2019 Subaru Forester electrical system problems

What owners report

• “We have replaced the battery twice and likely will need a third battery soon. I have learned that there is a known issue with the DCM trying to connect using 3G. This is causing a parasitic drain on the battery. The vehicle will fail to start. This has occurred many times over the last few years. We have just learned of the problem.”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 04/03/2026

• “The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, with several unknown warning lights intermittently illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with thermal control valve failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the thermal…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 03/10/2026

• “The electrical system fails, and the battery is not charging sufficiently. When the auto start/stop engages, the car does not restart in traffic. Requested a battery test at the dealership in May 2025; was told it could not be done that day because it would require leaving the dealer service shop. Eventually, the electrical system became unstable, and the car stopped in traffic on 11/07/2025. Replaced battery following OEM specs. In February 2026, symptoms reappeared with a new battery failing o…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 02/18/2026

• “While at a Stop as the engine turns off and awaits decompression of brake to turn on again vehicle moves forward bit, then the engine shuts down while in drive (stalls) had a vehicle hit me in rear but luckily I had my trailer hitch on because it saved me from body damage . I had to place in park and restart this has happened several times before and I’m kinda nervous and makes my wife nervous when stopping at lights or stop signs it might turn off in the middle of the intersection. When this o…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 01/17/2026 · crash

• “Subaru Forester 2019 January - February of 2025: issue initially presented as the hatch beeping, indicating that it was not closing fully. The hatch would not pop back up as if something was in the way, just remain down & continue beeping. The car would then not start, with only the hatch beeping noise (beep beep beep) going off. When I drove it, it kept warning me that the hatch wasn't shut completely. After I parked it in the garage, the next morning it would be dead. The issue was supposedl…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 12/02/2025

• “I have reported this before but it never went anywhere. When at a red light or in a traffic slowdown, the car will activate the auto start/stop system. Three times in the past 2 days, the car would not turn back on and required me to turn the car off and back on again. You can imagine that this leaves me in a dangerous situation because the cars behind me see a green light and get ready to move, or they see traffic clearing up and they get ready to move. I am forced to turn my car off and back o…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 11/17/2025

• “- *Incident 1 (2023):* While driving, my vehicle suddenly stopped while in drive gear, accompanied by a high-pitched alarm and multiple engine service lights. It took over 30 seconds to shift into park and restart the vehicle. The incident occurred at an intersection, and I was fortunate to avoid any collisions. - *Incident 2 (September 2025):* The same problem recurred on two separate occasions- AFTER CERTIFIED REPAIRS. The vehicle came to a complete stop while driving uphill at a decelerated s…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 10/03/2025

• “50k Mileage Mark: When the vehicle turned off at the stop light to save gas, the car stalled. I had to frequently put the car back in Park, and restart the engine. Since then, I had to turn off the “auto turn off” function for fear of the car stalling on the road. This has caused unnecessary anxiety and fear while driving, harming my psychological wellness. Since the 50k mark this has happened about 10 times. The most recent issue was this month”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 09/24/2025

Unverified owner reports from NHTSA's public complaint database.

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