2021 Subaru Forester Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 0 NHTSA recalls and 210 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

55/100

Elevated Reported Activity — 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2021 Subaru Forester shows elevated recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Make sure any recall campaigns are resolved before purchase and have the vehicle inspected thoroughly.

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NHTSA Recalls

No known recalls

210

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

5 fire reports

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NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Subaru Forester

No NHTSA recalls found for the 2021 Subaru Forester.

While this is a positive sign, recall status can change. Always verify at NHTSA.gov before purchasing.

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Most Common Problems — 2021 Subaru Forester

Based on 210 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Visibility/wiper

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System

Engine

Power Train

Visibility

Vehicle Speed Control

Suspension

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Subaru Forester — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked Subaru Forester VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2019 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2022, 2023, 2024 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Subaru Forester

Is the 2021 Subaru Forester reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Subaru Forester has no recall campaigns and 210 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2021 Subaru Forester have?

There are currently no NHTSA recalls on file for the 2021 Subaru Forester. Always verify at NHTSA.gov before purchasing as recalls can be added at any time.

What are the most common problems with the 2021 Subaru Forester?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Subaru Forester are: Visibility/wiper, Unknown Or Other, Electrical System, Engine. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2021 Subaru Forester safe to buy?

The 2021 Subaru Forester has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year Subaru Forester should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Subaru Forester are: 2022, 2023, 2024. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2019.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.