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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.

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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.

19 crash reports7 fire reports4 injury reports

Visibility complaints

70 reports
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20,000 miles · May 16, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked at the residence underneath the carport, she noticed there was a crack on the front driver’s side windshield. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the dealer replaced the windshield. The manufacturer was not notified of the fai…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked at the residence underneath the carport, she noticed there was a crack on the front driver’s side windshield. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the dealer replaced the windshield. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

NHTSA ODI #11464805

37,000 miles · May 2, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that there was a crack on the windshield. There was no impact on the windshield that could have caused the crack. The contact took the vehicle to a windshield repair shop. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate …

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that there was a crack on the windshield. There was no impact on the windshield that could have caused the crack. The contact took the vehicle to a windshield repair shop. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.

NHTSA ODI #11463103

14,000 miles · Apr 18, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the windshield was fractured on the lower passenger side and had since migrated towards the middle of the windshield. The fracture measured approximately 8-inches long. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufac…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the windshield was fractured on the lower passenger side and had since migrated towards the middle of the windshield. The fracture measured approximately 8-inches long. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 14,000.

NHTSA ODI #11461173

46,000 miles · Apr 18, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while entering the vehicle she noticed that the front windshield was cracked and pitted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000.

NHTSA ODI #11461151

20,000 miles · Apr 13, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, a tiny rock struck the windshield. The contact stated that later that day while the vehicle was parked, she noticed that the windshield was cracked. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not repair the winds…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, a tiny rock struck the windshield. The contact stated that later that day while the vehicle was parked, she noticed that the windshield was cracked. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not repair the windshield. The vehicle was taken to a glass repair facility and the windshield was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken back to an independent glass repair facility who replaced the windshield. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

NHTSA ODI #11460657

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal noise and noticed a small crack on the driver’s side windshield. The contact stated that the following day while approaching the vehicle, the crack had expanded across the windshield horizontally to the passenger’…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal noise and noticed a small crack on the driver’s side windshield. The contact stated that the following day while approaching the vehicle, the crack had expanded across the windshield horizontally to the passenger’s side. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the windshield to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated on another occasion she noticed a medium crack on the driver’s side windshield. The contact stated that the crack had expanded horizontally across to the passenger’s side. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11455142

3,798 miles · Feb 23, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked overnight and while approaching the vehicle the next day, he noticed that the windshield had a 6-8-inch-long crack on the driver's side. The contact stated that the crack originated at the outer left edge of the windshield and was horizontal. …

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked overnight and while approaching the vehicle the next day, he noticed that the windshield had a 6-8-inch-long crack on the driver's side. The contact stated that the crack originated at the outer left edge of the windshield and was horizontal. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to Safelight for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,798.

NHTSA ODI #11453660

15,000 miles · Jan 4, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the next morning it was discovered that the front windshield had cracked on the passenger’s side. The contact indicated that no object had struck the vehicle to cause the failure to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The …

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the next morning it was discovered that the front windshield had cracked on the passenger’s side. The contact indicated that no object had struck the vehicle to cause the failure to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000. It was determined by the dealer that something very small caused an extremely tiny impact not an internal issue.

NHTSA ODI #11446106

28,000 miles · Dec 29, 2021
StructureVisibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated on multiple occasions both the front passenger’s and driver’s side window had become stuck and would not close or open. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the window regulators and window tracks were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was rep…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated on multiple occasions both the front passenger’s and driver’s side window had become stuck and would not close or open. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the window regulators and window tracks were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 28,000.

NHTSA ODI #11445481

10,000 miles · Dec 10, 2021
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a crack in the windshield coming from the lower driver’s side up to the center of the windshield. The contact stated that he was unaware of what caused the crack in the windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repair…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a crack in the windshield coming from the lower driver’s side up to the center of the windshield. The contact stated that he was unaware of what caused the crack in the windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

NHTSA ODI #11443409

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.

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