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.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 8, 2020
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.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 8, 2020
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.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 6, 2020
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.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 4, 2020
NIGHT DRIVING DARK LINE ACROSS ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CANNOT SEE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU UNLESS DUCKING YOUR HEAD LOOKING OUT SIDEWAYS. *TR
Other or unspecified, Jul 1, 2020
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.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 26, 2020
FRONT WINDSCREEN SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK WITH NO IMPACT.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 25, 2020
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
Visibility/wiper, Jun 25, 2020
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
Electrical system, Jun 21, 2020
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.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 21, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS WITH NO CRACK OR ROCK CHIP. THERE IS LESS THAN 5K MILES ON IT.
Visibility, Jun 17, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT STAND STILL AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND SAW THE WINDSHIELD START TO CRACK FROM PASSENGER SIDE INTO THE CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,706.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Jun 17, 2020
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
Visibility/wiper, Jun 15, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS WHILE STATIONARY, PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE IN ANY CAR I'VE EVER OWNED. I NEEDED TO CALL MY INSURANCE TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. *TR
Other or unspecified, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jun 4, 2020
I LEASED MY 2020 FORESTER END OF MARCH AND MEMORIAL DAY DROVE TO MY SISTER'S HOUSE 20 MILES AWAY. IT RAINED AS SOON AS I LEFT MY HOUSE. WHEN IT WAS RAINING ON ME ALL THE SAFETY FEATURES STOPPED WORKING! LANE ASSIST/ LANE DEPARTURE. ISN'T THAT WHEN YOU NEED IT THE MOST. I COULD BEARLY SEE THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME AND NO SAFETY FEATURES WORKING! AS SOON AS IT STOPPED THEY MAGICALLY CAME BACK ON. ALSO WHEN I USE THE CRUISE CONTROL THE LANE ASSIST FEATURE GOES INTO HIGH GEAR. IT PUSHES THE VEHICLE TO THE CENTER LINE EXTREMELY HARD. MORE SO THAN NORMAL. NOT AT ALL PLEASED WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAD HEARD SO MANY GOOD THINGS ABOUT SUBARU BUT AM NOT EXPERIENCING THEM FIRST HAND. I WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE AT THE END OF MY LEASE AND WILL GET OUT OF THE LEASE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 2, 2020
THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DECEMBER 2019. 3 WEEKS LATER, A VERTICAL CRACK APPEARED IN THE CENTER-BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD THIS OCCURRED AFTER A COLLECTION OF SUNNY DAYS WITH NO VISIBLE INITIATION POINT (ROCK, CHIP, ETC.). THE CRACK BEGAN BELOW THE CENTER POINT OF THE STATIONARY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE CRACK APPEARED AFTER 4 DAYS OF BEING IDLE IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE IS A LARGER LAWSUIT AROUND SUBARU WINDSHIELDS THAT I BELIEVE FITS THIS ISSUE PRETTY WELL. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 29, 2020
NO ROCK HAD HIT THAT SIDE OF THE WINDOW. I PARK AT A BBQ ON THE SIDE OF A RESIDENTIAL ROAD, NO CARS DRIVE PAST, AND THREE HOURS LATER I HAVE A TWO FOOT CRACK IN MY WINDOW. BEST PART, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HE USED HIS PHONE CAMERA TO ZOOM IN AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO SAY IT WAS A ROCK CHIP AND THEN PICKED AT IT TO MAKE IT LOOK EVEN MORE SO. *TR
Other or unspecified, May 27, 2020
IN THE MORNING, GOT INTO THE CAR AND FOUND THE FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD A CRACK COMING FROM THE BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 26, 2020
SITTING AT STOP LIGHT . LIGHT TURNED GREEN I STARTED THRU THE INTERSECTION AND HEARD A SNAP. WIFE MADE COMMENT THAT A STAR HAD FORMED ON THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BELOW FIELD OF VISION. NO CARS WERE IN FRONT OF ME AND CARS WERE AT LEAST 10 FEET AWAY FROM ME GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. SPEED HAD NOT RESUMED TO THE SPEED LIMIT OF 40 MPH (ABOUT 20 MPH). *TR
Electrical system, May 15, 2020
BATTERY DIED 3 TIMES AND THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES THE VEHICLE WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND USUALLY DRIVEN AT LEAST EVERY OTHER DAY ALSO, IT SEEMED LIKE IT JERKED FORWARD A FEW TIMES WHEN I STARTED IT. IT HAS A PUSH BUTTON START. *TR
Visibility, May 12, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PUENTE HILL SUBARU LOCATED AT 17801 GALE AVE, CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA 91748, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,417.
Visibility/wiper, May 12, 2020
MY WIFE AND I WENT ON A RIDE (SUBURBAN DRIVING, SLOW SPEEDS). IT WAS < THAN A 20-MINUTE TRIP. WHEN WE GOT BACK WE NOTICED A SMALL DING AT THAT BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD NEAR THE HOOD. IT SPREAD VERY QUICKLY. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 1600 MILES ON IT SINCE THE END OF DECEMBER 2019. IT NOW MID-MAY AND THIS ALREADY HAPPENED WITH LIMITED USE. THE CAR IS STORED IN A GARAGE WHEN IT IS NOT IN USE. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE NEED TO PAY $1300 FOR A NEW WINDSHIELD.
Structure, May 11, 2020
THE LIFT GATE MOTOR ON MY 2020 FORESTER DOES NOT SHUT OFF WHEN THE LIFT GATE IS OPEN, IT CONTINUES TO CYCLE UNTIL THE BATTERY IS DEAD. SUBARU DEALER SAYS THEY'RE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH A SIMPLE COMPUTER SEARCH FOUND DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
Other or unspecified, May 6, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVERNIGHT IN DRIVEWAY. WAS STATIONARY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Apr 28, 2020
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND THE CRACK SPREAD ACROSS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 27, 2020
I WAS DRIVING, NO CAR OR ANYTHING WAS IN FRONT OF ME, HEARD A POP THEN NOTICED AT LARGE CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD IS SMOOTH, NOTHING HIT IT.