2020 Subaru Forester

This announcement is in regard to the warranty extension initiated for windshields for the models listed.

In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the Front Windshield used in the above listed models and model years from three (3) years / 36,000 miles to eight (8) years / 100,000 miles (whichever comes first). If a customer experiences windshield damage, inspect the damage as …

As part of Subaru's dedication to customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is announcing a Warranty Extension of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Infotainment head units for the models listed.

This announcement is in regard to settlement in a class action lawsuit for vehicles that will receive a limited warranty extension for original equipment Subaru windshields experiencing a qualifying crack.

In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the Front Windshield used in the above listed models and model years from three (3) years / 36,000 miles to eight (8) years / 100,000 miles (whichever comes first).

On XXX, while driving my 2020 Subaru Forester Sport (VIN [XXX]) at approximately 35 mph on [XXX], the check engine light came on and EyeSight, adaptive cruise control, and pre-collision braking were disabled / other warning lights appeared / engine temperature issues. A diagnostic scan showed code [P2682 / P26A3 / P26A5], and the Thermo Control Valve (TCV) was found to be defective. Mileage at failure: 33,297. Subaru has acknowledged this defect in Technical Service Bulletin 09-119-24, which extends warranty coverage for the TCV on 2019–2021 Foresters to 15 years/150,000 miles. However, Subaru of America denied coverage and goodwill (case XXX) because the vehicle was originally sold in [XXX] through Subaru’s independent distributor, Trebol Motors, before I moved to [XXX] in XXX. This failure disables key safety systems without warning and should be addressed through a safety recall that covers all affected vehicles, including those sold in U.S. territories. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Experience a total engine stall while stopped/accelerating at an intersection. The stall triggered immediate 'EyeSight Disabled' and 'Engine Oil' dashboard warnings, requiring a manual button restart in traffic. Had concerns of permanently being stalled in intersection. Taking to dealer for inspection.

Experienced parasitic battery drain which disabled the vehicle. The drain is tied to a 30 amp fuse labeled "BACKUP" under the hood of the vehicle. This fuse controls the touchscreen, backup camera, interior lights, key fob and radio. There were no warning lights or trouble codes associated with this issue. The problem was replicated by both a Subaru dealer and an independent shop. Neither could find the immediate problem without further investigation, which would have cost more than $1000. I have not contacted the manufacturer, police or insurance rep. The car will operate with the fuse pulled but the safety features listed above will be disabled.

Smoke and fire occurred in the engine and spread into the car while the car was being driven. The car has not been inspected yet.

Three times within 30 minutes on short drive, the engine stalled at stop sign or stop light. The car had a half tank of gas, and at the same time as the engine stalled, the miles remaining until empty display showed an anomalous 0.3miles to empty reading. Put the car in park allowed the engine to restart and the range remaining display to return to normal.

Component/System Defect: Failed Thermo Control Valve (TCV) leading to sudden vehicle power loss / limp mode. Description of Safety Incident: While operating my vehicle at highway speeds late at night, the Thermo Control Valve (TCV) failed catastrophically without warning. The vehicle instantly experienced a massive loss of engine power and entered an aggressive "limp mode," causing a drastic, uncommanded deceleration in active traffic lanes.Due to the sudden reduction in speed and the low-visibility night conditions, a commercial semi-truck traveling directly behind my vehicle was nearly unable to brake in time and narrowly avoided rear-ending us. My family—including an elderly senior and a [XXX] child—was trapped inside the vehicle during this near-miss collision. The vehicle became an immediate hazard on a high-speed highway. The authorized dealership subsequently confirmed a failed Thermo Control Valve (TCV) and replaced the unit under Subaru's extended warranty program. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Car stalls when it shouldn't i.e. when stopped at traffic light Transmission Control Module (TCM) Software Issue

24th February 2020 - Bought the car from Subaru dealer. Couple of service records prior to May 24, 2022. - May 24, 2022 (9,037 miles) | RO# 806326: The lower oil pan leaked prematurely and had to be completely replaced under warranty. During the same visit, explained LONG BRAKE PEDAL issue, and was given an estimate. - - June 1, 2022 (9,039 miles) | RO# 806767: Just 2 miles after that repair, the oil pan had to be torn apart again because the internal oil level sensor failed and got stuck. - January 19, 2024 (18,854 miles) | RO# 838995: The vehicle suffered a dangerous engine shutdown in the middle of traffic due to the factory Thermo Control Valve defect (TSB 09-80-21). While resolving this safety defect under warranty, the dealer used scare tactics to upsell me $794.23 out of pocket for unrelated maintenance. - July 3rd, 2025 - You can see from invoice records that indicate, customer requesting a quote on repairing the windshield chips, as I learned on 26th August 2026 (during call with Subaru corporate) that it was under extended warranty, dealership offered me a quote and did not volunteer to repair at no cost nor conveyed information on extended warranty. This damage happened twice due to poor quality of Windshield in my car. - 23rd August, 2026 - This 2020 Subaru Forester has experienced repeated failures involving the Auto Start/Stop system. When stopped in traffic, the system shuts the engine off as designed, but on multiple occasions the engine has failed to restart

This 2020 Subaru Forester has experienced repeated failures involving the Auto Start/Stop system. When stopped in traffic, the system shuts the engine off as designed, but on multiple occasions the engine has failed to restart normally when the driver needed to proceed. This has left the vehicle unable to move in active traffic and created a serious risk of collision. The failures have occurred in highly dangerous situations, including a busy [XXX], a major [XXX] intersection, and most recently while entering a freeway. In these incidents, surrounding drivers had to brake hard to avoid striking the disabled vehicle. The occupants reasonably feared a serious collision, and the events were potentially life-threatening. The battery was replaced, but the Auto Start/Stop no-restart condition later occurred again, so battery replacement did not resolve the problem. Subaru issued Technical Service Bulletin 16-147-24 on XXX for 2019-2021 Foresters. The bulletin addresses TCM reprogramming related to engine behavior during Auto Start/Stop restart and instructs technicians to reprogram the TCM when the described symptom is reported. However, the bulletin’s warranty section provides reimbursement under the Basic New Car Limited Warranty. For a 2020 vehicle, the original 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty would ordinarily have expired before this 2024 bulletin was issued. The vehicle is now being evaluated by an authorized Subaru dealer. The condition is intermittent and dangerous because

While driving my girfriend's 2020 Subaru Forester on August 11, 2026 at approximately 65 to 70 mph, I struck a deer on a highway. The airbags deployed immediately, and I temporarily lost all forward visibility due to the airbag deploy, and smoke or steam coming from the front of the vehicle as it decelerated to a stop. Within moments of stopping, smoke transitioned to visible flames coming from the engine compartment. The fire spread extremely quickly, and the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames within minutes. The specific component or system that failed is UNKNOWN, but based on the sequence of events, it appears that a front‑end structural failure during the collision may have caused a rupture of one or more engine‑bay components (oil system, coolant system, or other fluid lines), leading to a rapid fire. The vehicle was completely destroyed and is not available for inspection, but the incident was documented by emergency responders and my insurance company. This fire created a severe safety risk, as the vehicle ignited shortly after coming to rest and burned intensely. I had no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the collision. The problem has not been reproduced, but I have since learned of multiple similar fires involving Subaru Foresters after front‑end animal impacts, which raises concern about a potential design vulnerability.

My 2020 Subaru Forester Sport suffered catastrophic engine failure on 6/19/2026 at 156,322 miles, 15 days and 1,031 miles after a thermo control valve (TCV) repair performed at an authorized Subaru dealer on 6/4/2026. The TCV is a known defect covered under Subaru TSB 09-119-24 (extended coverage to 150,000 miles/15 years). I never received mailed notification of this TSB and therefore did not seek repair within the covered window; Subaru approved the repair as a goodwill exception. While driving on I-70 westbound near Genesee, CO, on a sustained mountain grade with my family in the vehicle, I heard a loud noise. The oil temperature spiked to approximately 280°F, warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost all power in highway traffic. Losing propulsion on a steep grade in mountain traffic created a serious risk to my family and surrounding vehicles. Post-failure condition: empty coolant reservoir, coolant-contaminated (milky, green-tinted) oil, and metal debris on the dipstick, consistent with cooling-system failure causing engine seizure. I have timestamped photos. The engine is locked and the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle was towed to the same authorized dealer on 7/9/2026. The dealer's technician confirmed the engine is seized and requires teardown ($3,302.95) for full diagnosis; the dealer states teardown proceeds only on authorization from me or Subaru of America. I opened a case with Subaru of America on 5/26/2026 and formally requested in writing that Subaru au

My car is violently shaking and completely stalling out in intersections when attempting to restart from an Auto-Stop.

**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.

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

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. Cle

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

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.

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

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)

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.

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)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.

Parasitic battery drain

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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)

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.

In April 2022 after owning the car for 4 weeks the Eyesight went out. I was told it was due to the thermal control module. That was replaced. I’m n June 2023 the AC went out. They said it was the blower motor. That was replaced. In September 2023 the AC went out again. At that point they found the cause was actually a fully melted fuse box and fuses. They replaced the fusebox and the entire AC system. I have had 3 batteries in the vehicle since March 2022. In December 2024 they found that my car needed an update and the update friend the transmission controls module. Then the starter went out at the same time. After that was fixed a week later all the lights in my dash came on and there were no safety features running in the vehicle. I reach out to Subaru and I was told this was all normal wear and tear in the vehicle and it just happens. A melted fuse box and safely features just randomly dying on a 4.5 year old car goes deeper than that. There has been almost $12000 in repaired performed on this car and the ones remaining are undiagnosed as they have never seen the codes before. This is a mush larger issue and Subaru refuses to do anything.

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. Luckily whenever it has happened for me I have been stopped on a flat surface, and not on a hill, but if this ever happened while I was trying to turn I would be T-boned, or if it ever happened while I was stopped on a hill I would roll backwards. This also increases the chances of me being rear ended, because the person behind me has to be paying attention that my car has stalled. My Apple Car Play has also not worked since I purchased the vehicle in 2020. Their only suggestion was that I needed to swap out my iPhone cord every few months, and then it may or may not work. Also what if I was not an Apple user?

Good evening. My claim number for reported issues to Suburu USA is [XXX]. Issue; On 5 or 6 occasions our 2020 Suburu Forester vehicle stalled while we were driving it. The stall has happened both when we are stopped at a traffic light or slowing down for traffic or a traffic light or in one case, at a drive through. This is a safety issue as when we start to drive; the vehicle shuts down and the steering wheel locks up along with all dashboard lights coming on. Also, on at least 2 occasions a message came up to restart the car for our safety. Other cars around us were moving or had to wait for us which creates anger towards us and danger for other drivers if they try to drive around us. The issue has been ongoing since approximately July 2024. I am not able to add a MPH range below, but generally we are traveling 0-10 mph because we are usually braking or going from stop (at a light) and then trying to drive when the stall happens. The vehicle has been brought to XXXX XXXX in Hanover, Massachusetts each time and thus far, they have not been able to resolve the issue. Tonight, we dropped the vehicle off again due to the most recent stall that happened on Saturday [XXX] I have brought this to Suburu USA’s attention and other than the dealership trying to find the issue, not much has been done that I know of. I am hoping your office can inquire with Suburu because it is either an issue specific to our vehicle, or if not, there may be other suburus stalling out there which can le

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. A depleted battery prevented it from restarting, leaving me stranded without the ability to shift to neutral or activate brake lights and hazard signals. For 30 minutes, I was stuck in a vulnerable position, forcing high-speed traffic to swerve dangerously close to my vehicle. While the battery issue was a factor, the car would have remained running had I been able to turn it off manually once parked. Reports from other drivers indicate similar issues, including stalling, hesitation, and complete system failures. Given these risks, I urge the NHTSA to investigate this feature and require manufacturers to provide a permanent disable option rather than a temporary one that resets.

Unknown or auto stop-start On two occasions when I stopped at a red light (auto stop-start activated) the car stalled out when I hit the gas. There was a warning message that alerted on the dash as well as flashing lights and beeping. The only way to restart my car was to put it in park, turn it off, then turn it back on. These were both at heavily used intersections and I had to use my emergency lights to try prevent being rear-ended and both times I have struggled to quickly resolve the issue which caused danger to others as well. My car has been serviced and inspected in the last 2 months so I am unsure the cause. I had received no alerts or warnings on my car prior to these instances and assumed the first instance was a fluke. I have scheduled a service with a subaru dealer in the near future.

Upon exiting freeway, all lights on car came on including brake light. When placed in park, the engine would rev. If placed in drive, car would drive without gas given. Car towed to Subaru dealership and diagnosed with thermo control valve defect which seems to be a known widespread issue. Thankfully I was located close to a Subaru dealership however if not, this could cause others to be stranded. Given this widespread issue, a recall should occur to fix this issue.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact became aware of a 7-inch crack at the bottom of the windshield near the driver’s side pillar running horizontally. The contact stated that there was no impact on the windshield to cause the crack. The vehicle had not been taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be inspected. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal of the vehicle was applied inadvertently without any vehicles surrounding the vehicle. The contact stated that simultaneously a " Pre collision braking system was activated " message appeared. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the failure was not replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

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. You must engage park and restart the vehicle while stopped in the middle of traffic, which poses a significant safety risk. I believe this issue is related to the auto-stop/start functionality. The vehicle has been inspected by a Subaru dealer several times, but they claim they cannot reproduce the problem and there are no diagnostic codes or warning lights. No other mechanic has inspected the vehicle.

The passenger seat airbag sensor does not activate all the time. My girlfriend weighs [XXX]. When she sits in the passenger seat, it only activates the sensor approx 50% of the time. I took it to Subaru, they indicated the sensor was working properly, and their resolution to the issue was for her to weight at least 120 pounds !!! I have that in writing on the repair ticket from Dreyer Reinbold Subaru Greenwood Indiana. I took my complaint to Subaru, and after repeated follow up phone calls, I was informed that in Subaru's owners manual, it stipulates that the individual must meet certain criteria in order to activate the passenger seat sensor. I have yet to find that reference. So, does Subaru inform every potential buyer of the fact that individuals seated in the passenger seat must meet the 120 pound minimum weight to activate the airbag sensor to keep them safe ? I bet not. Thank you for your consideration to helping me keep any passenger in my 2020 Subaru safe, and for countless others that may have have this issue but never check to insure the airbag becomes activated. I have seen recalls for 2020 Outback & Legacy for the same issue with the passenger seat sensor, is it possible some Foresters have the same sensor? [XXX] - [XXX] - [XXX] - [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My Forester just totally shuts down sometimes from the auto start feature in traffic or intersections . Errors come up . The wheel locks and I must put the car in park , turn it off and turn it back on. Very scary and very dangerous.

Automated lift gate opened fully, and then immediately closed without warning upon a person who was trying to access the back, nearly causing injury. It is unknown what precisely is failing within the lift gate and it is available for review. The automated lift gate can close on a person unexpectedly potentially causing injury. This has been reproduced as was "fixed" by the dealer but then reappeared only a month later with the same issue. The vehicle was not inspected by anyone but the dealer's service representatives. There was a soft beep emitted as it came down but the behavior was completely unexpected. There were no warning lamps or other information as to something was non-functional, only the soft beep as the lift-gate fully opened, then automatically fully shut right after.

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. When the light turned green, tried to go, but the AS/S system failed. A “No Eyesight” warning flashed and disappeared; various symbol lights blinked across the instrument panel. Car would not start, hazards would not activate. After 10-20 seconds, I was able to put the car in park and restart the engine (would not start before then). No battery or check engine lights had been on previously, up to date on oil changes, 66k total miles, vehicle fully maintained at the nearest dealership. This was scary as I was stuck in the middle of the road on a state highway with traffic and cars behind me. Many people have reported this issue in Subarus and I’d like for this dangerous problem to be formally addressed.