Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2019 Subaru Forester owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle in October 2019, five separate cracks had formed on the windshield due to various small debris hitting the windshield while driving at various speeds. On five separate occasions, the contact had taken the vehicle to the same independent mechanic who replaced the windshield each time. Despite each repair, the same failure would occur soon after replacement. Currently, the contact stated that there were two cracks on her windshield, one that had formed on the lower driver side of the windshield and another on the bottom side of the passenger's side windshield. The contact stated that the cracks obstructed her view while driving. The contact stated that there were several dents on the hood. …
In May 2025, I had the passenger-side mirror on my 2019 Subaru Forester replaced at a licensed Subaru dealership. I was told the replacement part would be factory-original and matched to the vehicle's VIN, which specifies a dark metallic grey exterior. After the repair was completed, I noticed that the mirror casing was the wrong color - a visibly lighter grey than the rest of the car. While the mirror is functional and undamaged, the color mismatch may affect how other drivers perceive the vehicle, especially during lane changes or turns. In certain lighting or weather conditions, the inconsistency could potentially cause confusion or misinterpretation of the car's shape or position. The dealership acknowledged that the wrong part color was used based on my VIN, but refused to replace it without full repayment. There were no warning lights or error messages associated with the issue. …
The car has a power assisted hatchback. When it fails to latch, the power is completely drained from the car, and there is zero indication of this happening, until the next day when an attempt is made to start the car. We've been stranded twice in our car and twice on the road. It's all due to the robotics not getting a signal to stop trying to keep it open. We notified the dealer twice by April of 2021. The second time they replaced the battery and we failed to convince them that this was a symptom, not the cause per many TSBs. In March of 2022 we were traveling and the hatch failed to latch. It would beep all the time. We took it to another dealer in Baton Rouge, who ordered a latch back in Atlanta. We drove it hundreds of mails beeping. The electrical system failed the next morning - again. We got the car started, made it back to Atlanta, and had the latch replaced by a 3rd dealer. …
The pneumatic manual liftgate rear door holders by HANI PRECISION CO are defective. From one day to the other, these stopped working for absolutely no reason. I am extremely concerned about having my skull crushed if the temporary stick I am using to hold it comes down when door is in use. I can no longer open the rear lift hatch door because these two pneumatic holders no longer work. My family have purchased at least 10 Subaru vehicles. Not ever have we ever have experienced this issue. The Subaru Forester was purchased in 2019 and current mileage 34,157. This is the second issue I have encountered with this car. The first was defective tires that required replacement after 15k miles. After having not one but two problems with this Subaru, I will NEVER purchase another vehicle from Subaru. They are providing DEFECTIVE parts despite the cars costing close to $30k. …
I was parking at a busy ski center, car in drive as I was slowly pulling into an open space, car in first row of vehicles facing a small road. The road connects the parking lot with the ski shop . 5 MPH would be normal speed on this road, where pedestrian skiers walk from the lot to the ski shop. Before I could stop to turn off the car, the engine started revving crazily, the car lurched forward and accelerated on its own. Brakes would not respond. I was able to steer onto the road, car accelerating faster and faster, no brakes, no control. There was a small car driving slowly some distance ahead, and I was gaining on it fast, a split second away from crushing it, so I deliberately swerved into a snowbank, hit some trees, and that finally stopped my car. I was unhurt. Extensive front end damage and passenger door damage front and back, and roof rack damage. …
Car caught fire after a relatively slow (less than 35 mph) collision with a Chevrolet Tahoe. Other vehicle was driveable, my Subaru Forester caught fire.
The back lift gate will randomly stop opening. This has only been tested when the vehicle is stopped, in park with either engine running or shut off. It will sound 3 short beep/tones but will not function appropriately when the lift gate button is pushed in either the interior control, the key fob control, or the actual button on the lift gate. The only thing that fixes the issue is to disconnect the positive battery cable for a few minutes and reconnect it. This fix is temporary and the lift gate will again have the same issue. When discussing with the Subaru dealership they could not duplicate the issue.
My 2019 Forester premium, 6 weeks old and <200 miles on it was parked in my driveway overnight. It was cold out that night. When I got into my car I turned in the heated windshield and regular heat in the car. Moments later and while still parked in the driveway, the windshield cracked from the windshield heating element halfway up to the top. Brought it to the auto glass place nearby, where it was noted by the technician that no impact point was present. He documented this on my work order / receipt. The windshield was on backorder for 3 weeks but was finally installed.
Have taken my brand new 2019 Subaru Forester sport to local dealership a total of 5 times in 2 months regarding the rear hatch not opening. They state to reset it I need to disconnect the battery and let it discharge, then connect the terminals. This is a headache and a major inconvenience to have to do when you have loads of items you need to load into the vehicle. This is definitely defective and needs to be recalled by Subaru to fix. Doesn't matter if the vehicle is on a flat surface or if it is at an incline. The rear hatch will get stuck and can't open it.
The 2019 Subaru Forester with the electric rear door, has an almost impossible manual release mechanism for the interior rear hatch door (the 5th door at the rear). A little panel has to be removed using a screw drive to access the manual release. There is no sign or indication that the particular panel has the release behind it. If for some reason there is an emergency that necessitates the emergency use of that rear door, the victim will never get the door open unless (1) they know of the panel and (2) they have a screw driver with them!
Body complaints in other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2019 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the body & structure of the 2019 Subaru Forester, 3% of the model year's 834 complaints. The component named most often is body (22 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2019 Subaru Forester body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2019 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 2019 Subaru Forester body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 6,000 miles, and 93% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.