AutoUtility currently tracks 596 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2020 Subaru Forester. Visibility, Wipers & Glass issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 301 complaints (50.5% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 26 filings cite a crash, 8 cite a fire, 13 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
301 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
101 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
74 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
74 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"24th February 2020 - Bought the car from Subaru dealer. Couple of service records prior to May 24, 2022. - May 24, 2022 (9,037 miles) | RO# 806326: The lower oil pan leaked prematurely and had to be completely replaced under warranty. During the same visit, explained LONG BRAKE PEDAL issue, and was..."
"This 2020 Subaru Forester has experienced repeated failures involving the Auto Start/Stop system. When stopped in traffic, the system shuts the engine off as designed, but on multiple occasions the engine has failed to restart normally when the driver needed to proceed. This has left the vehicle..."
"While driving my girfriend's 2020 Subaru Forester on August 11, 2026 at approximately 65 to 70 mph, I struck a deer on a highway. The airbags deployed immediately, and I temporarily lost all forward visibility due to the airbag deploy, and smoke or steam coming from the front of the vehicle as it..."
"My 2020 Subaru Forester Sport suffered catastrophic engine failure on 6/19/2026 at 156,322 miles, 15 days and 1,031 miles after a thermo control valve (TCV) repair performed at an authorized Subaru dealer on 6/4/2026. The TCV is a known defect covered under Subaru TSB 09-119-24 (extended coverage..."
"My car is violently shaking and completely stalling out in intersections when attempting to restart from an Auto-Stop."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Subaru Forester | 613 | 53 | 3 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Subaru Forester | 410 | 39 | 3 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Subaru Forester | 582 | 39 | 1 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Subaru Forester | 492 | 26 | 3 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Subaru Forester | 832 | 36 | 3 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Subaru Forester Current Page | 596 | 26 | 0 | Current |
| 2021 Subaru Forester | 207 | 16 | 0 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Subaru Forester | 96 | 8 | 1 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Subaru Forester | 73 | 8 | 1 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Subaru Forester | 29 | 4 | 2 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Subaru Forester | 90 | 11 | 4 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Subaru Forester | 0 | 0 | 3 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 96 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 234 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 68 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,LANE DEPARTURE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| CHEST CLIP, BUCKLE, HARNESS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2020 Subaru Forester
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2020 Subaru Forester is Visibility, Wipers & Glass, appearing in 301 records (50.5% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Electrical System (101) and Engine & Cooling (74).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 596 consumer defect complaints and 0 safety recall campaigns for the 2020 Subaru Forester.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Subaru Forester, 26 filings cite a crash, 8 cite smoke or fire, and 13 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.