2020 Subaru Forester Electrical Problems

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!

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.

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.

Numerous times when using the "gas saving feature" when the engine stops after the brake is pressed, the car has stalled and I have had no control over the vehicle. I have had to turn on my emergency flashers and restart my car in order for it to move again.

A week after my routine oil changed at 31K, the check engine light along with flashing "s" pop up. The next day the check engine disappeared. I was some what happy and continue to drive car as normal for 2 days, then check engine light came back again and this time is staying for good.

Vehicle continuously suffers a total loss of power (engine shuts off) while driving, creating obvious hazard to the user of the car and other drivers. This continues to happen without warning and often while driving through intersections and other dangerous situations. No warning lights precede these events.

Daughter was driving vehicle on the morning of September 15, 2023, when smoke came from under hood. Immediately pulled over and engine was engulfed in flames. Got out of vehicle and moved a safe distance away as glass started to break and fire department arrived on scene.

I’ve owned my Subaru forester for over a year now. About 6 months ago while getting off an exit and at a light, when I went to accelerate my car died. All lights came off and no power to vehicle.

The thermo control valve on my 2020 Subaru Forester is broken and needs to be replaced. I have owned the car for 2 years, am the first owner, and it has less than 19,000 miles. 90 minutes into a drive the "coolant temp low" indicator light came on.

This vehicle has approx. 45,000 miles and the electrical has failed. We have replaced the battery and tested all components in which they then operate fine.

In less than 2 years of owning this car the battery failed putting me in a very dangerous situation. While standing in the middle of the road to make a turn into incoming traffic the car was off because of the auto stop-start system.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - The original battery on our 2020 Subaru Forester died after some repairs related to getting rear ended. The battery died for the first time in March 2021, 8 months after we purchased the car with around 5500 miles on it.

I was driving up an empty suburban road at 25 MPH when the brakes suddenly went off, causing the car to skid to a stop. The dashboard screen said the pre-collision emergency braking system was activated. There was nothing in the road and no reason for the car to stop suddenly.

A change in some 2019-2020 subaru models causes an incompatibility between obd-ii devices and the subaru starlink system (which is used to dispatch emergency services in the event of an accident, and for other purposes). Subaru service bulletin 15-257-19 11/11/2019 recognizes the problem, but does not offer a solution other than tell the customer not to use the obd-ii device.

Your Apple CarPlay connection keeps disconnecting and stops working a few weeks after the dealership fixes it. When this happens while you're driving, you lose navigation on your dashboard display and have to hold your phone to see directions, which is dangerous. The dealership's temporary fixes—replacing the cable, updating iPhone settings, and manually updating the system—haven't resolved the issue permanently. This likely requires a more thorough diagnostic and software update or replacement of the infotainment system hardware.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I am writing to express serious concerns about the Auto Start-Stop feature, which poses a significant safety risk when it causes shutdowns in critical situations. Recently, my vehicle shut off due to Auto Start-Stop while in the express lane of a highway.

Periodically, the vehicle stalls at stop lights, stop signs, and in other situations when coming to a complete stop. Once the vehicle comes to a complete stop and turns off due to the auto-stop/start function, it stalls immediately after the car re-starts and you press the gas pedal. This leaves the vehicle stalled in intersections and in potentially dangerous conditions.

My car completely lost power. I had driven to the stop light and was waiting when it lost power. It had no power for several minutes and was unresponsive to the ignition or anything else.

The auto start stop feature has caused my car to shutdown with all lights lit on the dash in more than one scenario. In traffic on the freeway, I had my foot on the brake. It auto stopped.

Stopped at a red light at busy intersection. The Auto Stop/Start was enabled and activated when stopped at the light. When the light turned green, tried to go, but the AS/S system failed.

Driving my 2020 Subaru Forrester on 1/26/24, at night. Stopped at traffic light. Car started shaking, dash lights system lights came on.

At a stop light, auto stop/start system shuts down the vehicle engine. When the light turned green, and I lifted my foot off the brake, the engine failed to restart. The dash will lit up ..

Repeated experiences of battery going dead after simply opening and closing doors a few times a day for four days. Engine was not started in this time. All interior light were off and rear hatch remained closed.

Battery drained, towed to dealership twice within a month battery replaced then failed within 2 weeks everything checked out ok but battery still drained very frustrating

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle stalled and then went into sleep mode.

The battery died after less than two years. There is a class action lawsuit related to recent Subarus draining batteries very quickly due to parasitic power drain because of a faulty electrical system. The 2020 Forester was included in the initial lawsuit, but this model was thrown out of the lawsuit by the judge since none of the plaintiffs owned a Forester.

I bought my new 2020 Forester in November 2019. It now has 1604 miles on it. Twice already I've had to have it towed to the dealership because the battery was dead from just sitting in my driveway.

Liftgate open for tailgating party. Battery drained despite NO lights being on at all. This should NOT happen.

My car shut down while stopped at a traffic light. Several dashboard lights flashed or lit up, including the battery indicator, the EyeSight indicator said it was turned off, and many others I don’t know. It felt as if the battery had died.

Multiple dead batteries over past year. When rear lift gate is left open for less then an hour with all lights including interior off it drains battery. 2019 lift gate module recalled due to 'dark draw' but didn't include earlier 2020 models which did not have new module incorporated yet.

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 use, battery was dead and I was left stranded in parking lot.

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 tailgate open, all the interior lights turn off correctly as a published safety feature to help prevent a dead battery upon departure.

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.

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 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.

This has happened multiple times, is increasing in frequency. Stopped in traffic at a red light. The Auto Stop/Start was enabled and activated when stopped at the light.

Stopped in traffic near a red light. The Auto Stop/Start was enabled and activated when stopped at the light. When the light turned green, tried to go, but the AS/S system failed.

Vehicle traveling W on [XXX] Bryan TX. Automobile suddenly started shaking and not developing power, Driver was able to pull off on the shoulder barely clearing the #2 lane. The engine would crank but not sustain operation.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while at a complete stop, the automatic START/STOP, the feature intermittently failed to operate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the failure occurred without warning.

Within one month the same thing happened. I turn on the car and the eyesight warning light is on (eyesight feature disabled), flashing "S" drive is on, "break" light is on, and check engine light is on. Due to this cruise control isn't working.

I picked-up my new 2020 Subaru Forester on January 2, 2020. Within two years the battery became too weak to start the engine. Since then, I've had to repeatedly charge the battery.

The thermo valve leaked into connector, causing engine to shut down abruptly to prevent overheating. This happened at 70 MPH on interstate highway in traffic. Part was replaced with modified thermo valve later.

1-16-24:car wouldn’t open and start; jump-started by AAA to dealer; dealer kept overnight & checked battery: said charge held, ready to go home. 1-30-24, 4 pm-ish: able to start n drive, but check engine& eyesight warning light came on- late in day, so didn’t drive to dealer. 1-31-24: car dead; jump-started by AAA again & drove to dealer.

I started the car to make a trip to town to run some errands. When I cranked the engine the Check Engine light came on. The S for Sport Mode was flashing and a No Eyesight warning came on.

Check Engine light came on along with EyeSight, traction control and flashing [S] lights. Dealer confirmed that the thermo control valve failed.

When I am idling at a stop sign or sitting in traffic and I have come to a full stop, the car's engine shuts down as a gas-saving feature. This is not the problem! The problem is that sometimes when this feature engages, when I lift my foot off the brake to start driving again, a shrill constant ringing sound starts and the engine won't power back on.

The thermo control valve malfunctioned causing the check engine light to come on which shut down all the safety features in the vehicle including the front eye sight camera, blind spot warning, the rear automatic braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assistance.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the auto START/STOP feature was malfunctioning. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop, the engine turned off, but failed to restart after releasing the brake pedal.

The car dies when it stops for a traffic stop. Sometimes it starts again and and sometimes it does not. It does not do it when the air is on.

The Subaru starlink system has no controls around transfer of ownership. I only discovered this after receiving a $150 charge 2 months after I traded in the car to a Subaru dealer. Even after trading in the car I was able to unlock, lock, start the car, and track the cars location.

When I was driving this car one night, every dash light was suddenly activated and remained on -- and as a result all safety features were deactivated. When I was able to do so, I touched the battery cables together to reboot the system. I had to do this 3 times over the course of 4 days.

BATTERY DRAINS constantly and car will not start. This has happened several times the past month. I understand that it is an ongoing issue with other Subaru's.

There are various lights on on the dash of the vehicle when nothing is seemingly inherently wrong with the vehicle. I notified the dealership about this issue, the dealership claimed that special parts were ordered but I still have not been notifed of their arrival. This puts my safety at risk due to the fact that I am not sure wether the car actually has an issue, or if it is a mere malfunction.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery was continually being drained and needed to be recharged frequently. There were no warning lights illuminated.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the radio system malfunctioned, which caused the blind-spot detection system, headlights, and instrument panel to fail to operate as needed. Additionally, the eyesight system would inadvertently engage, which caused the vehicle to stop without warning.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery drained quickly, and the vehicle had to be jumpstarted after three days. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer.

I was in a parking lot at the time driving very slowly to pick a spot. When I went to turn right into the spot my car accelerated at an alarming speed. I had not control over it as it kept turning.

The battery on my 2020 Subaru Forester Premium /LFF14 drains within a week if not driven. There appears to be a parasitic battery drain problem. The car will not start.

Battery is completely drained and I was unable to commute. Vehicle picked by Subaru roadside assistance to nearest dealer (Victor Subaru)

purchased new vehicle 10/23/19, 1st battery failure 6/15/2 jumped and ok 2nd battery failure 12/4/20 jumped, Subaru replaced battery 3rd battery failure 2/16/21, Subaru said battery was "fine" 4th battery failure 3/31/21 Subaru replaced battery 5th battery failure 5/14/21, appt with Subaru on 5/21/21

Battery was drained for no reason and car would not start. When tried to start dash lights etc., went crazy. Gauge for tachometer and speed whipped from side to side, lights flashed on and off.

When attempting to leave our home driveway on friday, april 2nd, 2021 (approximately 4pm local time), the ignition button failed to start the car. Initially, power was running to the dash. I called the subaru eastside dealership in kirkland, wa where the car was purchased.

Vehicle has some electrical issue with the TPMS that less than a year in, one of them is seems to be going out. Thee head unit (infotainment sys) also had connection issue that was aware and known by subura dealer rep when called and as to bring in for maintenance. Blinds pot monitor on the right has tendency to not flash or alert every so often.

Wiring harness, transmission, soy based - destroyed by rodents at 600 miles, 9 months. Vehicle on home drive, daylight, as our basement was repaired from flood damage. 1 week on driveway.

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.

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.

Parasitic battery drain

The head unit suddenly stopped working. It unfortunately isn’t covered Under warranty. The screen consistently turns on and off.

Vehicle shuts off while driving.

My vehicle has repeatedly required being jump-started after sitting for a period of time. Recently it has become a safety issue because the engine is designed to turn off at times in order to traffic to improve fuel efficiency. After research, Subaru has a known issue with the DCM system used to power the optional (subscription based) Starlink system.

The Battery life was considerably short. It started requiring frequent jump starts.

Stopped at a stop light for a few minutes and when trying to move forward the car just stopped working. This happened twice.

Battery will not hold a charge. Battery frequently needs to be recharged. Bought a portable jumper, to ensure vehicle will start away from home where the battery would otherwise be charged in the garage.

I've owned this car for less than a week and already have to replace a battery that was said to be completely fine. It does not retain charge or replenish when parked.

2nd event - SOY based transmission wiring chewed. TWICE in two years. Car garaged, traps in garage.

Battery constantly dying. Significant safety concern. Never no when the car is going to not start.

Electrical defect in recent Subarus causes parasitic battery drain when the car is not in use. Our battery drained to the point that the vehicle couldn’t start without a jump due to this defect.

The battery drains regularly, causing the vehicle to be inoperable. Battery is dead after 3 days of non use, leaving vehicle unable to be used.

Battery draining requiring multiple charging.

Frequent battery dying problem in 2020 Subaru Forester from Grayson Subaru, Knoxville, TN I am a 67 year old woman who does much scientific research in remote places alone at night. During the day, I manage 3 farms 100 miles apart. I am constantly opening and closing gates, getting out briefly to check livestock and fix fences.

Purchased new on 5/22/2020. On Aug 8th after not driving the car for 3 days, attempted to start vehicle. Would not start.

I tried to unlock my car but the remote didnt work- I had to use the blank key inside the remote to get in the car.

Went to start car after being parked for 3 hours. Doors opened with fob but keyless ignition would not start car and all idiot lights came on locking steering wheel, brakes, gas pedal, etc. Subaru service came and jumped car; not sure if fob had died; car only 11 months old, under 9000 miles.

One day I looked up at my windshield and there is a scratch/crack visible on the inside. Nothing hit it.

Battery died 3 times and the car has less than 5000 miles the vehicle was in my driveway and usually driven at least every other day also, it seemed like it jerked forward a few times when I started it. It has a push button start.

When driving the driver heated seat puts out low heat even if the switch is in the off position. At 15 minutes sitting, heat can be felt on the buttocks skin and caused minor skin burn at around 30 minutes.