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2020 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forester years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Subaru Forester are substantially higher than the model-year median of 131.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

272 reports with mileage · 328 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 252 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 101 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

26 crash reports8 fire reports13 injury reports

Visibility/wiper complaints

252 reports
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8,800 miles · Jan 30, 2021
Visibility/wiper

CAR PURCHASED ON 1/25/21 FROM DEALER WITH 8700 MILES ON IT IN GOOD CONDITION. BY 1/30/21, ONE CRACK AND 3 CHIPS WERE DEVELOPING ON WINDSHIELD. DID NOT HAPPEN DURING DRIVING. WE HAVE PUT ABOUT 200 MILES ON IT. HAILED ON 1/29/21 BUT NO DAMAGE TO GLASS SUNROOF OR OTHER WINDOWS.CAR SPENDS MOST TIME PARKED IN LOT, NOT ON STREET.

NHTSA ODI #11390779

6,840 miles · Jan 27, 2021
Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WITHIN MONTHS OF OWNING THE BRAND NEW CAR. THE CRACK SEEMED TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE OVER NIGHT, AND GRADUALLY GREW MUCH BIGGER OVER TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11390407

8,700 miles · Jan 21, 2021
Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

COMPLAINT NUMBER 11386410 WINDSHIELD REPLACED NOTED ON RECEIPT 'BROKEN DUE TO STRESS CRACK/DEFECT IN GLASS. NOTHING FROM THE ROAF HIT THE GLASS'

NHTSA ODI #11389229

5,000 miles · Jan 20, 2021
Visibility/wiper

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW LAST YEAR, 2020 FORESTER SPORT. WOKE UP ONE DAY TO HAVING A CRACK OUT OF NOWHERE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD, NO IMPACT SIGN. CRACKED ALL THE WAY UP AND NOW WORKING TO THE SIDE. JUST A WEEK AGO WE HAD A LITTLE ROCK KICK UP FROM A TRUCK ON THE ROAD, NOT VERY BIG NOR GOING VERY FAST, YET IT CRACKED…

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WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW LAST YEAR, 2020 FORESTER SPORT. WOKE UP ONE DAY TO HAVING A CRACK OUT OF NOWHERE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD, NO IMPACT SIGN. CRACKED ALL THE WAY UP AND NOW WORKING TO THE SIDE. JUST A WEEK AGO WE HAD A LITTLE ROCK KICK UP FROM A TRUCK ON THE ROAD, NOT VERY BIG NOR GOING VERY FAST, YET IT CRACKED THE GLASS INSTANTLY & DRAMATICALLY YET AGAIN. THE WINDOW SEEMS TO BE EXTRA SENSITIVE AND NOT AS DURABLE AS NORMAL WINDSHIELD GLASS. THIS BECOMES A LARGE EXPENSIVE PROBLEM FOR OWNERS AS REPLACING THE GLASS COST $1000 DUE TO EYESIGHT CALIBRATION. WHEN IT'S BREAKING EVERY FEW MONTHS ON THE SLIGHTEST THINGS, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT AND QUITE DANGEROUS. WE ARE DRIVING IT WITH BROKEN GLASS UNTIL SUBARU WILL FIX IT, AS THE REPAIR COSTS ARE JUST TOO HIGH AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT!!

NHTSA ODI #11389019

11,000 miles · Jan 16, 2021
Visibility/wiper

THE WINDSHIELD ON THE 2020 SUBARU FORESTER IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND FRAGILE. ROCK IMPACTS THAT WOULD HAVE LEFT NO MARK ON OTHER WINDSHIELDS LEAVE CHIPS. THIS MORNING, WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, WITHOUT A ROCK IMPACT, THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED; AN 18-INCH CRACK DEVELOPED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, STARTING WHERE THE GLASS ME…

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THE WINDSHIELD ON THE 2020 SUBARU FORESTER IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND FRAGILE. ROCK IMPACTS THAT WOULD HAVE LEFT NO MARK ON OTHER WINDSHIELDS LEAVE CHIPS. THIS MORNING, WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, WITHOUT A ROCK IMPACT, THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED; AN 18-INCH CRACK DEVELOPED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, STARTING WHERE THE GLASS MEETS THE VEHICLE, ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE GLASS. I HEARD A [POP] NOISE AND NOTICED THE CRACK SUDDENLY DEVELOPED; MY WIFE DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE UNTIL I POINTED IT OUT TO HER. I'VE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM THAT THE GLASS IS CONSTRUCTED DIFFERENTLY IN ORDER FOR SUBARU'S MOTION SENSING SYSTEM "EYESIGHT" TO WORK PROPERLY. IF SUBARU CAN'T DEVELOP A MOTION SENSING SYSTEM WITHOUT SERIOUSLY COMPROMISING THE INTEGRITY OF THE WINDSHIELD, THEY SHOULD NOT SELL CARS WITH THAT SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI #11388451

8,500 miles · Jan 11, 2021
Visibility/wiper

FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD CRACK WHICH COMES BY ITSELF

NHTSA ODI #11387608

9,000 miles · Jan 8, 2021
Visibility/wiper

MY 2020 FORESTER DEVELOPED 2 CRACKS VERY SUDDENLY. NO IMPACTS, JUST 2 BIG CRACKS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM. I WALKED OUT FROM WORK AND FOUND ONE, AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE SECOND ONE HAD MAGICALLY APPEARED. I HAD TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED ENTIRELY. SUBARU INSISTED IT WAS BECAUSE OF IMPACTS TO THE GLASS AND WOULDN'T DO IT UNDER…

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MY 2020 FORESTER DEVELOPED 2 CRACKS VERY SUDDENLY. NO IMPACTS, JUST 2 BIG CRACKS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM. I WALKED OUT FROM WORK AND FOUND ONE, AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE SECOND ONE HAD MAGICALLY APPEARED. I HAD TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED ENTIRELY. SUBARU INSISTED IT WAS BECAUSE OF IMPACTS TO THE GLASS AND WOULDN'T DO IT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY WANTED $1500 OUT OF POCKET AND FOR ME TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT VIA MY INSURANCE ON MY OWN. I WENT WITH OEM GLASS FROM SAFELITE, HOPING THAT PERFORMANCE WOULD BE BETTER THAN THE SUBARU GLASS. THE PEOPLE AT SAFELITE WARNED ME THIS LIKELY WOULDN'T BE THE CASE; THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ANGLE/DESIGN OF THE SUBARU FORESTER GLASS WAS FAULTY AND THAT THEY SEE A LOT OF FORESTERS IN THEIR SHOPS FOR WINDSHIELD CHIPS AND CRACKS EVERY WEEK. SURE ENOUGH, 5 MONTHS LATER A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS GOING ABOUT 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT INSTANTLY TURNED INTO A 5" CRACK THAT REACHED THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I AM NOW HAVING MY SECOND FULL WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WITHIN 6 MONTHS. I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH THE WINDSHIELD ON MY FORESTER. I KNOW THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST TIME I'M IN FOR A WINDSHIELD REPAIR, AS I LIVE IN A CITY AND DRIVE ON INTERSTATES WITH SEMI-TRUCKS; GETTING THE OCCASIONAL ROCK THROWN UP INTO THE WINDSHIELD IS INEVITABLE. I'VE NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WITH SUCH FRAGILE GLASS.

NHTSA ODI #11387189

5,500 miles · Jan 6, 2021
Visibility/wiper

PURCHASED NEW 2020 FORRESTER WITH 25 MILES ON IT MAY 19, 2020. ON JULY 14 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO VEHICLES CLOSE BY, WHEN WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY POPPED AND CRACKED APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES ACROSS DRIVER VIEW. NO VISUAL CHIP OR OTHER DAMAGE, BUT CRACK MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER TO SEE ESPECIALLY IN SUNLIGHT. CALLED SUBA…

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PURCHASED NEW 2020 FORRESTER WITH 25 MILES ON IT MAY 19, 2020. ON JULY 14 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO VEHICLES CLOSE BY, WHEN WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY POPPED AND CRACKED APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES ACROSS DRIVER VIEW. NO VISUAL CHIP OR OTHER DAMAGE, BUT CRACK MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER TO SEE ESPECIALLY IN SUNLIGHT. CALLED SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THIS IS OFTEN A PROBLEM WITH THE "SMART" WINDSHIELD, AND WAS NOT FAULTY OR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDSHIELD CONTINUED TO CRACK. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED WINDSHIELD AND CALIBRATED EYE SIGHT ON JULY 23 AT THE COST OF $1416.27. WE HAD GLASS COVERAGE WITH SAFECO INSURANCE, DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FILE INSURANCE CLAIM SO WE PAID FOR COST AND SUBMITTED CLAIM TO SAFECO. SAFECO EVENTUALLY PAID US IN SEPTEMBER AFTER MULTIPLE PHONE CONVERSATIONS AND QUESTIONS, INCLUDING WHETHER THE WINDSHIELD COULD HAVE BEEN FAULTY WHEN PURCHASED.

NHTSA ODI #11386802

3,200 miles · Jan 6, 2021
Visibility/wiper

FOR THE 2ND TIME IN A 30 DAY PERIOD I HAVE HAD TO REPAIR MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER WINDSHIELD DUE TO A CRACK. THE CRACK HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 1) ON LOCAL ROADS WHEN A VERY SMALL PEBBLE STRUCK THE DRIVER-SIDE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT. IN MY 50 YEARS OF DRIVING, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD CRACK SO EASILY LIKE THIS WITH SUCH A…

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FOR THE 2ND TIME IN A 30 DAY PERIOD I HAVE HAD TO REPAIR MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER WINDSHIELD DUE TO A CRACK. THE CRACK HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 1) ON LOCAL ROADS WHEN A VERY SMALL PEBBLE STRUCK THE DRIVER-SIDE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT. IN MY 50 YEARS OF DRIVING, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD CRACK SO EASILY LIKE THIS WITH SUCH A SMALL PEBBLE HIT, AND IT HAPPENED 2X IN A 30 DAY PERIOD (DEC. 09, 2020 1ST REPAIR, AND JAN. 05, 2021 2ND CRACK). SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE WITH THE STRENGTH AND INTEGRITY OF THIS MFG WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11386797

2,000 miles · Jan 5, 2021
Visibility/wiper

I PURCHASED A 2019 SUBARU FORRESTER IN 2019. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALONE ON A COUNTRY HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO WAY THERE WAS ANY IMPACT, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE AND I HAD THE HEAT ON - MAYBE THE MIXING OF TEMPERATURES CAUSED IT TO CRACK. I HAD GEIC…

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I PURCHASED A 2019 SUBARU FORRESTER IN 2019. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALONE ON A COUNTRY HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO WAY THERE WAS ANY IMPACT, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE AND I HAD THE HEAT ON - MAYBE THE MIXING OF TEMPERATURES CAUSED IT TO CRACK. I HAD GEICO COVER THE NEW WINDSHIELD. I PURCHASED A 2020 FORRESTER IN JULY 2020, AND HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT. THE CAR WAS SITTING, ALONE, IN A PARKING RAMP THAT WAS COVERED AT MY HOUSE, WITH NOTHING AROUND IT. I WAS OUT OF MY CAR FOR MAYBE AN HOUR AND CAME BACK AND THE WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #11386736

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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