2021 Subaru Forester Visibility & Wipers Problems
Owners filed 90 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2021 Subaru Forester, 43% of all complaints that year, almost all about windshields cracking spontaneously. Median mileage at failure was 4,650 miles, with no crashes, fires, injuries, or related recalls reported.
- Visibility & Wipers complaints
- 90
- 43% of 207
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 4,650 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report
- Owners describe windshields cracking spontaneously while the vehicle was parked, with no impact, rock strike, or foot traffic nearby.
- Several report cracks appearing very early, at mileages as low as 805, 1,750, 1,900, or 2,000 miles.
- Some cracks are described as starting at the bottom of the windshield below the wiper line, ruling out a rock strike.
- One owner reports the windshield cracking a second time within months after being replaced at an authorized shop.
- One owner noticed small pits scattered across the glass before a crack formed, suspecting a manufacturing defect.
- One owner reported the crack appeared while driving at 65 mph with no impact felt.
When 2021 Subaru Forester visibility and wiper complaints were filed
First complaint Jan 21, 2021, latest Jul 12, 2025.
Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2021 Subaru Forester
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Visibility & Wipers complaints by Forester model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are windshield/visibility complaints on the 2021 Subaru Forester?
- NHTSA lists 90 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2021 Forester, which is 43% of all 207 complaints filed for that model year.
- At what mileage do these windshield problems usually happen?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 4,650 miles, and several owners reported cracks appearing under 2,000 miles.
- Is there a recall for the 2021 Forester windshield issue?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2021 Forester.
- Did these windshield complaints involve crashes or injuries?
- NHTSA data shows zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries linked to these 90 complaints.
- How does the 2021 Forester compare to other years for this issue?
- The 2021 Forester's 43% share is lower than 2019 (49%) and 2020 (50%) but higher than 2022 (24%) and later years.