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2020 Subaru Legacy

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Subaru Legacy do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

52 reports with mileage · 69 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

26 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2026
Electrical SystemSteeringUnknown Or Other

While driving there is a loss of power, the battery fails, electronic components shut down and car stops. Has happened intermittently. Replaced battery. This is a significant safety issue happened on freeway near exit ramp, in parking lot in driveway, everything cuts out. Opened hood and seems to be battery terminal connector…

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While driving there is a loss of power, the battery fails, electronic components shut down and car stops. Has happened intermittently. Replaced battery. This is a significant safety issue happened on freeway near exit ramp, in parking lot in driveway, everything cuts out. Opened hood and seems to be battery terminal connector. Recall was issued for certain Subaru models but not legacy. No warning, just cuts off. Is not a standard battery terminal connector. Had to secure battery down with cable ties.

NHTSA ODI #11745403

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2025
Unknown Or Other

Power window driver side intermittently fails to function, leaving window partly or completely open. This is an ongoing problem. Often I have to restart the car to get the window to operate properly. Difficult to drive when weather conditions change suddenly and window won’t close.

NHTSA ODI #11647859

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2025
Unknown Or Other

Defective Cam Carrier Seal

NHTSA ODI #11638833

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2024
Unknown Or Other

Windshield On 3/5/24 I drove to work,...the windshield was intacted as of 8AM.. after my shift at 4PM mysteriously there was a line (crack in the window on the drivers side) around 6 inches....haven't been to my car since Wednesday 3/6/24... today 3/11/24 that crack has expanded to 12-14 inches across the drivers side The car i…

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Windshield On 3/5/24 I drove to work,...the windshield was intacted as of 8AM.. after my shift at 4PM mysteriously there was a line (crack in the window on the drivers side) around 6 inches....haven't been to my car since Wednesday 3/6/24... today 3/11/24 that crack has expanded to 12-14 inches across the drivers side The car is parked in my driveway

NHTSA ODI #11576744

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2024
Unknown Or Other

Sunroof exploded spontaneously while traveling down freeway. No one was within 3/4 of a mile in all directions.

NHTSA ODI #11568119

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 2023
Unknown Or Other

We recently purchased a used 2020 Subaru Legacy sedan with ~33,000 miles on it. It has a salvage title due to previous owner hitting a deer, (no air bag deployed, just minor body work) and it was professionally repaired to "like-new" condition. Last weekend, when starting the car, the check engine light and a bunch of other wa…

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We recently purchased a used 2020 Subaru Legacy sedan with ~33,000 miles on it. It has a salvage title due to previous owner hitting a deer, (no air bag deployed, just minor body work) and it was professionally repaired to "like-new" condition. Last weekend, when starting the car, the check engine light and a bunch of other warning lights came on. An OBDI scan showed a code of "P263A" indicating a problem with the Thermo Control Valve. As a result of the defective TCV, several major functions of the vehicle were automatically disabled: adaptive cruise control, eyesight system with lane keeping, automatic braking, as well as all cabin heating, windshield defrost function, and the engine temperature gauge. Without these systems properly working, the drivability of the vehicle is greatly impaired, especially in a Minnesota winter without a functional windshield defrost and engine temperature monitoring gauge. When taking the car into the local Subaru dealership for full diagnostics, they confirmed that indeed the TCV was bad, and quoted me a cost of $1135 to replace it. They claimed that since the car has a salvage title, Subaru's warranty will not cover any part of this repair. However, there is a known wide-spread failure of this Thermo Control Valve in the 2019-2021 cars as listed in Subaru Technical Bulletin [XXX] which clearly states that there is a redesigned TCV that replaces the defective earlier part and fixes the earlier design flaws of the one installed in 2019-2021 vehicles. I spoke with the Subaru of America Client Advocacy representative, and he was adamant that the salvage title negates any responsibility for Subaru to fix this know defectively designed Thermo Control Valve. My thinking is that the defective TCV is both a drivability and a safety issue, and due to the wide-spread early life failure of this part, Subaru should be compelled by a recall to replace the defective car in all customer cars. All ADAS is affected by a bad TCV. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORM

NHTSA ODI #11561151

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2023
Unknown Or Other

windshield crack in lower part on passenger side for no apparent reason.

NHTSA ODI #11509643

Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2022
Unknown Or Other

Windshield cracked starting in the lower middle of the windshield. Crack started from underneath the rubber edge and grew straight up, then out to either side within a matter of days.

NHTSA ODI #11479635

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2022
Unknown Or Other

cracked windshield

NHTSA ODI #11471222

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2022
Unknown Or Other

My windshield was cracked about 6” for no apparent reason when I examined the car on the morning of 9/4/2021. The crack expanded to over 18” by the time I was able to have the windshield replaced a week later.

NHTSA ODI #11462910

Official recalls

6

24V227000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger

Mar 22, 2024

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.

22V485000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Power Train:driveline:chain/belt

Jul 8, 2022

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:driveline:chain/belt

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.

21V955000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Power Train:driveline:chain/belt

Dec 9, 2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:driveline:chain/belt

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

21V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Jul 29, 2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

20V766000 · Back Over Prevention:display Function

Dec 10, 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shutoff intermittently. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-20.

19V664000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages

Sep 18, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Outback and Legacy vehicles. The brake pedal mounting bracket may have a missing or insufficiently tightened bolt.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal mounting bracket hardware and replace the hardware or brake pedal assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUL-97.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.