Complaint volume
594 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2020 Subaru Forester Complaints
594 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
594 Total complaints
25 Crash reports
7 Fire reports
13 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are visibility/wiper, unknown or other, visibility. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 25 crash reports, 7 fire reports, 13 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 272 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 10,312 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to visibility/wiper, unknown or other, visibility?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2020 Subaru Forester?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2020 Subaru Forester
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Subaru Forester complaints?
25 Crash
7 Fire
13 Injury
0 Fatality
23 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Subaru Forester complaint categories?
VISIBILITY/WIPER 234
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 68
VISIBILITY 49
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 44
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 16
ENGINE 16
POWER TRAIN 9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER 8
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6
594 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I was driving from Gainesville Georgia to Stuart Florida and all of the sudden the windshield cracked from the top upper left corner to about 6 inches down. It continued to crack for about 18 inches or so within the next 24 hours. I only had the vehicle since September, 2020. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I bought my new 2020 Forester in November 2019. It now has 1604 miles on it. Twice already I've had to have it towed to the dealership because the battery was dead from just sitting in my driveway. The first time, February 2021, they said it was a bad battery. The second time, January 2022, they said it's because I don't drive the car enough. Said I have to drive or idle the car for at least 15 minutes twice per week which is a waste of gas and time for something that shouldn't happen to start with! There are already lawsuits about this constant battery drain but the 2020 Forester isn't included and it should be! There is NO reason for the battery to constantly drain to the point that the car won't start when the car is sitting with everything turned off! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A cracked windshield - the second replacement windshield in two months - As in the case of the first replacement windshield, this second crack appeared as I was sitting in a parking space in a parking lot. No movement of my vehicle. I've spoken with representatives of the company which installed this windshield and this company claims no responsibility. This company is authorized by Subaru. I've spoken to the manager of the Subaru dealership from which I purchased the car. The dealership claims no responsibility. I am planning to write to Subaru's corporate offices. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the radio system malfunctioned, which caused the blind-spot detection system, headlights, and instrument panel to fail to operate as needed. Additionally, the eyesight system would inadvertently engage, which caused the vehicle to stop without warning. The contact restarted the vehicle to correct the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and AutoNation Subaru Scottsdale (15678 N Northsight Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260) and diagnosed with radio software failure. The dealer replaced the radio on three separate occasions; however, the failure recurred. The dealer also reconnected the eyesight system and resolved the eyesight system failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,000 |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | My windshield cracked by itself overnight while the car was parking with no signs of any trauma to it. searching online there are multiple cases reported same problem i definitely believe there is a manufacturers defect with these windshields | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 10/2021: The vehicle completely shut-off at the beginning of a turnabout in front of the fire department. Per nearby pedestrians, automobile owners, employees of the fire department and AAA driver, the start/stop battery or alternator malfunctioned. The vehicle only had 51k miles. This was a new vehicle purchase in 2019. The safety of my toddler and I were at risk as soon as we entered the beginning of a turnabout. I had reported several safety issues from tires, brakes, burning feelings on my skin , my jaw locking up and seatbelt malfunctioning for nearly 1.5 years. Each time I was told they could not replicate the issue. occurred. Problems occurred at the 1st oil change at 5-6k miles. When the car completey shut-off I tried turning the car on and all the dashboard lights came on and I was able to roll my toddlers window down. The car shut off again and when I turned the ignition on the wheel became stuck along with the ignition. I turned the emergency/Caution lights on and thought that would provide us safety from other cars colliding into us. I noticed cars would wait directly behind me and then honk their horn if I did not drive-off. Nearby pedestrians walked by and mentioned the emergency/caution lights were not flashing. I told them to look at my dashboard because they are flashing. The nearby dealership inspected the car and determined the start/stop battery was bad. The corporate office decided to pay for the labor, parts and car rental fees -as a goodwill gesture. 2/2022: 3-4 months has gone by and now there is an acidic feeling on the driver's side stemming from the front and back and even the wheel - when the car is turned on and it lingers when you turn the car off. I even placed a lime and orange I the car for an acidity test as expected it both reacted to the acidity from the car. Makes it hard to talk in the car, vision gets blurry and its almost like you have COVID-19 symptoms but you don't really have it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Entered car d2 after after an ice storm to find Passenger side Windshield cracked from left edge crossing over drivers view. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | my windshield has an edge crack starting yesterday. Rapidly, it has grown to 7~10 inches and it's still happening even when i'm not driving. I have not observed any obvious reasons for this to happen and it's now start impacting the front side visibility during driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Frequent battery dying problem in 2020 Subaru Forester from Grayson Subaru, Knoxville, TN I am a 67 year old woman who does much scientific research in remote places alone at night. During the day, I manage 3 farms 100 miles apart. I am constantly opening and closing gates, getting out briefly to check livestock and fix fences. If my keys are left in the ignition even briefly, as I get in an out for small tasks, the car battery is dead. Other times it is simply dead for no reason at all. In my over 50 years of driving all sorts of cars and trucks, I have never had this problem. I have had constant problems with this car battery dying in as little as 5 minutes after driving 50 miles. I have brought this problem to Grayson Subaru’s attention and spent hours waiting as they checked for problems. They never find anything. I have made numerous calls. They assure me this is “normal”. This is NOT normal. Not in my over 50 years of driving cars. I am forced to carry a car booster with me at all times. This is a TERRIBLE situation for a car which typically is owned by people who often camp, are doing sports in remote places or need a small rugged car for farm work or field research or outdoor activities. Here are just a few times I have contacted Grayson Subaru over this problem. I have had dead battery many more times than this (just in past 2 weeks Jan 5, 10 and 14, 2022), but have had to jump it off because I was in a dangerous. I bought the car in Sept 2021 from Grayson as a new car: Calls and visits to Grayson over the battery problem. Jan 22, 2021; August 11, 2021; Aug 23, 2021; Aug 24, 2021; Oct 5, 2021; Nov 17, 2021; Jan 11, 2022. I do not want to invoke the Tennessee Lemon Law (T.C.A. 55-24-101 to T.C.A. 55-24-112), but I also cannot continue to drive such an unreliable car. I see there is a “battery drain" lawsuit for 2020 Subaru Foresters. I believe this car has the same problem. What do I do? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The windshield on our 2020 Subaru Forester recently cracked, with no warning or obvious reasons for it to crack. When we began to try to repair it, we realized that because of the Eyesight technology connected to it, it would be a more expensive and complex replacement. We also found out that this was a common problem with this make and model, and that there had been other complaints about it. We are still trying to make an appointment to fix it, but the crack has grown longer and seems more dangerous now | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Front windshield developed a 12 inch stress fracture with no invisible sign it was due to a rock chip. The crack first appear below the windshield wiper in the center. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield cracked | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that on three separate occasions, a crack had formed on her windshield obstructing her vision. All cracks to the windshield had formed after minor or no impact. The first crack was detected upon the entrance of the vehicle on the lower driver-side corner; the crack had spread from one edge to another. The second crack had formed while the contact was driving at 65 MPH when a pebble struck the passenger’s side windshield at eye level. The crack initially started off as a chip and then formed into a spider web within seconds; the crack then spread horizontally across the windshield within days. The third crack formed without incident on the top edge of the passenger’s side windshield; the crack had formed into a J-like shape right underneath the rear-view mirror. The contact had taken the vehicle to the same dealer for each windshield repair; the repair for the latest failure was not yet performed. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Dec 2021 | AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Driver gets choked while drinking a cold beverage, gets disoriented and loses consciousness momentarily causing the vehicle to veer off the street and strike a tree with extensive front end damage. Airbags did not deploy at all. Driver has injuries from the crash, such as possible fractured wrist, contusions and much pain in the neck, chest and back areas. She was transported by EMS to the hospital. Insurance was notified and an adjuster has already sent a repair appraisal and cut a check for the estimated cost of repairs. The driver does not feel comfortable about the having the car repaired with potentially faulty airbags. We have photos of the car. We have stated our concerns about this to the insurance company and the vehicle manufacturer. They have opened a file with our concerns and we are waiting to learn further from the insurance provider and the car maker. My wife has numerous injuries and does not feel secure keeping this car. A police report is filed and I have also made an initial request to a consult with an attorney. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery drained quickly, and the vehicle had to be jumpstarted after three days. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The windshield has spontaneously developed a crack that begins at the bottom center edge and has advanced about 18 inches at this point, and is visibly advancing daily. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Liftgate open for tailgating party. Battery drained despite NO lights being on at all. This should NOT happen. Left me (50yo woman) and 3 kids stranded in a very bad part of town. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The windshield has a crack that has grown exponentially. It seems to be very susceptible to impact cracks and chips. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield on NEW car has cracked (for no apparent reason) two times within one year of purchase. Subaru has denied defects in each instance. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Subaru windshield hit with a tiny object, but resulting crack was over a foot long. I had to pay almost $800 to get a replacement. The crack is in my line of vision. No Subaru OEM windshield are available for replacement. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact noticed that there was a crack on the bottom middle windshield going upward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the contact was unable to properly see out of the windshield. The contact mentioned that the bottom of the windshield was clear, but the top was very dark. The vehicle was not taken back to the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 18,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Dec 2021 | POWER TRAIN | Ever since we purchased our Subaru, the RPM's seemed a little off and then at random times when I put it in reverse, it will just idle and I will slowly press on the accelerator and it will not engage in reverse and then random pop into gear and lunge backwards. It doesn't happen every time, but is scary when it does. This has been happening pretty much since we purchased it | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield cracked at bottom center without any prior damage. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The Windshield glass on my 2020 Subaru Forester Sport keep cracking, this is will be the second time that I will have to replace the glass within 6 months. I walked to my parked car then noticed that I had a crack that was not previously there. The glass keeps breaking incredibly easy and the replacement cost is extremely expensive! Not to mention, I've had a side window break without cause and I have video proof of the back window breaking without explanation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | UNKNOWN I’m a cautious driver. Really. My Forester windshield has a crack that appeared with little/no preceding incident. Frustrating. Scary. My driver’s manual tells me to get the windshield replaced ASAP. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |