2021 Subaru Forester Recalls

No recalls on record Updated July 2026

No NHTSA recalls on record for the 2021 Subaru Forester. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 281 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the visibility/wiper. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Complaints by component

VISIBILITY/WIPER
76
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
41
3crashes3fires1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
31
1crashes1fires1injuries
ENGINE
31
4crashes3fires6injuries
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
13
1fires
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
13
POWER TRAIN
11
4crashes4injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
11
5crashes1injuries
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
7
SERVICE BRAKES
7
3crashes2injuries
Total complaints281

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“2021 subaru forester the vehicle has experienced recurring electrical and battery-related issues for several years. The original battery was replaced by the subaru dealer with a larger-capacity battery because of repeated starting concerns. The replacement provided only temporary improvement. The…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2026-06-03

“My subaru forester has a significant safety defect. If my web searches are representative this software problem affects multiple models and years of subaru. I have addressed this problem with the local dealer, subaru america, and subaru japan and have been told "that is the way it was designed and…”

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS · reported 2026-05-14

“My subaru forester has a significant safety defect. If my web searches are representative this software problem affects multiple models and years of subaru. I have addressed this problem with the local dealer, subaru america, and subaru japan and have been told "that is the way it was designed and…”

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING · reported 2026-05-14

“My subaru forester has a significant safety defect. If my web searches are representative this software problem affects multiple models and years of subaru. I have addressed this problem with the local dealer, subaru america, and subaru japan and have been told "that is the way it was designed and…”

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS · reported 2026-05-14

“I am filing this complaint regarding a recurring and dangerous safety issue with my 2021 subaru forester. The auto stop/start feature intermittently fails to restart the engine after it shuts off when stopped. When this occurs, multiple dashboard warning lights come on, an alarm sounds, and the…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2026-05-03

“While driving this car on april 4, 2026 at around 6pm, I experienced the distinct smell of gasoline. I had driven for about 5 minutes on our way to a local restaurant that is approximately an 8 minute drive from our residence. My wife said that she had just filled the gas tank that afternoon.…”

ENGINE · reported 2026-04-05

“While driving this car on april 4, 2026 at around 6pm, I experienced the distinct smell of gasoline. I had driven for about 5 minutes on our way to a local restaurant that is approximately an 8 minute drive from our residence. My wife said that she had just filled the gas tank that afternoon.…”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2026-04-05

“While driving this car on april 4, 2026 at around 6pm, I experienced the distinct smell of gasoline. I had driven for about 5 minutes on our way to a local restaurant that is approximately an 8 minute drive from our residence. My wife said that she had just filled the gas tank that afternoon.…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2026-04-05
Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2021 Subaru Forester as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.