2020 Subaru Outback
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility/wiper is the leading concern among 899 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 26 Outback model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 19 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 4 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerMar 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.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 24V227000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)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.
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 22V485000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)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.
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 21V955000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpJul 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.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 21V587000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, display functionDec 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."
The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
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.
Campaign 20V766000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, pedals and linkagesSep 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 19V664000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility
383 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Oct 25, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE IN MOTION - IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING TINY MIGHT'VE HIT THE CAR BUT I WAS GOING SLOWLY AT LESS THAN 40MPH AND IT WAS NOT ANYTHING LARGE. THERE WAS A TINY SPOT BUT THIS QUICKLY CRACKED INTO A LARGE LINE ONLY A FEW MINUTES LATER.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 13, 2020
SUBARU WINDSHIELD CONTINUES TO CRACK UNDER SUSPECT CONDITIONS. I AM NOW ON MY THIRD WINDSHIELD IN THE FIRST 5,000 MILES OF OWNERSHIP. THE FIRST WINDSHIELD CRACKED SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING WITH NO OTHER CARS AROUND. THE SECOND WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN A MINISCULE ROCK HIT IT WHILE DRIVING. IT IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE SUCH WEAK GLASS IN A MODERN CAR. THERE IS NO REASON THAT WINDSHIELDS SHOULD BE CRACKING THIS FREQUENTLY.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 13, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING
Visibility, Vehicle speed control, Oct 12, 2020, crash
THE FIRST ISSUE I NOTICE WAS BACK IN MAY, MY SUBARU ALMOST CAME TO A FULL COMPLETE BEFORE IT LEAP FROGGED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, CAUSING ME TO REARED END THE CAR. THEN TODAY OCTOBER 11. I GOT INTO MY CAR, REMOVED MY WINDSHIELD SUNSHADE FROM MY CAR AT AROUND NOON. I HEARD A LOUD GLASS LIKE CRACK. I THEN SAW A HUGE CRACK FROM WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS AND A LINE FROM TO TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD TO THE BOTTOM. JUST LIKE THAT. ITS 8 MONTHS OLD SUBARU WITH 5000 MILES ON IT.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 11, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT, WHILE IN PARK POSITION IN A PARKING LOT. THE CRACK IS IN A "U" SHAPE WITH THE TOP OF THE U AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 9, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD
Visibility, Oct 1, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, A CRACK HAD FORMED FROM THE LOWER LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD AND SPREAD ACROSS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD TO CAUSE THE CRACK. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE WINDSHIELD GLASS WAS POORLY MANUFACTURED AND THAT THE CRACK COULD OBSTRUCT HIS VISION WHILE DRIVING. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 969.
Visibility, Oct 1, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. NEITHER THE LOCAL DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,265. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 24, 2020
A CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FOR NO KNOWN REASON. OVER THE A SINGLE DAY IT HAD INCREASED TO A CRACK RUNNING ALL THE WAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW TO THE TOP. THE CRACK WAS FIRST NOTICED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THEN INCREASED TO COVER THE HEIGHT OF THE WINDOW WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING ON A SMOOTH ROAD.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 21, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD IN MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK CRACKS FOR NO REASON. I'M ON MY THIRD WINDSHIELD IN A MONTH. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKS IMPAIR MY VISION AND IS MAKING THE CARD DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. SUBARU REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ISSUE.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 18, 2020
GOT INTO MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. IT HAD BEEN SITTING UNUSED PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR HOME WHEN I NOTICED THE CRACK. IT WASN'T AFTER A COLLISION OR FROM SOMETHING HITTING IT WHILE I WAS DRIVING.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 13, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. NO OBJECT HIT IT. STARTED AS ONE INCH LINE. BY THE TIME I LEFT WORK IT WAS A FOOT AND A HALF IN LENGTH. DEALER SAID THERE WAS OBVIOUS ROCK IMPACT. I DID NOT TAKE A PICTURE WHEN I GOT TO WORK BECAUSE I WAS LATE. FIGURED I COULD DO IT AFTER WORK THEN IT HAD GROWN. I REFUSE TO BUY ANOTHER SUBARU WINDSHIELD. THIS HAPPENED WITH LESS THAN 5000 MILES
Visibility/wiper, Aug 28, 2020
SITTING STATIONARY IN THE DRIVEWAY, A LARGE CRACK SPONTANEOUSLY BEGAN AND EXTENDED ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. THE DAMAGE AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT CLASS ACTION LEGAL FILINGS FROM MANY, MANY VEHICLE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES WITH RECENT SUBARU WINDSHIELDS.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 25, 2020
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE WINDSCREEN CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AN OBJECT DID NOT HIT THE WINDSCREEN. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE WINDSCREEN AT SAFELITE WITH AN OEM SUBARU WINDSCREEN AND RECALIBRATED THE ADVANCED DRIVER SAFETY SYSTEM COSTING MORE THAN $1,000. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF FAULTS IN SUBARU OUTBACK 2020 WINDSCREENS WITH A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. I WANT TO REPORT MY EXPERIENCE
Visibility/wiper, Aug 24, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CRACK WAS NOTICED AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN STATIONARY FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 24, 2020
I PURCHASED MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK YESTERDAY, 8/24/2020, FROM MAITA SUBARU IN SACRAMENTO CA. WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY LATER THAT AFTERNOON, AN VERY SMALL OBJECT FLEW UP FROM THE ROAD CRACK THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS GROWN ABOUT 2X IN SIZE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS AND THE REPAIR BILL IS ESTIMATED TO BE $880. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A BRAND NEW CAR.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 23, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED BY DRIVES SIDE FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SATELLITE SHOP TO REPAIR THE APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD AFTER REPAIR DROVE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AND CRACK EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 5 INCHES. SINCE SATURDAY AUGUST 22 WITH VEHICLE STATIONARY ON RESIDENCE DRIVEWAY THE CRACK HAS EXTENDED PAST THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE IN ONE DIRECTION AND THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. *LN *DL
Visibility/wiper, Aug 22, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH, OUR WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE EXPERIENCED A "BULLSEYE" DEFECT WITHOUT ANY SOUND OF A PROJECTILE HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. WHILE CONTINUING TO DRIVE WITHIN 10 MINUTES, THIS DEFECT THEN "CRACKED" FURTHER EXTENDING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS COVERING ROUGHLY A 15 INCH SPAN. OUR DEALER, NORTH COUNTRY IMPORTS, 616 QUAKER ROAD, QUEENSBURY, NY, WAS CONTACTED. THEY STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY HISTORY OF THE 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK HAVING A WINDSHIELD ISSUE. ONLINE WE WERE ABLE TO FIND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS. WE PURCHASED THE CAR 2 WEEKS PRIOR THIS INCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WE WERE NOT TOLD OF ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH THE WINDSHIELD AND WERE NOT ASKED TO SIGN ANY WAIVER CONCERNING THE LAWSUIT. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER HAS COVERAGE FOR WINDSHIELD REPAIR, "SUBARU EQUITY SHIELD OPTIMUM VEHICLE PROTECTION", WE WERE NOT OFFERED THIS PROTECTION AT THE TIME OF SALE. WHEN WE CALLED THE DEALER WE WERE DEALT WITH IN A HOSTILE MANNER BY THE MANAGER WHO WOULD NOT DISCLOSE HIS NAME BEFORE HANGING UP ON US. PRIOR TO TERMINATING THE CALL HE REITERATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY KNOWN DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELDS AND REFERRED US TO OUR INSURANCE COMPANY.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 19, 2020
A TINY ROCK CHIP TURNED INTO A LARGE CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. THE CHIP HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ANY HIGHWAY SPEEDS BUT WAS VERY MINOR. WHILE DRIVING THE SAME DAYS, SAME TRIP A LARGE CRACK DEVELOPED WITH THE FOLLOWING HOUR AND CONTINUES TO GROW. ALL WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS NEWER CAR WITH ONLY 11K MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A TINY CHIP ON WINDSHIELD END UP BEING A HUGE CRACK THAT KEEPS GROWING ALL WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING ON THE SAME DAY/TRIP.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 19, 2020
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN MY NEW 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH ABOUT 2200 MILES ON A FRESHLY SLURRY-COATED ROAD I SAW A SMALL PEBBLE SIZED OBJECT TOSSED IN THE AIR BY THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND LAND JUST INSIDE THE EDGE OF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS A SHARP POP - LIKE A .22 - AND A 4 INCH CRACK APPEARED. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME AND THE CRACK APPEARED TO BE STABLE. I PARKED THE CAR AND GOT SOME REST. 9 HOURS LATER I WENT OUTSIDE AND FOUND THE CRACK HAD PROGRESSED TO THE CENTER OF MY WINDSHIELD. WHEN I CAME UPON THIS SITE I DECIDED TO DOCUMENT THE INCIDENT IN AN EFFORT TO WARN OTHERS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND SUBARU SHOULD BE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY.
Visibility, Aug 14, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE INCIDENT NO OBJECT HAD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK WAS LOCATED AT ON THE LOWER CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND HAD EXPANDED TO APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET LONG. THE LOCAL DEALER DEAN TEAM SUBARU LOCATED AT 15121 MANCHESTER RD, BALLWIN, MO 63011 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. INVALID VIN.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 12, 2020
SPONTANEOUS CRACK OF THE WINDSHIELD. HIGHWAY DRIVING, HOT DAY AND A SMALL CRACK APPEARED (THERE WAS NO PEBBLE OR DEBRIS THAT HIT THE WINDSHIELD). YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT... THE CRACK GREW AND GREW AND GREW. I SEE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHERS AND WANTED TO REPORT MY EXPERIENCE.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 10, 2020
I WAS ON A FOUR LANE ROAD (UNIVERSITY AVENUE IN EVANSVILLE, IN - NORTHBOUND) AND MY WINDSHIELD JUST POPPED AND CRACK ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK THIS MORNING. I WAS MORE THAN 10 CAR LENGTHS FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AND I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD OR ANYTHING COME FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME.
Visibility, Jul 31, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, A SMALL PEBBLE STRUCK THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED A ONE FOOT LONG CRACK. ADDITIONALLY, WITHIN 24 HRS THE CRACK HAD GROWN TO APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET IN LENGTH. THE LOCAL DEALER BRANDON TOMES SUBARU LOCATED AT 1100 S CENTRAL EXPY, MCKINNEY, TX 75072 WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT YET NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,800. INVALID VIN.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 29, 2020
SINGLE ROCK CHIP TO WINDSHIELD OF 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED XT WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY RESULTED NOT JUST IN CHIP BUT IMMEDIATE MULTIPLE EXTENDING CRACKS SPANNING MOST OF LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. HAVE NOTED ONGOING CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OVER THIS ISSUE.