10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
3,728 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2020 Subaru Forester miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2020 Subaru Forester Owner Comments (Page 1 of 5)

problem #91

Nov 292023

Forester

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The Thermo Control Valve failed at 33,945 miles. Because of this, the heater, Eye Sight, Cruise Control, Lane Assist, and Collision Brake did not work. The engine was then only running at "Sport" mode. It did not regulate the heat to the oil and could've caused sludge. The problem was confirmed by a Subaru Dealer Service Shop. I only noticed this problem when the blue thermometer light came on the dash board. Usually I wait about 5 min and once the car is warmed up the light goes away. This time the blue thermometer warning light did not turn off and stayed on for the remainder of the trip. When the car was restarted on the same day the engine check light came on. Eye Sight, Lane assist and Collision assist lights were on.

- Mclean, VA, USA

problem #90

Nov 162023

Forester

  • miles
When the vehicle comes to a stop light or a stop in traffic and the engine turns off the vehicle will stall. It then leaves me sitting in traffic trying to restart my vehicle thus leaving me in an unsafe situation. This happens more often than not.

- Bethlehem, PA, USA

problem #89

Sep 162023

Forester

  • miles
Thermo Control Valve is the issue according to Subaru. This is apparently an issue as a quick google search took me to many forums of other owners/drivers experiencing the same issue. For me, I was stopped at a red light and my car performed an automatic engine off like normal, and as the light turned green I took my foot off the brake and went to press the gas but my car fully shut off and gave me several warnings that all of the systems were offline. I had to put it in park and try to turn it off and on again to get it going, but it was incredibly stressful for my car to lock up like that on a busy road. This valve causes errors that turn off all the safety features in the car which sounds like a huge issue.

- Daytona Beach, FL, USA

problem #88

Sep 092023

Forester

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At a stop light, auto stop/start system shuts down the vehicle engine. When the light turned green, and I lifted my foot off the brake, the engine failed to restart. The dash will lit up.. check engine light, eye sight light... etc will come on. I had to shift to park and restart the engine. I read that low remote battery can be a problem, I replaced the remote battery but it has not resolved the issue. Engine failed to restart at stop light after being shut down by auto stop/start system multiple times in last six month. Only recourse is shift to park and restart the engine. This seems to be manufacture problem with auto stop/start system. It is a safety issue for me and my family having a stalled car at stop light due to engine being shut off by auto stop/start system and failed to restart until put in park and restart it.

- Maumelle, AR, USA

problem #87

Jun 012023

Forester

  • miles
Windshield cracked for no apparent reason.

- Clifton Twp, PA, USA

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problem #86

Jun 192023

Forester

  • miles
My wife was out this morning meeting friends for coffee. She gave a friend a ride home and she noticed a crack in the windshield on the drivers side. There was no indication that it was hit with a rock or anything else. I see that there was a lawsuit against Subaru for defective windshields.

- Corvallis, OR, USA

problem #85

May 312023

Forester

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Thermo control valve needed replaced. Check engine light and all safety lights turned on. All safety features were disabled when light came on. Subaru has has a recall on 2019 but not 2020.

- Emlenton , PA, USA

problem #84

May 212023

Forester

  • miles
When I applied the brake, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and smashed into my garage

- Ogdensburg, NY, USA

problem #83

May 052023

Forester

  • miles
We hit a deer, front-end impact, then our Forester started on fire and completely burned up. The airbags did not deploy, we were not injured but the car is a complete loss.

- Freeport, IL, USA

problem #82

May 052023

Forester

  • miles
Firestone Wauwatosa, WI told me I need to have them recalibrate the Driver Assist System as part of an alignment I took the car in for on 5523. This added $125 on top of a $209.99 cost for the lifetime alignment cost. Laura, in the service department at Zeigler Subaru, Kenosha, where we bought the car, said this would only have to be done if the car had been in an accident. Not knowing what is actually required leaves me feeling unsafe.

- Brookfield, WI, USA

problem #81

Jun 152022

Forester

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Windshield cracked with out any other related damage. No rock chips or other damage. While sitting still windshield popped and a small 1/2 inch crack started on the edge of the glass and spread all the way across the windshield. Subaru clames there is no coverage even tho there is no damage to the windshield

- Texas City, TX, USA

problem #80

Sep 132022

Forester

  • miles
Windshield keeps cracking as if unable to withstand regular road conditions that other vehicles/windshields for vehicles with the same capabilities and from the same brand (but different models) can. Windshield for my vehicle has been replaced once but will need to be replaced again, each time with an oem part

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #79

Aug 182022

Forester

  • 14,865 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to park her vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle ran through both the parking lot fence and a fence located on private property. The contact made multiple attempts to stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal; however, the vehicle failed to stop. The vehicle continued accelerating down a driveway as she attempted to avoid hitting a house, a tree, and another parked vehicle. The contact was able to shift the vehicle into park which stopped the acceleration. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact suffered a headache but did not seek any medical assistance. A police report was filed. Both the parking lot and private property fences were damaged. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back to the parking lot where she called the dealer and was instructed to leave the vehicle at the scene until the vehicle was inspected. The contact was informed that the dealer filed a claim with the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 14,865.

- Saint Clair Shores, MI, USA

problem #78

Aug 022022

Forester

  • miles
Windshield cracked, what appears to be originated from the inside near the heating coil. Has spread horizontal about two-thirds of the windshield. Available for inspection upon request. Has not had any inspections yet. Can inhibit the eyesight if continues to spread.

- Toccoa, GA, USA

problem #77

Jul 052022

Forester

  • miles
Windshield cracked with minor strikes. There are two cracks, one small crack, one large crack in windshield and some chips. The windshield seems to be prone to cracking and when I discussed this with the Subaru dealer on 08/05/2022 about the 2020 Forester, he stated that the windshields are thinner to reduce weight for improved fuel efficiency and are not as durable as older windshields. The representative said it would cost $1415.80 plus tax to replace with original windshield. Why would I want an original windshield if it not durable and prone to breaking? This is a defective product and I would think it would be replaced by the dealer at no charge with a more durable product.

- Dublin, GA, USA

problem #76

Jul 172022

Forester

  • miles
I was driving down the highway & noticed a crack was growing insanely large due to the heat & while I had other cracks on my windshield that were little dings it looked like a grain of sand/very small pebble hit the side of my windshield and nearly cracked in down the middle. I have heard of other people with Subaru foresters complaining about this issue & it makes the safety of the driver at risk when just about anything can crack your windhshield making it unsafe to drive/hard to see.

- Elburn, IL, USA

problem #75

Jun 182022

Forester

  • miles
DTC P26A3 thermo control valve " All my safety features are disabled until the part becomes available- it is apparently on back order and/ or not part of an active recall or both " Having difficulty getting information from my dealer/service dept

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #74

Jun 242022

Forester

  • miles
My windshield cracked overnight, in my driveway, with no possibility of a person or animal being the cause. The nearest neighbor is 2 miles away. Subaru warranty denied my claim and said they saw a rock chip in the pics. The glass repair shop that submitted the claim said their was no sign of force (rock) to the windshield being the cause of the crack.

- Hot Springs, MT, USA

problem #73

Jul 112022

Forester

  • miles
The vehicle has 27000 miles and the windshield shows multiple small chips and voids. The windshield is really thin and can-€™t take any wear and tear.

- Hilliard, OH, USA

problem #72

Jun 152022

Forester

  • miles
Windshield Glass Cracked.

- Fountain Valley, CA, USA

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