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2020 Subaru Forester problems

What owners reported to NHTSA, at what mileage, and every safety recall for this model year.

603owner complaints
0safety recalls
26involved a crash

Also reported: 9 fires, 16 people injured, 0 deaths. Each complaint is counted once even if it lists several components.

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Most reported problems

Complaints by component. One complaint can name more than one component, so these add up to more than 603.

Visibility/wiper252
Usually 1,700–8,048 miles (middle half of 140 reports with mileage)
Unknown or other107
Usually 1,200–13,000 miles (middle half of 41 reports with mileage)
Electrical system103
Usually 1,000–5,925 miles (middle half of 20 reports with mileage)
Parts named: 12V/24V/48V battery (1); Adas (1)
Engine81
Usually 15,500–36,339 miles (middle half of 6 reports with mileage)
Visibility49
Usually 4,950–29,125 miles (middle half of 48 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Windshield (46)
Forward collision avoidance43
Usually 4,000–9,500 miles (middle half of 9 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Automatic emergency braking (27); Warnings (19); Adaptive cruise control (10)
Power train32
Usually 260–4,000 miles (middle half of 3 reports with mileage)
Vehicle speed control24
Usually 12,000–38,000 miles (middle half of 13 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Accelerator pedal (3)
Lane departure22
Usually 1,180–7,087 miles (middle half of 4 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Assist (10); Warning (10); Blind spot detection (5)
Structure15
Usually 5,250–7,708 miles (middle half of 12 reports with mileage)
Parts named: Body (13); Body › hood (2)

When problems show up

Reports by odometer reading at the time of the problem, top components. Each bar is a 25,000-mile band, labeled by where it starts (0 = 0–25k miles). Reports without mileage are left out.

Visibility/wiper

140 reports with mileage · median 5,000 miles
025k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k+

Unknown or other

41 reports with mileage · median 6,000 miles
025k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k+

Electrical system

20 reports with mileage · median 2,000 miles
025k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k+

Safety recalls (0)

Recalls that cover the 2020 Subaru Forester. Some apply only to certain trims or build dates. This page cannot tell whether a specific car's recall work was done.

Check a specific VIN's open recalls on nhtsa.gov

No safety recalls on file for this model year.

Questions to ask the seller

Do the wipers work on every speed and park correctly? Any wiper motor repairs?

252 owner complaints mention the wipers, half of the reports with mileage are between 1,700 and 8,048 miles.

Any battery drain, dashboard warning lights, or electrical repairs? Test every switch, screen, and power accessory before buying.

103 owner complaints mention the electrical system, half of the reports with mileage are between 1,000 and 5,925 miles.

Has the engine had any repairs, oil leaks, or check-engine lights? Ask for the invoices and listen for knocking or ticking on a cold start.

81 owner complaints mention the engine, half of the reports with mileage are between 15,500 and 36,339 miles.

Do the wipers, defroster, mirrors, and windows all work? Any windshield or glass replacements?

49 owner complaints mention visibility parts (glass, mirrors, wipers, defrost), half of the reports with mileage are between 4,950 and 29,125 miles.

Has the automatic emergency braking ever activated with nothing ahead, or shown sensor errors? Ask about windshield or sensor repairs.

43 owner complaints mention the forward collision avoidance system, half of the reports with mileage are between 4,000 and 9,500 miles.

Other Subaru Forester years

Owner complaints per model year (2010–2022). Older cars have had more time to collect reports.

Compare all years on one chart

Source: NHTSA complaints file (FLAT_CMPL, updated 2026-10-21) and NHTSA recalls file. Page generated 2026-10-22.

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