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
600 reports, newest first.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Feb 23, 2021, crash
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. FOOT ON BRAKE IN PARKING SPOT. THEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN.
Other or unspecified, Feb 23, 2021
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.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2021
CAME OUTSIDE, TURNED THE CAR ON AND NOTICED A HUGE DOUBLE CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 20, 2021
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.
Electrical system, Feb 15, 2021
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.
Structure, Feb 11, 2021
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.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 11, 2021
CAME OUT ONE MORNING AND WINDSHIELD HAD A LARGE CRACK AND IT KEEPS GETTING LARGER.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 10, 2021
CRACKED WINDSHIELD. NO APPARENT REASON. HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $1825.
Other or unspecified, Feb 9, 2021
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.
Visibility, Feb 4, 2021
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.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Feb 2, 2021
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.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 1, 2021
PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU FORESTER SPORT MAY 25 2020, THE MORNING OF 1/22/2020 WE WOKE UP TO A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD FROM PASSENGER SIDE ALL THE WAY TO THE MIDDLE OF THE GLASS. THE VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT AND VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THE WEATHER WAS CERTAINLY NOT AN ISSUE AS IT DOES NOT GET BELOW FREEZING OFTEN (ESPCIALLY IN OUR GARAGE) IN THE SOUTHEAST THIS TIME OF YEAR. I WALKED OUT TO START THE CAR TO LET IT WARM UP BEFORE DRIVING AS I ALWAYS DO, WALKED BACK INSIDE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THEN WALK OUT TO FIND A HUGE CRACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I DONT USE THE DEFROST OR HEAT, JUST THE HEATED SEATS, SO GLASS HEATING UP TO FAST COULDNT HAVE BEEN THE ISSUE; NOT THAT IT SHOULD BE AN ISSUE. HOWEVER I DID NOTICE A SMALL PIN PRICK OF A CHIP IN THE GLASS UPON FURTHER INSPECTION. THAT SAID, THIS GLASS IS FAR TOO FRAGILE AND IM ALREADY EXPECTING TO BE REPLACING IT AGAIN AS THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH SUBARU FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. $1500 TO REPLACE THE GLASS AND RE CALIBRATE EYESIGHT. EXPECTING INSURANCE PREMIUMS TO GO UP AT SOME POINT. THIS GLASS IS BEYOND DEFECTIVE, WEAK, AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN SOMETHING SLIGHTLY BIGGER HITS IT? I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING ONE OF THE SAFEST CARS ON THE MARKET...
Visibility/wiper, Feb 1, 2021
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON-FOUND TODAY WHEN CAR WAS STATIONARY.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 31, 2021
WINDSHIELD CHIP AND BREAK REALLY EASY I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN A BODYSHOP FOR 20 YEARS AND EVER NEW SUBARU OWN I HAVE TALKED TO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKING BUT THAT'S THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE BAD TO SAY ABOUT THE CARS
Visibility/wiper, Jan 30, 2021
CAR PURCHASED ON 1/25/21 FROM DEALER WITH 8700 MILES ON IT IN GOOD CONDITION. BY 1/30/21, ONE CRACK AND 3 CHIPS WERE DEVELOPING ON WINDSHIELD. DID NOT HAPPEN DURING DRIVING. WE HAVE PUT ABOUT 200 MILES ON IT. HAILED ON 1/29/21 BUT NO DAMAGE TO GLASS SUNROOF OR OTHER WINDOWS.CAR SPENDS MOST TIME PARKED IN LOT, NOT ON STREET.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 27, 2021
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WITHIN MONTHS OF OWNING THE BRAND NEW CAR. THE CRACK SEEMED TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE OVER NIGHT, AND GRADUALLY GREW MUCH BIGGER OVER TIME.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Jan 26, 2021
HELLO, I OWN A SUBARU FORESTER SPORT 2020 AND I HAVE THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW IMPLODE WITHOUT ANY REASON. THE CAR WAS PARKED ALONE FOR LESS THAN ONE HOUR AND I CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE TO USE IT AND THE WINDOW WAS IN A MILLION LITTLE PIECES WITH NO SIGN OF ENTRY OR ANY OBJECT TO SUGGEST THAT IT WAS AN ACT OF VANDALISM. THE POLICE CAME AND DID A THROUGH-ROUGH INVESTIGATION AND COULD NOT FIND A MOTIVE OR REASON. AT THE END IT WAS ASSIGNED AS VANDALISM. HOWEVER, AFTER FURTHER SEARCHING ONLINE, THERE IS A PENDING LAWSUIT CHRISTINE POWELL VS. SUBARU OF AMERICA DUE TO THIS REASON WHICH IS WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELDS CRACKING OR IMPLODING WITHOUT ANY REASON. SUBARU IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND EVEN ASKED THE LAWSUIT TO BE DISMISSED. THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINS KEEPS INCREASING AND INSURANCE COMPANIES AND OWNERS HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL TO GET EQUALLY BAD REPLACEMENT WINDOWS. I AM DEEPLY CONCERN FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE CAR AND ALSO MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY PASSENGERS.*DT CONSUMER STATED MANUFACTURER AGREED TO PAY $100.00 DEDUCTABLE.*JB
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jan 21, 2021
COMPLAINT NUMBER 11386410 WINDSHIELD REPLACED NOTED ON RECEIPT 'BROKEN DUE TO STRESS CRACK/DEFECT IN GLASS. NOTHING FROM THE ROAF HIT THE GLASS'
Visibility/wiper, Jan 20, 2021
WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW LAST YEAR, 2020 FORESTER SPORT. WOKE UP ONE DAY TO HAVING A CRACK OUT OF NOWHERE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD, NO IMPACT SIGN. CRACKED ALL THE WAY UP AND NOW WORKING TO THE SIDE. JUST A WEEK AGO WE HAD A LITTLE ROCK KICK UP FROM A TRUCK ON THE ROAD, NOT VERY BIG NOR GOING VERY FAST, YET IT CRACKED THE GLASS INSTANTLY & DRAMATICALLY YET AGAIN. THE WINDOW SEEMS TO BE EXTRA SENSITIVE AND NOT AS DURABLE AS NORMAL WINDSHIELD GLASS. THIS BECOMES A LARGE EXPENSIVE PROBLEM FOR OWNERS AS REPLACING THE GLASS COST $1000 DUE TO EYESIGHT CALIBRATION. WHEN IT'S BREAKING EVERY FEW MONTHS ON THE SLIGHTEST THINGS, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT AND QUITE DANGEROUS. WE ARE DRIVING IT WITH BROKEN GLASS UNTIL SUBARU WILL FIX IT, AS THE REPAIR COSTS ARE JUST TOO HIGH AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT!!
Visibility/wiper, Jan 16, 2021
THE WINDSHIELD ON THE 2020 SUBARU FORESTER IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND FRAGILE. ROCK IMPACTS THAT WOULD HAVE LEFT NO MARK ON OTHER WINDSHIELDS LEAVE CHIPS. THIS MORNING, WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, WITHOUT A ROCK IMPACT, THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED; AN 18-INCH CRACK DEVELOPED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, STARTING WHERE THE GLASS MEETS THE VEHICLE, ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE GLASS. I HEARD A [POP] NOISE AND NOTICED THE CRACK SUDDENLY DEVELOPED; MY WIFE DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE UNTIL I POINTED IT OUT TO HER. I'VE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM THAT THE GLASS IS CONSTRUCTED DIFFERENTLY IN ORDER FOR SUBARU'S MOTION SENSING SYSTEM "EYESIGHT" TO WORK PROPERLY. IF SUBARU CAN'T DEVELOP A MOTION SENSING SYSTEM WITHOUT SERIOUSLY COMPROMISING THE INTEGRITY OF THE WINDSHIELD, THEY SHOULD NOT SELL CARS WITH THAT SYSTEM.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 11, 2021
FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD CRACK WHICH COMES BY ITSELF
Visibility/wiper, Jan 8, 2021
MY 2020 FORESTER DEVELOPED 2 CRACKS VERY SUDDENLY. NO IMPACTS, JUST 2 BIG CRACKS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM. I WALKED OUT FROM WORK AND FOUND ONE, AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE SECOND ONE HAD MAGICALLY APPEARED. I HAD TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED ENTIRELY. SUBARU INSISTED IT WAS BECAUSE OF IMPACTS TO THE GLASS AND WOULDN'T DO IT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY WANTED $1500 OUT OF POCKET AND FOR ME TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT VIA MY INSURANCE ON MY OWN. I WENT WITH OEM GLASS FROM SAFELITE, HOPING THAT PERFORMANCE WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE SUBARU GLASS. THE PEOPLE AT SAFELITE WARNED ME THIS LIKELY WOULDN'T BE THE CASE; THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ANGLE/DESIGN OF THE SUBARU FORESTER GLASS WAS FAULTY AND THAT THEY SEE A LOT OF FORESTERS IN THEIR SHOPS FOR WINDSHIELD CHIPS AND CRACKS EVERY WEEK. SURE ENOUGH, 5 MONTHS LATER A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS GOING ABOUT 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT INSTANTLY TURNED INTO A 5" CRACK THAT REACHED THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I AM NOW HAVING MY SECOND FULL WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WITHIN 6 MONTHS. I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH THE WINDSHIELD ON MY FORESTER. I KNOW THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST TIME I'M IN FOR A WINDSHIELD REPAIR, AS I LIVE IN A CITY AND DRIVE ON INTERSTATES WITH SEMI-TRUCKS; GETTING THE OCCASIONAL ROCK THROWN UP INTO THE WINDSHIELD IS INEVITABLE. I'VE NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WITH SUCH FRAGILE GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 6, 2021
PURCHASED NEW 2020 FORRESTER WITH 25 MILES ON IT MAY 19, 2020. ON JULY 14 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO VEHICLES CLOSE BY, WHEN WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY POPPED AND CRACKED APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES ACROSS DRIVER VIEW. NO VISUAL CHIP OR OTHER DAMAGE, BUT CRACK MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER TO SEE ESPECIALLY IN SUNLIGHT. CALLED SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THIS IS OFTEN A PROBLEM WITH THE "SMART" WINDSHIELD, AND WAS NOT FAULTY OR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDSHIELD CONTINUED TO CRACK. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED WINDSHIELD AND CALIBRATED EYE SIGHT ON JULY 23 AT THE COST OF $1416.27. WE HAD GLASS COVERAGE WITH SAFECO INSURANCE, DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FILE INSURANCE CLAIM SO WE PAID FOR COST AND SUBMITTED CLAIM TO SAFECO. SAFECO EVENTUALLY PAID US IN SEPTEMBER AFTER MULTIPLE PHONE CONVERSATIONS AND QUESTIONS, INCLUDING WHETHER THE WINDSHIELD COULD HAVE BEEN FAULTY WHEN PURCHASED.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 6, 2021
FOR THE 2ND TIME IN A 30 DAY PERIOD I HAVE HAD TO REPAIR MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER WINDSHIELD DUE TO A CRACK. THE CRACK HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 1) ON LOCAL ROADS WHEN A VERY SMALL PEBBLE STRUCK THE DRIVER-SIDE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT. IN MY 50 YEARS OF DRIVING, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD CRACK SO EASILY LIKE THIS WITH SUCH A SMALL PEBBLE HIT, AND IT HAPPENED 2X IN A 30 DAY PERIOD (DEC. 09, 2020 1ST REPAIR, AND JAN. 05, 2021 2ND CRACK). SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE WITH THE STRENGTH AND INTEGRITY OF THIS MFG WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 5, 2021
I PURCHASED A 2019 SUBARU FORRESTER IN 2019. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALONE ON A COUNTRY HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO WAY THERE WAS ANY IMPACT, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE AND I HAD THE HEAT ON - MAYBE THE MIXING OF TEMPERATURES CAUSED IT TO CRACK. I HAD GEICO COVER THE NEW WINDSHIELD. I PURCHASED A 2020 FORRESTER IN JULY 2020, AND HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT. THE CAR WAS SITTING, ALONE, IN A PARKING RAMP THAT WAS COVERED AT MY HOUSE, WITH NOTHING AROUND IT. I WAS OUT OF MY CAR FOR MAYBE AN HOUR AND CAME BACK AND THE WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED AGAIN.