Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Subaru Forester owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal sound and noticed that the windshield had cracked. The contact stated that the crack expanded to approximately 12 inches. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.
I have a 2016 Subaru Forester. One day I noticed the windshield of my 2016 Subaru Forester cracked in the garage. I do not recall any stone or point of impact while driving. It seems that the crack started from the right-side edge of the windshield extending to the midline. I have to repair this because the crack is getting worse. no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to this. I have seen this in 2015 or 2016 Subaru Outback or Legacy for which a recall was announced. However, I do not see this for the Forester yet. The dealer confirmed this, but I got the same answer (no recall).
The windshield cracked without incident while parked. The is the exact same issue for which there is a class action lawsuit against Subaru for year models 2017-2020. The crack has spread to the drivers side and is obstructing the view. The dealer has reviewed the issue and provided a price quote but will not cover under the extended covered ordered as result of the class action lawsuit. There was no warning of this issue prior to noticing the cracking.
On 2/18/2020 a spontaneous windshield breakage event occured on my 2016 Subaru Forester while stopped at a stoplight on a city street. A crack developed in the windshield. The point of origin was the embedded windshield wiper blade de-icer element on the driver's side. A horizontal crack then spread from left to right across the windshield transversing the area directly above the de-icer heating element. I took the car to the local Subaru dealer's service department on 2/19/2020 where the service manager assessed the windshield, determining that there weren't any impact marks responsible for the spontaneous windshield breakage. He took pictures, completed an order on record and filed a report with the regional Subaru office. Claim #tl1-53388627724. …
We noticed a tiny chip in the windshield one day. We did not see or hear it happen and it was too small to repair (no bubble to fill), so we had no choice but to leave it alone and hope it didn't spread. A few weeks later the weather changed and it became a 2ft long crack across the driver's side of the windshield. The dealer told me today that the manufacturer would cover it only if the crack originated from the bottom, not from a rock in the middle. However, the problem of weak glass that easily chips and then cracks is widespread with this vehicle and it is clearly related to the glass heater, which heats the bottom but not the top of the windshield. The combination of weak glass under tension and differential heating is a design flaw for which the manufacturer should be responsible.
The windshield seems to be brittle. Rock chips develop into long cracks that continue lengthening within weeks. Rock chips cannot be repaired without further cracking continuing. One technician tried six times to repair a crack. The windshield had to be replaced for $802.13 and a claim filed with insurance. Within 14 months the windshield has developed a snacking crack that is continuing to grow from a rock chip again. It's concerning that another insurance claim will need to be filed and that the windshield can not withstand normal rock chips. It is also concerning how the windshield will perform in an accident. Also the required windshield to maintain 'eyesight' is not affordable without filing an insurance claim. The chips develop when driving 50-65 miles an hour on the highway.
I was driving down there highway in utah with no vehicles in front of me. I heard a loud cracking noise come from the passenger side upper corner of the windshield. I stopped and inspected the windshield and did not see and chips or cracks. I kept driving on the highway for approximately 4 hours and when I stopped I noticed a 4 inch crack in the upper area of the passenger side where the original cracking noise came from. There was significant temperature fluctuations this past week while in utah (30f at night and 60-65f during the day). The highway was smooth (not bumpy or rough). It was a clear and sunny day.
I had dropped my car off at the shop for a recall. On the drive home, when I was about 6 miles from the shop, I stopped at a traffic light. Suddenly my front window cracked from right above the rearview mirror down the center of the window and then over towards the driver's side. I've attached a photo of the crack. The shop reviewed their video of the work on the car and said they did not see anything that had struck the window. It was a very hot day and I had just turned my air conditioning up all the way right before the window cracked. The street I was on was a 4-lane county road.
My car was parked and the window suddenly shattered for no reason. If I had been driving this could have caused a serious accident. It was only 76 degrees and suddenly I heard a loud noise. Now there is glass all inside my door. This could have been very dangerous. I think it must have been a defected window. I have had my car parked at work on hotter days such as 97 degrees with no problem. This is a new car and my first summer owning it and I have to have this occur. I have pictures but had taken them with my phone camera. If needed I can send them to a website from my phone.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side window imploded with a loud noise, without impact, leaving pieces of glass, large enough to cause severe injuries. There were no injuries reported. The contact called koeppel Subaru located at 42-01 northern blvd, queens, ny 11101, [phone], and scheduled an appointment to have the vehicle inspected. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2016 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2016 Subaru Forester, 6% of the model year's 415 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Subaru Forester window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2016 Subaru Forester, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Subaru Forester window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.