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.
Other or unspecified, Dec 3, 2020
WINDSHIELD ISSUE - ON 10/24/20 DISCOVERED APPROX. 2 FT. CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2020 SUBARU FORRESTER. NO IDEA WHEN CRACK ACTUALLY HAPPENED. NO OBVIOUS DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD STUCK THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. CAR STAYS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE UNLESS IT'S BEING DRIVEN. CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 9/26/20 AND HAD APPROX.1000 MILES ON ODOMETER WHEN THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. WE ASSUMED IT WAS A WARRANTY ISSUE AND TOOK TO DEALER LATER THAT WEEK. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD US A ROCK MUST HAVE HIT IT AND WE HAD TO GET IT FIXED - NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. UNFORTUNATELY THE CRACK IS GETTING LARGER, SO WE HAVE APPT. TO GET WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND PAY $500 INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE. CAN SCAN AND SEND INSURANCE/INVOICE PAPERWORK ONCE REPAIR IS COMPLETE IF NEEDED.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 3, 2020
FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY
Visibility/wiper, Dec 2, 2020
THE CAR WAS PARKED AS I WAS WALKING UP TO IT THERE WAS A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. I WAS WALKING TO MY CAR AND NOTICED A GLARE WALKING UP AND LOOKED CLOSER AND THERE WAS A CRACKING MY WINDSHIELD
Visibility/wiper, Dec 1, 2020
A 12 INCH CRACK APPEARED IN THE CENTER OF MY WINDSHIELD, PASSENGER SIDE, STARTING AT THE EDGE, AND GOING HORIZONTALLY TOWARDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I HAD JUST LEFT A SHOP'S PARKING LOT. IT WAS NOT THERE BEFORE PARKING. I DID NOT SPOT IT IMMEDIATELY BUT ONLY AFTER 3 MINUTES DRIVING. THERE WAS NO NOISE OF A HIT OR BREAKAGE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WAS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE CRACK WOULD SPREAD TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE - OR ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 27, 2020
SPONTANEOUS CHIPPING AND CRACKING OF THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY. DID NOT HEAR ANY ROCK OR PEBBLE HIT MY WINDSHIELD DURING DRIVING. ONCE I STOPPED IN THE GAS STATION TO FILL UP THE TANK I NOTICED A CRACKED STARTING FROM THE MIDDLE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WHILE I'M CLEANING IT.
Visibility, Nov 27, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, A HORIZONTAL CRACK FORMED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD AND SPREAD TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK OBSTRUCTED HER VISION WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF BEND (2060 NE HWY 20, BEND, OR 97701) WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,500.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 27, 2020
WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY ALONE AROUND 60 MPH AND WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY CRACKED
Visibility/wiper, Nov 27, 2020
I HAVE 2,500 MILES ON THE NEW 2020 SUBARU FORESTER AND A LARGE CRACK APPEARED ON MY WINDSHIELD OVERNIGHT (STATIONARY). NOTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD. CRACK GOES FROM MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD DOWN TO THE LOWER RIGHT PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE IT'S HEATED.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 27, 2020
LITERALLY ABOUT A MONTH AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND THERE WAS NO REAL SIGN OF IMPACT. I WAITED A FEW MONTHS AND EVENTUALLY THE CRACK SPREAD ACROSS THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD AND IMPAIRED MY VISION SO I PID MY DEDUCTIBLE AND GOT IT REPLACED WITH SAFELIGHT.
Other or unspecified, Nov 27, 2020
CRACKED WINDSHIELD
Visibility/wiper, Nov 24, 2020
I PURCHASED A 2020 SUBARU FORRESTER ON 4-1-2020. 90% OF MY DRIVING IS ON SLOWING MOVING STREET TRAFFIC. ON 11-22-2020SIVER DOLLAR SIZED CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD, LOCATED ON THE VERY CENTER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD AND 3" ABOVE THE TOP OF THE ENGINE HOOD. I NEVER HEARD ANY ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND ON EXAMINATION OF THE CRACK, I COULD FIND FIND ANY INDENTATION OR CHIP THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE CRACK. ON 11-24-2020, I WENT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE REP, NAMED CORY, LOOKED AT IT AND COULD NOT FEEL OR ANY CRACK THAT WOULD HAVE A STARTED THE CRACK. CORY THEN WENT TO GET HIS SERVICE MANAGER. THE SERVICE MANAGER IMMEDIATELY GOT A PEN AND PUSHED AROUND ON THE CRACK UNTIL HE PUSHED HARD ENOUGH TO SHOW A LESS THAN A 1 MM INDENTATION. HE THEN INDICATED TO ME THAT THIS A OBVIOUS CRACK FROM A ROCK AND THAT I NEEDED TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE AGENT AND PUT IN A CLAIM ON IT. WHEN I SHOWED HIM THE SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE CLASS ACTION SUIT ON WINDSHIELD FAILURES, HE IMMEDIATELY ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND SAID THAT THE BULLETIN CLEARLY SHOWED CRACKS WE A RESULT OF ROCK DAMAGE AND HAD NO APPARENT RELATIONSHIP TO A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. ALTHOUGH, HE SAID THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE 2 WINDSHIELDS WITHIN THE 2020 YTD. IF A OBJECT THAT WOULD ONLY INFLICT A LESS THAN 1MM INDENTATION, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE WINDSHIELD AND OTHER SAFETY DEVICES, IF THIS VEHICLE WERE INVOLVED IN A TRUE ACCIDENT OR HAD A SIZABLE PROJECTILE HIT THE VEHICLE. LASTLY, THIS ISN'T THE ON SUBARU I OWN. IN MY FAMILY WE HAVE AN 2015 OUTBACK, A 2017 LEGACY, 2019, CROSSTREK AND THE 2020 FORRESTER. SUBARU HAS ALWAYS JUMPED TO ACTION TO REPLACE OR REPAIR ANY SAFETY ITEMS. THIS REBUTTAL BY SUBARU ON THIS WINDSHIELD CRACK COMES AS A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT REGARDING SUBARU'S CLAIM TO SAFETY.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 16, 2020
A CRACK APPEARED ON MY WINDSHIELD WITH NO CAUSE. NO DEBRIS FLEW UP AND HIT IT TO CAUSE A CRACK OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF DAMAGE.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Nov 12, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKING: I HAVE 7K MILES ON MY 2020 FORESTER AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD TWICE ALREADY WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. THE FIRST TIME I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF I WAS HIT BY ANYTHING. I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND I PARKED IT IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I CAME OUT AN HOUR LATER THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED LEFT TO RIGHT. THE SECOND TIME WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I WAS HIT BY A VERY SMALL PEBBLE THAT LEFT THE TINIEST OF NICKS - INITIALLY BARELY EVEN VISIBLE. WITHIN AN HOUR IT STRETCHED ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. I LIVE IN AZ - IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY. BUT ALL MY OTHER CARS OVER THE YEARS HAD LOTS OF TINY AND NOT-SO-TINY NICKS FROM SMALL ROCKS THAT NEVER SPREAD OUT AT ALL. THE WINDSHIELD ON MY PRIOR 2014 FORESTER WITH 90K MILES ON IT ONLY HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE IN 6 YEARS. IN BOTH CASES I WAS HIT BY LARGER PEPPLES THAT LEFT SIGNIFICANT (LIKE 1/2 INCH) SPIDER NICKS. I AM CONVINCED THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE 2020 FORESTER WINDSHIELD - MAYBE THE PITCH OR A MANUFACTURING/DESIGN ISSUE. BUT THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND A REAL INCONVENIENCE. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN SOON, I WILL TRADE IT IN. IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE I LOVE THIS VEHICLE OTHERWISE. MY COUSIN IN CA BTW HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IN HIS 2019 FORESTER FOUR TIMES IN 17K MILES.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Nov 11, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS OF PURCHASING MY BRAND NEW 2020 SUBARU FORESTER WITH NOTHING IMPACTING IT. I WAS DRIVING WITH NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ON A WELL PAVED ROAD ON A ROUTE I HAVE DRIVEN FOR YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS. NOW THERE IS A LARGE BREAK IN GLASS RUNNING ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD. I EVEN TOOK IT TO SUBARU AND A SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID HE COULD NOT FIND A PLACE OF IMPACT. WHEN I MAKE A TURN NOW I CAN HEAR THE GLASS BEING STRESSED FROM THE TURN.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 10, 2020
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I HEARD A SOUND THAT SOUNDED LIKE GLASS SNAPPING. A TICK SOUND. WHEN I LOOKED UP I SAW TWIST LOOKED LIKE A BEAD OF WATER GOING ACROSS THE WINDOW. IT WASN'T WATER, BUT A CRACK. NOTHING HIT THE WINDOW.
Other or unspecified, Nov 4, 2020
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND PARKED ON THE CITY STREET IN TWIN FALLS, IDAHO. THE NEXT MORNING HAD A LARGE CRACK ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I HAVE NOT BEEN USING THE HEATER BUT HAVE BEEN USING THE HEATED DRIVER SEAT.
Exterior lighting, Oct 25, 2020
LED ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS BLIND ONCOMING DRIVERS. I HAVE MANY DRIVERS FLASHING THEIR HIGH BEAMS AT ME WHEN DRIVING ON LOW BEAM SETTING WITH FOG LIGHTS OFF. NEW CARS WITH LED HEADLIGHTS UNLESS ON FLAT ROADS CAUSE TEMPORARY BLINDNESS IN PEOPLE WITH SENSITIVE EYES DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. ANYTIME THESE VEHICLES ARE ON A GRADE, THE BEAM AND COLOR OF THE LIGHT IS VERY INTENSE. WHEN THESE LIGHTS ARE NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY, SAY AFTER SOMEONE ALTERS A VEHICLE (LIFT, LOWER,ETC) THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY BLINDING. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY STUDIES THAT SHOW THE WHITER/BLUE COLOR ON THE SPECTRUM, THAT HUMAN EYES ARE NOT MEANT TO ADAPT. EXAMPLE, BLUE LCD DISPLAYS ON APPLIANCES ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE THAN RED OR GREEN. YES THE LIGHTS ON MY WIFE'S SUBARU MAKES IT EASIER TO SEE FOR US, HOWEVER IT IS BAD FOR EVERYONE ELSE. IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO SEE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS IN THE HEADLAMP HOUSING WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. I KNOW THIS WILL NOT LIKELY CHANGE ANYTHING, I'M AFRAID THESE LIGHTS WILL CAUSE IMPAIRED OR FATIGUED DRIVERS A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING INVOLVED IN HEAD ON CRASHES WITH THE VEHICLE WITH BRIGHTER LIGHTS. THIS IS A STUDY THAT SHOULD BE INVESTED, SUCH AS WAS DONE WITH EMERGENCY VEHICLES LIGHTS.
Other or unspecified, Oct 24, 2020
MY SUBARU FORESTER 2020 ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD A BIG CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD STARTING FROM THE TOP EDGE TO THE MIDDLE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET FOR 5 DAYS. NO PRIOR DENT ON IT OR CRACK. I CALLED SUBARU AND ONE OF THE STAFF HAD MENTIONED THEY HAVE A THIN WINDOW MATERIAL DUE TO THE DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEM. I'VE HAD MY SCION TC 2007 WHICH GOT HIT WITH MANY THINGS AND NEVER RECEIVED THIS TYPE OF CRACK ON THE WINDOW. I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDOW AND I ALWAYS PARK OUTSIDE IN A HOT LOS ANGELES WEATHER. I NOW LIVE IN THE BAY AREA AND IT IS COLDER HERE. HOPING TO HAVE THIS REPLACED BY SUBARU AS PART OF A DEFECT.
Electrical system, Oct 22, 2020
WIRING HARNESS, TRANSMISSION, SOY BASED - DESTROYED BY RODENTS AT 600 MILES, 9 MONTHS. VEHICLE ON HOME DRIVE, DAYLIGHT, AS OUR BASEMENT WAS REPAIRED FROM FLOOD DAMAGE. 1 WEEK ON DRIVEWAY.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 19, 2020
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT A REASONABLE SPEED A SMALL PEBBLE CAUSED A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD. ONLY 1500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 15, 2020
A CRACK/CHIP APPEARED AT THE LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 4,000 MILES AND BARELY DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FIRST I NOTICED IT WAS OCTOBER 14, 2020 WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 14, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A SUDDEN, AND LARGE CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON, NOTHING ABNORMAL HAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD SINCE BUYING THE CAR. IT WAS PARKED IN MY PRIVATE CARPORT WITH NO CRACK, AND 20 MINUTES LATER WHEN I NEXT GOT IN MY CAR THERE WAS A VERY LARGE CRACK.
Visibility, Oct 2, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED WITH IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE CRACK EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB ROHRMAN SUBARU (1600 S CREASY LN, LAFAYETTE, IN 47905) AND WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO SAFELITE AUTO GLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SAFELITE AUTO GLASS AND WAS TEMPORARILY REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FIX WAS NOT PERMANENT AND THAT THE CRACK COULD SPREAD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,900. *LN*JB*DT*JB
Visibility/wiper, Sep 30, 2020
I HAVE HAD 3 CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON MY 2019 AND 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, ALL 3 HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 25, 2020
NO ROCK DENTS OR ANYTHING AND I CAME OUT ONE MORNING AND A HUGE CRACK APPEARING TO START FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT AND GOING ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD OUT OF NOWHERE. NO ROCK DAMAGE NOTHING JUST A RANDOM CRACK FROM NOWHERE. IT WAS PARKED ALL NIGHT.