This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is suspected.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2020 Subaru Forester steering problems
severe 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
3crashes
2injuries
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This bulletin announces the design change made to the leather wrapped steering wheels.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2020 Forester's steering and driver-assist systems show recurring failures across eleven owner complaints. Lane Keep Assist and EyeSight lane centering reportedly lock the steering wheel or violently jerk it toward one lane without driver input, some incidents sending vehicles off roadways or into media. Owners cannot override these interventions quickly enough to prevent accidents.
Steering becomes completely unresponsive and stiff during low-speed reversing and parking maneuvers, sometimes paired with hardened brake pedals and unintended acceleration. In at least two cases, the engine shuts down unexpectedly during low-speed turns or coasting, disabling power steering and forcing manual restart. Subaru has acknowledged a Thermo Control Valve failure affecting multiple units, redesigned the part, but dealers report backordered replacements while telling owners to keep driving.
Cruise control malfunctions appear in narratives as well—one owner's cruise control suddenly jumped from 50 to 81 mph and would not respond to deactivation, resulting in a crash with a fatality. EyeSight software corruption manifests as false warnings, random system shutdowns, and erratic lane tracking. Highway-speed vibration in the steering wheel rounds out reported issues. Dealership diagnostics often find nothing wrong, and Subaru has not issued recalls for these failures.
Same Subaru Forester steering reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Lane Keep Assist / Lane Centering malfunction
The EyeSight driver-assist system's lane centering function reportedly locks the steering wheel and jerks or veers the vehicle toward one lane or off the roadway without driver input, sometimes violently. Owners report the steering wheel becomes unresponsive to correction attempts.
When: While driving straight on highways and on-ramps; occurs suddenly without warning
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel veers or jerks toward left or right lane unexpectedly; Steering wheel locks and becomes unresponsive to driver input; Vehicle drifts across lane centerline or toward exit ramps; Continuous beeping from dashboard during event; Loss of vehicle control requiring driver to yank wheel back manually
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru America forwarded complaint #1 to Bosch Engineering for investigation; investigation results were not disclosed to owner. No recall or TSB referenced in narratives.
Steering stiffness and loss of control during low-speed maneuvers
Steering wheel becomes stiff and unresponsive during garage parking or low-speed reversing, often accompanied by brake pedal hardness and inability to stop the vehicle. Some occurrences may coincide with engine shutdown events.
When: During low-speed maneuvers in reverse or at parking speeds; one incident at highway speed during coasting turn
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel becomes stiff and will not turn; Brake pedal feels hard and does not depress; Vehicle cannot be steered or stopped despite driver input; Vehicle accelerates spontaneously forward; Loss of all control inputs: brakes, steering, transmission, throttle
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru service center retained vehicle #1 for investigation; details of findings were not released to owner.
Engine shutdown / Auto start-stop malfunction
Engine shuts off unexpectedly during low-speed turning, coasting, or in traffic, causing loss of power steering and engine braking. Occurs with auto stop-start feature and is described as unpredictable and difficult to replicate. One narrative attributes this to a failed Thermo Control Valve that Subaru redesigned but parts remain backordered.
When: During low-speed turns (less than 5 mph), in traffic, at intersections, or while coasting into turns
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts down suddenly while driving; Loss of power steering when engine stops; Loss of braking assist; Wheel locks after shutdown; Driver must pump gas pedal or restart vehicle to resume operation; Auto stop-start shuts engine off when power is needed; Loud unfamiliar noise (bzzzzt) preceding shutdown
Repairs/costs cited: Subaru has redesigned the Thermo Control Valve to address this issue, but replacement parts are backordered; dealers reportedly told owners it is safe to continue driving.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru redesigned Thermo Control Valve; parts backordered. Dealers telling owners vehicle is safe to operate with defective part. No recall issued.
Steering wheel vibration at highway speeds
Excessive vibration originating in or felt through the steering wheel when cruising on highway at 50 mph and higher, worsening at 65 mph and above.
When: Occurs while cruising on highway; starts at 50 mph, excessive at 65 mph and above
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel vibrates; Vibration felt in driver's seat; Vibration increases with speed
Cruise control malfunction and unintended acceleration
Cruise control engages at unintended speeds, does not respond to deactivation attempts, and vehicle refuses to slow down. One narrative describes cruise control suddenly changing from 50 mph to 81 mph with fatal consequences.
When: While operating cruise control on highways
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control sets to wrong speed; Cruise control does not disengage when driver attempts to turn it off; Vehicle accelerates to unintended speed and maintains it; Driver unable to reduce speed
Driver Assist system software corruption or errors
EyeSight dashboard icons flashing indicating systems are off or controls turning off randomly. Vehicle does not track properly in lanes, steering behaves erratically as if in crosswind conditions, and false warnings appear indicating hands are off wheel when hands are on wheel.
When: During normal driving; occurs randomly
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard icons for steering wheel contact, dynamic vehicle control, and lane change control flashing; Systems randomly turn off; Vehicle drifts in lane; Steering behaves inconsistently; Vehicle acts as if being pushed by strong crosswind; False warning that hands are not on steering wheel
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Vehicle vibrate starting at 50 MPH and gets excessive at 65mph and up, while cruising in the highway. The vibration can be felt on the steering wheel and the driver seat seat.
Had steering trouble with your 2020 Subaru Forester?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2020 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 18,025 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2020/Subaru/Forester.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.