2020 Subaru Forester problems and complaints
Owners have filed 600 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Forester. The most-reported areas: Visibility/Wiper (252), Unknown Or Other (107), Electrical System (102).
Key takeaways
- 600 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 26 involve a crash, 9 a fire, 16 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 252 | 42% |
| Unknown Or Other | 107 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 102 | 17% |
| Engine | 80 | 13% |
| Visibility | 49 | 8% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 42 | 7% |
| Power Train | 32 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 24 | 4% |
| Lane Departure | 22 | 4% |
| Structure | 15 | 3% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 13 | 2% |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Subaru Forester SUV AWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System,engine,fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-09-19
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.
Engine - filed 2026-09-13
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 restart and the range ...
Power Train,engine - filed 2026-09-10
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 experienced a massive lo...
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More for the 2020 Subaru Forester
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.