general problems of the 2019 Subaru Forester - part 2

Thermocontrol valve failure. Part failure common to this vehicle make and model. Part has been repaired at this time. However Subaru is aware of the part failure reference service bulletin dtc # p2682 & p26ax** / thermo control valve – design change. Number: 09-80-21. Date: 02/28/2022. I believe this should be a recall as it is a part failure. If valve fails while closed prevents vehicle operation and can cause unexpected vehicle breakdown in traffic.

I purchased this vehicle brand new in 2019, and since them I have had to replace my windshield once in January of 2023 (piece of gravel on highway), then in February of this year, my passenger front window busted out . . Nothing hit it, it just blew out while I was driving. Weather that day was 53. Then Friday, another windshield crack near eyesite device. This will require another full replacement. At this pace, I cannot afford to keep this car. Before I purchased this car I searched long and hard for the safest vehicle I could find and Subaru always came up on top. Now that I'm an owner having to dish out of pocket every few months for glass replacement, I'm starting to rethink my purchase. I've done research and have found thousands of the same complaints online. . Its a shame that the company is not taking any steps to improve this huge design flaw!.

The engines shut down or stalled on me while driving completely. It did not accelerate when I was trying to move the car off the road. The engines sputtered / shaken , all the lights came up on the dash board, smokes started to come out of my engines. This problem is similar to the recent Subaru recall on the fuel pump. Please add 2019 Forester on your list of recalls. This is a serious and dangerous issue, I could have been killed if I was dring on the freeway. I was lucky it shut down on a little local street when I was dring slow , about 30 - 35 mpg. Imagine if this happened on the freeway, it could have created a chain reaction , and a lot more people will be involved, and deaths might be involved. Please add Subaru 2019 Forester sport on your list immediately because deaths involved. Thank you.

Windshield cracks developed, 2x since ownership.

Several times I have needed to jump start my battery. Most recent incidence: I parked and was waiting to get out of the car. I turned back on the car after driving for 15-20 minutes, but did not turn on the engine. The car ran for about 2-3 minutes and then turned off to get out of the car. I was away from the car for 3-5 minutes and when I went to start it, the battery was dead. I can not leave the door open to bring in groceries or the battery dies. Or, I cannot open the doors to clean out the car because the battery will die.

The following has happened 3 times in the last year. While stopped and waiting for the light to change, my foot on the brake, damp outside, car stalls, the engine shuts off, eye sight flashes on dash stating eye sight off. I have to put the car into "park" and restart the engine. This is quite scary! I have taken the car to 2 different mechanics to check the battery - which shows the battery is 100% okay.

We have had two windshields crack for no apparent reason in this car.

Vehicle suffered sudden and extensive crack in the windshield. No impact caused the crack. The crack stared from the bottom.

2019 forrester has dangerous windshield that is prone to chipping and cracking very easley.

Battery drain issue: we purchased 2 batteries within 2022, and it keeps dying. We understand there may be some type of class action lawsuit related to this issue as it seems to be fairly common.

A crack appeared in my windshield on the passenger side starting from the bottom side slanting towards the middle of the passenger's vision. I do not recall anything hitting my windshield. In researching a replacement cost I read a lot of complaints from Subaru customers who had to replace their windshields, some several times, because of thinner glass used by Subaru. Several reports included the 2019 Subaru Forester with low mileage. I have a photo as I plan to have it repaired soon. I have not yet contacted my striver dealer nor allstate insurance agent. Please note: I loaded my 6mb photo but had to delete it to be able to continue.

The battery drains while the vehicle is off. The car is frequently dead after being off for a short period of time, requiring jump starts and replacement batteries far more often than with a typical vehicle.

Front windshield spontaneously cracked in my 2019 Subaru Forester. Car was parked in a parking lot when there was a popping sound and then a crack appeared starting from the bottom corner of the passenger side. No impact marks on the exterior or interior. The crack has since spread to the center of the windshield. Based on internet searches, there is a known issue with windshield cracking in Subarus. Subaru's "customer advocacy" department refused to pay for the repair (over $1300), claiming that the photos showed an impact mark and therefore it was the customer's responsibility. However, the Subaru dealership (ramsey NJ) that did the physical inspection and took the photos said they saw no impact marks. I invited Subaru customer advocacy to send someone to physically inspect the car; they declined. Subaru refuses to stand by their product. Instead of recalling the vehicles at risk and replacing the windshields at their cost, Subaru runs the risk of accidents caused by the spontaneous windshield cracking which could lead to bodily harm and/or death. And even with an actual case of spontaneous window cracking, Subaru claims to "see" impact marks in photos, when it is impossible to tell from photos alone, and refuses to conduct a physical inspection. Action should be taken against Subaru to ensure the safety of consumers purchasing their vehicles. Subaru should be required to issue a recall or at minimum cover the cost of replacing windshields that spontaneously crack. The spontaneous cracking occurred on 5/7/22. I brought my car to a Subaru dealership and spoke to Subaru's "customer advocacy" department on the same day. It took nearly 3 weeks of calls to Subaru for them to offer me a $750 coupon "as a one-time goodwill gesture" to cover half the cost of the repair. Subaru's customer service is unacceptable and their reluctance to take responsibility is a public safety issue.

Battery keeps on dying and doesn’t hold charge. Vehicle has less than 8000 miles on it. 3 weeks ago my vehicle was parked in my garage for one week while I was on vacation and the battery was dead and needed to be jump started. Last week my vehicle was in the garage for 8 days and would not start again and needed to be jump started. Then 4 days had passed since the vehicle was jump started and this morning would not start again. Each time it was parked in my garage with nothing running inside, but the battery keeps failing. I have an appointment with the dealer tomorrow to review.

Windshield cracked for no reason.

Over the weekend, the check engine light came on and I lost heat in my vehicle instantly (like flipping a light switch) after already driving with full heat for about 30 minutes. In addition to losing heat on a zero degree day, the vehicle also lost the capability to circulate and redirect coolant to the engine properly, causing a significant reduction in engine temperature causing it to run nearly 100 degrees fahrenheit less than optimal running temperature. Upon research, the only logical explanation was the failure of the "thermo control valve" which was added to the Subaru lineup starting in 2019, and this was just confirmed as the cause of this incident by the dealer. While coolant issues previously were managed easily in other vehicles, or a slow reduction in the ability of the heating system, having an electronic component control the diversion of coolant in the car for cabin heat and engine heat control seems to be harmful, not only potentially to the engine, but causing the heat to instantly stop to someone that may not be dressed to deal with it while driving in zero degree weather can cause potential significant health problems. This part should not be the sole source of control, let alone be failing without warning after a mere 3 years. In addition, a quick search online provides no information on the product, but many threads of individuals experiencing similar issues, as well as comments that Subaru has recognized it was originally inadequately built and have since produced a more hardy product to replace them with. The other issue with this part, is that it is below the intake which needs to be removed to replace it. While the intake and other coolant system items are mentioned under warranty, this part is never mentioned. For this being a new addition starting in 2019, it is deeply concerning that there are many accounts for this, with no official messaging from Subaru, for such a critical part.

I was on a sharp incline at idle behind a line of cars, waiting for the light to turn green and my Subaru forrester surged forward, out of my control, and hit the back of the vehicle in front of me, causing damage to my vehicle and the one in front of me. I questioned the Subaru service center regarding it and they did not have a means to report the incident to Subaru for investigation, but offered to do a service check on the transmission of the car. Coincidentally (or of uncertain significance), I had been waiting on a back ordered part from Subaru for a malfunctioning thermal control valve that caused a check engine light to be continually displayed on my dash, disabling some of the safety features of the vehicle. They assured me that the malfunctioning part would have nothing to do with any surging problems and that it was safe to drive the car until the part could be replaced.

My front windshield spontaneously cracked, originated from the center inside/below the visible site line under the rubber edging. This happened in the beginning of January when there was a combination of bitter cold and heavy snows.

Windshield broke on its own.

Since I purchased the vehicle, I have experienced recurring problems with the starter system, affecting the car's performance and reliability. Despite receiving regular maintenance and being evaluated at the authorized Subaru dealership in san juan, puerto rico, the issue remains unresolved. I was informed that even if I replace the part with a new one, the failure could continue, as the component is still being manufactured under the same part number. As a preventive measure, I also replaced the battery to rule out a possible cause, but unfortunately, the problem persists. This is particularly concerning because the car has shut off in the middle of traffic, at intersections, and while waiting at traffic lights, which poses a serious safety risk to me and other drivers. I understand that this issue may be common among other vehicles of the same make and model, and I respectfully request that it be investigated as a potential case for a technical service campaign or safety recall. Additionally, I ask that my case be reviewed for a goodwill repair, as the issue has been present since early in the vehicle’s use—even if the standard warranty has expired. I look forward to your response and to a fair and timely resolution. I sincerely appreciate your attention and assistance in this matter.

On two occasions, when staring from a stop and starting to turn left, the car accelerated on its own. At least once the car's override brake system became active as I was slamming the brake.

My windshield cracked for no apparent reason. To the best of my knowledge, nothing hit the windshield itself. I was parking the car and all of a sudden I noticed the crack. Single line from the left edge. No chips or divots that I can tell.

Windshield crack.

While driving on an expressway I heard what sounded like a tiny piece of gravel hitting my windshield. I did not see anything hit. Next thing I saw was a crack spreading across the driver side just above my line of vision. Within two or three minutes it was a foot and a half long. I’m not sure anything hit my windshield or not. There were no other cars in my immediate vicinity and no construction debris. The road was clear. Very puzzling.

I was on road driving at night when I heard a crack. When I got to a lit area I noticed 3 inch crack appeared in the lower center of the windshield. No debris hit the windshield all I heard was the distictive sound of the crack.

Windshield cracked for no reason lower passenger side.

We bought our Subaru Forester after researching the cars with the best safety features. The car feels unsafe because of 2 problems: engine hesitation and sudden acceleration. We have barely avoided an incident on two occasions in a parking lot. We were braking for a car heading toward us when our car lurched ahead coming close to hitting an approaching car. Another time we were braking for a stop sign and the car accelerated into moving traffic. We have not reported it to our dealer hoping it was a fluke. We are going to bring it to the dealer because it's obvious that there is something dangerously wrong with our car. I can't report dates - it happens each time we drive with no warning - no lights. Suddenly the engine hesitates acting like it has run out of gas or it lurches ahead, accelerating on its own.

Windshield cracked for no obvious reason.

2019 Subaru Forester my windshield has spontaneously cracked twice (August 28, 2021, April 18, 2022) without being hit by any object. Windshield was replaced after 2021 incident and will again require replacement after today's incident. It has chipped and required repair on 2 other occasions.

The car has a power assisted hatchback. When it fails to latch, the power is completely drained from the car, and there is zero indication of this happening, until the next day when an attempt is made to start the car. We've been stranded twice in our car and twice on the road. It's all due to the robotics not getting a signal to stop trying to keep it open. We notified the dealer twice by April of 2021. The second time they replaced the battery and we failed to convince them that this was a symptom, not the cause per many tsbs. In March of 2022 we were traveling and the hatch failed to latch. It would beep all the time. We took it to another dealer in baton rouge, who ordered a latch back in atlanta. We drove it hundreds of mails beeping. The electrical system failed the next morning - again. We got the car started, made it back to atlanta, and had the latch replaced by a 3rd dealer. Our original dealer says we are not eligible for the replacement hardware/software fix in the robotics (as distinct from the latch) to stop parasitic draining unlike identical cars made in this year. We do not trust this car until it's fixed.

Back hood latch stuck and won't open.

Purchased new Jan. 9,1919. On June 13,2020 car was parked in our driveway, off with windows closed. My wife opened driver's side door to remove an item. When closing the door, the hatch back window shattered spontaneously. We were and are shocked. Spoke with our salesmen who rejected our claim for damage.

We have a 2019 Subaru Forester, problems have been with the eyesight slamming on the brakes for no reason, and turning on and off at random times. The major issue has been the slammed on brakes when the road ahead was clear, jarring me and passengers, my wife literally had whiplash and a headache from the extreme, unexpected braking. This has happened when a vehicle in from of us made a right turn, road ahead is clear, traveling the speed limit of 35 mph, sensors must be picking up the corner of the other vehicle as we approach, locking up the brakes, thinking it is still in front of us. Another incident, eyesight sensing an empty paper bag being blown across the highway, slamming on the brakes, this could have caused a rear end collision from a driver behind us if they were following to close, like is the norm in rush hour traffic. Another event, a dog ran across the freeway, eyesight never activated, I thought I had braked and cleared the dog, he kept running, no impact, found damage to front end upon inspection. Another issue unrelated to eyesight, the defroster blower motor does not respond to high setting when first turned to high to clear window fog, it takes 3 to 5 minutes before it ramps up to high speed. I have brought this to the attention of our salesperson and service department our Subaru dealership, maybe be a calibration issue, program issue with the eyesight sensors, they refused to document anything I shared and told me their is absolutely nothing wrong with the system without even looking at it. There is no more love in our Subaru, and no concern for safety at the dealership. I have spoken with other 2019 Subaru Forester owners experiencing the same eyesight issues. This has been happening since we leased the vehicle October 2018 to recently on 2/20/2020. I was informed to file this by the ohio attorney general while filing a complaint with them.

As I was driving in the right hand lane on the florida turnpike at 75 mph, my driver side rear door window spontaneously shattered. The entire window disintegrated with most of the glass flying into the car. Temperature was only about 75 degrees. Nothing impacted the window - it just exploded.

There are actually three issues with the vehicle. The biggest issue, and potentially the most dangerous, is the vehicle randomly shutting itself off - not stalling. The problem occurs most often while stopped at lights, but has occurred in other situations as well. All functions in the vehicle stop, a loud, continuous beep begins and the dash indicates an 'eye site' error. Apparently, when the eye site feature has an issue, it responds by rendering the entire vehicle inoperable. So far, returning the vehicle to park and restarting the vehicle resets the feature and restores functionality. The problem is, however, happening more frequently. The second issue is a loud, rapid clicking sound coming from behind the driver's side dash. It also occurs randomly and with increasing frequency. It does not appear to hinder functionality, but it can be incredibly distracting. Finally, as others have reported, the rear hatch also randomly shuts itself off and does not respond to prompt to open. Subaru's response to these issues has thus far been the equivalent of a shoulder shrug.