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2020 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forester years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Subaru Forester are substantially higher than the model-year median of 131.

About this comparison →
600Owner complaints

Model-year median: 131

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
586
2017493
2018833
2019600
2020207
202198
202273
2023
Compare all Forester years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Visibility/wiper
252Unknown Or Other
107Electrical System
101Engine
79Visibility
49
All reported categories
Forward Collision Avoidance
43Power Train
32Vehicle Speed Control
24Lane Departure
22Structure
15Service Brakes
13Fuel/propulsion System
12Air Bags
11Steering
11Engine And Engine Cooling
4Seats
4Exterior Lighting
3Seat Belts
3Electronic Stability Control (esc)
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Tires
2Back Over Prevention
1Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
1Parking Brake
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

272 reports with mileage · 328 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 252 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 101 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

26 crash reports8 fire reports13 injury reports

Parking Brake complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
29,000 miles · Aug 5, 2022
Parking BrakeVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated as she pulled into a parking space, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated forward causing the vehicle to drive into the bank building. The contact stated she depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop. The air bags did not deploy. One of the employees suf…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated as she pulled into a parking space, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated forward causing the vehicle to drive into the bank building. The contact stated she depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop. The air bags did not deploy. One of the employees suffered minor injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was contacted, and they stated that the vehicle did not have any recalls. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 29,000.

NHTSA ODI #11477741

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems

Subaru Forester transmission problems →Subaru Forester electrical problems →