2020 Subaru Forester reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2020 Subaru Forester from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 794
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER
- 252 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 44 reported crashes · 35 injuries · 11 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#571
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Subaru median
+612
median 182 across 97 Subaru records
Vs 2018-2022
+530
median 265 complaints in 474 records
Top component share
32%
Visibility/Wiper: 252 complaints
What owners report fails — 2020 Subaru Forester
- VISIBILITY/WIPER 252
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 104
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 95
- ENGINE 72
- VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD 46
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2020 Subaru Forester
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2020 Subaru Forester units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Subaru Forester reliable?
NHTSA has 794 consumer complaints on record for the 2020 Subaru Forester. The most-reported problem area is visibility/wiper (252 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2020 Subaru Forester units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Subaru Forester?
Owners most often report problems with: visibility/wiper (252), unknown or other (104), electrical system (95), engine (72). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2020 Subaru Forester?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2020 Subaru Forester. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.