2019 Subaru Forester power train problems

“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 on 02/15/2026, resulting in all saftey systems failing in traffic when auto start/stop enages.”

“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 occurrence happens all dash lights pop up … I checked engine with code reader after the incidents but it doesn’t give out any info on what could possibly be happening. I had the Dealership change the Thermo control module in 2025 but these occurrences has happened before and after the TCM replacement.Having the dealership check is like wasting my time and money because they aren’t able to pinpoint the cause without a code . There has to be a problem somewhere in the system it’s just that the dealership in Hawaii has no clue ..”

“- *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 speed, and also while stopped at an intersection. In both instances, the gear was in drive, and the vehicle shut down completely, displaying engine service lights. *Previous Repairs:* - *TCV Replacement:* The Thermo Control Valve was replaced under warranty due to a faulty issue affecting the EyeSight system. - *Battery Replacement:* The battery was replaced under warranty in 2023 after the initial incident. Whats concerning is that my dealer said to have found an “after market” appliance hooked up. This said feature was placed by certified subaru dealership when vehicle was purchased. This said item was never identified as to causing the said issue. Which raised even more safety concerns.”

“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”

“CVT Transmission failed and not repairable. 6 months out of warranty but under mileage for warranty at 37,000 miles. Fairly new vehicle that is useless w/o $9,000 for a replacement transmission. Exact same defect in 2018 and older models that Subaru is covering repairs and extended warranty for those years.”

“On April 16, 2024 the Thermo Control Valve on my 2019 Subaru Forester failed while I was going 70 mph in the middle lane of rush hour traffic. All of the warning lights came on at once as my engine stalled. I lost all mechanical power and was barely able to make it off the highway without getting hit. There was no prior warning that the Thermo Control Valve was bad. I had the car serviced at a Subaru dealership three weeks before the incident and was told that everything looked good on my car. The dealership replaced the Thermo Control Valve under extended warranty coverage. I have a second 2019 Subaru Forester that also falls in this group of vehicles, but Subaru will not replace the Thermo Control Valve until it fails.”