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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.

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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

Structure complaints

15 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2024
Structure

Automated lift gate opened fully, and then immediately closed without warning upon a person who was trying to access the back, nearly causing injury. It is unknown what precisely is failing within the lift gate and it is available for review. The automated lift gate can close on a person unexpectedly potentially causing injury.…

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Automated lift gate opened fully, and then immediately closed without warning upon a person who was trying to access the back, nearly causing injury. It is unknown what precisely is failing within the lift gate and it is available for review. The automated lift gate can close on a person unexpectedly potentially causing injury. This has been reproduced as was "fixed" by the dealer but then reappeared only a month later with the same issue. The vehicle was not inspected by anyone but the dealer's service representatives. There was a soft beep emitted as it came down but the behavior was completely unexpected. There were no warning lamps or other information as to something was non-functional, only the soft beep as the lift-gate fully opened, then automatically fully shut right after.

NHTSA ODI #11631660

36,000 miles · Mar 20, 2024
Latches/locks/linkagesStructure

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the hood was independently unlatched and opened. The light indicating that the hood was opened illuminated. The contact stated that he pulled to the shoulder of the road and closed the hood. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the hood was independently unlatched and opened. The light indicating that the hood was opened illuminated. The contact stated that he pulled to the shoulder of the road and closed the hood. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

NHTSA ODI #11578432

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2023
Structure

There is a crack on the left lower part of the windshield. It’s the 3rd crack requiring a windshield replacement and it only has 21,110 miles on it

NHTSA ODI #11562359

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2021
Forward Collision AvoidanceStructureVisibility/wiper

Our windshield spontaneously cracked and the crack has grown very quickly. I looked online only to see that this has happened to several others.

NHTSA ODI #11441881

6,874 miles · Mar 19, 2021
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, THE HOOD STARTED TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OCEAN SUBARU OF FULLERTON (1100 S EUCLID ST, FULLERTON, CA 92832, (888) 428-2419) HOWEVER, WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, THE HOOD STARTED TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OCEAN SUBARU OF FULLERTON (1100 S EUCLID ST, FULLERTON, CA 92832, (888) 428-2419) HOWEVER, WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,874. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A STRONG INTERMITTENT WIND WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11403953

7,500 miles · Feb 11, 2021
Structure

THE LINKAGE CABLE BETWEEN THE DRIVERS' FRONT INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE AND THE DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM BECAME UNHOOKED SOMEHOW DURING NORMAL USAGE, RENDERING THE DOOR INOPERABLE FROM THE INTERIOR. SIMPLY REMOVING THE INTERIOR TRIM FROM THE DOOR AND REATTACHING THE LINKAGE FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT UNTIL THEN THE DOOR WAS ONLY USEABLE FR…

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THE LINKAGE CABLE BETWEEN THE DRIVERS' FRONT INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE AND THE DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM BECAME UNHOOKED SOMEHOW DURING NORMAL USAGE, RENDERING THE DOOR INOPERABLE FROM THE INTERIOR. SIMPLY REMOVING THE INTERIOR TRIM FROM THE DOOR AND REATTACHING THE LINKAGE FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT UNTIL THEN THE DOOR WAS ONLY USEABLE FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11395804

5,500 miles · Feb 2, 2021
StructureVisibility/wiper

A LARGE FRACTURE ON THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED (ROUGHLY 16 INCHES LONG) WITH, IN MY OPINION, NO OBVIOUS IMPACT. I ONLY NOTICED THE FRACTURE AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO GET THE FRACTURE INSPECTED. THE SERVICE MANAGER RAN A BALL-POINT PEN ALONG THE FRACTURE AND …

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A LARGE FRACTURE ON THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED (ROUGHLY 16 INCHES LONG) WITH, IN MY OPINION, NO OBVIOUS IMPACT. I ONLY NOTICED THE FRACTURE AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO GET THE FRACTURE INSPECTED. THE SERVICE MANAGER RAN A BALL-POINT PEN ALONG THE FRACTURE AND FOUND A SMALL INDENTATION (LESS THAN 1/32 INCH DEEP) NEAR THE A PILLAR. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT THIS INDICATED THE FRACTURE WAS DUE TO AN IMPACT AND NOT A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. CONSEQUENTLY, THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE SINCE FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #11394345

8,330 miles · Jan 26, 2021
StructureUnknown Or Other

HELLO, I OWN A SUBARU FORESTER SPORT 2020 AND I HAVE THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW IMPLODE WITHOUT ANY REASON. THE CAR WAS PARKED ALONE FOR LESS THAN ONE HOUR AND I CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE TO USE IT AND THE WINDOW WAS IN A MILLION LITTLE PIECES WITH NO SIGN OF ENTRY OR ANY OBJECT TO SUGGEST THAT IT WAS AN ACT OF VANDALISM. THE POLIC…

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HELLO, I OWN A SUBARU FORESTER SPORT 2020 AND I HAVE THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW IMPLODE WITHOUT ANY REASON. THE CAR WAS PARKED ALONE FOR LESS THAN ONE HOUR AND I CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE TO USE IT AND THE WINDOW WAS IN A MILLION LITTLE PIECES WITH NO SIGN OF ENTRY OR ANY OBJECT TO SUGGEST THAT IT WAS AN ACT OF VANDALISM. THE POLICE CAME AND DID A THROUGH-ROUGH INVESTIGATION AND COULD NOT FIND A MOTIVE OR REASON. AT THE END IT WAS ASSIGNED AS VANDALISM. HOWEVER, AFTER FURTHER SEARCHING ONLINE, THERE IS A PENDING LAWSUIT CHRISTINE POWELL VS. SUBARU OF AMERICA DUE TO THIS REASON WHICH IS WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELDS CRACKING OR IMPLODING WITHOUT ANY REASON. SUBARU IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND EVEN ASKED THE LAWSUIT TO BE DISMISSED. THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINS KEEPS INCREASING AND INSURANCE COMPANIES AND OWNERS HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL TO GET EQUALLY BAD REPLACEMENT WINDOWS. I AM DEEPLY CONCERN FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAR AND ALSO MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY PASSENGERS.*DT CONSUMER STATED MANUFACTURER AGREED TO PAY $100.00 DEDUCTABLE.*JB

NHTSA ODI #11390003

4,500 miles · Jan 2, 2021
Electrical SystemStructureUnknown Or Other

ONE DAY I LOOKED UP AT MY WINDSHIELD AND THERE IS A SCRATCH/CRACK VISIBLE ON THE INSIDE. NOTHING HIT IT.

NHTSA ODI #11386180

6,000 miles · Jan 2, 2021
StructureUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

VEHICLE WAS DRIVING NEXT TO AN RV ON THE FREEWAY. RV KICKED UP SMALL DEBRIS ONTO WINDSHIELD. WINDSHIELD IMMEDIATELY HAD ABOUT 16 INCH CRACK.

NHTSA ODI #11386138

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