2020 Subaru Forester problems and recalls

The 2020 Subaru Forester has no recalls on file. Owners have filed 596 complaints, most often on the Visibility/Wiper.

596
Complaints
0
Recalls
26
Crash reports
8
Fire reports
16
Injuries
49.0
Severity index

Severity index 49.0 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 49.0p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 65 of 103 by severity index among 2020 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 37% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2020 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Visibility/WiperVisibility/Wiper: 252 complaints (42.3%)252 42%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 107 complaints (18.0%)107 18%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 101 complaints (16.9%)101 17%EngineEngine: 76 complaints (12.8%)76 13%VisibilityVisibility: 49 complaints (8.2%)49 8%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 42 complaints (7.0%)42 7%Power TrainPower Train: 31 complaints (5.2%)31 5%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 24 complaints (4.0%)24 4%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
VISIBILITY/WIPER25242.3%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10718.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM10116.9%
ENGINE7612.8%
VISIBILITY498.2%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE427.0%
POWER TRAIN315.2%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL244.0%

Complaints filed per year

0901802019: 112020: 1242021: 1712022: 1032023: 832024: 642025: 272026: 13 (partial year)1920211712223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
201911
2020124
2021171
2022103
202383
202464
202527
2026 (year to date)13
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 0.4x those in 2020 to 2022 (174 against 398).

Other Subaru Forester model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 15 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-05. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.