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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

What owners actually said

600 reports
5,200 miles · Mar 7, 2021
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceCrashInjury

2/17/2021 - HONDA ACCORD GOING NORTH ON LYNCHBURG TURNPIKE RAN A STOPLIGHT (GOING ABOUT 30 IN A 25 MPG ZONE) TRYING TO TURN WEST ONTO EAST MAIN ST. IN SALEM, VA ... BOUNCED OPPOSITE CURB, CUT WEST AND SWERVED (OVERSTEER) AND CAME HEAD ON INTO MY STATIONARY 2020 FORESTER. OUR LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED GREEN AND WE WERE ABOUT TO MOVE …

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2/17/2021 - HONDA ACCORD GOING NORTH ON LYNCHBURG TURNPIKE RAN A STOPLIGHT (GOING ABOUT 30 IN A 25 MPG ZONE) TRYING TO TURN WEST ONTO EAST MAIN ST. IN SALEM, VA ... BOUNCED OPPOSITE CURB, CUT WEST AND SWERVED (OVERSTEER) AND CAME HEAD ON INTO MY STATIONARY 2020 FORESTER. OUR LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED GREEN AND WE WERE ABOUT TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN THE HONDA CAME OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND I WAS A PASSENGER. I WAS TAKEN TO ER AND SEEN BY SEVERAL DOCTORS AND AM UNDERGOING PT FOR THE NEXT 5 WEEKS.

NHTSA ODI #11399587

15,000 miles · Mar 6, 2021
Unknown Or Other

I PURCHASED MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER IN 6/2020, AND BY 2/2021 THE WINDSHIELD HAD CHIPPED. I WENT TO GET IT FIXED, AND IT JUST CRACKED EVEN MORE, ACCORDING TO THE GLASS TECH AT SAFELITE. I WAS TOLD THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING VERY FREQUENTLY WITH MODERN SUBARUS AND TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE INITIAL DAMAGE UNTIL THE CAR …

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I PURCHASED MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER IN 6/2020, AND BY 2/2021 THE WINDSHIELD HAD CHIPPED. I WENT TO GET IT FIXED, AND IT JUST CRACKED EVEN MORE, ACCORDING TO THE GLASS TECH AT SAFELITE. I WAS TOLD THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING VERY FREQUENTLY WITH MODERN SUBARUS AND TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE INITIAL DAMAGE UNTIL THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ODI #11399530

2,500 miles · Mar 5, 2021
Visibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPROACHING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED ON THE UPPER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD A 12 INCHES LONG CRACK. THE CONTACT STATED THE CRACK HAPPENED WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER LESTER GLENN SUBARU (1501 NJ-3…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPROACHING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED ON THE UPPER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD A 12 INCHES LONG CRACK. THE CONTACT STATED THE CRACK HAPPENED WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER LESTER GLENN SUBARU (1501 NJ-37 W, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08755, (888) 785-0675) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,500.

NHTSA ODI #11399253

9,500 miles · Mar 4, 2021
Forward Collision Avoidance

DRIVING ON STRAIGHT MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY ~2:00 PM IN THE DAYTIME AT ~55 MPH; CLEAR, DRY WEATHER, DRY ROAD. NO VEHICLES OR OBSTRUCTIONS OF ANY KIND IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, FORTUNATELY NO VEHICLES BEHIND. AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM TRIGGERED FULLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING, BRINGING CAR TO SUDDEN STOP IN HIGH SPEED TRAVEL LANE; COULD…

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DRIVING ON STRAIGHT MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY ~2:00 PM IN THE DAYTIME AT ~55 MPH; CLEAR, DRY WEATHER, DRY ROAD. NO VEHICLES OR OBSTRUCTIONS OF ANY KIND IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, FORTUNATELY NO VEHICLES BEHIND. AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM TRIGGERED FULLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING, BRINGING CAR TO SUDDEN STOP IN HIGH SPEED TRAVEL LANE; COULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE REAR END COLLISION HAD THERE BEEN ANYONE BEHIND. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK AND BACK INTO DRIVE. SUBARU COULD FIND NO REASON FOR ERRONEOUS SUDDEN STOP FUNCTION.

NHTSA ODI #11399133

1,200 miles · Mar 3, 2021
Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

I BOUGHT THIS CAR 2 WEEKS AGO WITH 1,950 MILES AND MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH NO REASON. I DON'T KNOW WHY OR HOW THAT HAPPENED. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR FIRST BECAUSE I HAVE A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND SECOND BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT WINDSHIELD IS WEAK OR LACKING OF SAFETY.

NHTSA ODI #11398866

8,343 miles · Mar 3, 2021
Visibility/wiper

6 MONTH OLD VEHICLE SUDDENLY HAVE CRACK ON WINDSHIELD. REPORTED THE ISSUE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT IS DUE TO IMPACT - CAR IS PARKED UNDER A CARPORT, DID NOT AND/OR GOT HIT BY ANYTHING THE DAY BEFORE, AND HAVE 12 INCHES CRACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD THE DAY AFTER.

NHTSA ODI #11398856

10,969 miles · Mar 2, 2021
Visibility/wiper

I CAME OUT TO THE CAR AND THERE IS A LARGE FOOT LONG PLUS CRACK FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD UP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT DEVELOPED OUT OF NOWHERE.

NHTSA ODI #11398740

16,000 miles · Mar 2, 2021
Unknown Or Other

THE FUEL FILL UP ARROW POINTS TO THE WRONG SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, IT POINTS LEFT, THE FILL UP IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI #11398689

7,450 miles · Feb 28, 2021
Visibility/wiper

A CRACK GREATER THAN 12 INCHES ON THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOTED . THERE WAS NO INCIDENT THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS CRACK.

NHTSA ODI #11398279

6,000 miles · Feb 28, 2021
Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CRACKED UNEXPECTEDLY FOR NO REASON. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY - PARKED, WHEN THIS OCCURRED, AND WILL BE EXPENSIVE ($1000+) TO FIX

NHTSA ODI #11398239

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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