2021 Subaru Forester recalls and problems
No recalls and 212 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Subaru Forester.
Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.
2021 Subaru Forester recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for this model year.
Most reported problems
Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.
What owners report
Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.
I was stopped at a red light. When the light changed to green I put my foot on the gas and the car totally stalled out. There were no lights, fans or radio on just total silence. I tried to restart the car putting it is park and depressing the brake while pushing the start button and nothing. It didn't even try to…
There’s two brackets that are at the top of the tailgate, and also at the top of the body where they meet to match up, The bracket on the right sits flush, the bracket on the left since indented about a 1/4” give or take. Because it’s painted by the factory, there’s no cracks around the bracket and the paint, meaning…
Driver side rear window spontaneously failed while driving on the highway. Passenger experienced cuts due to glass fragments
The transmission very suddenly (perfectly fine one day, bad the next) developed a severe transmission slip. Like getting rear ended feeling transmission slip. Dealership quotes the CVT control valve body.
On two separate occasions, less than one year apart after Subaru Service replaced my battery with a “larger” battery without my knowledge my vehicle suffered sudden, catastrophic electrical failure while moving in active highway traffic, causing an immediate loss of propulsion and creating a life-threatening safety…
Forester model years compared
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 3 | 498 | 26 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 | 834 | 37 | 11 |
| 2020 | 0 | 603 | 26 | 9 |
| 2021 | 0 | 212 | 16 | 5 |
| 2022 | 1 | 100 | 8 | 6 |
| 2023 | 1 | 74 | 8 | 4 |
| 2024 | 2 | 31 | 5 | 1 |
Across all years, the 2019 Forester has the most complaints (834). All Subaru Forester years →
Questions
- Does the 2021 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2021 Subaru Forester as of October 27, 2026.
- What are the most common problems with the 2021 Subaru Forester?
- Owners have filed 212 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is visibility/wiper (76 complaints), followed by unknown or other (42).
- How many 2021 Subaru Forester complaints mention a crash or fire?
- 16 of 212 complaints report a crash and 5 a fire; 9 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received October 25, 2026.