2020 Subaru Forester Electrical System Problems
NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How electrical system ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 592 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2020 Subaru Forester overview page.
What owners report
“WIRING HARNESS, TRANSMISSION, SOY BASED - DESTROYED BY RODENTS AT 600 MILES, 9 MONTHS. VEHICLE ON HOME DRIVE, DAYLIGHT, AS OUR BASEMENT WAS REPAIRED FROM…”NHTSA complaint 11365833 — filed 10/22/2020
“POWER LIFT GATE OPEN WHILE PARKED DURING ALL-DAY SPORTING EVENT (TOTAL OF 8 HOURS). NO OTHER DOORS OPEN, NO AUXILIARY USE OF BATTERY WAS IN…”NHTSA complaint 11329928 — filed 06/21/2020
“VEHICLE IGNITION IS OFF AND IN PARK. THE SAFETY ISSUE OCCURS WHEN THE REAR TAILGATE IS LEFT OPEN. AFTER 20 MINUTES OF LEAVING THE REAR…”NHTSA complaint 11315779 — filed 03/03/2020
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Electrical System complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2020 Subaru Forester have electrical system problems?
Electrical System is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2020 Subaru Forester: 96 of 592 complaints on file (16.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2020 Subaru Forester have in total?
592 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 25 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
