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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
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

3,000 miles · Feb 11, 2021
Visibility/wiper

CAME OUT ONE MORNING AND WINDSHIELD HAD A LARGE CRACK AND IT KEEPS GETTING LARGER.

NHTSA ODI #11395753

16,590 miles · Feb 10, 2021
Visibility/wiper

CRACKED WINDSHIELD. NO APPARENT REASON. HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $1825.

NHTSA ODI #11395650

13,000 miles · Feb 9, 2021
Unknown Or Other

WINDSHIELD CRACKED EASILY. WHILE DRIVING ON A MAINTAINED CITY STREET, I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE VERY SMALL ROCK OR PIECE OF DEBRIS HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY A 2 FOOT CRACK APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER AND OUTER EDGE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE ACROSS TOWARDS THE MIDDLE. I WAS DISTANCED BEHIND A COMPACT …

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WINDSHIELD CRACKED EASILY. WHILE DRIVING ON A MAINTAINED CITY STREET, I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE VERY SMALL ROCK OR PIECE OF DEBRIS HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY A 2 FOOT CRACK APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER AND OUTER EDGE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE ACROSS TOWARDS THE MIDDLE. I WAS DISTANCED BEHIND A COMPACT SUV. FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE NO INITIAL DAMAGE POINT WAS VISIBLE, ONLY THE CRACK. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, I FOUND A SHALLOW PEN POINT SIZE DIVOT ON THE CRACK NEAR THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11395367

8,000 miles · Feb 4, 2021
Visibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VERTICAL CRACK IN THE MIDDLE THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VERTICAL CRACK IN THE MIDDLE THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

NHTSA ODI #11394674

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

10,543 miles · Feb 1, 2021
Visibility/wiper

PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU FORESTER SPORT MAY 25 2020, THE MORNING OF 1/22/2020 WE WOKE UP TO A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD FROM PASSENGER SIDE ALL THE WAY TO THE MIDDLE OF THE GLASS. THE VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT AND VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THE WEATHER WAS CERTAINLY NOT AN ISSUE AS IT DOES NOT GET BELOW FREEZING OFTEN (ESPCIALLY IN OUR G…

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PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU FORESTER SPORT MAY 25 2020, THE MORNING OF 1/22/2020 WE WOKE UP TO A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD FROM PASSENGER SIDE ALL THE WAY TO THE MIDDLE OF THE GLASS. THE VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT AND VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THE WEATHER WAS CERTAINLY NOT AN ISSUE AS IT DOES NOT GET BELOW FREEZING OFTEN (ESPCIALLY IN OUR GARAGE) IN THE SOUTHEAST THIS TIME OF YEAR. I WALKED OUT TO START THE CAR TO LET IT WARM UP BEFORE DRIVING AS I ALWAYS DO, WALKED BACK INSIDE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THEN WALK OUT TO FIND A HUGE CRACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I DONT USE THE DEFROST OR HEAT, JUST THE HEATED SEATS, SO GLASS HEATING UP TO FAST COULDNT HAVE BEEN THE ISSUE; NOT THAT IT SHOULD BE AN ISSUE. HOWEVER I DID NOTICE A SMALL PIN PRICK OF A CHIP IN THE GLASS UPON FURTHER INSPECTION. THAT SAID, THIS GLASS IS FAR TOO FRAGILE AND IM ALREADY EXPECTING TO BE REPLACING IT AGAIN AS THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH SUBARU FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. $1500 TO REPLACE THE GLASS AND RE CALIBRATE EYESIGHT. EXPECTING INSURANCE PREMIUMS TO GO UP AT SOME POINT. THIS GLASS IS BEYOND DEFECTIVE, WEAK, AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN SOMETHING SLIGHTLY BIGGER HITS IT? I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING ONE OF THE SAFEST CARS ON THE MARKET...

NHTSA ODI #11390966

3,300 miles · Feb 1, 2021
Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON-FOUND TODAY WHEN CAR WAS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI #11390962

5,000 miles · Jan 31, 2021
Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CHIP AND BREAK REALLY EASY I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN A BODYSHOP FOR 20 YEARS AND EVER NEW SUBARU OWN I HAVE TALKED TO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKING BUT THAT'S THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE BAD TO SAY ABOUT THE CARS

NHTSA ODI #11390890

8,800 miles · Jan 30, 2021
Visibility/wiper

CAR PURCHASED ON 1/25/21 FROM DEALER WITH 8700 MILES ON IT IN GOOD CONDITION. BY 1/30/21, ONE CRACK AND 3 CHIPS WERE DEVELOPING ON WINDSHIELD. DID NOT HAPPEN DURING DRIVING. WE HAVE PUT ABOUT 200 MILES ON IT. HAILED ON 1/29/21 BUT NO DAMAGE TO GLASS SUNROOF OR OTHER WINDOWS.CAR SPENDS MOST TIME PARKED IN LOT, NOT ON STREET.

NHTSA ODI #11390779

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