2020 Subaru Forester: engine and transmission complaints
NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
19%
110 of 598 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2020 Subaru Forester. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 19% of relevant complaints.
Better than 88% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Unintentional acceleration. After making right turn, vehicle accelerated for approx 1/2 mile until crashing into wall. Several attempts at braking and trying to shift into neutral did nothing.
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE09/10/2026
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 lo…
ENGINE09/05/2026
Car stalls when it shouldn't i.e. when stopped at traffic light Transmission Control Module (TCM) Software Issue
Three of 110 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Before you buy a 2020 Subaru Forester
No elevated drivetrain pattern for this model year. That describes the model, not the car in front of you.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
