IllustrationVEHICLE 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.
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Forester years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
2400–25K
2325–50K
750–75K
275–100K
0100–150K
0150K+
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 reportsLED ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS BLIND ONCOMING DRIVERS. I HAVE MANY DRIVERS FLASHING THEIR HIGH BEAMS AT ME WHEN DRIVING ON LOW BEAM SETTING WITH FOG LIGHTS OFF. NEW CARS WITH LED HEADLIGHTS UNLESS ON FLAT ROADS CAUSE TEMPORARY BLINDNESS IN PEOPLE WITH SENSITIVE EYES DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. ANYTIME THESE VEHICLES ARE ON A GRADE, TH…
Read full complaint
LED ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS BLIND ONCOMING DRIVERS. I HAVE MANY DRIVERS FLASHING THEIR HIGH BEAMS AT ME WHEN DRIVING ON LOW BEAM SETTING WITH FOG LIGHTS OFF. NEW CARS WITH LED HEADLIGHTS UNLESS ON FLAT ROADS CAUSE TEMPORARY BLINDNESS IN PEOPLE WITH SENSITIVE EYES DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. ANYTIME THESE VEHICLES ARE ON A GRADE, THE BEAM AND COLOR OF THE LIGHT IS VERY INTENSE. WHEN THESE LIGHTS ARE NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY, SAY AFTER SOMEONE ALTERS A VEHICLE (LIFT, LOWER,ETC) THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY BLINDING. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY STUDIES THAT SHOW THE WHITER/BLUE COLOR ON THE SPECTRUM, THAT HUMAN EYES ARE NOT MEANT TO ADAPT. EXAMPLE, BLUE LCD DISPLAYS ON APPLIANCES ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE THAN RED OR GREEN. YES THE LIGHTS ON MY WIFE'S SUBARU MAKES IT EASIER TO SEE FOR US, HOWEVER IT IS BAD FOR EVERYONE ELSE. IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO SEE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS IN THE HEADLAMP HOUSING WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. I KNOW THIS WILL NOT LIKELY CHANGE ANYTHING, I'M AFRAID THESE LIGHTS WILL CAUSE IMPAIRED OR FATIGUED DRIVERS A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING INVOLVED IN HEAD ON CRASHES WITH THE VEHICLE WITH BRIGHTER LIGHTS. THIS IS A STUDY THAT SHOULD BE INVESTED, SUCH AS WAS DONE WITH EMERGENCY VEHICLES LIGHTS.
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 …
Read full complaint
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.
WIRING HARNESS, TRANSMISSION, SOY BASED - DESTROYED BY RODENTS AT 600 MILES, 9 MONTHS. VEHICLE ON HOME DRIVE, DAYLIGHT, AS OUR BASEMENT WAS REPAIRED FROM FLOOD DAMAGE. 1 WEEK ON DRIVEWAY.
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT A REASONABLE SPEED A SMALL PEBBLE CAUSED A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD. ONLY 1500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.
A CRACK/CHIP APPEARED AT THE LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 4,000 MILES AND BARELY DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FIRST I NOTICED IT WAS OCTOBER 14, 2020 WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE.
MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A SUDDEN, AND LARGE CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON, NOTHING ABNORMAL HAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD SINCE BUYING THE CAR. IT WAS PARKED IN MY PRIVATE CARPORT WITH NO CRACK, AND 20 MINUTES LATER WHEN I NEXT GOT IN MY CAR THERE WAS A VERY LARGE CRACK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED WITH IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE CRACK EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB ROHRMAN SUBARU (1600 S CREASY LN, LAFAYETTE, IN 47905) AND WAS INFORMED BY THE DEAL…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED WITH IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE CRACK EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB ROHRMAN SUBARU (1600 S CREASY LN, LAFAYETTE, IN 47905) AND WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO SAFELITE AUTO GLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SAFELITE AUTO GLASS AND WAS TEMPORARILY REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FIX WAS NOT PERMANENT AND THAT THE CRACK COULD SPREAD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,900. *LN*JB*DT*JB
I HAVE HAD 3 CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON MY 2019 AND 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, ALL 3 HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.
NO ROCK DENTS OR ANYTHING AND I CAME OUT ONE MORNING AND A HUGE CRACK APPEARING TO START FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT AND GOING ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD OUT OF NOWHERE. NO ROCK DAMAGE NOTHING JUST A RANDOM CRACK FROM NOWHERE. IT WAS PARKED ALL NIGHT.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.