2019 Subaru Forester Engine Problems
Owners have filed 106 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2019 Subaru Forester, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 18,253 miles. The words owners use most often: “thermo control” (22% of reports).
- 106engine complaints
- 18,253median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Thermo control: mentioned in 23 of 106 complaints (22%)
- Start stop: mentioned in 13 of 106 complaints (12%)
- Eyesight disabled: mentioned in 9 of 106 complaints (8%)
- Valve failed: mentioned in 8 of 106 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 20 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 106 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 7 a fire.
Subaru Forester engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2025 Forester | 4 | 4% | 15,000 |
| 2024 Forester | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Forester | 5 | 7% | 200 |
| 2022 Forester | 10 | 10% | 5,000 |
| 2021 Forester | 33 | 16% | 30,000 |
| 2020 Forester | 81 | 13% | 29,300 |
| 2019 Forester | 106 | 13% | 18,253 |
| 2018 Forester | 32 | 6% | 20,000 |
| 2017 Forester | 47 | 8% | 17,650 |
| 2016 Forester | 60 | 14% | 42,000 |
| 2015 Forester | 131 | 21% | 46,340 |
| 2014 Forester | 69 | 17% | 36,643 |
| 2013 Forester | 27 | 35% | 82,000 |
| 2012 Forester | 27 | 26% | 86,000 |
| 2011 Forester | 60 | 41% | 73,500 |
| 2010 Forester | 34 | 13% | 85,000 |
| 2009 Forester | 27 | 15% | 92,000 |
| 2008 Forester | 7 | 14% | 113,000 |
| 2007 Forester | 9 | 12% | 102,500 |
| 2006 Forester | 11 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2005 Forester | 3 | 3% | 153,000 |
| 2004 Forester | 23 | 11% | 110,000 |
| 2003 Forester | 12 | 6% | 133,000 |
| 2002 Forester | 1 | 1% | 160,823 |
| 2001 Forester | 2 | 1% | 127,358 |
| 1999 Forester | 3 | 2% | 125,700 |
| 1998 Forester | 1 | 1% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: 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.
Risk: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While at a Stop as the engine turns off and awaits decompression of brake to turn on again vehicle moves forward bit, then the engine shuts down while in drive (stalls) had a vehicle hit me in rear but luckily I had my trailer hitch on because it saved me from body damage . I had to place in park…
Engine lost power and was misfiring while many warning symbols appeared on the dash. There was a divider separating the lanes. The car coasted to almost to a stop, but the engine chugged enough to slowly turn left at the first opening in the divider and just barely made it off the main road. The…
I have reported this before but it never went anywhere. When at a red light or in a traffic slowdown, the car will activate the auto start/stop system. Three times in the past 2 days, the car would not turn back on and required me to turn the car off and back on again. You can imagine that this…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2019 Subaru Foresters have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 106 owner complaints about engine for the 2019 Subaru Forester (13% of the 834 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2019 Subaru Forester engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 18,253 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2019 Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “thermo control”, in 23 of 106 complaints, followed by “start stop” (13).
Other 2019 Subaru Forester problems
See all 2019 Subaru Forester problems or engine problems across all Forester years.