Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
2400–25K
2325–50K
750–75K
275–100K
0100–150K
0150K+
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
What owners actually said
600 reports
23,000 miles · May 25, 2021
Visibility
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the windshield was cracked at the bottom of the windshield near the windshield wipers. The crack started to expand upwards. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that a special recall for the failure had expired. The …
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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the windshield was cracked at the bottom of the windshield near the windshield wipers. The crack started to expand upwards. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that a special recall for the failure had expired. The approximate failure mileage was 23,000.
NHTSA ODI #11418523
Mileage unknown · May 22, 2021
Visibility/wiper
Windshield cracked for no reason
NHTSA ODI #11418140
Mileage unknown · May 20, 2021
Unknown Or Other
Windshield cracked without any impact from an object
NHTSA ODI #11417936
Mileage unknown · May 20, 2021
Forward Collision Avoidance
Subaru eyesight technology has a pre collision feature along with lane departure feature. Latter can be turned off permanently, the pre-collision feature cannot. Number of instances where this has malfunctioned in a way that is unsafe. Driving in upstate NY on foggy morning, winding hilly roads, 50mph roads. Road had a driveway …
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Subaru eyesight technology has a pre collision feature along with lane departure feature. Latter can be turned off permanently, the pre-collision feature cannot. Number of instances where this has malfunctioned in a way that is unsafe. Driving in upstate NY on foggy morning, winding hilly roads, 50mph roads. Road had a driveway with a parked car not moving, parked and the pre collision system tried to break, so slowed down the car but there was another coming behind from a hilly turn, not aware I would suddenly slow, especially as I did not anticipate the car would try to put on breaks on its own for a parked unmoving car. No collision resulted fortunately, but unsafe if the car behind had not been able to slow to accomodate for the faulty detection by subaru’s eyesight, thinking the parked unmoving car was a sudden stopping vehicle in front of me, when the winding road was actually clear for me to continue driving. Another incident on another road where a series of 4-5 cars driving constant speed, fixed distance from each other, then first car signalled to turn right and stopped; cars behind just went around them slightly as they were waiting to turn, and I was going to follow suit, the train of cars in front of me, when suddenly eyesight pre collision detected that turning vehicle as something to try to brake for, and the car behind me did not expect the sudden breaking attempt to slow down, and again, close call, no collision resulted but unsafe when the human driver was expecting to continue along with the other train of cars and not expecting a sudden stop. I have called subaru both dealership and main office but informed there is no way to permanently disable the pre collision setting in the car. Concerned that if this feature is on, and erroneously detects an object in front, such as that parked unmoving car, in other situations the cars behind me may not be able to accomodate the attempts at sudden breaking by the subaru eyesight technology. Dangerous.
NHTSA ODI #11417856
Mileage unknown · May 18, 2021
Visibility/wiper
Driving at low speed heard a slight noise. Didn’t see any damage but the windshield cracked. Within about 2 minutes the crack spread approximately 3 inches. Within another couple minutes the crack extended vertically and then turned horizontally running another 10 inches. I have never had a crack occur and extend in this matter…
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Driving at low speed heard a slight noise. Didn’t see any damage but the windshield cracked. Within about 2 minutes the crack spread approximately 3 inches. Within another couple minutes the crack extended vertically and then turned horizontally running another 10 inches. I have never had a crack occur and extend in this matter. Replacement and calibration of Isight technology according to satellite and the dealer costs are around 1900 dollars.
NHTSA ODI #11417565
Mileage unknown · May 17, 2021
Electrical SystemEngine
purchased new vehicle 10/23/19, 1st battery failure 6/15/2 jumped and ok 2nd battery failure 12/4/20 jumped, Subaru replaced battery 3rd battery failure 2/16/21, Subaru said battery was "fine" 4th battery failure 3/31/21 Subaru replaced battery 5th battery failure 5/14/21, appt with Subaru on 5/21/21
NHTSA ODI #11417520
1,000 miles · May 15, 2021
Electrical System
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE OUR HOME DRIVEWAY ON FRIDAY, APRIL 2ND, 2021 (APPROXIMATELY 4PM LOCAL TIME), THE IGNITION BUTTON FAILED TO START THE CAR. INITIALLY, POWER WAS RUNNING TO THE DASH. I CALLED THE SUBARU EASTSIDE DEALERSHIP IN KIRKLAND, WA WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, WHICH I DID TH…
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WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE OUR HOME DRIVEWAY ON FRIDAY, APRIL 2ND, 2021 (APPROXIMATELY 4PM LOCAL TIME), THE IGNITION BUTTON FAILED TO START THE CAR. INITIALLY, POWER WAS RUNNING TO THE DASH. I CALLED THE SUBARU EASTSIDE DEALERSHIP IN KIRKLAND, WA WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, WHICH I DID THE FOLLOWING MORNING. WHEN MY WIFE AND I MOVED OUR CAR SEAT AND BELONGINGS TO THE OTHER CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE REAR LIFT GATE STARTED TO MALFUNCTION AND WOULD NOT OPEN (RESULTING IN A REPEATED 3 BEEP SOUND), BLOCKING ACCESS TO MY JUMPER CABLES, WHICH WERE IN THE TRUNK. EVENTUALLY, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STOPPED RESPONDING ALL TOGETHER. WHEN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE (SENT OUT BY SUBARU ROADSIDE) EVENTUALLY SHOWED UP THE FOLLOWING MORNING, A JUMP START BY THE TECHNICIAN STARTED THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI #11416741
3,200 miles · May 15, 2021
Electrical System
BATTERY WAS DRAINED FOR NO REASON AND CAR WOULD NOT START. WHEN TRIED TO START DASH LIGHTS ETC., WENT CRAZY. GAUGE FOR TACHOMETER AND SPEED WHIPPED FROM SIDE TO SIDE, LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE STARTER GAVE THE CLICKING NOISE YOU HEAR WHEN BATTERY IS DEAD. CALLED AAA TO JUMP AND THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO START. I CHARGED B…
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BATTERY WAS DRAINED FOR NO REASON AND CAR WOULD NOT START. WHEN TRIED TO START DASH LIGHTS ETC., WENT CRAZY. GAUGE FOR TACHOMETER AND SPEED WHIPPED FROM SIDE TO SIDE, LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE STARTER GAVE THE CLICKING NOISE YOU HEAR WHEN BATTERY IS DEAD. CALLED AAA TO JUMP AND THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO START. I CHARGED BATTERY OVERNIGHT AND THE ENGINE STARTED. TOOK CAR TO DEALER THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY OR CHARGING SYSTEM. THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS HAPPENED. I PURCHASED A BATTERY TENDER TO MAINTAIN CHARGE IN BATTERY. I ONLY HAVE 1 CAR AND IT NEEDS TO START WHEN I NEED IT. THIS HAPPENED ON DAY I NEEDED TO TAKE WIFE FOR COVID VACCINE SHOT.
NHTSA ODI #11416740
26,000 miles · May 13, 2021
Unknown Or Other
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH NO CAUSE. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO CARS AHEAD.
NHTSA ODI #11416413
22,000 miles · May 13, 2021
Visibility/wiper
I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL CRACK ON THE UPPER DRIVERS SIDE. I HAVE NOW SEEN MULTIPLE CRACKS THAT DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE AN ORIGINATION POINT OF IMPACT FROM AN OBJECT. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE A CRACK THAT IT FORMING IN THE AREA OF THE CAMERAS FOR THE EYESIGHT …
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I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2020 SUBARU FORESTER. I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL CRACK ON THE UPPER DRIVERS SIDE. I HAVE NOW SEEN MULTIPLE CRACKS THAT DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE AN ORIGINATION POINT OF IMPACT FROM AN OBJECT. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE A CRACK THAT IT FORMING IN THE AREA OF THE CAMERAS FOR THE EYESIGHT WHICH MAY LEAD TO DEGRADATION OR FAILURE OF THE EQUIPMENT TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE EVENT THAT CAUSED THE CRACKS IS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ODI #11416405
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 ↗