NHTSA Complaint #11383152 — 2020 SUBARU FORESTER

WE HAVE HAD OUR 2020 FORESTER FOR 5 MONTHS. COMING HOME FROM A DRIVE TO THE GROCERY STORE, WE NOTICED A TINY CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN WE PULLED INTO OUR GARAGE. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROADWAY. WE LOOKED ONLINE AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WHERE A TINY CRACK DEVELOPS FROM A ROCK OR OTHER SMALL DEBRIS AND THEN WITHIN A DAY OR TWO THERE IS A TWO TO THREE FOOT CRACK ACROSS THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD. WE HAVE DRIVEN OTHER VEHICLES FOR YEARS WITHOUT A TINY PIECE OF DEBRIS CAUSING SO MUCH DAMAGE. THERE IS CLEARLY A FLAW IN HOW THE WINDSHIELDS ARE DEVELOPED (PROBABLY TO SELL THEIR EXPENSIVE WINDSHIELD WARRANTY PLANS). AS THERE IS A POINT OF IMPACT I'M SURE IT WON'T BE COVERED BY ANY OF OUR MANUFACTURER WARRANTIES. THE WHOLE ISSUE THOUGH IS THE LACK OF VISIBLE DEBRIS DURING OUR DRIVE--LITERALLY IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN SOMETHING SMALLER THAN A PEA. IT IS RIDICULOUS TO THINK THAT SUCH A SMALL IMPACT WOULD CAUSE THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD TO FRACTURE. AGAIN, WE HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH DEBRIS WITH OTHER BRANDS IN THE PAST, AND A SMALL IMPACT DID NOT CRACK THE WINDSHIELD AT ALL. WE DID NOT NOTICE THE CRACK UNTIL WE GOT HOME, BUT IT LIKELY OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION. WE WERE ON A HIGHWAY, BUT NOT A HIGH MPH STRETCH. WE WERE ONLY COMING BACK FROM A COUPLE MILES AWAY FROM OUR HOME, WHERE THE VEHICLE SITS IN THE GARAGE 100% OF THE TIME IT IS NOT BEING DRIVEN.