2021 Subaru Forester Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) Problems
- Complaints
- 90about this part
- Share
- 42%of 212 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 4,650miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 90 complaints about the visibility of the 2021 Subaru Forester, 42% of the 212 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 4,650 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Windshield cracked without warning. There was no damage to the windshield at 9am when I walked in to my office building, when I came out at 5:15 pm there was a large crack stretching from the passenger side towards the center. The vehicle had been parked all day, in a very slow office building complex (there were 3 of us at work) parked along the front walkway, there is no foot traffic around our building.”
NHTSA complaint #11415347, filed 2021-05, 1,805 miles“My windshield just cracked for a second time within 6 months of buying my car. I had it replaced when it cracked the first time less than a month after I bought it. It just cracked for a second time less than three months after having it replaced at an authorized place.”
NHTSA complaint #11414759, filed 2021-05, 3,313 miles“While parked at work, my window cracked about 10-12' right down the middle. It looks like it formed from a small pit in the window. Even though the car is maybe 5 weeks old, it looks like there are a bunch of these small pits all over the window which could be a manufacturing defect. My friend has a 2020 Forester that had the window crack in the same fashion after about 5 weeks of owning the car as well. I have attached a picture of the damage to the window.”
NHTSA complaint #11402918, filed 2021-03, 1,750 miles“I have owned the car only since nov and on my first road trip last month the windshield cracked while driving home to new orleans from mobile, al. A cold front was coming through and it was raining. We drove from a warmer air mass into the colder air behind the cold front. At first we could not see the crack but when we noticed the crack it was already about 5 inches long and by the time we could stop to look at the windshield it had grown to over 18 inches long.03”
NHTSA complaint #11400019, filed 2021-03, 2,000 miles“I purchased my 2021 Subaru Forester in late november 2020. On the morning of 2/24/2021 I discovered that my windshield had a crack. I was not driving. It started at the bottom center of the windshield and went up from there. It couldn't have been from an impact since the crack started at the bottom of the windshield, below the line of the hood and below the windshield wiper. Over the next week the crack got longer. My Subaru dealer replaced the windshield under warranty.”
NHTSA complaint #11407390, filed 2021-04, 4,500 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11016229Mar 27, 2025This announcement is in regard to the warranty extension initiated for windshields for the models listed.
- 11016218Mar 24, 2025In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the Front Windshield used in the above listed…
- 11014848Feb 13, 2025In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the Front Windshield used in the above listed…
- 11012261Dec 17, 2024This announcement is in regard to settlement in a class action lawsuit for vehicles that will receive a limited warranty extension for original equipment Subaru windshields…
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 25% |
| 2025 | 20 | 20% |
| 2024 | 5 | 16% |
| 2023 | 12 | 16% |
| 2022 | 24 | 24% |
| 2021 | 90 | 42% |
| 2020 | 301 | 50% |
| 2019 | 406 | 49% |
| 2018 | 156 | 31% |
| 2017 | 116 | 20% |
| 2016 | 23 | 6% |
| 2015 | 28 | 5% |
| 2014 | 12 | 3% |
| 2013 | 5 | 6% |
| 2012 | 5 | 5% |
| 2011 | 3 | 2% |
| 2010 | 9 | 3% |
| 2009 | 11 | 6% |
| 2008 | 1 | 2% |
| 2007 | 2 | 3% |
| 2005 | 3 | 3% |
| 2004 | 1 | 0% |
| 2003 | 8 | 4% |
| 2002 | 1 | 1% |
| 2001 | 4 | 3% |
| 1999 | 2 | 2% |
| 1998 | 7 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2021 Subaru Forester
43 complaintsElectrical system
34 complaintsEngine
34 complaintsForward collision avoidance
17 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
15 complaintsVehicle speed control
12 complaintsLane departure
8 complaintsBrakes
7 complaintsFuel system
7 complaintsBody and structure
4 complaintsSuspension
4 complaintsSteering
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2021 Subaru Forester
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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