What 577 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Forester

Windshield cracked for no good reason and the crack extended to over 12 inches long in 2 weeks time.

NHTSA ODI 11421055

Without any cause I found a crack on my windshield on 6/5/ 2021 . On the passenger side Starting at the base . A very clean long crack without any apparent impact . When My i parked my car in my parking on Friday 6/4 after work there was no crack on the windshield , when I got in my car on Saturday 6/5 morning I saw the crack about 12 “ long . On Monday 6/7 when I got in my car to go to work , the crack was already about 2’ in length.

NHTSA ODI 11420059

Cracked windshield

NHTSA ODI 11418908

While driving on the highway around 65mph, the windshield was struck by a small piece of debris, no larger than a nickel in diameter. This initially produced a small crack at the base of the windshield on the driver's side, which quickly lengthened to over 12 inches over the course of the day. Especially under bright sunlight, the crack produces a sharp glare which significantly reduces driver visibility. When running my finger along the crack, I cannot feel any crack. There is no chip in the glass. The crack is internal to the windshield. (See photo included with this incident submission.) This seems to be a defect in the windshield quality that other Subaru Forester owners have also reported.

NHTSA ODI 11418790

I HAVE NOW REPLACED MY WINDSHIELD A SECOND TIME IN A 30-DAY PERIOD OF TIME. I HAD MY WINDSHIELD BREAK WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. AS SOON AS I GOT IT REPLACED, 3 DAYS PAST AND I WOKE UP ONE MORNING TO SEE THAT MY WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN AGAIN. NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD EITHER TIME AND IT JUST SPORADICALLY CRACKED. I'M DREADING HAVING TO PAY FOR THE THIRD REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11413504

MY WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR WITH ONLY 41,000 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY. IT IS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER AND THERE ARE NOW 2 CRACKS IN THE THIRD AND CURRENT WINDSHIELD.THE WINDSHIELDS THEY ARE USING ARE UNSAFE AND COST ROUGHLY $1300 TO REPLACE DUE TO THE EYE SIGHT SYSTEM. SUBARU IS INSTALLING THESE UNSAFE WINDSHIELDS KNOWINGLY AND COLLECTING MASSIVE PROFITS FROM ALL THE REPLACEMENTS.

NHTSA ODI 11407389

FORESTER WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING FOR NO CLEAR REASON, SPREAD QUICKLY TO A 20" OR LONGER CRACK THAT CONTINUES TO SPREAD.

NHTSA ODI 11404909

FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS DEVELOPED TWO LINEAR CRACKS SPONTANEOUSLY, ONE SMALL ONE 5 CM LONG, THE OTHER ACROSS THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 50 CM. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE OCCURRED SPONTANEOUSLY, THERE WAS NO DEBRIS, ETC, FIRST NOTED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN GARAGE. THERE ARE NO STELLATE MARKINGS, ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11404287

I PURCHASED MY 2017 SUBARU FORESTER IN JULY 2017, SO I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS. ONE DAY RECENTLY I GOT IN MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED A MASSIVE STRESS CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF MY HOME AND I HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY SEEN ANY CRACKS ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK IS AROUND 12 INCHES IN LENGTH, MAYBE LONGER. IT STARTS AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND EXTENDS MOSTLY HORIZONTALLY TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE. I RAN MY FINGER END TO END ACROSS THE CRACK BOTH OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND I COULD NOT FEEL THE CRACK. WHICH MEANS THE CRACK IS ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH MAKES ME THINK IT IS A STRESS CRACK. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH NUMEROUS SUBARU VEHICLES OF VARIOUS MAKES, MODELS, AND YEARS. MY 2017 SUBARU FORESTER IS INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF VEHICLES THAT IS AFFECTED. SUBARU HAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM BECAUSE THIS ISSUE OF SUBARU WINDSHIELDS CRACKING IS SO COMMON. HERE IS A NEWS ARTICLE WITH MORE INFORMATION: HTTPS://WWW.TORQUENEWS.COM/1084/SUBARU-CRACKED-WINDSHIELD-LAWSUIT-UPDATE-WARRANTY-CLAIMS-ARE-DISMISSED

NHTSA ODI 11403413

WINDSHIELD PRONE TO LARGE CRACKS AFTER ANY SMALL CHIPS NEAR THE EDGE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. HAS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN 2 MONTHS. CAR WAS STATIONARY WHEN CRACKS WERE NOTICED.

NHTSA ODI 11399650

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE FRACTURE WAS LOCATED ON THE LEFT CORNER OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRACTURE STARTED TO EXPAND. THE CONTACT CONTACTED A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 11395195

MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK AFTER BEING PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF 8HRS WHILE I WAS AT WORK. THE CRACK STARTS FROM THE BOTTOM AND EXTENDS VERTICALLY AND THEN MOVES HORIZONTALLY. I BELIEVE IT TO BE INTERNAL AS IT HAS NO EXTERIOR MARKS OR CHIPS FROM THE OUTSIDE. I ALSO HAVENT HAD ANY DEBRIS HIT MY VEHICLE DURING THE LAST TIMES I HAVE COMMUTED TO WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11390951

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED WITHOUT IMPACT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 45 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. *BF

NHTSA ODI 11390247

WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT FORWARD ON A WELL-MAINTAINED HIGHWAY UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS MY CAR HAS BEEN HIT WITH SEVERAL ROCKS THAT HAVE BEEN FLUNG FROM TRUCK WHEELS INTO MY LANE. MY CAR'S WINDSHIELD CHIPPED AND CRACKED IN AN UNUSUALLY EASY AND VIOLENT MANNER. ONE OF THE CRACKS SPECIFICALLY SEEMS LIKE A HAZARD TO THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE GLASS, AS IT IS EASILY SPREADING WITH ANY PRESSURE ON THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 6 MONTHS, AND I HAVE 7 (POSSIBLY MORE) VISIBLE ROCK CHIPS AND CRACKS ON THE WINDSHIELD. MY PRIOR SUBARU WAS AN OLDER (2001) MODEL AND I NEVER EXPERIENCED A VISIBLE ROCK CHIP IN 8 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 11388842

MYSELF, WIFE,AND SON WERE TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON HIGHWAY 99 WHEN WE HEARD A POPPING SOUND FOR NO APPARENT REASON WE WERE STARTLED, THERE WAS NO CAR OR TRUCK IN FRONT OF US SO I KNOW IT WASN'T A ROCK,I THEN NOTICED A SMALL CRACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD, THEN WITHIN SECONDS OF NOTICING MY WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO CRACK RIGHT INFRONT OF US AND CONTINUED TILL WE GOT TO OUR DESTINATION. WE WERE SHOCKED TO SEE HOW FAST IT CONTINUED TO CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

NHTSA ODI 11386252

AFTER OWNING MY CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED SUBARU FORESTER FOR 3 MONTHS I WOKE UP TO A LARGE SPIDER CRACK STARTING FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT MY APARTMENT COMPLEX IN A PATROLLED LOT. IT WENT DOWNWARD ABOUT 8 INCHES IN LENGTH. NO ROCKS WERE HEARD OR VISUALLY OBSERVED TO IMPACT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE SOURCE OF THE CRACK APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GLASS WHERE IT IS SEALED AT THE VERY TOP. THIS CRACK WAS NOT ABLE TO BE FELT WITH A FINGERNAIL WHICH IS HOW IT IS KNOWN TO BE UNDER THE GLASS.

NHTSA ODI 11386272

THERE IS A CHIP/DENT IN THE BOTTOM LEFT OF THE WINDSHIELD OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED FROM REGULAR USE AND THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS INFERIOR/DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11385559

MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A LARGE CRACK (2 FEET LONG) BEGINNING AT THE LOWER LEFT EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER EXTENDING HALF WAY UP THE WINDSHIELD. THERE HAD BEEN NO IMPACTS TO THE WINDSHIELD TO EXPLAIN THE CRACK, AND THE ORIGIN OF THE CRACK DID NOT CONTAIN A CHIP TO SHOW WHY IT STARTED. I NOTICED THE CRACK WHEN I PARKED AT MY HOUSE, I'M NOT SURE WHEN IT STARTED BUT WAS SURE IT WASN'T PRESENT WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 2.5 WEEKS PREVIOUSLY.

NHTSA ODI 11384141

WINDSHIELD CRACKED. HAD TO GET REPLACED. WE NOTICED NO STONES OR PEBBLES STRIKING THE WINDSHIELD TO CAUSE THIS. IT CRACKED ON A HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11376517

AT THE END OF A DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED THIS CRACK IN THE LOWER LEFT PART OF THE WINDSHIELD (FROM DRIVER'S VIEW). I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OBJECT HIT MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK LOOKS UNIFORM.

NHTSA ODI 11376643

WINDSHIELD HAS MULTIPLE CHIPS. CURRENTLY ON OUR SECOND WINDSHIELD AFTER A CRACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD REQUIRED A FULL REPLACEMENT

NHTSA ODI 11376737

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 101 SOUTHBOUND. DRIVER HEARD A LOUD POP. DRIVER LOOKED AROUND TO FIND A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES WITHIN 7-8 CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER.

NHTSA ODI 11375314

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, TYPICAL SPEED FOR MY AREA IS BETWEEN 65 AND 80MPH ON HIGHWAYS. MY WIND SHIELD WAS STRUCK BY GRAVEL/ROCK/SMALL OR SMALL DEBRIS. AND A PART OF MY WINDSHIELD CHIPPED WHILE AN OTHER SPOT CRACKED AND LATER DEVELOPED A CRACK.

NHTSA ODI 11374911

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED BY A FOREIGN OBJECT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WAS IN THE PROCESS TO BE REPLACED. NO DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 127,800. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11365912

SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN MY VEHICLE, MY WINDSHIELD HAS GOTTEN SEVERAL CRACKS AND CHIPS (VERY EASILY) FROM ROCKS FLYING UP OFF THE ROAD. FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS I AM GOING TO HAVE TO GET MY WINDSHIELD REPAIRED AND THIS TIME A FULL REPLACEMENT IS REQUIRED DUE TO DAMAGE FROM A ROCK HITTING MY WINDSHIELD AND CAUSING A LARGE CRACK.

NHTSA ODI 11363167