RecallRadar

Home → Subaru → Forester → 2019

2019 Subaru Forester Recalls & Complaints

3

open safety recalls on record

Serious

1,084 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.31 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious21V263000

Suspension:Rear

Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21.

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.

Serious19V856000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Crankcase (Pcv)

unexpected loss of power while driving can raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.

Serious19V065000

Steering:Electric Power Assist System

Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

None of the affected vehicles have been sold yet. Subaru has notified dealers and they will inspect the steering gearbox, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUC-88.

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Forester and Crosstrek vehicles. A connector inside the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) unit may short circuit resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.

Complaint volume

1,084 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

63Crashes
26Fires
30Injuries
1Deaths

Across 1,084 complaints. Severity Index 0.31.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Visibility/Wiper370 · 34%Unknown Or Other144 · 13%Electrical System132 · 12%Engine106 · 10%Power Train37 · 3%Visibility · Windshield33 · 3%Forward Collision Avoidan…27Vehicle Speed Control23
  1. Visibility/Wiper — 370 reports
  2. Unknown Or Other — 144 reports
  3. Electrical System — 132 reports
  4. Engine — 106 reports
  5. Power Train — 37 reports
  6. Visibility:Windshield — 33 reports
  7. Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking — 27 reports
  8. Vehicle Speed Control — 23 reports
  9. Service Brakes — 22 reports
  10. Structure:Body — 22 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1998 (1) · 1999 (1) · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 (1) · 2003 (3) · 2004 (2) · 2005 (1) · 2006 (2) · 2007 (1) · 2008 (1) · 2009 (18) · 2010 (17) · 2011 (16) · 2012 (15) · 2013 (12) · 2014 (2) · 2015 (3) · 2016 (3) · 2017 (1) · 2018 (3) · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 (1) · 2023 (1) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (3) · 2026 (3)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

From the same data desk

Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.

TireFit
Is that tyre actually right for your car?
2,808 fitment guides
FuelFacts
What that trip really costs in fuel
Live consumption data
CostCompare
What things cost, city by city
2,123 comparisons