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2020 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Outback years
Owner complaints for the 2020 Subaru Outback are substantially higher than the model-year median of 207.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Outback years →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
443 reports with mileage · 453 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 313 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 258 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
46 reportsThe contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outlook. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repa…
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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outlook. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the Brake Hold feature failed to automatically disengage and the vehicle was driven and a clunking noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who indicated that the noise was due to a fault…
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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the Brake Hold feature failed to automatically disengage and the vehicle was driven and a clunking noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who indicated that the noise was due to a faulty transmission and that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 21,207.
Have been experiencing issues with the transmission for 6 months. Still have not been provided a remedy to correct the issue.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the iss…
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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Two issues. Main cabin computer reboots randomly. This causes other safety systems, Eyesight, to stop working until the device boots back up. This is 2020 and "fix" / update for cockpit control module wasn't available until Feb. 2021.Thsi did not fix the problem. Dealership updated cockpit control module again in Dec 2021 and y…
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Two issues. Main cabin computer reboots randomly. This causes other safety systems, Eyesight, to stop working until the device boots back up. This is 2020 and "fix" / update for cockpit control module wasn't available until Feb. 2021.Thsi did not fix the problem. Dealership updated cockpit control module again in Dec 2021 and yet again in Jan. 2022. This issue is still ongoing and I've learned yet another software fix came in April 2022. Issue #2 - Open recall for CVT Chain guide breakage dated Dec 15, 2021. Over six months and no fix. Transmission is getting worse and poses a potential safety issue.
In January 2022 I received a recall notice on my 2020 Subaru Outback. I immediately contacted the nearest Subaru service facility (which happens to be about 30 miles away in Ft Myers, FL). I spoke w/someone in the service dept., and was advised that they, the svc. dept., have not received parts yet, but expect them in a few week…
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In January 2022 I received a recall notice on my 2020 Subaru Outback. I immediately contacted the nearest Subaru service facility (which happens to be about 30 miles away in Ft Myers, FL). I spoke w/someone in the service dept., and was advised that they, the svc. dept., have not received parts yet, but expect them in a few weeks. I waited about 8 weeks before calling them again, with the same results. Now, I treat Vehicle Recalls like a doctor's advisory. I take it to mean what it says and that it's IMPORTANT. Now, here we are in June 2022, and still NOTHING from Subaru of America, nor the Ft. Myers service department. Is it still a Vehicle Recall(?), must be because I've heard nothing to the contrary. And, if I've heard 'nothing to the contrary', why hasn't the US Dept. of Transportation followed up w/Subaru of America. SIX MONTHS is a pretty long time waiting to avoid an accident!
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reason…
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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
02 June 2022 Complaint submitted by current 2020 Subaru Outback XT owners to Subaru of America for slow to no action taken relating to NHTSA Recall ID 21V-955 & Subaru Safety Recall WRK-21 Recall notice received on 14 Feb. 2022. Recall involves failure of a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) component which could lead to a comple…
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02 June 2022 Complaint submitted by current 2020 Subaru Outback XT owners to Subaru of America for slow to no action taken relating to NHTSA Recall ID 21V-955 & Subaru Safety Recall WRK-21 Recall notice received on 14 Feb. 2022. Recall involves failure of a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) component which could lead to a complete loss of vehicle motive power. Owners question if vehicle is safe to operate and fault Subaru of America for a complete lack of priority and urgency to correct this issue! Numerous calls to the dealer (Subaru of Wichita) were made but the dealership claims to know nothing about when this problem will be addressed. Please help!
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of t…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Official recalls
624V227000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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