2020 Subaru Forester Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Forester years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 603 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Forester. That ranks 3rd out of 29 Forester model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility/wiper (252 complaints, 42%), typically at around 5,000 miles. Complaints mention 26 crashes, 9 fires, 16 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 603owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 26complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 Subaru Forester problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper problems | 252 | 42% | 5,000 | “windshield cracked” (28%) | $1,700 |
| Unknown or Other | 107 | 18% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System problems | 103 | 17% | 2,000 | “start stop” (10%) | — |
| Engine problems | 81 | 13% | 29,300 | “thermo control” (27%) | — |
| Visibility | 49 | 8% | 13,250 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 43 | 7% | 5,200 | — | — |
| Power Train | 32 | 5% | 500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 24 | 4% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 22 | 4% | 3,775 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 2% | 6,642 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 13 | 2% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 2% | 7,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 2% | 5,350 | — | — |
| Steering | 11 | 2% | 5,300 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 1% | 49,698 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 23,515 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 0% | 1,200 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 0% | 258 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 0% | 450 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 20 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Subaru Forester recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2020 Subaru Forester.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Experience a total engine stall while stopped/accelerating at an intersection. The stall triggered immediate 'EyeSight Disabled' and 'Engine Oil' dashboard warnings, requiring a manual button restart in traffic. Had concerns of permanently being stalled in intersection. Taking to dealer for…
Experienced parasitic battery drain which disabled the vehicle. The drain is tied to a 30 amp fuse labeled "BACKUP" under the hood of the vehicle. This fuse controls the touchscreen, backup camera, interior lights, key fob and radio. There were no warning lights or trouble codes associated with…
Smoke and fire occurred in the engine and spread into the car while the car was being driven. The car has not been inspected yet.
Three times within 30 minutes on short drive, the engine stalled at stop sign or stop light. The car had a half tank of gas, and at the same time as the engine stalled, the miles remaining until empty display showed an anomalous 0.3miles to empty reading. Put the car in park allowed the engine to…
Component/System Defect: Failed Thermo Control Valve (TCV) leading to sudden vehicle power loss / limp mode. Description of Safety Incident: While operating my vehicle at highway speeds late at night, the Thermo Control Valve (TCV) failed catastrophically without warning. The vehicle instantly…
Other Subaru Forester years
← 2019 Forester · 2021 Forester →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 28 | 3 |
| 2025 Forester | 97 | 3 |
| 2024 Forester | 30 | 2 |
| 2023 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2022 Forester | 98 | 1 |
| 2021 Forester | 210 | 0 |
| 2020 | 603 | 0 |
| 2019 Forester | 834 | 3 |
| 2018 Forester | 498 | 3 |
| 2017 Forester | 590 | 1 |
| 2016 Forester | 415 | 3 |
| 2015 Forester | 615 | 3 |
| 2014 Forester | 403 | 2 |
| 2013 Forester | 78 | 12 |
| 2012 Forester | 105 | 15 |
| 2011 Forester | 147 | 16 |
| 2010 Forester | 262 | 17 |
| 2009 Forester | 178 | 17 |
| 2008 Forester | 50 | 1 |
| 2007 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2006 Forester | 88 | 2 |
| 2005 Forester | 93 | 1 |
| 2004 Forester | 219 | 2 |
| 2003 Forester | 189 | 3 |
| 2002 Forester | 88 | 1 |
| 2001 Forester | 139 | 0 |
| 2000 Forester | 75 | 0 |
| 1999 Forester | 131 | 1 |
| 1998 Forester | 101 | 1 |
See all Subaru Forester problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Subaru Forester?
Owners most often report visibility/wiper, unknown or other, electrical system problems. The top one, visibility/wiper, accounts for 252 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Subaru Forester?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2020 Subaru Forester a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Forester model years, the 2020 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.