The Lane Check

Cars › Subaru › Forester › 2020

2020 Subaru Forester problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
19%
112 of 600 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 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
Share this car

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2020 Subaru Forester have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 112 of 600 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Forester concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (19%). For comparison, the 2019 scores 18% and the 2021 scores 20%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
112
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
600
this model year
Fires reported
9
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
0
26 crashes · 16 injuries

Complaints by component

VISIBILITY/WIPER252 · 42%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER107 · 18%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM102 · 17%
ENGINE80 · 13%
VISIBILITY49 · 8%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE42 · 7%

The years either side

2010
25%
53 of 262
2011
65%
73 of 147
2012
46%
38 of 105
2013
53%
32 of 77
2014
31%
104 of 403
2015
45%
226 of 614
2016
36%
113 of 415
2017
22%
90 of 586
2018
16%
64 of 496
2019
18%
145 of 833
2020
19%
112 of 600
2021
20%
41 of 207
2022
18%
15 of 98
2023
16%
10 of 73

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2020 Subaru Forester

What one owner reported

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM09/26/2023CRASH1 INJURED
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.

One of 112 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Checking one particular 2020 Subaru Forester? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2020 Subaru Forester

Does the 2020 Subaru Forester have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 112 of 600 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Forester concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (19%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Subaru Forester?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns on the 2020 Subaru Forester.

Which Subaru Forester years are better?

Among the Subaru Forester years we track, the 2018 (16%), the 2023 (16%) and the 2019 (18%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2020 (19%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2020 Subaru Forester?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2020 Subaru Forester shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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.

Check a VIN

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.