Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2015 Subaru Forester submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 28, in the owner's own words
A small crack appeared mysteriously on the front windshield and has spread - over the past month - where it now covers 1/2 of the windshield. Nothing hit my car, to create the crack or make it spread. The right air bag light keeps going on and keeps beeping when there is no one sitting in the seat. The only way i can get it to stop is to engage the seat belt - again, even though there is no one in the seat.
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked outside during a snowstorm; while removing snow from the windshield, she noticed that the windshield was severely cracked. Additionally, the contact stated that the crack originated from the driver's side of the windshield to the passenger's side. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,855.
I have a crack running across the bottom of my windshield. I took the car to SafeLite for replacement. They do a pre-service check of the EyeSsight camera system which provides forward collision avoidance and lane departure warning. The scan revealed History Code P00FF and a Current Code B280AA8. The SafeLite technician advised they could not replace the windshield until the codes were removed. Then they could replace the windshield and calibrate the EyeSight system. They also stated I had to go to a dealer code removal. I contacted Brunswick Subaru (dealer where I purchased the vehicle) and they stated they could only calibrate after the windshield was replaced. Another dealer (Ganley Subaru) stated the same thing. PROBLEM - the windshield cannot be replaced with the codes and the dealer cannot remove the codes (by recalibration) until the windshield is replaced. I am left with driving the car with a broken windshield. PLEASE HELP
Noticed that there was a crack in the windshield when starting up car. Not sure why windshield should crack when parked. I can understand if this happened when driving on highway or next to construction vehicles.
DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SUDDENLY SHATTERED. NOBODY WAS NEARBY, NO ROCKS, CAR WAS JUST LEAVING GAS STATION ON SURFACE STREET, TURNING LEFT TO ENTER FREEWAY IN A QUARTER MILE WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO EXPLANATION. TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH.
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 7AM, AND I HAD STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEAR THE SOUND OF GLASS CRACK AND OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I SEE A HUGE CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. IT JUST CONTINUED TO SPREAD THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME. HAD TO GET IT REPLACED, OEM QUOTED ME OVER $800 AND EVEN MORE IF I HAD THE EYESIGHT OPTION.
PRIOR TO DRIVING MY CAR ON AUGUST 18, 2020, THERE WERE NO OBSERVABLE DEFECTS IN MY WINDSHIELD. I DROVE ABOUT A QUARTER MILE TO THE POST OFFICE. WHEN ARRIVING, THERE WAS STILL NO DEFECT. ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES LATER, I RETURNED TO MY CAR AND FOUND A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT EXTENDED FROM THE TOP MIDDLE, BEHIND THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, DIAGONALLY DOWN TO THE LOWER CORNER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE CRACK AND TOLD ME THERE WAS A MINUSCULE CHIP AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH I COULDN'T EVEN SEE, ALONG THE CRACK AND THAT BECAUSE OF THE CHIP, THE WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. THE REPLACEMENT COST, INCLUDING THE REQUIRED RECALIBRATION OF THE "EYESIGHT" SAFETY SYSTEM WOULD COST ME MORE THAT $1,000.00. I NOW LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY FORESTER, AS WELL AS OTHER SUBARU MODELS (I.E., SUBARU OUTBACK). THE LEVEL OF COMPLAINTS, WHICH COMPROMISES DRIVER AND PASSENGER SAFETLY WARRANTS A RECALL.
THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. *TR
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY
I AM AN OWNER OF OF A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER XT AND I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A CRACK ON MY WINDSHIELD THAT IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER AFTER EXPERIENCING A SMALL ROCK HITTING MY WINDSHIELD ON THE HIGHWAY.I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I AM ABLE TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD BY SUBARU BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE QUALITY OF THE WINDSHIELD IS FAULTY AND A SAFETY HAZARD. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.*DT CONSUMER STATED INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN ON DEC.30TH,2019 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK AND A ROCK HIT WHICH CAUSED A INDENT ON THE WINDSHIELD BY A HAIRLINE CRACK.*JB
ON MONDAY, 11/18/19, I FOUND MY WINDSHIELD HAD A FAIRLY LONG CRACK (ABOUT 9 INCHES) WHICH APPEARED TO BE INTERNAL AT THE TOP OF MY DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD. THIS APPARENTLY OCCURRED SOMETIME BETWEEN 11/16 AND 11/18 WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY NEAR MY HOME. OTHER THAN RAIN, WE HAD NOT HAD ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENT THAT MIGHT BE AN EXPLANATION. STRANGELY, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY VISIBLE OR TACTILE CHIP. EVEN WHEN I SCRAPE MY FINGERNAIL ACROSS THE CRACK, I CAN NOT DETECT ANY DIFFERENCE FROM A SMOOTH WINDSHIELD. THIS MAKES ME BELIEVE IT IS WITHIN THE GLASS ITSELF. I HAD READ ABOUT SUBARO FORESTER RECALLS FOR CRACKING WINDSHIELD AND HAD BEEN RELIEVED TO SEE THAT MY YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. THEN A FEW DAYS LATER I FOUND THIS PROBLEM. THIS MAKES ME BELIEVE THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN LESS FREQUENT WITH MY YEAR, BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. I DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE OR ABILITY TO UPLOAD A PHOTO.
SHORTLY AFTER 8 AM ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019, THE REAR WINDOW OF MY 2015 FORESTER SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. IT BLEW OUTWARD, WITH SOME GLASS PIECES FLYING NEARLY 20 FEET. AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 34 DEGREES. UPON CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE REMAINING GLASS PIECES, I COULD SEE THE REAR WINDOW HAD BOWED OUT BEFORE EXPLODING OUTWARD. THE ENTIRE WINDOW WAS SHATTERED. IN ADDITION TO THE GLASS, THE EXPLOSION BROKE THE PLASTIC PANELING INSIDE THE HATCH THAT WAS NEXT TO THE GLASS. THE GLASS HAD NO SCRATCHES, CHIPS, OR DAMAGE TO IT PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION.
MY VEHICLE EATS WINDSHIELDS. THEY SEEM TO CRACK WITH THE LIGHTEST TAP FROM ROAD DEBRIS OR, IN ONE INSTANCE, FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON AT ALL (WHILE DRIVING OUT OF AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE). I HAVE REPLACED 2 WINDSHIELDS IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS, AND SUBARU KEEPS SAYING IT IS DUE TO IMPACTS (EVEN WHEN NO IMPACT OCCURRED). IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, DESPITE SUBARU DENYING IT.
WHEN NEEDED FOR THE VENTILATION TO CLEAR THE FOG, WHICH FORMS ON THE WINDSHIELD OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS HUMID OR VERY HOT OR TOO COLD, HAVE TO KEEP IT ON. THEN WHEN THE CAR IS OFF VAPOR FORMS ON THE WINDSHIELD.
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN TURNED ON DEFROSTER. INSPECTION BY DEALERSHIP VERIFIED CRACK WAS NOT DUE TO ANY OUTSIDE FORCE. SUBARU HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD CRACKS ON OUTBACK & LEGACY MODELS, BUT HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FOR REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD ON MY FORESTER. WINDSHIELD CRACK STARTED AT BOTTOM OF PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD & EXTENDED ABOUT 12 INCHES UPWARDS TOWARD CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO EXTEND TOWARDS THE CENTER AND IS NOW ABOUT 24 INCHES IN LENGTH. SEE: HTTP://BERANEK.AGRRMAG.COM/2015/12/SUBARU-EXTENDS-WINDSHIELD-WARRANTY/#.WLHQBCFXRLK.EMAIL
VEHICLE MAY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. STOPPED AT STOP SIGN AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED HARD AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE. HAD TO REAPPLY BRAKES HARD TO STOP CAR AND MAINTAIN CONTROL. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. AS I ENDED UP A LANE FURTHER THAN WERE I INTENDED. .
WINDSHIELD PROBLEM ON NEW VEHICLE. WITHIN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED ON 3 (THREE) SEPARATE OCCASSIONS TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO BE REPLACED WITH SUBARU GENUINE GLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO UNKNOWN ROAD DEBRIS (GRAVEL/ROCK), BUT INSTEAD OF DINGS IN THE WINDSHIELD, THE GLASS AUTOMATICALLY CRACKED AND RESULTED IN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ON ALL 3 OCCASIONS WITH SUBARU GENUINE GLASS. IS THERE A WINDSHIELD DESIGN FLAW ON THE SUBARU FORESTER LIMITED? IT THE DESIGN FLAW AND WINDSHIELD BREAKAGE DUE TO THE HEATING ELEMENT? WHAT IS CAUSING THE WEAKNESS IN THE WINDSHIELD OF THE 2015 SUBARU FORESTER LIMITED? WINDSHIELD BREAKAGE INCIDENTS: 1. JUNE 2015 - IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY @60 MILES 2. 12/28/2015 - IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY @60 MILES 3. 04/28/2016 - IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY @60 MILES
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK, ABOUT 35MPH ON A PAVED ROAD. SEVERAL ELECTRICAL ITEMS SUDDENLY FAILED, ALL AT THE SAME TIME - WIPERS, WINDSHIELD WASHER, HEATER FAN, TURN SIGNALS ALL WOULD NOT WORK. WHEN SHE STOPPED THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AND TURNED IT BACK ON, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WORKED AGAIN. I AM TAKING IT IN FOR WARRANTY SERVICE AT GANLEY SUBARU, WICKLIFFE, OHIO.
THIS IS MY FIRST WINTER OWNING A SUBURU FORESTER AND MOST OF THE TIME IT IS STORED IN OUR GARAGE. WE LIVE IN WNY AND SOME TIMES HAVE TO PARK IT OUTSIDE. ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE SUV WAS PARKED OUTDOORS IN TEMPERATURES LESS THAN 25 DEGREES AND ALL THE WINDOWS FROZE OVER ON THE INSIDE. FOR THOSE TIMES IT WAS PARKED 3 HOURS OUTDOORS AND IT TOOK US 15-20 MINUTES TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS BEFORE WE COULD DRIVE. A COUPLE OF TIMES WE RAN INTO STORES AND IN LESS THAN 15 MINUTES THE INTERIOR OF THE WINDOWS BEGAN TO FREEZE. THIS WEEK WE HAD A SERVICE CALL AT OUR LOCAL SUBURU DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US HE WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT SUBURU HAS GIVEN THEM NO SOLUTIONS. HE TOLD ME TO TRY LOWERING A WINDOW WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT TO TRY TO GET THE MOISTURE OUT. IT APPEARS THIS MODEL IS OVERLY AIR TIGHT AND THIS DESIGN FLAW HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. SINCE IT IS ALWAYS COLD DURING THE WINTER MONTHS THE PROSPECTS OF THIS CONTINUING TO HAPPEN WILL RESULT IT ME BUYING A DIFFERENT MAKE VEHICLE NEXT TIME AROUND.
MY NEW 2015 SUBARU FORESTER WITH ABOUT 3,000 MILES ON IT DEVELOPED A LONG CRACK FROM THE CENTER TOP OF THE WINDSHEILD CAUSED BY WHAT LOOKED LIKE AN INSIGNIFICANLTY SMALL PEBBLE. THE IMPACT WAS BARELY NOTICIBLE. I WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR. AFTER INSPECTING THE WINDSHEILD, I NOTICED A SUPER TINY PIT WHERE A MINISCULE PEBBLE MUST HAVE HIT THE WINDOW. IN THE MORNING THE TINY PIT TURNED INTO A FULL ON CRACK EXTENDING HALF WAY DOWN THEN CURVING MIDWAY TOWARDS THE DRIVER SIDE. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH MY INSURANCE AND THEY REPLACED IT. IT WOULD HAVE COST ME 625.00. I PAID THE 50.00 DEDUCTIBLE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER THE WINDSHEILD. IT WAS REPLACED WITH AN OEM SUBARU WINDSHEILD. THIS WAS HIGHLY IRREGULAR. NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS OF DRIVING HAS A SMALL PEBBLE, THE PIT SIZE OF A MILLIMETER CAUSED THIS KIND OF DAMAGE. I THOUGHT IT MUST BE A FLUKE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN LAST NIGHT WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY. I HEARD A POP AND THEN ANOTHER POP. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM UNDER MY CAR. SOON I SAW A CRACK COMING RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHEILD. AFTER INSPECTING IT THIS MORNING, IT WAS CAUSED BY ANOTHER SUPER TINY PEBBLE AS THERE IS A SMALL PIT LESS THAN A MILLIMETER IN SIZE AT THE MIDDLE TOP OF MY WINDSHEILD. 2 WINDSHEILDS IN 7 MONTHS! THIS IS RIDUCLOUS. THIS QUALITY OF THE WINDSHEILD IS SUBSTANDARD TO NOT HANDLE THE IMPACT OF TINY PEBBLES. IN ALL MY YEARS OF DRIVING MANY TYPES OF VEHICLES WITH WINDSHEILDS HIT BUT MUCH LARGER ROCKS HAS THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM OCCURED. THIS IS A HUGE SAFTEY CONCERN. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.
ON THE HIGHWAY DURING A ROAD TRIP, A TINY ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED PART OF IT. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 24 HOURS THE CRACK GREW IN TWO DIRECTIONS RAPIDLY. THIS FORCED ME TO HAVE TO GET A COMPLETE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT ONLY 1 MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE BRAND NEW VEHICLE. LOOKING ONLINE, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A VERY WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH SUBARU WINDSHIELDS THAT ARE EASILY CRACKED.
6/2/15 MORNING I DROVE MY 2015 SUBARU FORESTER TO WORK. THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT HIT BY A ROCK OR ANYTHING ELSE, THERE WAS NO CRACK OR DAMAGE ON THE WINDSHIELD. I PARKED IT IN THE COMPANY'S PARKING LOT AT 7 AM. IN THE AFTERNOON WHEN I WAS READY TO GO HOME AT 4 PM, I FOUND A LONG CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS TOO LARGE TO REPAIR AND IT MUST BE REPLACED. I HAVE HEATED WINDSHIELD WITH EYESIGHT CAMERAS, IT WOULD COST UNDER $500 TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 6,000 MILES AND LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD, AND I'VE GOT A CRACKED WINDSHIELD BEFORE ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BEFORE THE GLASS BEGAN TO CRACK. THE CRACK WAS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER SIDE IN FRONT OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND EXTENDED UPWARDS APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES BEFORE EXTENDING TO THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED ON THE REPLACEMENT WINDOW. SINCE OBTAINING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
BOUGHT CAR IN ANCHORAGE AND WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON WAY BACK TO MY FATHER'S HOME IN FAIRBANKS. DEALERSHIP REPORTED NO KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH SUBARU WINDSHIELDS, (WHICH ISN'T APPARENTLY ACCURATE). AS OF NOW, I'M LIVING IN COLORADO AND THERE ARE A MILLION CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD (A SLIGHT EXAGGERATION). I'M HESITANT TO REPLACE IT, IF IT'S MERELY GOING TO START THE PROCESS OF CRACKING WINDSHIELDS ALL OVER AGAIN. WINDSHIELDS ARE NOT CHEAP TO REPLACE.
VEHICLE DOES NOT WARM UP WELL IN COLD CLIMATES. I LIVE IN ALASKA AND DURING THE WINTER THE VEHICLE WOULD STAY COOL EVEN WITH THE HEATER MAXED OUT DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. NORMALLY THIS WOULD NOT BE A BIG DEAL, BUT HAVING A NEWBORN IN THE CAR, THE HEAT WOULD BE NICE. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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