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, Feb 22, 2020
I NOTICED 4 SMALL CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD WHEN I WAS DRYING MY CAR OFF AFTER WASHING IT. I DO HALF MY DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND AM ASSUMING THE CHIPS ARE FROM DEBRIS BEING KICKED UP FROM THE VEHICLE'S IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE HEARD A FEW PINGS ON THE WINDSHIELD BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING AT THE TIMES IT HAPPENED UNTIL TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AFTER DRYING MY CAR.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 22, 2020
I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROAD WITH ONE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND A CAR NEXT TO ME. WITHOUT HEARING ANY IMPACT OR SEEING ANY ROCKS, I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE BOTTOM, MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD. IT WAS ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG WITH NO IMPACT MARK. THE CRACK CONTINUED TO EXPAND BEFORE GETTING FIXED 2 DAYS LATER.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 22, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT SIDE. THIS OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY BUT WINDS WERE HEAVY IN THE AREA. ASSUMPTION IS A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD AS I CAN SEE A MINUSCULE CHIP WHERE THE CRACK STARTS ON ONE SIDE. VEHICLE IS 3 MONTHS OLD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 19, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD IS CHIPPING AND ONLY 8000 MILES ON THE CAR. DO NOT TELL ME THIS IS NORMAL I'VE OWNED TEN OTHER CARS AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 19, 2020
SPONTANEOUS CRACK IN MOONROOF GLASS WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE. LITTLE TO NO TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS AND NO MECHANICAL PRESSURE (DRIVING OR OPENING THE MOONROOF).
Structure, Feb 17, 2020
I WENT ON AN EXTENDED ROAD TRIP AND RECEIVED TWO CRACKS IN MY WINDSHIELD IN A SINGLE DAY. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL CARS IN MY LIFE, AND NEVER HAVE HAD A CAR WITH SUCH A SENSITIVE WINDSHIELD. I WOULD NOT EXPECT THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK SO EASILY. I KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR OTHER SIMILAR YEAR SUBARU MODELS, SO I'M THINKING IT WASN'T A COINCIDENCE. BOTH CRACKS WERE RECEIVED ON A FREEWAY, MOVING AT 70MPH. BOTH OBJECTS WERE VERY SMALL IN SIZE, AND SHOULD HAVE RESULTED IN ONLY MINIMAL DAMAGE.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 15, 2020
PURCHASED CAR NEW, LAST WEEK OF JANUARY 2020. WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK I FOUND NUMEROUS SMALL CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE WERE NO ROCKS THAT HAD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING 45 MOH ON A TWO LANE ROAD A SMALL ROCK WAS KICKED FROM AN ONCOMIG CAR AND PUT A LARGE CHIP AND CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. I GOT THE CHIP AND CRACK REPAIRED FROM SAFELITE HOWEVER AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE NEW FORESTERS. MY PREVIOUS 08 SUBARUS WINDSHIELD NEVER HAD TO BE FIXED AND IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN OVER 180000 MILES. IT TOOK LARGE ROCKS AND JUST RECEIVED SMALL NICKS. I HAVE ONLY 1148 MILES ON THIS NEW CAR AND ALREADY HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPAIRED. SUBARU NEEDS TO STEP UP AND REVISE THE THICKNESS OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE AND IS UNSAFE.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 15, 2020
ON 2/13/2020 MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVER 12 INCHES LONG IN A MATTER OF SECONDS WHILE IN MOTION ON A STREET. THERE WAS NO HIT SOUND. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE CLAIM A VERY SMALL RICK HIT THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING THE CRACK AND MANUFACTURER WARANTY WONT COVER. I CANT BELIEVE A TINY ROCK THAT BARELY HAS AN IMPACT POINT WILL HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND COURSE SUCH A BIG CRACK IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 13, 2020
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
Visibility/wiper, Feb 10, 2020
TWO DAYS AGO, AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS, WE HAD A CRACK APPEAR AND GROW FROM THE TOP PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. ON OUR DRIVE YESTERDAY, THERE WAS ONE INCIDENT WHERE ICE CAME DOWN FROM A POWER LINE AND HIT THE CAR, BUT I'M POSITIVE WE WEREN'T HIT BY ANY ROCKS. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SKIN OF ICE OFF OF A POWER LINE, NOT A LARGE CHUNK OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT. I LIVE IN NEW ENGLAND, AND EVERY VEHICLE ON THE ROADS HERE HAS TO DEAL WITH SIMILAR SITUATIONS AFTER EVERY WINTER STORM. WE DIDN'T SEE ANY CRACK RIGHT AWAY, BUT ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER NOTICED A 4" CRACK THAT HAS NOW GROWN TO ROUGHLY 16", AND IS RIGHT IN THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW. I'VE DONE SOME GOOGLING AND READING, AND I'M A LITTLE WORRIED AFTER READING ABOUT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS (TONS AND TONS OF STORIES OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH MULTIPLE WINDSHIELDS, SPONTANEOUS CRACKS, CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS, ETC) I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I LEASED THE VEHICLE FROM, AND THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH WAS RUDE AND UNHELPFUL, BASICALLY TELLING ME THAT THESE THINGS HAPPEN IN NEW ENGLAND AND THAT IT WOULD COST $900-1500 TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AND RE CALIBRATE EYESIGHT. HE SAID THAT ANYTIME SOMETHING IMPACTS THE WINDSHIELD THIS SHOULD BE EXPECTED, BUT I AM 100% CERTAIN THAT NO OTHER VEHICLE I'VE DRIVEN WOULD HAVE ENDED UP WITH A CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES. IT MAKES ME WORRY ABOUT HOW BRITTLE THE GLASS MUST BE IF IT CRACKED SO SOON AND SO EASILY. SEEING AS THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE I'M VERY UNSATISFIED WITH HOW THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OUR LEASE HAVE GONE. WE HAVEN'T EVEN MADE OUR FIRST MONTHLY PAYMENT AND WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY $1500/FILING AN INSURANCE CLAIM?!
Visibility/wiper, Feb 6, 2020
FEBRUARY 5, 2020, JUST GOT IN THE CAR TO START DRIVING IT AND NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON STARTING AT THE VERY BOTTOM CENTER AND IS ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG ALREADY. IT WAS NOT THERE EARLIER IN THE DAY. IT JUST APPEARED SUDDENLY AND COULD NOT SEE ANY ROCK CHIP IN THE AREA.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 25, 2020
I HAVE A BRAND NEW, 2020 FORESTER (TOURING) . WHEN I HAD IT FOR 21 DAYS, I PICKED UP A SMALL ROCK IN THE WINDSHIELD.THE ROCK WAS SMALL BUT IT RUINED MY WINDSHIELD. IT I IMMEDIATELY SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD AND IS NOW COVERS THREE AREAS AND MORE THAN 1/2 OF MY WINDSHIELD . I HAVE BEEN READING UP ON SUBARU ISSUES AND I UNDERSTAND THE WINDSHIELDS ARE A PROBLEM...BUT I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS. THE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REPLACED AND THE ESTIMATE IS OVER $1400. TRAVELING FROM CORPUS CHRISTI TO SAN ANTONIO ON HWY 37
Visibility/wiper, Jan 19, 2020
DRIVING ON I-5 IN SEATTLE AREA, A ROCK FROM AN SUV HIT MY WINDSHIELD CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE CHIP ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE LINE OF VISION.
Exterior lighting, Jan 5, 2020
WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION AND THE GEAR SHIFTER IS MOVED INTO EITHER THE REVERSE OR DRIVE POSITION THE SHIFTER SEEMS TO ACTIVATE THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS TO LIGHT UP AND STAY ON. THIS ACTION IS OCCURRING MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. THIS OCCURS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, ETC.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 31, 2019
CAR IS BRAND NEW. WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF PURCHASING ALREADY 3 CHIPS IN WINDSHIELD WHEN NO ROCKS WERE OBSERVED HITTING. ONE OF THE CHIPS IS IN FRONT OF THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM AND IF IT GROWS IT WILL HAMPER THE SAFETY SYSTEMS OF THE CAR. IT WILL COST ME AROUND 1700 DOLLARS TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.
Electrical system, Seats, Dec 30, 2019
WHEN DRIVING THE DRIVER HEATED SEAT PUTS OUT LOW HEAT EVEN IF THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. AT 15 MINUTES SITTING, HEAT CAN BE FELT ON THE BUTTOCKS SKIN AND CAUSED MINOR SKIN BURN AT AROUND 30 MINUTES.
Steering, Power train, Wheels, Dec 30, 2019
VEHICLE VIBRATE STARTING AT 50 MPH AND GETS EXCESSIVE AT 65MPH AND UP, WHILE CRUISING IN THE HIGHWAY. THE VIBRATION CAN BE FELT ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DRIVER SEAT SEAT.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 27, 2019
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2019. AS I BEGAN MY DRIVE TO WORK THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY (DECEMBER 6), I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE I PURCHASED WINDSHIELD REPAIR COVERAGE AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT I NEEDED TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE MY VEHICLE WASN'T IN THEIR SYSTEM YET. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK WITH ME. THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE CRACK SPREAD TO MORE THAN 6 INCHES. I WAS TOLD THAT MY COVERAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS NOW REQUIRED DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE CRACK, AND THAT IT WOULD COST $859.19 TO DO SO.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 25, 2019
WHEN THE FRONT WINDOWS ARE OPEN AND THEN CLOSED THEY ALWAYS COME UP FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR WET. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER OR NOT THE CAR HAS RECENTLY BEEN TO THE CARWASH/ ITS BEEN RAINING OUTSIDE/ OR NOT. CONDITION HAS EXISTED SINCE I PURCHASED VEHICLE.
Other or unspecified, Dec 24, 2019
PURCHASED A 2020 SUBARU FORESTER SPORT. FIVE DAYS LATER, WOKE UP TO FIND A 2-3 FOOT LONG CRACK THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD, STARTING AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE GLASS (THE BLACK PART). NO EVIDENCE OF ANY ROCKS, IMPACT, CHIPPING, ETC. - WHEN I TOOK IT TO BE REPLACED, THE DEALERSHIP AGREED BUT SAID 'UNFORTUNATELY SUBARU DOES NOT COVER GLASS'. I INFORMED THEM THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH SUBARU, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF. I HAD TO PAY $500 FOR A NEW WINDSHIELD ON A CAR I BOUGHT 5 DAYS PRIOR, WITH NOTHING CAUSING THE CRACK.
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Dec 17, 2019, crash
I WAS DRIVING MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER SPORT IN THE LEFT LANE ALONG AN ON-RAMP TO THE HIGHWAY, WHICH CONSISTS OF A ROAD THAT CURVES TO THE RIGHT. THERE WAS SNOW ON THE GROUND BUT THE ROADS WERE CLEAR AND DRY. SUDDENLY AND IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECONDS, THE CAR BEGAN TO BEEP CONTINUOUSLY WHILE THE STEERING WHEEL VEERED TO THE LEFT AND LOCKED, AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM KICKED IN AS I TRIED TO CORRECT THE WHEEL AND BRAKE THE CAR. I WAS SUDDENLY COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS THE CAR DROVE ME OFF THE ROAD AND DOWN INTO THE SNOWY MEDIAN, WHERE IT ROLLED AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE LANDING UPRIGHT. I BELIEVE THE ERROR WITH THE CAR MAY HAVE OCCURRED WITH SUBARU'S BRAND-NEW LANE CENTERING TECHNOLOGY, RELEASED WITH THE 2020 EDITION VEHICLES. THE TECHNOLOGY WILL PHYSICALLY DIRECT THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE LANE IF IT DETECTS THE VEHICLE IS GETTING TOO CLOSE TO EITHER LANE LINE. LANE CENTERING IS A FEATURE OF THE SUBARU'S DRIVER ASSIST TECHNOLOGY, CALLED EYESIGHT. I'M UNSURE IF THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WITH EYESIGHT OR WITH THE LANE CENTERING FUNCTION SPECIFICALLY.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 15, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACKED.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 9, 2019
WE VERY RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS 2020 FORESTER....LESS THAN 1000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND WHEN WE GOT IN IT THE NEXT MORNING THE WINDSHIELD HAD A SMALL CRACK IN IT! I HOPE THIS ISN'T A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME, ESPECIALLY AFTER READING THE POSTS ON HERE OF 2019 FORESTERS WITH WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS. I TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO A WINDSHIELD REPAIR COMPANY AND HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE THE CRACK GOT WORSE.
Air bags, Seat belts, Nov 12, 2019
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE NOT ENABLED WITH A PERSON SITTING IN THE SEAT USING A SEAT BELT EXTENDER. THERE ARE FLAWS ON THE SOFTWARE THAT IDENTIFY THE PASSENGER ACTIONS ENTERING THE CAR, WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS FASTENED AND WHETHER OR NOT A SEAT BELT EXTENDER HAS BEEN USED. IF A SEAT BELT EXTENDER IS ALREADY IN PLACE, THE CAR REFUSES TO ENABLE THE AIR BAGS AFTER A PERSON SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT.
Other or unspecified, Oct 28, 2019
I OWNED MY 2020 FORESTER FOR LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AND I GOT A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET GOING LESS THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD, BUT HEARD A CRACK AND SAW THE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD.