AI Damage2021 Subaru Forester: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Subaru Forester filed 211 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and electrical system. The maker issued 361 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 211
- involving a crash
- 16
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 361
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 43% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 16% of all complaints
- 4 Forward collision avoidance 8% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- 7 Lane departure 4% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints
- Visibility: 90 complaints (43% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Electrical system: 33 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 216.
- Engine: 33 complaints (16% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 38.
- Forward collision avoidance: 17 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Powertrain: 15 complaints (7% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 34.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- CVTnamed in 2 complaints
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 211 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 90 | 0 | 6 |
| Electrical system | 33 | 1 | 216 |
| Engine | 33 | 4 | 38 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 17 | 0 | 4 |
| Powertrain | 15 | 5 | 34 |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 6 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | 1 | 15 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 16 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 | 9 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Backover prevention | 2 | 0 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that while driving at approximately 4 MPH and slowing to park, the vehicle accelerated on its own. The contact stated that the vehicle drove out of the parking lot and crashed into a wall.
While driving on I-17 Southbound near mile marker 311 at approximately 75 mph, I experienced a sudden and dangerous malfunction of the Lane Keep Assist (Auto-Steer) system in a 2021 Subaru Forester.
The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was not towed. The Steering Responsive Headlight Warning Light was illuminated. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. No Injuries were reported. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not repaired.
The car shut off several times, with the steering wheel locking up and becoming stiff, the brakes failing to respond, and loud, erratic sounds emanating from the vehicle. The car is available for inspection. 2. Yes, the car crashed resulting in damage to the car, driver, and other driver (e.g. car in front). 3.
The 2021 Subaru Forester had been functioning normally with no warning lights. About 25 minutes into the drive I had come to a stop light on an upward incline. When the light turned green I moved from the brake to the gas as usual. However the auto-start function on the car failed, causing the engine to stall.
The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to turn off. No one was injured. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,000.
Car was parked on driveway (6 degree slope to rear) Car was placed in park Driver exited car to go into house when she came out car had rolled down the driveway to hit another car parked across street rear facing bot cars had rear damage.
The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, she shifted the gear shifter into reverse(R) and the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and lunged backward, crashing into another vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle made abnormally loud noises and was extremely hot after it was turned off.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 311 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Forester has 314 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 211, below average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines
- This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles
- "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs
DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
- This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and…
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a…
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc
(SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying repairs to the…
- This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during…
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water…
This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water intrusion from the sunroof area.This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water…
This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water intrusion from the sunroof area. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top…
This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top center retaining nut area of the front strut mounts. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on…
This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on the TR580 model CVT transmissions used in the models listed.
NHTSA lists 361 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Subaru Forester?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 211. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (11%), stalls while driving (6%), windows, sunroof (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA lists 361 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2021 Subaru Forester from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2021 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.