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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 →

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

What owners actually said

896 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2022
Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

Windshield was hit by two rocks leaving dime sized stars at the base of the windshield. They were low and not in sightline. Have had many cars with same damage on windshield with no issues and driven for years without any change in the glass. When I got home I parked car in garage. The next afternoon when I looked at the win…

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Windshield was hit by two rocks leaving dime sized stars at the base of the windshield. They were low and not in sightline. Have had many cars with same damage on windshield with no issues and driven for years without any change in the glass. When I got home I parked car in garage. The next afternoon when I looked at the windshield, the small stars had cracked in 4 different directions, to a size larger than a basketball. Now I'm forced to replace a windshield that on any other car would be fine.

NHTSA ODI #11453679

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2022
Back Over PreventionService Brakes

The car randomly breaks when it’s in motion in reverse. This has happened multiple times.

NHTSA ODI #11453675

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

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2022
Visibility/wiper

The windshield cracked with no reason and the hairline crack has been spreading in a matter of hours. The car was parked inside the garage and I drove it to work at 6:20am. The car was in the parking lot until 2:20pm. Upon arriving I noticed a crack (half the length of what it shows in the picture). By 3:30 the crack doubled in …

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The windshield cracked with no reason and the hairline crack has been spreading in a matter of hours. The car was parked inside the garage and I drove it to work at 6:20am. The car was in the parking lot until 2:20pm. Upon arriving I noticed a crack (half the length of what it shows in the picture). By 3:30 the crack doubled in length.

NHTSA ODI #11453505

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2022
Unknown Or Other

Windshield has cracked on 3 separate occasions while parked. Happened in 2 parking lots and my driveway.

NHTSA ODI #11453278

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2022
Visibility/wiper

Cracked windshield for the 2nd time.

NHTSA ODI #11453180

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 2022
Unknown Or Other

Front windshield crackle sound (like breaking glass) when temperature drops below 20 degrees. Constant sound.

NHTSA ODI #11452714

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2022
Unknown Or Other

Windshield has cracked 4 times in 21 months, at least 3 times this did not appear to impact related. The crack quickly spreads along the entire width of windshield over a 2-3 day period. We have replaced 3 times, each time through Subaru Clearlake dealership.

NHTSA ODI #11452075

23,000 miles · Feb 14, 2022
Power Train

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that he received a recall letter from the manufacturer. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing a software update. The contact reported that the recall letter advised that th…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that he received a recall letter from the manufacturer. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing a software update. The contact reported that the recall letter advised that the vehicle has no remedy for it yet for the CVT chain. The contact said that the vehicle will be unsafe to operate and the dealer nor the manufacturer have offered any remedy. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.

NHTSA ODI #11451940

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2022
Power Train

We received the recall notice and do not feel safe driving the vehicle. This problem has the potential to seriously injure or kill someone if the vehicle failed on the highways. They quote May as the earliest time frame that they will begin repairs. This is not an acceptable time frame. Assuming the dealers are prepared in May, …

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We received the recall notice and do not feel safe driving the vehicle. This problem has the potential to seriously injure or kill someone if the vehicle failed on the highways. They quote May as the earliest time frame that they will begin repairs. This is not an acceptable time frame. Assuming the dealers are prepared in May, there could still be an overwhelmingly long wait list for the needed repairs. This could possibly lead on well into summer before my vehicle is in the shop. What are we to do for transportation in the mean time? Are we to continue driving as usual and risk our lives or those of fellow motorists near us? I would like a mitigating solution as we do not have faith in our safety if we were to operate the vehicle any further.

NHTSA ODI #11451698

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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