2019 Subaru Forester Steering Problems

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2019 Subaru Forester related to failure of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system. Since April 21, 2026, I have been in communication with Subaru of America regarding whether this issue is related to an existing safety recall (WUC-88). During this time, I provided detailed information about multiple occurrences of EPS warning light activation and intermittent loss of steering assist while driving. A local repair shop also inspected the vehicle and confirmed EPS-related diagnostic trouble codes (including B2811 and C2512), which are consistent with known EPS issues. This information was shared with Subaru of America; however, I did not receive a clear or actionable response, and the case has been delayed without resolution. Initially, the issue was intermittent, with the EPS warning light turning on and off. However, since May 9, 2026, the EPS warning light has remained continuously ON, indicating that the condition has worsened. On May 11, 2026, I visited an authorized Subaru service center while the EPS warning light was actively ON. Despite the issue being clearly present, the dealership only took photos confirming the EPS warning light and did not perform any additional diagnostic testing or repair. They advised that the EPS rack needs replacement at an estimated cost of approximately $2,500, with the part currently on backorder and no clear repair timeline. I have already reported this visit and the current condition to Subaru of America and am still awaiting a response. This issue involves intermittent and now persistent loss of steering assist while driving, causing the steering wheel to become extremely stiff and difficult to control. This poses a significant safety risk. Given that the issue has been ongoing since April, has been confirmed by both a repair shop and a Subaru dealer, and remains unresolved, I believe this represents a safety defect that is not being properly addressed. Please review th

NHTSA ID

11737088

Incident

Apr 21, 2026

When stearing car it is hard to steal stering will not come back after rounding corners it's almost like there is no power steering sometimes it's there and next it's not

NHTSA ID

11673183

Incident

Jul 13, 2025

Stopped at a red light. The Forester was in Auto Start/Stop mode and was in Stop. When I tried to start the Forester up again, it would not. A bell started ringing and all the warning lights lit up. I put the car in Park and and within a minute it started up again.

NHTSA ID

11477222

Incident

Aug 2, 2022

The lane keeping assist even when shut off prevents lane changes. A truck drifted into my lane and I had to use extreme force to steer over the car. The collision assist will randomly brake at high way speeds, also while off. The brakes will get squishy, not properly engage and make funny noises while the parking collision is off as well.

NHTSA ID

11469473

Incident

Jun 12, 2022

On December 30, 2021, I was driving on I-95 S around 4 pm about 1/2 a mile from exit 43B when my 2019 Subaru Forester with 64,000 miles stalled in the middle of the highway. I was going about Highway speed during rush hour 55-65 pmh when the check engine light came ON, the EyeSight feature light came ON, and the emergency Brake light came ON. Scariest moment in my life. The vehicle stalled, the steering got really stiff, and the vehicle started sputtering along probably at 2 mph. I managed to make my way to the breakdown lane and called Subaru Starlink Roadside Assistance. After towing the vehicle to the dealership, the diagnosis revealed that both tumble generators on the Air Intake Manifold failed and I also needed a fuel line replacement. After doing a lot of research on the internet it appears that Subaru Foresters have a history of these failures and there has been a number of recalls for this particular model detailing the vehicle losing power or stalling. Unfortunately, the dealership and corporate Subaru refuse to cover the full cost of the repairs as they claim the vehicle is past the warranty period; they have $750 to cover $1800 worth of repairs. This is clearly a safety issue and defect, and Subaru is clearly neglecting its responsibility to cover known defects from the factory.

NHTSA ID

11447249

Incident

Dec 30, 2021

The contact owned a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal needed to be depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. Additionally, the steering wheel would jerk out of the contact's hand while at a stoplight. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that it was normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact traded the vehicle in for another vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.

NHTSA ID

11434992

Incident

Jun 1, 2021

Mileage

23,000 mi

HAVE A 2019 SUBARU FORRESTER. HAD 30,000 MILE SERVICE RECENTLY AT DEALER. SINCE THEN, MULTIPLE ELECTRIC MALFUNCTIONS. FIRST ABS TURNED OFF, THEN AUTO START STOP STARTED MALFUNCTIONING FOR 2 WEEKS, TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME "HOOD SENSOR MALFUNCTIONING, AND BRING IT BACK IN 4 WEEKS WHEN PART ARRIVES." FOUR DAYS LATER, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY! WHOLE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH "EYESIGHT DISABLED" SIGN, ENGINE LIGHT ON. UNABLE TO MOVE THE CAR AT ALL. AFTER 10 MINUTES OF CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WITH ENGINE DISABLED, FINALLY WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, THEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN AGAIN. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED HOOD SENSOR AND SAID "EVERYTHING IS FINE." MEANWHILE MULTIPLE ELECTRIC FAILURE ISSUES, PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT ALARM BEEPS EVEN THOUGH SEAT EMPTY, ABS SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY. PLEASE BEWARE 2019 FORRESTER HAS CATASTROPHIC ELECTRONIC FAILURE THAT SUBARU IS FAILING TO ADDRESS PROPERLY AS A COMPANY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD! IMAGINE CAR SHUTTING OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC REPEATEDLY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, HAVE KEPT IT WELL SERVICED WITH OIL CHANGES. SUBARU SEEMS TO THINK THIS IS OK. THEY KEPT SAYING "IT'S JUST AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE," JUST AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE SEVERE INJURY AND ACCIDENTS! HOW MANY ACCIDENTS WILL HAVE TO OCCUR BEFORE SUBARU WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND FIXES THIS?

NHTSA ID

11403895

Incident

Mar 18, 2021

Mileage

30,100 mi

I NOTICED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH SUBARU'S LANE KEEP ASSIST SAFETY FEATURE: WHEN DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY OVER AN AREA WHERE THE DOTTED LINE HAD BEEN PAINTED OVER WITH DARK PAINT (BY ROAD WORKERS TO COVER IT UP FOR A NEW LANE TO BE PAINTED) LANE KEEP ASSIST REGISTERED IT AS A LINE THAT STILL EXISTS AND FORCEFULLY STEERED ME INTO THE LANE ON MY LEFT. TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN THAT LANE, I FORCEFULLY TURNED TO THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. LUCKILY I AM A HEALTHY MAN WHO WAS ABLE TO STEER MYSELF BACK INTO MY LANE, BUT IT TURNED MY WHEEL WITH ABOUT THREE TIMES THE FORCE OF REGULAR LANE ASSIST: I THINK MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING YOUNGER PEOPLE AND THE ELDERLY ARE AT AN EVEN HIGHER RISK LEVELS IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL LIKE I DID. IT WAS A MUCH MORE FORCEFUL TURN THAN SUBARU'S REGULAR 'NON-URGENT' LANE KEEP ASSIST. THERE WERE NO VISUAL OBSTRUCTIONS PRESENT THAT THE EYESIGHT CAMERA WAS PICKING UP: IT WAS REGISTERING THE OLD LINE THAT HAD BEEN PAINTED OVER. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY RISK FOR ANY TYPE OF ROAD WORK THAT PAINTS OVER LINES DURING CONSTRUCTION OR REPAINTING, BUT THIS ALSO POSES AN IMMEDIATE DANGER TO LIFE AND HEALTH TO PEOPLE DRIVING ON ROADS WITH LINES THAT HAVE BEEN PAINTED OVER AND LEFT IN THAT CONDITION. THE COMPUTER REGISTERED THE DARK LINE, MEANT TO VISUALLY COVER UP THE OLD PAINT, AS A WHITE LINE! I CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE AND NOT JUST INCIDENTAL WITH ME. I FOUND A POST ON A SUBARU FORUM WHERE TWO PEOPLE DESCRIBE THE SAME SITUATION I HAD. I WILL LINK THAT BELOW. HTTPS://WWW.ASCENTFORUMS.COM/THREADS/LANE-KEEP-ASSIST-MALFUNCTION.9530/ I TRIED REACHING OUT TO SUBARU BUT THEY DID NOT REPLY. I BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY SUBARU DEALER WHO ONLY CHECKED FOR RECALLS. I NEED THIS TO GET THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE HERE. THEY PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE.

NHTSA ID

11385178

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

10,000 mi

WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM ENGAGES IN A WAY THAT AFTER LEAVING AND COMING BACK TO VEHICLE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RELEASE TO START THE CAR BACK UP AGAIN. MY WIFE HAS BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES WHERE I HAD TO COME AND ASSIST IN RELEASING THE STEERING WHEEL BY ADDING THE FORCE AND WEIGHT OF MY BODY TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER TO RELEASE IT AND BE ABLE TO START THE CAR UP. THE DEALER(800 455 0701) PROMISED TO CONTACT SUBARU AND GET A RESPONSE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE. NO RESPONSE. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER NOTED THAT THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF CALLS PER YEAR ON THIS ISSUE. THE POTENTIAL OF GETTING STUCK IN A UNSAFE AREA ( EMERGENCY NEED TO TRAVEL, STUCK ON THE HIGHWAY, SNOW STORM REQUIRES TEMPORARY STOP, LATE EVENING PARKING AREA, REMOTE COUNTY PARK OR STATE PARK OR FEDERAL PARK) ARE ALL POSSIBLE AND COULD BE DANGEROUS. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

NHTSA ID

11299188

Incident

Jun 14, 2019

Mileage

1,500 mi

TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, TAPPED BRAKES AND ANTI LOCKS ACTIVATED, IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS ENTIRE DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH EVERY WARNING LIGHT POSSIBLE ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE FIRST EXIT, TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM START OF INCIDENT, INTO A PARKING LOT, DIRECTLY OFF THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE CAR SHUT DOWN. TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RESTART THE CAR- IT WOULD CATCH AND THEN SHUT OFF. ENDED UP GETTING IT TOWED TO MY HOME DEALER. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. IT APPEARED TO BE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE COMPUTER WHICH CAUSED THE ENTIRE CARS SYSTEMS TO SHUT DOWN. PICTURES SHOW DASH LIT UP AND SCREEN SHOT OF 'MY SUBARU' APP WHICH INDICATED ONLY SOME OF THE WARNING LIGHTS, ALTHOUGH ALL LIGHTS WERE LIT.

NHTSA ID

11287008

Incident

Dec 2, 2019

Mileage

10,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. ROY ROBINSON SUBARU (6001 33RD AVE NE, MARYSVILLE, WA 98271, (360) 659-6237) WAS CONTACTED AND A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V065000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,210.

NHTSA ID

11253000

Incident

Aug 7, 2019

Mileage

20,210 mi

STEERING FLOATS AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. IT IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND TWITCHY REQUIRING CONSTANT DRIVER CORRECTION. DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT PATH IN TRAFFIC LANES DUE TO CONSTANT CORRECTION.

NHTSA ID

11228356

Incident

Feb 21, 2019

Mileage

800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ANGLED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LITHIA RENO SUBARU (LOCATED AT 2270 KIETZKE LN, RENO, NV 89502, (775) 800-5534) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE WAS DETECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

NHTSA ID

11222546

Incident

Mar 1, 2019

Mileage

4,000 mi

STEERING IS VERY SENSITIVE ON HIGHWAY SPEED -- ABOVE 50MPH. CAR IS RESPONDING TOO MUCH AND UNPREDICTABLE ON ANY SMALL MOVEMENT OF STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

11220430

Incident

Jun 6, 2019

Mileage

500 mi