehicle suffered sudden, catastrophic electrical failure while moving in active highway traffic, causing an immediate loss of propulsion and creating a life-threatening safety hazard. This has happened two times the second time less than a year after the âlargerâ battery replacement. This car has less than 50,000 miles on it and has a perfect service record all done at AutoNation Subaru Carlsbad. We refuse to drive this car, even though it has been serviced and a new battery has, yet again, been installed. We have no faith in this car and are…
- Electrical system
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while trying to roll up vehicle windows from driver sits and passenger sit they would roll up to 3/4th all the way up and they would roll back down after. The contact stated this was a recurring event. The dealer was aware of failure and diagnosed issue needing repairs for window regulator and run channels for driver and passengers side. Manufacturer was made aware of failure and let contact know it was outside of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 22,500.
- Electrical system
My 2021 Subaru Forester has a recurring, worsening defect in the Idle Stop/Start (ISS) system that creates a stalling hazard. When ISS shuts the engine off at a stop, the engine intermittently fails to restart when I try to move again. It cranks progressively slower, warning lights illuminate, a continuous alert sounds, and the vehicle cannot proceed until I shift to Park and restart manually. This has left me immobile in live traffic at lights, stop signs, and mid-turn. The system also attempts to shut down in unfavorable moments, such as mid-turn, or as I am already releasing the brake (meaning it was depressed only lightly or briefly); it then tries to restart while still mid-shutdown,…
- Electrical system
Persistent Battery Drain on a 2021 Subaru Forester Limited. Problems began in year 4 of ownership (~17,000 mileage), after Subaru Starlink Subscription services expired. Red (Error) Starlink SOS indicator light was evident, where a normal light would show green. Battery would fully drain after about 3-4 days of inactivity while parked in a commercial garage. After repeated dead batteries, a jump-starter battery pack was used regularly, as well as a wall-outlet battery charger. The problem has not resolved with a new and appropriately specified AGM battery, replaced in December 2025. The only solution is to pull the engine-bay fuse #5, which disables the Data Communication Module (DCM), as…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.