Complaint volume
589 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
589 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
589 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 67
VISIBILITY 49
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 44
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 15
ENGINE 15
POWER TRAIN 9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER 8
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6
589 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 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 WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Mar 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-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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,500 |
| Mar 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 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,500 |
| Mar 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,343 |
| Mar 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,200 |
| Mar 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 | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Mar 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,969 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED UNEXPECTEDLY FOR NO REASON. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY - PARKED, WHEN THIS OCCURRED, AND WILL BE EXPENSIVE ($1000+) TO FIX | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A CRACK GREATER THAN 12 INCHES ON THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOTED . THERE WAS NO INCIDENT THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,450 |
| Feb 2021 | AIR BAGS | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AS ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD ON INTO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATION, BRUSHING ON BOTH LEGS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS CONTACTED AND HAD TAKEN THE CONTACTS HUSBAND TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS TREATED FOR HIS INJURIES. THE CONTACTS HUSBAND WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY AN INDEPENDENT TOWING COMPANY TO A BODY SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS WAITING RESULTS FOR DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,500. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 5,500 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK. NO KNOWN EVEN SUCH AS A DEBRIS STRIKE WAS OCCURRED. CRACK WAS FIRST NOTICED WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,500 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | RETURNED TO MY CAR AFTER OVERNIGHT SITTING IN DRIVE WAY AND A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER. IT STARTED AT THE BASE, RAN UP ABOUT 5", TURNED TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE CAR AND SO FAR HAS RUN ABOUT 15" AND IS ADVANCING. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF IMPACT. THE VEHICLE HAS 5069 MILES ON IT AS OF 02-26-21. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,990 |
| Feb 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | MY CAR WAS A COUPLE MONTHS OLD. I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND A ROCK GLANCED OFF MY WINDSHIELD. IT CRACKED IT. BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE ROCK, IT WAS SMALL, THE WINDSHIELD SEEMS VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKING. MY PREVIOUS CAR THAT I HAD FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS ENCOUNTERED MUCH LARGER STONES AND I NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD CRACK ON ME. THE REPAIR WAS OVER $1,500. IT SEEMS LIKE QUITE THE MONEY GRAB BY SUBARU. | Crash: No Fire: No | 500 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, MY WINDSHIELD MADE A POP NOISE AND A FOOT LONG CRACK APPEARED A FEW MINUTES LATER. THERE WAS NO OBJECT THAT HIT THE WINDSHIELD NOR ANY VISIBLE DEBRIS ON THE ROAD. SEE DASH CAM AT THE 9:26:11 MARK. HERE'S A LINK FOR THE VIDEO: HTTPS://DRIVE.GOOGLE.COM/FILE/D/1SEGZLHZPFQDE4BKXEEFA8G91NVKRS1DW/VIEW?USP=SHARING IMAGES: HTTPS://DRIVE.GOOGLE.COM/FILE/D/18O4P7W30SOPFFZM4Z4AMBEHMG5R8FDJ6/VIEW?USP=SHARING HTTPS://DRIVE.GOOGLE.COM/FILE/D/1DPF2PZ0NEVRGJNXXBOL2ADYRYLMA_XFB/VIEW?USP=SHARING | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,580 |
| Feb 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A 6 INCH VERTICAL CRACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THE TIME AND THERE WAS NO KNOWN CAUSE OF THE CRACK. THE CRACK DEVELOPED SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT ANY OBJECT STRIKING THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK THEN ENLARGED ON ITS OWN AS IT WAS BEING DRIVEN HOME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,700 |
| Feb 2021 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. FOOT ON BRAKE IN PARKING SPOT. THEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 7,500 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CAME OUTSIDE, TURNED THE CAR ON AND NOTICED A HUGE DOUBLE CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,487 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | LAST NIGHT ON 02/19/2021 I PARKED MY VEHICLE AT HOME IN THE DRIVEWAY, AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS FINE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE, NOTHING HIT MY CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING LAST NIGHT. THIS MORNING WHEN I WENT TO GO TO WORK, I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK THAT APPEARED, APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES IN LENGTH. THE CRACK HAD DEVELOPED APPARENTLY ON ITS OWN, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. THE CRACK CONTINUED TO SPREAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK OVER THE COURSE OF 30 MINUTES, AND IS NOW APPROXIMATELY 24 INCHES IN LENGTH. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,160 |
| Feb 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | WENT TO START CAR AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 3 HOURS. DOORS OPENED WITH FOB BUT KEYLESS IGNITION WOULD NOT START CAR AND ALL IDIOT LIGHTS CAME ON LOCKING STEERING WHEEL, BRAKES, GAS PEDAL, ETC. SUBARU SERVICE CAME AND JUMPED CAR; NOT SURE IF FOB HAD DIED; CAR ONLY 11 MONTHS OLD, UNDER 9000 MILES. TEMPERATURE IN HIGH 20'S, LOW 30'S. KEYLESS IGNITION HAD BEEN WONKY EARLIER IN WEEK AND CAR HESITATED TO GET STARTED. EYESIGHT TURNED OFF BRIEFLY ON DRIVE HOME AFTER CAR WAS STARTED BY JUMPSTART. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,700 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CAME OUT ONE MORNING AND WINDSHIELD HAD A LARGE CRACK AND IT KEEPS GETTING LARGER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Feb 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 FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,500 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD. NO APPARENT REASON. HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $1825. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,590 |
| Feb 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 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,000 |
| Feb 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 8,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Feb 2021 | STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/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 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,500 |