2020 Subaru Forester
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility/wiper is the leading concern among 600 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 26 Forester model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 26 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 16 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: visibility
301 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility, Dec 20, 2021
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.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 28, 2021
Our windshield spontaneously cracked and the crack has grown very quickly. I looked online only to see that this has happened to several others.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 12, 2021
I have owned several cars in the past but my Subaru Forester’s windshield cracked within the first year. I now have 3 cracks in my windshield and I havent even had it for 2 years. I even spoke with my local Subaru dealership and they even say the windshields crack more then they should.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 7, 2021
I was driving on a highway cloverleaf on October 29 2021 when I heard a load popping sound in the windshield area. At the time it occurred the closest vehicle in front of me was a pickup truck several hundred yards ahead of me on the curve, so I was not inline with the rear of the vehicle. Within about 15 seconds a crack started creeping from the upper drivers side of the windshield, to the center middle of the window. The sound I heard was nothing like a rock hitting the window. I took the Forester to Lee's Summit Subaru and had Service Advisor Greg Richards take a look at it and he said there was a small impact area (1/20th CM) , but said it looked to small to have caused the crack. He said, "that because of the EyeSight System, Subaru had to make the glass thinner than the industry standard for it to work consistently, they chose the higher safety rating over a stronger windshield." He checked to se if we had purchased windshield replacement insurance, which we had not. He told me he has a friend that has gone through six windshield's on his Outback in the last 2 years. He said the problem was with any Subaru with The EyeSight System. I took Photos of what he said was the impact area, with a ruler for reference.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 26, 2021
Windshield has crack starting at bottom middle of passenger side that curves up to about half way up and over the windshield ending about midpoint between passenger and driver. Car had been last driven Sunday, October 17th 2021 and then no crack was still visible as of Friday morning. But between Friday and Saturday, October 23rd 2021 the crack appeared when the vehicle had not been driven in 5 days. Heard about possible windshield issues with recent Subaru models so wanted to submit my info as from what I can tell nothing hit the windshield to cause the problem. Since 10.23 the car has been driven and I am not seeing the crack spread any further thus far.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 19, 2021
The glass broke after the windshield wiper was placed down on it. The windshield glass is broken twice this year. I just replaced it several months ago. It has cracked in the same spot on the passenger side right
Visibility, Sep 14, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that she noticed a fracture on the windshield on the passenger side of the vehicle that was caused without impact. The vehicle was taken to a body shop and it was stated that there was no impact found. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed no recall or coverage for the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,000.
Visibility, Sep 13, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that there was a crack on the windshield. There was no impact to the windshield that could have caused the crack. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was 20,804. The VIN was unavailable.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 11, 2021
Windshield cracked for no reason from the pass side front pillar to the middle of the windshield
Visibility/wiper, Sep 4, 2021
2020 Subaru Forester - windshield internal crack on passenger side
Visibility/wiper, Sep 3, 2021
2020 Subaru Forester windshield cracked, for no apparent reason, while parked overnight on my driveway. No objects impacted the windshield.
Visibility, Aug 20, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 16, 2021
for no reason my windshield randomly cracked inside my garage, prior to the discovery the car had not been driven in several days.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 13, 2021
We were driving about 50 mph on a paved road in the suburbs of a city when suddenly we heard a "pop" and saw a chip in the passenger side of our windshield. No other cars were around us at the time and it was an open road (e.g., we did not drive under an overpass). We don't know how the chip occurred. We continued driving and then parked the car in our garage. Four days later, with the car still in the garage, we discovered the chip had grown into a more than 20-inch crack horizontally on the passenger side of the car. We have been in touch with our insurance company and they have recommended a specific auto glass company to repair it. But we've been told it'll take 4 weeks or more to receive the replacement windshield and recalibrate it. We have since learned from searching the Internet that cracking windshields on Subaru models is a common complaint among Subaru owners.
Visibility, Aug 10, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that a crack had formed in the middle upper part of the windshield without impact. The contact stated that the crack obstructed her vision while driving. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The windshield was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 12,500.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 7, 2021
Windshield cracked out of nowhere. It was parked and just showed up to a cracked windshield
Visibility, Aug 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the front windshield developed a crack at the center of the windshield by the rear-view mirror mount. During the incident no object had contacted the windshield to cause the damage. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,000.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 4, 2021
Windshield cracked without cause overnight while car was not being driven. Stress crack emanating from the bottom edge where the defroster element for the windshield wipers is located ending in about the center of the windshield. Dealer inspected and could not find an impact point.
Visibility, Aug 2, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and unattended, the contact became aware that the front windshield had cracked from the top without impact. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000. The VIN was not available.
Visibility, Jul 30, 2021
2020 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEMI OPAGUE WINDSHIELD CAUSING ISSUES WITH VISIBILTY ON DARK ROADS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 28, 2021
Was just sitting in my car and the windshield just started cracking very quickly. Nothing hit it.
Visibility, Jul 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the windshield cracked without impact. The contact had the vehicle repaired however, shortly afterward the issue recurred. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,195.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 27, 2021
While driving back home from Sacramento to San Diego, my windshield cracked for no reason and with time it increased. I am 100% sure that no pebble from road hit the windshield. I went to the dealership and they didn’t report me that windshield had defect but issued me a quote of approx $1900.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 21, 2021
A small rock hit my windshield and seemed to crack it WAY more easily than it should have. I Was researching cost to replace it and found the information about the lawsuit and the fact that it applies to my year of Subaru. So I decided to file a complaint to be included in the lawsuit.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 9, 2021
Windshield got broken after 9k miles.