2020 Subaru Forester problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 596 owner complaints about the 2020 Subaru Forester, or 89.3 per year on the road — far more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 2.12, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #74 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Subaru models its rate is 126% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 44% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2019-10-28 and 2026-08-27. Median delay from incident to filing: 5 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 108.4 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 36.5 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 306 complaints, 438% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Body & structure (51.0% of complaints), followed by Engine (13.3%) and Interior & equipment (11.6%). Body & structure complaints are 5.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Body & structure reports, owners most often mention “windshield”, “crack”, “small”, “chip” and “impact”. 28 reports (4.7%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 16 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 21 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the first year (30% of incidents). In the last 12 months 22 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles2.12
- vs. other Subaru models2.26
- vs. other 2020 models2.36
- vs. other Compact SUVs1.44
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (306)5.38
- #74 of 82 · 2020Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Body & structure · Common terms in reports
- windshield287
- crack194
- small65
- chip44
- impact60
- rock45
Engine · Common terms in reports
- control valve31
- thermo25
- engine49
- eyesight13
- thermal control8
- disabled15
Interior & equipment · Common terms in reports
- windshield56
- crack32
- rock12
- small12
- chips7
- lawsuit7
Problem areas: Body & structure · Electrical · Interior & equipment · Engine · Airbags & seat belts · Transmission / powertrain · Driver-assist systems · Brakes
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 26
- Fires reported: 8
- Injuries: 16
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 21 months
What owners report
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.
I was on cruise control, and it randomly decided to go 81 MPH instead of 50 mph i set it to, it did not respond when I tried to turn off the cruise control, and I ended up crashing into a semi, I survived but my [XXX] daughter died.
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.
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…
**Component or System:** Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist System (specifically the Pre-Collision Throttle Management system). **Incident Description & Warning Messages:** There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of any problem prior to this failure.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2020 · Compact SUVs
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Mazda CX-5 | 106 | 15.9 | 0.38 |
| 2020 Jeep Compass | 138 | 20.7 | 0.49 |
| 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan | 139 | 20.8 | 0.49 |
| 2020 Kia Sportage | 159 | 23.8 | 0.57 |
| 2020 Hyundai Tucson | 176 | 26.4 | 0.63 |
| 2020 Nissan Rogue | 207 | 31.0 | 0.74 |
| 2020 Jeep Cherokee | 288 | 43.1 | 1.02 |
| 2020 Chevrolet Equinox | 303 | 45.4 | 1.08 |
| 2020 Honda CR-V | 426 | 63.8 | 1.52 |
| 2020 Subaru Forester | 596 | 89.3 | 2.12 |
| 2020 Toyota RAV4 | 643 | 96.3 | 2.29 |
| 2020 Ford Escape | 1,807 | 270.7 | 6.43 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2020 Subaru Forester?
596 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Subaru Forester, or about 89.3 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2020 Subaru Forester?
The most common category is Body & structure, accounting for 51.0% of complaints.
Does the 2020 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Is the 2020 Subaru Forester still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 22 new complaints were filed, versus 32 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
How does the 2020 Subaru Forester compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 596 owner complaints about the 2020 Subaru Forester, or 89.3 per year on the road — far more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 2.12, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #74 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Subaru models its rate is 126% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 44% higher.