2020 Subaru Forester

601 complaints on file, page 1 of 31.

1. Filed Sep 19, 2026Failure Sep 14, 2026Richland, WAElectrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemFire

   Smoke and fire occurred in the engine and spread into the car while the car was being driven. The car has not been inspected yet.

   NHTSA complaint 11765530
2. Filed Sep 13, 2026Failure Sep 2, 2026El Dorado Hills, CAEngine

   Three times within 30 minutes on short drive, the engine stalled at stop sign or stop light. The car had a half tank of gas, and at the same time as the engine stalled, the miles remaining until empty display showed an anomalous 0.3miles to empty reading. Put the car in park allowed the engine to restart and the range remaining display to return to normal.

   NHTSA complaint 11763869
3. Filed Sep 10, 2026Failure Sep 4, 2026Novi, MIEngine, Power train

   Component/System Defect: Failed Thermo Control Valve (TCV) leading to sudden vehicle power loss / limp mode. Description of Safety Incident: While operating my vehicle at highway speeds late at night, the Thermo Control Valve (TCV) failed catastrophically without warning. The vehicle instantly experienced a massive loss of engine power and entered an aggressive "limp mode," causing a drastic, uncommanded deceleration in active traffic lanes.Due to the sudden reduction in speed and the low-visibility night conditions, a commercial semi-truck traveling directly behind my vehicle was nearly unable to brake in time and narrowly avoided rear-ending us. My family—including an elderly senior and a [XXX] child—was trapped inside the vehicle during this near-miss collision. The vehicle became an immediate hazard on a high-speed highway. The authorized dealership subsequently confirmed a failed Thermo Control Valve (TCV) and replaced the unit under Subaru's extended warranty program. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

   NHTSA complaint 11763453
4. Filed Sep 5, 2026Failure Sep 1, 2026Madison, NJEngine

   Car stalls when it shouldn't i.e. when stopped at traffic light Transmission Control Module (TCM) Software Issue

   NHTSA complaint 11762389
5. Filed Aug 27, 2026Failure May 20, 2022Des Plaines, ILElectrical system, Engine

   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. During the same visit, explained LONG BRAKE PEDAL issue, and was given an estimate. - - June 1, 2022 (9,039 miles) | RO# 806767: Just 2 miles after that repair, the oil pan had to be torn apart again because the internal oil level sensor failed and got stuck. - January 19, 2024 (18,854 miles) | RO# 838995: The vehicle suffered a dangerous engine shutdown in the middle of traffic due to the factory Thermo Control Valve defect (TSB 09-80-21). While resolving this safety defect under warranty, the dealer used scare tactics to upsell me $794.23 out of pocket for unrelated maintenance. - July 3rd, 2025 - You can see from invoice records that indicate, customer requesting a quote on repairing the windshield chips, as I learned on 26th August 2026 (during call with Subaru corporate) that it was under extended warranty, dealership offered me a quote and did not volunteer to repair at no cost nor conveyed information on extended warranty. This damage happened twice due to poor quality of Windshield in my car. - 23rd August, 2026 - 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 to proceed. This has left the vehicle unable to move in active traffic and created a serious risk of collision. The failures have occurred in highly dangerous situations. - 24th August, 2026 - Similar incident happened the next day. - 25th August 2026 (39,000 miles) | Present Day: The lower oil pan seal has failed yet again. Dealership is suggesting a battery replacement. Shared inspection video shows, rusts on bolts, very unusual for a car driven only 39000.

   NHTSA complaint 11760087
6. Filed Aug 19, 2026Failure Feb 20, 2026Gold River, CAElectrical system, Engine, Power train

   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 to proceed. This has left the vehicle unable to move in active traffic and created a serious risk of collision. The failures have occurred in highly dangerous situations, including a busy [XXX], a major [XXX] intersection, and most recently while entering a freeway. In these incidents, surrounding drivers had to brake hard to avoid striking the disabled vehicle. The occupants reasonably feared a serious collision, and the events were potentially life-threatening. The battery was replaced, but the Auto Start/Stop no-restart condition later occurred again, so battery replacement did not resolve the problem. Subaru issued Technical Service Bulletin 16-147-24 on XXX for 2019-2021 Foresters. The bulletin addresses TCM reprogramming related to engine behavior during Auto Start/Stop restart and instructs technicians to reprogram the TCM when the described symptom is reported. However, the bulletin’s warranty section provides reimbursement under the Basic New Car Limited Warranty. For a 2020 vehicle, the original 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty would ordinarily have expired before this 2024 bulletin was issued. The vehicle is now being evaluated by an authorized Subaru dealer. The condition is intermittent and dangerous because the driver cannot know whether the engine will restart when movement is required. The vehicle is available for inspection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

   NHTSA complaint 11758094
7. Filed Aug 11, 2026Failure Aug 11, 2026Champaign, ILFuel/propulsion system, Unknown or otherCrashFire

   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. The airbags deployed immediately, and I temporarily lost all forward visibility due to the airbag deploy, and smoke or steam coming from the front of the vehicle as it decelerated to a stop. Within moments of stopping, smoke transitioned to visible flames coming from the engine compartment. The fire spread extremely quickly, and the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames within minutes. The specific component or system that failed is UNKNOWN, but based on the sequence of events, it appears that a front‑end structural failure during the collision may have caused a rupture of one or more engine‑bay components (oil system, coolant system, or other fluid lines), leading to a rapid fire. The vehicle was completely destroyed and is not available for inspection, but the incident was documented by emergency responders and my insurance company. This fire created a severe safety risk, as the vehicle ignited shortly after coming to rest and burned intensely. I had no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the collision. The problem has not been reproduced, but I have since learned of multiple similar fires involving Subaru Foresters after front‑end animal impacts, which raises concern about a potential design vulnerability.

   NHTSA complaint 11756381
8. Filed Jul 17, 2026Failure Jun 19, 2026Aurora, COEngine, Unknown or other

   My 2020 Subaru Forester Sport suffered catastrophic engine failure on 6/19/2026 at 156,322 miles, 15 days and 1,031 miles after a thermo control valve (TCV) repair performed at an authorized Subaru dealer on 6/4/2026. The TCV is a known defect covered under Subaru TSB 09-119-24 (extended coverage to 150,000 miles/15 years). I never received mailed notification of this TSB and therefore did not seek repair within the covered window; Subaru approved the repair as a goodwill exception. While driving on I-70 westbound near Genesee, CO, on a sustained mountain grade with my family in the vehicle, I heard a loud noise. The oil temperature spiked to approximately 280°F, warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost all power in highway traffic. Losing propulsion on a steep grade in mountain traffic created a serious risk to my family and surrounding vehicles. Post-failure condition: empty coolant reservoir, coolant-contaminated (milky, green-tinted) oil, and metal debris on the dipstick, consistent with cooling-system failure causing engine seizure. I have timestamped photos. The engine is locked and the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle was towed to the same authorized dealer on 7/9/2026. The dealer's technician confirmed the engine is seized and requires teardown ($3,302.95) for full diagnosis; the dealer states teardown proceeds only on authorization from me or Subaru of America. I opened a case with Subaru of America on 5/26/2026 and formally requested in writing that Subaru authorize the teardown, with a stated deadline. As of 7/17/2026, the dealer confirms Subaru has sent no authorization or any communication during the week the vehicle has been on their lot. My written deadline, follow-up call, and final written notice went unanswered. The vehicle and all components are preserved at the dealer and available for inspection upon request.

   NHTSA complaint 11751083
9. Filed Jul 13, 2026Failure May 28, 2026South Huntington, NYElectrical system, Engine

   My car is violently shaking and completely stalling out in intersections when attempting to restart from an Auto-Stop.

   NHTSA complaint 11750109
10. Filed Jun 26, 2026Failure Jun 16, 2026Tempe, AZUnknown or other

    The thermo control valve (TCV) failed on my Forester (2020 model year). The failure first manifested on 16 June, 2026, with two warning lights: Eyesight Off, and Check Engine. Next day a related failure occurred, described below. Based on my call to dealer, the service department told me the car could be driven if the check engine light was steady, not blinking. It was steady. I then attempted to drive 3 miles to a dental appointment, intending to take the Forester to the dealer next. During this trip, automatic front braking spontaneously began. I was able to cross one lane of city traffic and lurch into a parking lot. Tested around the parking lot the next day, the same automatic braking sequence spontaneously engaged. The word “brake” was constantly illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle could not be driven and was towed to the dealer. Replacement of the TCV led to the disappearance of the warning lights and ended the continuous automatic braking. The critical point is that, had I not had a dental appointment, I would have tried to drive the vehicle to the dealer in heavy freeway traffic when the automatic braking engaged. This would have put me at great risk of being rear-ended, or, if a vehicle stopped behind me, of that person being rear-ended. Subaru never notified me of the pattern of TCV failure, and, instead, internally extended a warranty on the part for affected vehicles for 15 years or 150,000 miles. A recall and replacement is needed to prevent a potentially highly serious accident.

    NHTSA complaint 11746815
11. Filed Jun 26, 2026Failure Jun 26, 2026Pinole, CAElectrical system, Automatic emergency braking, Warnings

    **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. The incident occurred while I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection. When the light turned green, I removed my foot from the brake and pressed the gas pedal to proceed, but the vehicle would not accelerate. The system had engaged a false-positive throttle cut. At that exact moment, the car began beeping repeatedly and the EyeSight logo flashed on the dashboard, incorrectly indicating an obstacle or imminent collision, even though the path in front of my vehicle was completely clear. **Safety Risk:** My safety and the safety of others were put at significant risk because the vehicle was unexpectedly immobilized in an active intersection during a green light. This sudden, unwarranted loss of acceleration created a high risk of being rear-ended by the drivers behind me who were expecting the flow of traffic to resume. **Reproduced, Confirmed, or Inspected:** Because this incident just occurred, the problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Furthermore, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives.

    NHTSA complaint 11746796
12. Filed Jun 3, 2026Failure Apr 13, 2026Lake Oswego, OREngine

    Vehicle entered limp mode at highway speed (approximately 70 mph) on [XXX] freeway in Washington State, it felt like I had rear ended a vehicle it shut down so hard. This was due to mis diagnosed inspection and service repair from a local Subaru Dealer. Vehicle lost power rapidly, creating a dangerous safety situation. Root cause traced to TCV/PCV system defects previously documented by authorized Subaru dealers. Previous Subaru authorized dealer replaced a torn PCV hose but did not diagnose the problem causing the tear. The dash warning lights were still illuminated after the diagnostic and repair when vehicle was picked up after service. I have attached a more detailed overview of the dangerous situation. The car finally lost power on the freeway while I was in the fast lane pushing 70 miles an hour. I was in the fast lane and with no power I had to cut across both lanes of traffic and get to the shoulder. I was 45 minutes from my home and it was dark, raining and the Subaru would not start. I called a mobile mechanic I found online who came out to the freeway, roadside, where I was stranded. He worked on the car for a couple of hours in the rain. He got the car to start but it would not stay running. I had the car towed to a friend's house in Vancouver, WA about 6 miles from where it had broken down. The same mobile mechanic came out and changed out one of the oil actuators and cleaned and replaced two of the OCVs then flushed the oil system and put new oil in the car. Cleared all the codes. The car starts, idles and will drive up to about 1500 rpm’s but any more than 1500 rpm’s and it dies. It's in limp mode and will move past those rpm’s. The warning lights and the PCV house splitting must have been signs of something else being wrong. That is the discussion I had with Wilsonville Subaru. They diagnosed the vehicle and let me know the PCV hose was the problem. Car was towed to [XXX] in Vancouver, WA sitting since April 15th, 2026 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF IN

    NHTSA complaint 11741723
13. Filed May 21, 2026Failure May 5, 2026fairport, NYElectrical system, Engine

    I have owned this vehicle since 2019 and the auto start has ALWAYS stalled out when I stop at a light or stop sign. The vehicle needs to be put in park and restart the car. It is very dangerous

    NHTSA complaint 11739339
14. Filed Mar 14, 2026Failure Mar 14, 2026Raleigh, NCElectrical system

    My Apple Car Play has never worked since I bought the car new in 2020. The dealership's solution each time I asked about it was for me to get a new plug in cord, update my iPhone settings, and then they can update the system manually. I have taken it in multiple times, and each time it has worked for 2-3 weeks before it no longer works again. This is dangerous because it usually happens mid-drive, and I no longer have the directions of where I am going, without stopping the vehicle. I also have to hold my phone and look at the directions since it does not display on the screen.

    NHTSA complaint 11724332
15. Filed Mar 6, 2026Failure Mar 6, 2026Wilmington, CAElectrical system, Service brakes, Unknown or other

    stalling/shutting down at stoplights with the auto start-stop feature has occurred continuously for the last 2 years I’ve taken to dealer, and multiple mechanics and they can’t find a problem

    NHTSA complaint 11722571
16. Filed Feb 26, 2026Failure Feb 19, 2026greenville, SCElectrical system, Engine, Unknown or other

    My son, [XXX] is currently driving this car. The car only has 29,200 miles so far. Last week, while at the stop light on the hill, he had near fatal accident! Forester suddenly completed shut down. The only functioning part was the brake. My son had to put the car in park and restart the engine. I reported the incident to customer advocate at Subaru and taking the car in for inspection. We never skip any scheduled maintenance. My next maintenance not due until April. I also purchased Subaru safety monitoring software. The car never shows any malfunction. It’s a very serious issue. We strongly suspect it’s related to the start-stop system on this car. We strongly support to override the system at consumer level giving their unreliability. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

    NHTSA complaint 11720770
17. Filed Feb 20, 2026Failure Jan 5, 2025Yorktown Heights, NYAir bags, Electrical system, Seat belts

    The airbag system has a sensor issue and I keep getting warnings from Subaru to get it fixed because it affects the seatbelts. The garage where I take my car says they are unable to get the part needed for the passenger sensor. And, Subaru says they need to replace the whole harness for $6000. Makes me wonder why a safety issue like this one seen in other Subaru’s have been recalled but not my model… Also the start stop feature drains the battery excessively. I have had to replace the battery twice in less than a year. I push the button to stop this feature the minute I get into the car.

    NHTSA complaint 11719471
18. Filed Dec 30, 2025Failure Nov 23, 2025Aurora, OHEngine

    While driving my 2020 Subaru Forester at approximately 15 mph, the engine unexpectedly shut off, resulting in an immediate loss of propulsion (vehicle stall while in motion). This created a safety risk because the vehicle was in traffic and could have been struck from behind or lost the ability to accelerate out of danger. No crash occurred and there were no injuries. There were no warning lamps, warning messages, check engine light, or limp mode before, during, or after the stall event. The vehicle later experienced catastrophic engine failure, also without any warning indicators. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Subaru dealership. The dealership confirmed the failure and diagnosed crankshaft bearing failure on cylinder 3, and recommended short block replacement along with related engine component replacement (including cam phasers and gaskets/seals). The engine/vehicle remains available for inspection upon request. Manufacturer has been notified through Subaru of America Customer Advocacy. Subaru has offered partial goodwill assistance but has declined further escalation or full remedy. Note: I have video of this showing no engine lights however unable to upload it below. Can send via email if required. Thank you. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

    NHTSA complaint 11707836
19. Filed Dec 21, 2025Failure Dec 1, 2025Ithaca, NYExterior lighting

    Since I purchased my Subaru Forester new in 2020, people regularly flash their high beams at me at night when my low beams are on, because they think I have my high beams on. I also flash my high beams at cars when I think they have their high beams on then they do the same, to show me they have their low beams on. It needs to be illegal for manufacturers of cars and/or headlights to manufacture low beams with these dangerous settings. I didn’t know I could file a complaint with this department until a week ago otherwise I would have done it in 2020

    NHTSA complaint 11706366
20. Filed Oct 24, 2025Failure Oct 23, 2025Los Angeles, CAElectrical system, Automatic emergency braking, Unknown or other

    While driving on public roads, all dash warning lights illuminated simultaneously. The instrument cluster displayed “EyeSight OFF.” At the same time, the electronic parking brake engaged / the vehicle would not accelerate and required me to stop and shift to Park. The only way to restore drivability was to turn the vehicle off and restart. This has occurred intermittently, including in traffic, creating a serious safety hazard for myself and surrounding drivers.

    NHTSA complaint 11695397