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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

Unknown Or Other complaints

107 reports
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4,200 miles · Dec 12, 2020
Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

WE HAVE HAD OUR 2020 FORESTER FOR 5 MONTHS. COMING HOME FROM A DRIVE TO THE GROCERY STORE, WE NOTICED A TINY CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN WE PULLED INTO OUR GARAGE. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROADWAY. WE LOOKED ONLINE AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WHERE A TINY CRACK DEVELOPS FROM A ROCK OR OTHER SMALL DEBRIS AND T…

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WE HAVE HAD OUR 2020 FORESTER FOR 5 MONTHS. COMING HOME FROM A DRIVE TO THE GROCERY STORE, WE NOTICED A TINY CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN WE PULLED INTO OUR GARAGE. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROADWAY. WE LOOKED ONLINE AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WHERE A TINY CRACK DEVELOPS FROM A ROCK OR OTHER SMALL DEBRIS AND THEN WITHIN A DAY OR TWO THERE IS A TWO TO THREE FOOT CRACK ACROSS THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD. WE HAVE DRIVEN OTHER VEHICLES FOR YEARS WITHOUT A TINY PIECE OF DEBRIS CAUSING SO MUCH DAMAGE. THERE IS CLEARLY A FLAW IN HOW THE WINDSHIELDS ARE DEVELOPED (PROBABLY TO SELL THEIR EXPENSIVE WINDSHIELD WARRANTY PLANS). AS THERE IS A POINT OF IMPACT I'M SURE IT WON'T BE COVERED BY ANY OF OUR MANUFACTURER WARRANTIES. THE WHOLE ISSUE THOUGH IS THE LACK OF VISIBLE DEBRIS DURING OUR DRIVE--LITERALLY IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN SOMETHING SMALLER THAN A PEA. IT IS RIDICULOUS TO THINK THAT SUCH A SMALL IMPACT WOULD CAUSE THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD TO FRACTURE. AGAIN, WE HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH DEBRIS WITH OTHER BRANDS IN THE PAST, AND A SMALL IMPACT DID NOT CRACK THE WINDSHIELD AT ALL. WE DID NOT NOTICE THE CRACK UNTIL WE GOT HOME, BUT IT LIKELY OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION. WE WERE ON A HIGHWAY, BUT NOT A HIGH MPH STRETCH. WE WERE ONLY COMING BACK FROM A COUPLE MILES AWAY FROM OUR HOME, WHERE THE VEHICLE SITS IN THE GARAGE 100% OF THE TIME IT IS NOT BEING DRIVEN.

NHTSA ODI #11383152

1,000 miles · Dec 3, 2020
Unknown Or Other

WINDSHIELD ISSUE - ON 10/24/20 DISCOVERED APPROX. 2 FT. CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2020 SUBARU FORRESTER. NO IDEA WHEN CRACK ACTUALLY HAPPENED. NO OBVIOUS DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD STUCK THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. CAR STAYS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE UNLESS IT'S BEING DRIVEN. CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 9/26/20 A…

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WINDSHIELD ISSUE - ON 10/24/20 DISCOVERED APPROX. 2 FT. CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2020 SUBARU FORRESTER. NO IDEA WHEN CRACK ACTUALLY HAPPENED. NO OBVIOUS DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD STUCK THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. CAR STAYS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE UNLESS IT'S BEING DRIVEN. CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 9/26/20 AND HAD APPROX.1000 MILES ON ODOMETER WHEN THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. WE ASSUMED IT WAS A WARRANTY ISSUE AND TOOK TO DEALER LATER THAT WEEK. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD US A ROCK MUST HAVE HIT IT AND WE HAD TO GET IT FIXED - NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. UNFORTUNATELY THE CRACK IS GETTING LARGER, SO WE HAVE APPT. TO GET WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND PAY $500 INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE. CAN SCAN AND SEND INSURANCE/INVOICE PAPERWORK ONCE REPAIR IS COMPLETE IF NEEDED.

NHTSA ODI #11377834

7,000 miles · Nov 27, 2020
Unknown Or Other

CRACKED WINDSHIELD

NHTSA ODI #11376493

900 miles · Nov 11, 2020
Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS OF PURCHASING MY BRAND NEW 2020 SUBARU FORESTER WITH NOTHING IMPACTING IT. I WAS DRIVING WITH NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ON A WELL PAVED ROAD ON A ROUTE I HAVE DRIVEN FOR YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS. NOW THERE IS A LARGE BREAK IN GLASS RUNNING ACROSS…

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MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS OF PURCHASING MY BRAND NEW 2020 SUBARU FORESTER WITH NOTHING IMPACTING IT. I WAS DRIVING WITH NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ON A WELL PAVED ROAD ON A ROUTE I HAVE DRIVEN FOR YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS. NOW THERE IS A LARGE BREAK IN GLASS RUNNING ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD. I EVEN TOOK IT TO SUBARU AND A SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID HE COULD NOT FIND A PLACE OF IMPACT. WHEN I MAKE A TURN NOW I CAN HEAR THE GLASS BEING STRESSED FROM THE TURN.

NHTSA ODI #11374155

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2020
Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED ON THE CITY STREET IN TWIN FALLS, IDAHO. THE NEXT MORNING HAD A LARGE CRACK ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I HAVE NOT BEEN USING THE HEATER BUT HAVE BEEN USING THE HEATED DRIVER SEAT.

NHTSA ODI #11373024

13,500 miles · Oct 24, 2020
Unknown Or Other

MY SUBARU FORESTER 2020 ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD A BIG CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD STARTING FROM THE TOP EDGE TO THE MIDDLE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET FOR 5 DAYS. NO PRIOR DENT ON IT OR CRACK. I CALLED SUBARU AND ONE OF THE STAFF HAD MENTIONED THEY HAVE A THIN WINDOW MATERIAL DUE TO THE DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEM. I'VE HAD MY SCION TC …

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MY SUBARU FORESTER 2020 ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD A BIG CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD STARTING FROM THE TOP EDGE TO THE MIDDLE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET FOR 5 DAYS. NO PRIOR DENT ON IT OR CRACK. I CALLED SUBARU AND ONE OF THE STAFF HAD MENTIONED THEY HAVE A THIN WINDOW MATERIAL DUE TO THE DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEM. I'VE HAD MY SCION TC 2007 WHICH GOT HIT WITH MANY THINGS AND NEVER RECEIVED THIS TYPE OF CRACK ON THE WINDOW. I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDOW AND I ALWAYS PARK OUTSIDE IN A HOT LOS ANGELES WEATHER. I NOW LIVE IN THE BAY AREA AND IT IS COLDER HERE. HOPING TO HAVE THIS REPLACED BY SUBARU AS PART OF A DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI #11366236

10,000 miles · Aug 30, 2020
Unknown Or Other

I HAVE HAD MY SUBARU FORESTER 2020 FOR ONLY 8 MONTHS AND THERE IS ALREADY A CRACK ON MY WINDSHIELD FROM A SMALL ROCK HITTING MY WINDSHIELD. THE ROCK WAS TINY AND IT CREATED A 18IN CRACK ON MY WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11352166

4,100 miles · Aug 30, 2020
Unknown Or Other

WE LEASED THIS CAR FEB 28, 2020. TWO MONTHS LATER WHEN TRAVELING AT 60 MPH WE NOTICED A STAR-SHAPED CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD WITH NOTHING APPARENTLY HITTING IT. THE WINDSHIELD THEN CRACKED. LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON THE CAR. WE HAD THE WINDSHILED REPLACED AT OUR EXPENSE. LAST WEEK WHEN TRAVELING 70 MPH A STAR-SHAPED CRACK APP…

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WE LEASED THIS CAR FEB 28, 2020. TWO MONTHS LATER WHEN TRAVELING AT 60 MPH WE NOTICED A STAR-SHAPED CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD WITH NOTHING APPARENTLY HITTING IT. THE WINDSHIELD THEN CRACKED. LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON THE CAR. WE HAD THE WINDSHILED REPLACED AT OUR EXPENSE. LAST WEEK WHEN TRAVELING 70 MPH A STAR-SHAPED CRACK APPEARED AFTER NOTHING HITTING IT. THE CRACK THEN EXPANDED TWO DIFFERENT TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #11352084

200 miles · Jul 1, 2020
Unknown Or Other

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AFTER ONLY 10 DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE,THE SMALLEST ROCK YOU CAN SEE WITH YOUR EYES HIT ON THE LEFT DOWN DRIVER CORNER AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT THE SAME PLACE WITH VERY UNRECOGNIZABLE CRACK.AFTER JUST 5 MINUTES THE CRACK WENT ALL THE WAY TO HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11331872

6,410 miles · Jun 17, 2020
StructureUnknown Or Other

ON JUNE 16TH, 2020 MY VEHICLE WAS STRAIGHT IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. RANDOMLY, A CRACK APPEARED ON THE DRIVER SIDE PART OF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT GIVE ME COVERAGE FOR THIS INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11329350

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.

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