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Vehicle speed controlPart report

2019 Subaru Forester Vehicle speed control Problems

Complaints
27about this part
Share
3%of 834 total for the year
Median mileage
12,000miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 27 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 2019 Subaru Forester, 3% of the 834 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 12,000 miles. 6 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Often, but not always, mostly when turning left from a stop as at a traffic light the car will hesitate and lose power and speed. Then I try to accelerate and the car surges forward too fast. I feel that I am going to stall in the intersection.”

NHTSA complaint #11307105, filed 2020-02, 1,600 miles

“When I start my car via Subaru starlink the following technical issues occur voice over bluetooth gets distorted, apple carplay does not connect or affects radio first was noticed jan 23, 2019. Also, power rear gate door would fail and would not open with rear gate button, dash button or via key fob as this on and off problem also noticed after car is started via remote app starlink. Power gate problem reported first on jan 23, 2019 and continues through the present date. …”

NHTSA complaint #11230315, filed 2019-07, 663 miles

“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. …”

NHTSA complaint #11310740, filed 2020-02, 12,000 miles

“Saturday, dec 26, around 2:30-3pm I was leaving estes park colorado, driving down a windy mountain road. At this time I was applying my brakes around the corners and , constant on/off from the brake pedal. During one of these braking moments on a corner my car accelerated instead, as I'm applying the brake, for 1-2 seconds. It's like a lurch forward instead of a brake. Then it corrected itself and did not do this again. I also experienced this phenomenon when driving in the snow in 2019. It occurred 3-4 times when I was driving in the snow applying the brake frequently. …”

NHTSA complaint #11385353, filed 2020-12, 9,000 miles

“In our 2 week old 2019 Forester, we were driving on the freeway at 65mph and felt a sudden jolt and the car shut off: the lights on the dashboard went off, the headlights went off, the turn signals would not work and the accelerator wasn't working. We guided the car off the freeway and sat on the side of the freeway. The dealer's master mechanic cannot find any code that tells them what is wrong so they tell us there is nothing to fix. This is outrageous. This was a life-threatening event so we do not feel safe driving the car for ourselves and other cars on the freeway. …”

NHTSA complaint #11195742, filed 2019-04, 1,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202613%
202555%
202413%
202368%
202299%
2021126%
2020244%
2019273%
2018306%
2017336%
2016379%
20157011%
20144210%
201379%
20121817%
2011139%
2010249%
20091911%
2008612%
2007811%
20062023%
20051718%
2004125%
2003158%
20022326%
20012921%
200045%
199965%
19981414%

Other parts of the 2019 Subaru Forester

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
406 complaints
Other or unknown
145 complaints
Electrical system
134 complaints
Engine
106 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
43 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
38 complaints
Brakes
26 complaints
Body and structure
25 complaints
Fuel system
22 complaints
Air bags
17 complaints
Lane departure
16 complaints
Steering
14 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2019 Subaru Forester

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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