2021 Subaru Forester Visibility/wiper Problems
Owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA about visibility/wiper problems on the 2021 Subaru Forester, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 2,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “windshield cracked” (34% of reports).
- 76visibility/wiper complaints
- 2,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 66%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.
- Windshield cracked: mentioned in 26 of 76 complaints (34%)
- Inch crack: mentioned in 6 of 76 complaints (8%)
- Small rock: mentioned in 5 of 76 complaints (7%)
- Inches long: mentioned in 5 of 76 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems happen?
Based on 9 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 76 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Subaru Forester visibility/wiper complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility/wiper complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 5 | 18% | — |
| 2025 Forester | 13 | 13% | 1,000 |
| 2024 Forester | 5 | 17% | — |
| 2023 Forester | 11 | 15% | — |
| 2022 Forester | 20 | 20% | — |
| 2021 Forester | 76 | 36% | 2,000 |
| 2020 Forester | 252 | 42% | 5,000 |
| 2019 Forester | 370 | 44% | 8,000 |
| 2018 Forester | 135 | 27% | 18,000 |
| 2017 Forester | 104 | 18% | 31,000 |
| 2016 Forester | 20 | 5% | 36,350 |
| 2015 Forester | 23 | 4% | 26,000 |
| 2014 Forester | 9 | 2% | 25,000 |
| 2013 Forester | 1 | 1% | 27,000 |
| 2012 Forester | 2 | 2% | 40,496 |
| 2011 Forester | 3 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Forester | 5 | 2% | 30,385 |
| 2009 Forester | 4 | 2% | 119,400 |
| 2008 Forester | 1 | 2% | 50,000 |
| 2003 Forester | 2 | 1% | 90,750 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists visibility/wiper for the 2021 Subaru Forester. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Windshield cracks with the slightest rock hit making the windshield unsafe to continue use. Had two replacements in first six months
Having repeat issues with the windshield cracking. My vehicle has around 32k miles, and I'm already on my 3rd windshield. I've never had this issue with any other vehicle. It's been extremely costly. Also the transmission failed and had to be replaced at 26,000 miles.
The front windshield is covered in chips all over it I've got a few bigger ones repaired. However the whole windshield needs to be replaced I don't even know where they've come from I mean the whole windshield is just covered and tiny little chips and when the sun shines on it while you're driving…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Subaru Foresters have visibility/wiper problems?
No. NHTSA has 76 owner complaints about visibility/wiper for the 2021 Subaru Forester (36% of the 210 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 2021 Subaru Forester visibility/wiper?
No recall currently lists visibility/wiper for this vehicle.
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems start?
The median reported mileage is 2,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about visibility/wiper problems on the 2021 Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “windshield cracked”, in 26 of 76 complaints, followed by “inch crack” (6).
See all 2021 Subaru Forester problems or visibility/wiper problems across all Forester years.