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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING AT 20 MPH ON CITY STREETS WHEN A SMALL ROCK HIT THE LOWER PART OF WINDSHIELD. NORMALLY YOU GET A ROCK CHIP AND YOU HAVE TIME TO SEAL. I HAD ZERO TIME TO GET WINDSHIELD FIXED AS THE WINDSHIELD SPLIT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. WINDSHIELD SPLITTING SO FAST FOR SUCH A LITTLE ROCK CHIP CAN BE HAZARDOUS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,074 |
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | AN OBJECT HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND SEVERAL MINUTES AFTERWARDS, MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO INTERSTATE 35E-SOUTH IN MINNESOTA. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,700 |
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE EDGE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT 8-10 INCHES ACROSS RIGHT IN THE DRIVERS LINE OF VISION. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A POINT OF IMPACT FROM DEBRIS. THE CRACK HAS SINCE EXTENDED HALF WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD 4 DAYS LATER. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND HAVE OWNED IT ABOUT 7 WEEKS | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,295 |
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, A ROCK HIT HIS WINDSHIELD WHICH FORMED CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK THEN SPREAD TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE SIZE OF THE OBJECT SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK AND FELT THAT THE MATERIAL WAS NOT SAFE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED MID HUDSON SUBARU (1715 U.S. 9, WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY 12590) ABOUT THE FAILURE BUT THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,752. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,752 |
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING I HAD A VERY TINY ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD(BARELY MADE A NOISE) WITHIN ABOUT 10 SECONDS THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED A GOOD 20 INCHES. AFTER STOPPING AND INSPECTING THE AREA I COULD ONLY FIND A PIN WHOLE AREA WHERE(?)MAYBE SOMETHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN FEB.2020 AND ABOUT A MONTH AFTER OWNING THE CAR THE SALEMAN CALLED ME AND ACTUALLY TOLD ME THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING OR HEARING OF WINDSHILDS CRACKING AND SOME FOR NO REASON. MY DAUGHTER ALSO INFORMED ME THAT SHE HAD SEEN SEVERAL STATEMENTS FROM OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AND IT APPEARS THERE IS A CLASS ACTION AGAINST SUBARU. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,600 |
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I HEARD A LOUD POP. I LOOKED AROUND AND I NOTICED MY WINDSHIELD HAD A HUGE COMBINATION CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DIDN'T SEE ANY OBJECT FLY TOWARDS THE CAR OR TRUCKS NEARBY. I WAS DRIVING ON THE 2ND LANE FROM THE RIGHT. IT WAS ABOUT 100 DEGREES F AND 5 MINS BEFORE I HAD TURNED ON THE AC AT THE LOWEST TEMP AND FAN SPEED TO MEDIUM-HIGH. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,600 |
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET IN TOWN TODAY, 8/3/2020 WHEN MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I WAS GOING 35MPH. IT CRACKED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE CENTER. I CALLED SUBARU IMMEDIATELY AND WAS INFORMED THAT WINDSHIELDS ARE NOT WARRANTIED. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN MARCH 2020. I WAS GIVEN WINDSHIELD REPAIR COMPANIES BY THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER. I REACHED OUT TO ONE COMPANY AND IM WAITING FOR THEM TO SCHEDULE A TIME AND DATE TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD. MY VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SINCE THE CRACK IS DIRECTLY IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD DIRECTLY AT EYE LEVEL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,700 |
| Jul 2020 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND APPROACHING A STOP, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND VIBRATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL OPERATION. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED FOX MARQUETTE SUBARU LOCATED AT 3825 US 41 WEST, MARQUETTE, MI 49855, WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK IN TEN DAYS IF THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 500 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN COVERED PARKING LOT OUT OF THE SUN. AIR TEMP HIGH 80S. THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK STARTING IN THE TOP MIDDLE DESCENDING TO THE MIDDLE WHERE IT CURVED TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,702 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET OVERNIGHT WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD. NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A CRACK FROM THE EDGE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE TO ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. THERE IS NO IMPACT MARKING ON THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD ROCK CHIP. WHILE DRIVING EASTBOUND ON I-90 OUTSIDE OF SEATTLE A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY CRACKED IT. THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT OF ROCK CHIPS TO THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD TWO CHIPS WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH ONE. I MADE AN INSURANCE CLAIM AFTER THE SECOND CHIP BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD SPLIT. THIS WAS IN MARCH 2020. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AND IS NOW CHIPPED ALREADY/ AGAIN. A COMPLAINT WILL ALSO BE FILED WITH SUBARU AS THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE WINDSHIELD HAS CHIPPED BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT WINDSHIELDS. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD YET. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,124 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED 2 TIMES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,600 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY FROM A RELATIVES HOUSE, GOING APPROX 65 AND WAS HIT BY SOMETHING SMALL, COULD NOT VERIFY WHAT IT WAS, BUT PRESUME IT WAS A ROCK. UPON IMPACT, IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT, WHICH SCARED EVERYONE IN THE CAR. THE DAMAGE TOOK ITS TOLL ON THE WINDSHIELD WHERE IT LEFT A HUGE BASEBALL SIZE BREAK AND A SMALLER BREAK ABOVE IT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THIS WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN DAMAGED AND I PURCHASED NEW IN OCTOBER 2019. IT JUST TURNED 6000 MILES AS I JUST HAD THE 6K SERVICE DONE ON IT RECENTLY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,100 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | LARGE CHIP IN WINDSHIELD CAUSED BY NOTHING. THIS IS THE SECOND CHIP IN A 2 WEEK PERIOD THAT IS NOW CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO BECOME QUESTIONABLE. I CAME OUT TO THE CAR IN THE MORNING WHICH WAS GARAGED TO FIND A LARGE CHIP. THE CAR WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN, BUT WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,150 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ABNORMAL CHIP IN WINDSHIELD CAUSING A CRACK STARTING TO SPREAD. NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD THAT I RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 2 MONTHS OLD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPAIRED WITH DRILL/EPOXY FROM A CERTIFIED REPAIR PERSON THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A SIDE STREET FROM HOME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,100 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ANOTHER CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD. THIS IS THE THIRD CHIP IN A MONTH PERIOD, LESS THAN 4000 MILES ON A BRAND NEW CAR. HAD TO HAVE THE CHIP AND LINE/RUN FIXED BY A CERTIFIED REPAIR PERSON WHO EVEN QUESTIONED WHY HE HAD FIXED THE VEHICLE NOW 3 TIMES! I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET TO THE GROCERY STORE, WHICH IS LESS THAN 5 MILES AWAY ROUND TRIP AND THE CHIP HAPPENED. NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD, NO ROCKS, NOTHING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,500 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | DRIVING ON A SURFACE STREET AT A CONSTANT SPEED OF ~45 MPH, A SMALL PEBBLE FLEW INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND CREATED A CRACK WHICH FURTHER EXPANDED AS A HAIRLINE CRACK WHICH IMPAIRS VISION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH THE EYESIGHT SAFETY FEATURES. AT THIS SPEED, THIS INCIDENT SHOULD NOT CAUSE A CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,900 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | NIGHT DRIVING DARK LINE ACROSS ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CANNOT SEE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU UNLESS DUCKING YOUR HEAD LOOKING OUT SIDEWAYS. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 45 |
| Jul 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AFTER ONLY 10 DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE,THE SMALLEST ROCK YOU CAN SEE WITH YOUR EYES HIT ON THE LEFT DOWN DRIVER CORNER AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT THE SAME PLACE WITH VERY UNRECOGNIZABLE CRACK.AFTER JUST 5 MINUTES THE CRACK WENT ALL THE WAY TO HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | FRONT WINDSCREEN SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK WITH NO IMPACT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,300 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE, A ROCK FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD IN WHAT NORMAL IS A SMALL ROCK CHIP WAS AN IMMEDIATE 10' CRACK TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE ORIGINAL ROCK IMPACT IS NOT DEEP AND EXTREMELY TINY BUT IT CAUSED A CRACK THAT ENDED UP BEING A FULL WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WITH EYESIGHT. EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A ROCK CHIP REPAIR. VERY UPSET SINCE SUBARU OF AMERICA DID NOT DO AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT THEY WOULD FOR A 9 YEAR SUBARU OWNER AND FOUR SUBARU'S LATER. THIS WINDSHIELD (LOANER) ADDED TO MY ENGINE REPLACEMENT COST FROM MY CURRENT SUBARU. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | VEHICLE WAS ENTERING ONTO HIGHWAY AND A SMALL PEBBLE STRUCK TOP MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD, CAUSED A L SHAPED CRACK TO FORM BEHIND REAR VIEW MIRROR AND EXTENDING TO THE LEFT(INSIDE VIEW), ABOUT 10 - 15 IN LONG. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN A MONTH OLD, AND I HAVE NOTICED OTHERS HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH SUBARU WINDSHIELDS EASILY CRACKING ON NEW FORESTER MODELS. SAFETY RISK, WINDSHIELD GLASS NOT BEING DURABLE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 650 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | POWER LIFT GATE OPEN WHILE PARKED DURING ALL-DAY SPORTING EVENT (TOTAL OF 8 HOURS). NO OTHER DOORS OPEN, NO AUXILIARY USE OF BATTERY WAS IN USE, BATTERY WAS DEAD AND I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN PARKING LOT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,400 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS WITH NO CRACK OR ROCK CHIP. THERE IS LESS THAN 5K MILES ON IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,500 |
| Jun 2020 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | ON JUNE 16TH, 2020 MY VEHICLE WAS STRAIGHT IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. RANDOMLY, A CRACK APPEARED ON THE DRIVER SIDE PART OF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT GIVE ME COVERAGE FOR THIS INCIDENT. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,410 |