2021 Subaru Forester Problems and Top Complaints – Is Your Car A Lemon?

Updated on April 7th, 2023 Author: Brian Jones

Subaru has been known to make reliable vehicles in years gone by, so enthusiasts were hopeful about the 2021 Subaru Forester. After all, the company claims it “adapts to any adventure.” However, this newer model seems to suffer from a defective electrical system and terrible visibility, some of which have been a major concern with other models as well.

NHTSA Complaints for the 2021 Subaru Forester

Click on other model year to view more problems:  2018   2019   2020   2022

Problems with the Electrical System

Considering the electrical system runs just about everything in a vehicle, it must be constructed properly or significant problems can occur. That’s precisely what is happening with this Subaru SUV.

One Edmunds user wrote, “rented for a week. The electronic features like the operation of the key FOB, climate controls, lane departure, cruise control, etc., were maddeningly difficult to figure out.”

It turns out that the electrical system issues make their way into every part of the car. Service Bulletin #10-100-21 discusses a defect leading to HVAC concerns. Customers were complaining about excessive noise heard even when the A/C wasn’t running. Subaru issued this bulletin to command the service department to replace the variable displacement type A/C compressor in order to resolve the condition. Whether users are attempting to figure out complicated electronics or listening to HVAC noise with the system off, this SUV surely can’t impress many.

Problems with the Visibility

Auto glass complaints have been ongoing for several years with Subaru models. Many hoped that the problems would be resolved with the 2021 Subaru Forester, but that’s simply not the case.

One NHTSA complaint states, “I have a 2021 Subaru Forester, bought in Oct. 2020. The vehicle was parked in the garage. I went to get into the car and noticed front windshield crack for no apparent reason.”

Class action lawsuits have been formed because of this very condition with other Subaru vehicles, so it appears that the 2021 Forester will soon be joining the list. In litigation, users claim that their Subaru windshields are spontaneously chipping, breaking and cracking. For some customers, this defect occurred within weeks or months from the purchase, just like the above complaint. Adding salt to the wound, Subaru continues to replace these defective windshields with some that have the same problems, making customers irate. There’s nothing safe about driving a vehicle with a windshield that can instantaneously burst or crack. As owners start to see clearly once again, maybe common sense will tell them to switch automotive brands.

Your Lemon Law Legal Rights

Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon at no cost to you. The law makes Subaru pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.

About the Author:

Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.

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