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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2020 Subaru Forester
Common Problems

Ranked from 340 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

2
Safety
5
High severity
1
Medium
2 problems on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

8 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Windshield spontaneous cracking or chipping

    135complaints
    Safety riskOther

    The windshield develops cracks or chips without any apparent impact or cause.

  2. 2

    Windshield Cracking Without Impact

    129complaints
    High severityOther

    Windshields are cracking spontaneously, often without any apparent cause.

  3. 3

    Windshield Cracking Without Apparent Cause

    58complaints
    Safety riskOther

    The windshield cracks without any visible impact or cause, leading to expensive repairs.

  4. 4

    Thermal Control Valve Failure

    23complaints
    High severityEngine

    The thermal control valve failed, causing engine malfunctions and disabling safety systems.

  5. 5

    Auto Start-Stop System Failure

    21complaints
    High severityElectrical

    The auto start-stop system intermittently fails to restart the engine, leaving the vehicle stalled in traffic.

  6. 6

    Thermal Control Valve Malfunction Disabling Safety Features

    18complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The thermal control valve malfunctions, causing the check engine light to illuminate and disabling all safety features.

  7. 7

    Forward Collision Avoidance System Malfunction

    15complaints
    High severityElectrical

    Forward collision avoidance systems, including adaptive cruise control and lane assist, malfunctioned and failed to operate properly.

  8. 8

    Lane Departure Assist Malfunction

    4complaints
    Medium severitySteering

    The lane departure assist feature causes the car to swerve uncontrollably, posing a risk of losing control.

Other years & sources

2010 Subaru Forester2011 Subaru Forester2016 Subaru Forester2017 Subaru Forester2018 Subaru Forester2019 Subaru Forester2021 Subaru Forester2022 Subaru ForesterAll NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.

2020 Subaru Forester Problems & Recalls | WrenchConnect