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#BS-2020-SUBFOR-326B

2020 Subaru ForesterProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 821 owners and 0 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
821
Crashes
46
Fires
16
Recalls
0
TSBs
481
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 821 complaints, 46 crashes, 16 fires, and 0 recalls. Complaint rate is 4.7x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

windshield chip growing crack

10 complaints • Severity 7.4/10

$X,XXX
2

battery drains within a few days

6 complaints • Severity 8.3/10

$X,XXX
3

automatic tailgate unexpectedly opens

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
4

rear hatch only opens 1 foot at freezing or below

1 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX
5

i get phantom texts on the screen that arent on my phone

1 complaints • Severity 2/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the VisibilityHIGH

255 owners reported visibility issues — failures commonly reported around 6K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

299
0–30K
24
30–60K
6
60–90K
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (299 reports) • Median: 6K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Visibility (255 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Visibility255 (31%)
Other107 (13%)
Electrical101 (12%)
Engine86 (10%)
Visibility:windshield46 (6%)
Drivetrain32 (4%)
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking27 (3%)
Speed Control21 (3%)

2020 Subaru Forester: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Visibility Issues

Visibility complaints account for 31% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Forester, with 255 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 6,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 6K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Forester, with 101 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Forester, with 86 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Visibility:windshield Issues

Visibility:windshield complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Forester, with 46 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility:windshield-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

17
19
135
20
210
21
129
22
130
23
114
24
46
25
40
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2020 Subaru Forester. Recent trend: stable.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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2020 Subaru Forester NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

The worst model year for the Subaru Forester is the 2014 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2020 Subaru Forester vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD)

This vehicle

821

Class avg

174

4.7x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 821 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 0 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Subaru Forester Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
View all Subaru Forester years →

2020 Subaru Forester: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2020 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2020 Subaru Forester is related to the visibility, with 255 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2020 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2020 Subaru Forester has 821 complaints, 46 crash reports, and 16 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 4.7x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How safe is the 2020 Subaru Forester?
NHTSA rates the 2020 Subaru Forester 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2020 Subaru Forester problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2020 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
No recalls have been issued for the 2020 Subaru Forester according to NHTSA records.
What mileage do Subaru Forester problems start?
Based on 329 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 6,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2020 Subaru Forester data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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