234 complaints reported

2020 Subaru Forester VISIBILITY/WIPER

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
234
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2025

As I was driving my 2020 Subaru Forester a cracked suddenly appeared across the driver side of the windshield, possibly from a small pebble. The sunlight reflection off the crack sent blinding sunlight into my eyes which nearly caused a collision with the car stopped in front of me. I now have another crack that started from the other side making my car unsafe to drive. Both cracks continue to grow across the windshield, not sure if summertime temps make it worse. I spoke with the dealer and they have quoted thousands of dollars to replace the windshield and since the car has over 100,000 miles they won't replace it under the new warranty that was extended this year. This is my 3rd windshield and can't afford to keep replacing windshields and now I don't have a car to drive. See attached pictures of the windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2025
Aug 2024

Windshield cracked. During a week of sub-freezing temperatures in January, the windshield cracked from the base of the windshield to the to the center point of the windshield (see photo submitted). Note: the windshield had had a very minor chip in it at the base of the windshield before the crack occurred.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2024
May 2024

In a three year period I have had to replace my windshield for cracks causing visibility issues. Each of these cracks have appeared for no apparent reason.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2024
May 2024

On Monday, 5/13/24, I got in my car and there was a crack across the windshield that was not there earlier in the day. It seems to have spontaneously cracked for no known reason.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2024
May 2024

A crack in my windshield appeared during the 15 minutes my 2020 Subaru Forester was in parking lot while I was in a store. The ambient temperature was in the 70's, the car was facing away from the sun, and the windows were ventilating the inside. The crack starts at the passenger corner in the area of the defroster and runs all the way from the weatherstripping at an angle and length that it is directly in the field of view of the passenger. On a few occasions while driving since the incident I have heard expansion type crack sounds.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2024
Apr 2024

The windshield developed a spontaneous crack, starting at the base of the right passenger windshield wiper and traveling in a line up toward the middle in a slanted line. There is no spike, no rock hit, nothing to have caused this. I believe it is a stress fracture as reported by others who have Subarus with eyesight technology. I have an appointment with the Subaru Dealer tomorrow morning. This appeared suddenly and must have happened overnight as it was not there yesterday but it was there when I got into the car this morning. The car was parked overnight.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2024
Mar 2024

Fourth windshield crack in 4 years. Enough. Please do a recall of this model.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2024
Feb 2024

I was driving to work and i was on the freeway and all of a sudden without a rock hitting my windshield, it started to crack. It might go bigger if i drive more and right now it is longer than 6 inches.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2024
Nov 2023

Windshield spontaneously cracked from the base into the wiper area. There was no previously known damage. This impacts driver visibility and weakens the windshield. I have not had the windshield inspected by another party and did not observe any warnings. I have since learned online that this is an ongoing issue with some Subaru windshields.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2023
Nov 2023

Woke up to a large cracked windshield for no reason

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2023
Sep 2023

I have had three cracked windshields within 4 years of driving and 30,000 miles

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

Windshield cracked for no reason shortly after purchasing. Needs to be replaced. Quoted 1500.00 because self driving feature must also be adjusted when replacing windshield

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

Windshield on this Subaru Forester cracked severely shortly after purchasing the car. This happened in the driveway while parked. Nothing hit the glass.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2021
Aug 2023

Windshield cracked and split to the middle unexpectedly

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2023
Jul 2023

For the 3rd time in less than 3 years my windshield crack from a small pebble hitting it. Either Subaru is making very thin windshield glass, or the material used is not sufficient to suppress small pebbles and causes the windshield to crack, often. The latest crack happened July 25, 2023 in the PM with a small 1/4 inch crack, by morning it had grown to over 2 feet. It seems to me there is a design flaw here.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2023
Jun 2023

Windshield randomly cracked while parked. There was no hit to the windshield that was detected. Crack runs down middle of windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2023
Jun 2023

(06/22) - Small pebble hits windshield and creates a "star-pattern" crack measuring 2.25 inches in diameter. Booked earliest appointment for windshield replacement on Tuesday 06/27. Have not touched windshield and have not driven vehicle as of this day. (06/24) - Waiting for windshield replacement appointment; star-pattern crack has extended aggressively overnight while parked under shaded carport (average temp 64 degrees), far beyond what is typical. As of 06/24 there are 2 long cracks extending in opposite directions measuring 9 inches above and 13 inches below original impact diameter. Please note that Subaru has had prior class action lawsuits filed for similar issues regarding brittle/unsafe windshields for Subaru Outback and Forester 2016-2020 models.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2023
Jun 2023

Was driving at highway speeds (65 mph) and within the posted speed limit and a small, unidentifiably small object was kicked up by a car in the adjacent lane and hit the windshield, resulting in a small ding that immediately spread to a large crack across most of the windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Jun 2023

The windshield suddenly crack for no apparent reason. I inquire about this problem from the Subaru service department and I was told that its not covered by warranty. I found out from my own research that a lot of Forester owner have complain of the same issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2023
May 2023

Driving down the highway and the windshield cracks and the cracks keeps getting longer.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2021
May 2023

The vehicle was parked in our driveway in Lafayette, CA on 5/16/2023. Outside temperature reached approximately 75 degrees. The windshield developed a spontaneous crack, horizontally spanning the driver's side edge to nearly the middle. No impact point can be observed along the crack line. The vehicle is available for inspection but has not yet been inspected by any authority. Vision may be blurred or compromised along the crack line, which should be deemed a safety issue. Numerous reports of windshield faults for 2019+ Subaru Foresters have been reported online, though Subaru continues to deny these claims.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
May 2023

My windshield has cracked - huge lines running across the windshield including the driver's side - three times in 2.5 years necessitating I pay out of pocket to replace the windshield each time. I will now need to get my fourth windshield in less than 3 years of having a brand new car. Though I have been told that it was "outside influence" such as a rock, I did not see or hear a rock hit the windshield. Not to mention I have owned many other cars and have never had to replace the windshield so many times. The latest windshield I replaced was less than a month ago and now I have to replace it again. There was a recall/class action lawsuit on previous years of the Subaru Forester and it is not clear or apparent that they have changed the windshield substantially enough that this issue has been resolved. It is dangerous and defective to have a windshield that has long cracks in it so frequently and consistently. My and my family's safety is at risk when it is difficult to see because of the huge cracks in the windshield, particularly at night or in inclement weather (i.e., rain storms). The problem has happened now 3 times in less than 3 years. A product that warrants so much replacement is defective in nature. I have called both the dealership and Subaru USA - who said that they did know that I was not the only one having these issues. The vehicle has been expected by experts at Safelite and I am taking it to the dealership for an inspection with this latest crack. But because they claim a rock hit it then I have to pay for the replacement - but when this happens with such frequency then how can the windshield not be defective? When this is not the standard for all other cars! And it is dangerous to have an unreliable windshield! No there were no warning messages.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
May 2023

The windshield cracked for no apparent reason. It’s a 2 foot long crack, low on driver side. The crack appeared while the car sat parked in a garage. It wasn’t there when the car was parked and was visible when we returned to drive the car. The windshield is so widely cracked, the risk is s sheet of glass will hurt the driver or passenger. We have not taken it to the dealer for repair yet The windshield cracked without warning or sufficient cause.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
Apr 2023

Since purchasing my vehicle in June of 2020, I have replaced the windshield every 6-7 months for spontaneously cracking. In April of 2023 I filed a claim with Subaru of America and was instructed to make an insurance claim and my deductible would be reimbursed. As of December 1, 2023 my windshield has cracked yet again. I have had a windshield inspection done every time it has been replace, no defects or rock chips were identified. This will be the 6th windshield I have had replaced.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Mar 2023

Windshield cracked in the bottom black area. This is a known problem for other model years. Subaru should issue a recall / fix for the 2020 Forester also.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU FORESTER, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Subaru Forester has 234 VISIBILITY/WIPER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.