Table 1 shows one common equipment related problems of the 2026 Subaru Forester.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Equipment problems |
Just bought a 2026 Subaru Forester on August 30, 2026. It was a floor model. Never used the moonroof or opened the sliding cover except for day 1 when showing my kids, and second time was today, October 23rd. Noticed a big hairline crack. I can feel like crack from the outside, but not from the inside. The line is fine and thin starting from the front edge to 2/3 of the glass. Found out there’s a recall on this problem, but my VIN # is not part of it. Online images confirm other people’s cracked moonroof on their 2026 Forester look the same. Wondering why my VIN doesn’t confirm. Will be calling service dept.
At approximately 500 miles from delivery, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure caused by a malfunctioning pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) valve, which resulted in oil fumes being expelled through the exhaust system. This is a manufacturing/component defect that should not occur in a new vehicle at such low mileage, and I have serious and reasonable concerns that oil contamination may have affected the catalytic converter, oxygen sensors, and/or other emissions and engine components, regardless of whether the pcv valve itself has since been replaced. I want to be clear about the severity of this incident, as it is directly relevant to the safety concerns underlying my request. The failure occurred while I was driving on a new jersey highway, approximately 1. 5 hours from home, alone in the vehicle with my two young children, ages 6 and 8. The vehicle began emitting a volume of smoke from the tailpipe significant enough that three separate police vehicles surrounded my car out of concern that it might catch fire or explode. This was an extremely frightening experience for both myself and my children, and it is not one I am willing to risk repeating in this vehicle, regardless of what repairs have since been made. I also want to note that I received no warning lights or indicators on the dashboard before or during the onset of this failure. The smoke was first visible outside the vehicle and only afterward began seeping into the cabin. The absence of any prior warning is of particular concern to me, as it means I had no opportunity to pull over or take precautionary action before the situation became visibly hazardous. Subaru is refusing to provide a new lease to me.
I am reporting a severe structural vulnerability regarding the component shielding on the 2026 Subaru Forester touring. The vehicle was purchased brand new in March 2026 and experienced a catastrophic component failure on September 4, 2026, at only six months of ownership. While driving under normal road conditions, the vehicle’s climate control system completely failed. A subsequent inspection by an authorized Subaru dealership revealed that a rock passed entirely through the front factory grille and punctured the air conditioning condenser, causing an immediate loss of refrigerant and irreparable component damage. The dealership service department stated that this occurs frequently due to the unshielded, highly exposed placement of the condenser directly behind the widely spaced gaps of the front grille assembly. No significant impact or road hazard was heard or felt during operation, indicating that routine, minor road elements are capable of easily penetrating the factory defenses. A complete failure of the hvac system in severe climates, such as the extreme heat of texas, presents an immediate cabin safety hazard—especially for vulnerable occupants. The manufacturing and structural layout of the 2026 Forester grille fails to provide critical baseline protection for pressurized cooling components, creating an unreasonable risk of premature systemic failure from everyday driving environments. This open design should be investigated as a manufacturing defect.
The air-conditioning/hvac system repeatedly failed to cool and blew hot air. The vehicle was leased new on [xxx]; warm air returned within about two days. During a [xxx] round trip between portland and springfield, oregon, hot weather and hot air from the hvac left our two-year-old child red, hot to the touch and breathing rapidly. We were sweating profusely. We considered taking her to the hospital and feared a longer trip would make the situation more dire. There was no crash, fire, hospital visit or medical treatment. These are observed heat-related symptoms, not a diagnosed condition. Dealer records later revealed a compressor failure and replacement before delivery. Ro [xxx] opened June 18 at 22 miles; the technician documented a major leak through the compressor and replacement before June 23 delivery. The vehicle returned July 13 at 564 miles for continued cooling failure (ro [xxx]). That is the service-intake mileage, not a verified mileage for the trip. The dealer reported further compressor work in August and an evaporator replacement. On August 25 the service manager reported that a leak remained and a hose was on backorder. Subaru's August 19 email confirmed coordination with dealer management on the evaporator repair. On September 2 the hose eta was mid-October. The vehicle remains with the dealer and can be inspected; availability of removed parts is unknown. We have no confirmed independent contamination diagnosis. Repeated cooling failures exposed a young child to significant cabin heat and observable physical symptoms. Please investigate the recurring hvac failure and whether the original compressor failure and subsequent repairs left a continuing defect. Incident date is approximate; the trip spanned [xxx]. No police report was filed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Got in the car around 8am. Sat down, shut the door and then boom! the rear hatch glass shattered into a thousand pieces. Nothing touched nothing hit it , it just shattered. Luckily no one was in the back seat. Brought it to the dealer. Interesting , at the exact time I pulled into the dealer another forestef arrived with the exact same problem!.
Brand new 2026 Forester's factory amplifier system completely failed within a week from purchasing at approximately 570 miles, disabling hands-free communication. California law strictly requires drivers to use phones in a hands-free manner. Drivers are prohibited from holding or physically touching their phone for any reason while operating a vehicle.
Cell phone does not stay stable on the wireless charging pad. The phone will start to charge, but as soon as the vehicle moves, the phone bounces off the flat charging pad and no longer connects or charges. It’s distracting to try to reposition the phone as the car is moving. It has become a costly, not usable, feature. Have tried many phone cases and different types of phones to eliminate this as a possible problem. Nothing works.