2021 Subaru Forester electrical system problems
33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2021 Subaru Forester — 16% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while trying to roll up vehicle windows from driver sits and passenger sit they would roll up to 3/4th all the way up and they would roll back down after. The contact stated this was a recurring event. The dealer was aware of failure…”
filed Jul 7, 2026
“My 2021 Subaru Forester has a recurring, worsening defect in the Idle Stop/Start (ISS) system that creates a stalling hazard. When ISS shuts the engine off at a stop, the engine intermittently fails to restart when I try to move again. It cranks progressively slower, warning lights illuminate, a…”
filed Jul 2, 2026
“Persistent Battery Drain on a 2021 Subaru Forester Limited. Problems began in year 4 of ownership (~17,000 mileage), after Subaru Starlink Subscription services expired. Red (Error) Starlink SOS indicator light was evident, where a normal light would show green. Battery would fully drain after about 3-4 days of…”
filed Jun 17, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
This Announcement provides diagnostic assistance for CVT issues.
SubaruNet Announcement (C · Other · issued Aug 21, 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or…
15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 13, 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.
Article Locator · Other · issued Aug 5, 2026
Electrical System problems in other Forester years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 4 | 19% |
| 2025 Forester | 8 | 9% |
| 2024 Forester | 1 | 3% |
| 2023 Forester | 7 | 10% |
| 2022 Forester | 10 | 10% |
| 2020 Forester | 101 | 17% |
| 2019 Forester | 134 | 16% |
| 2018 Forester | 71 | 14% |
| 2017 Forester | 106 | 18% |
| 2016 Forester | 93 | 23% |
| 2015 Forester | 82 | 13% |
| 2014 Forester | 42 | 10% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2021 Subaru Forester
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.