2019 Subaru Forester Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 134about this part
- Share
- 16%of 834 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 8,700miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 134 complaints about the electrical system of the 2019 Subaru Forester, 16% of the 834 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 8,700 miles. 7 of these say a crash was involved and 7 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I had the new 2019 Subaru Forester for not even a month yet, and I have been in the dealership for 5 times regard of power rear gate not opening and cracked right rear quarter glass, which of the two I considered manufacturer defects, but they denied on both issues but could not provide me the reason and proper way of how they're going to handle the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #11207122, filed 2019-05, 300 miles“Twice we were stranded after trying to use the car in the morning and it was completely dead. There was no warning the night before. We've taken it to the dealer and they have replaced the battery - at 20,000 miles! Getting road service was very difficult, since the car is hard to reach in a garage on a hill. Another time my wife drove 15 miles with a constant beeping due to the rear gate latch not closing properly. We have reset the thing dozens of times.”
NHTSA complaint #11416730, filed 2021-05, 15,000 miles“The vehicle had an electric mirror where the back casing was broken. We went to the dealer where we were told it was a cosmetic issue only and they ordered a mirror for us. We left and the vehicle caught on fire while sitting in a driveway turned off. The insurance inspector is saying the fire started in the wiring in the door. The mirror operated 100% without issues, it appears moisture from rain got into the mirror wires which may have caused the fire.”
NHTSA complaint #11320974, filed 2020-04, 30,000 miles“The vehicle was stationary. I pressed the power rear gate open button on the driver side dash, but the rear gate didn't open, and the car just beeped three times. The beeps would happen every time I tried to press the gate button on the car or on the faub. I opened the access panel and manually opened the door, extending the door to full height. When I pressed the buttons on the car, the power gate would go down but would slam shut and the car would issue a long beep. …”
NHTSA complaint #11308060, filed 2020-02, 16,500 miles“Twice last winter I needed to jump start the vehicle because the battery had been drained. This occurred after the vehicle was unused for a period of time. We later realized that the controller area network (can) was operating even when the vehicle was turned off. We learned this when we heard a whirring noise coming from the car at times when it was parked in the garage and not being used. The dealership told me this was normal, and the car was doing what it should. Draining the battery is not normal.”
NHTSA complaint #11416813, filed 2021-05, 8,700 milesRelated service bulletins
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- 11037942Sep 28, 2026This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application.
- 11037938Sep 18, 2026"This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs: DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
- 11037929Sep 14, 2026This 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…
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- 11037927Sep 14, 2026This 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…
- 11037926Sep 10, 2026This 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…
- 11036824Aug 31, 2026This 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…
- 11036804Aug 21, 2026This Announcement provides diagnostic assistance for CVT issues.
- 11036807Aug 20, 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is…
Electrical system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 25% |
| 2025 | 9 | 9% |
| 2024 | 1 | 3% |
| 2023 | 8 | 11% |
| 2022 | 11 | 11% |
| 2021 | 34 | 16% |
| 2020 | 103 | 17% |
| 2019 | 134 | 16% |
| 2018 | 71 | 14% |
| 2017 | 106 | 18% |
| 2016 | 93 | 22% |
| 2015 | 82 | 13% |
| 2014 | 42 | 10% |
| 2013 | 3 | 4% |
| 2012 | 10 | 9% |
| 2011 | 11 | 7% |
| 2010 | 13 | 5% |
| 2009 | 22 | 12% |
| 2008 | 5 | 10% |
| 2007 | 5 | 7% |
| 2006 | 7 | 8% |
| 2005 | 3 | 3% |
| 2004 | 4 | 2% |
| 2003 | 4 | 2% |
| 2001 | 2 | 1% |
| 2000 | 1 | 1% |
| 1999 | 4 | 3% |
| 1998 | 6 | 6% |
Other parts of the 2019 Subaru Forester
406 complaintsOther or unknown
145 complaintsEngine
106 complaintsForward collision avoidance
43 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
38 complaintsVehicle speed control
27 complaintsBrakes
26 complaintsBody and structure
25 complaintsFuel system
22 complaintsAir bags
17 complaintsLane departure
16 complaintsSteering
14 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2019 Subaru Forester
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology