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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2019 Subaru Forester is associated with 832 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Visibility & Wipers, accounting for 346 reports (42% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 1 certified vehicle configuration spanning 2.5l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 29 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 832 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Visibility & Wipers (346 / 42%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 36 crash / 11 fire / 15 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 29–29 MPG across 1 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2019 Subaru Forester?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Forester AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S7) 26 MPG 33 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2019 Subaru Forester?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV AWD 16.900000000000002%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2019 Subaru Forester models.
View complete 2019 Subaru Forester crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2019 Subaru Forester?

Summary of 832 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
832
Crash Reports
36
Fire Reports
11
Complaints w/ Injury
15
Total Injuries
20

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Visibility & Wipers 346 complaints
Electrical System 73 complaints (1 crash)
Engine 35 complaints (1 crash)
Visibility / Glass 32 complaints
Powertrain 11 complaints (3 crashes)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2019 Subaru Forester problems & component breakdown (109 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2019 Subaru Forester?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #21V263000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SUSPENSION:REAR

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #19V856000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #19V065000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2019 Subaru Forester recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2019 Subaru Forester

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2019 Subaru Forester

How many safety recalls does the 2019 Subaru Forester have?

The 2019 Subaru Forester is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 3 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2019 Subaru Forester?

NHTSA records list 832 consumer defect complaints for the 2019 Subaru Forester. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Visibility & Wipers, appearing in 346 filings (42% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2019 Subaru Forester defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2019 Subaru Forester?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2019 Subaru Forester earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2019 Subaru Forester get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2019 Subaru Forester range from 29 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.