What 591 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Forester

**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 ODI 11746796

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 ODI 11746815

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 INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11741723

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 ODI 11739339

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 ODI 11724332

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 ODI 11722571

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 ODI 11720770

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 ODI 11719471

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 ODI 11707836

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 ODI 11706366

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 ODI 11695397

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while his wife was stopped at a red traffic light in the middle lane and surrounded by other vehicles, the auto START/STOP system engaged; however, when the brake pedal was released, the vehicle failed to restart. After several attempts, the vehicle eventually restarted, allowing the driver to safely pull over. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a dead battery. The dealer advised the contact about turning off the auto START/STOP system. The battery had been marked as good on two separate occasions. The battery was replaced. The contact reached out to the manufacturer, who opened a case but confirmed there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,585.

NHTSA ODI 11693825

Car frequently dies and won't want to start. Have changed the battery already. Will come to a stop and it will just randomly shut down. Have had to shift to park and restart the car. This is unsafe.

NHTSA ODI 11690444

2020 Subaru Forester periodically will stall out at a light or stop sign in heavy traffic. It then takes several attempts to restart. (Sometimes completely dead) My mechanic hasI changed the battery and checked the alternator, all in working order. It’s hard to figure out what is wrong because it doesn’t happen all the time.

NHTSA ODI 11689081

We were traveling in rural California, 1 hour north of Bishop, CA on [XXX] when our vehicle's "Check Engine" light, "Parking Break" light, and several other lights lit up on our dashboard. Our car began to stall out immediately. We were able to pull off to the side of the road as best as we could as we were towing a camper at the time as well. We waited for 4 hours to get our vehicle and camper towed 1 hour away to a mechanic. The mechanic couldn't fix our car, but we were able to get an engine code reader to clear the codes as they came up. The closest Subaru dealership was 4 hours away in Las Vegas, NV. We had to drive through mountains and Death Valley. Despite using the engine code reader to clear codes every 30 seconds, our car stalled out 6 times on the way. The problem was the thermo control valve for P26A6, a known problem with Subaru vehicles like ours. We had our vehicle serviced in July 2025 for 60,000 miles and the dealership did not say anything about this known issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11688379

I, the owner of a 2020 Subaru Forester am writing to you in regards to an issue with my vehicle’s Eyesight program. Over the past month, there have been several instances where the Eyesight program fails and caused the vehicle to suddenly stop without warning. This prevents me from safely moving the vehicle to the side of the road as the car stops. In other words, the car abruptly stops on the spot. This creates an immediate danger to life and health to myself and to other motorists. This issue must be addressed immediately and the necessary steps taken to ensure the safety the driver, passengers and other motorists on the road. Thank you for understanding.

NHTSA ODI 11688017

When stopped at an intersection the car stalled. It would not restart for three minutes and caused a dangerous situation for my family and children in the car while traffic was moving. There were no warning signs, lights, or engine codes. The problem is random and cannot reproduced. The car is available for inspection.

NHTSA ODI 11687479

Parasitic battery drain

NHTSA ODI 11684678

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.

NHTSA ODI 11677565

I was stopped at a red light and the engine stalled. It read "FOR SAFETY, AUTO RESTART DISABLED". All warning lights on the dashboard lit up. I had to put the car in park and restart it in order to drive. I was honked at and put in a dangerous position. This has happened at least twice now.

NHTSA ODI 11675358

This has happened 8 times in a month span. The car is currently being looked at by the dealership and so far they can’t find anything wrong. When I’m stopped in traffic, my car’s engine turns off. Once the light turns green and I press on the accelerator I hear a beep and the car doesn’t move . The dashboard shows a few error messages and a message stating that the eyesight has been turned off. In order to get the car to work again I have to put it in park, turn it off, and turn it on again. It is particularly dangerous because the car won’t move when the light is green.

NHTSA ODI 11669484

my Subaru suddenly had numerous warning lights go on. Took it to the dealer and they said it was due to a recalled part: thermo control valve. They replaced it for free but said my head gaskets needed to be replaced after checking my oil for $4000 plus. I believe the recalled part caused the head gasket issue and shouldn’t have to pay also the mileage is only 66k

NHTSA ODI 11665729

While driving, the vehicle's Automatic Stop-Start System Engaged as usual when the car came to a stop (e.g., at a red light or in traffic). However, when releasing the brake, the Automatic Stop-Start System failed to restart the engine. Not only it failed to restart the engine, but multiple attempts of manually start the engine all failed. And the car became stranded in the middle of road with heavy traffic. Had to call 911 and tow truck to get the vehicle out of the road. No dashboard warning or error message appeared prior to the failure. Never had issues with engine cold start prior to the failure. Basically, the battery was good to cold start the engine prior to the incident, but while driving when the car came to a stop at a red light for few seconds, the Automatic Stop-Start System's engagement somehow suddenly cause the battery not able to start the engine anymore. The issue poses a serious safety hazard, particularly if it occurs in traffic, at intersections, or on highways, as it may leave the car stranded in a dangerous location.

NHTSA ODI 11660101

I was on cruise control, and it randomly decided to go 81 MPH instead of 50 mph i set it to, it did not respond when I tried to turn off the cruise control, and I ended up crashing into a semi, I survived but my [XXX] daughter died. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11652853

the [S] is constantly blinking, the check engine light On, the temperature light is on as cold, and the eye sight and anti collision is off.

NHTSA ODI 11645898