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, Jun 6, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH NO VISIBLE PROJECTILES. CRACK CONTINUED TO GROW AFTER INITIAL CRACK WITH US FEARING THE WINDSHIELD WAS ABOUT TO CAVE IN ON US. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 31, 2020
PARKED VEHICLE, WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING FOR NO REASON, CHECKED SECURITY CAMERAS, NOTHING EXPLAINS IT.
Visibility/wiper, May 31, 2020
OUR WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CAR IS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD AND HAS 4000 MILES ON IT. I NOTICED THE CRACK WHILE THE CAR WAS IN OUR GARAGE. I SEEMS TO HAVE HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I NEED TO CONTACT THE SUBARU DEALER TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY.
Visibility/wiper, May 30, 2020
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. *TR
Visibility, May 27, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD ON OUR 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK DEVELOPED A CRACK WITH NO SIGNS OF A CHILD OR ANY REASON FOR THE CRACK TO HAVE DEVELOPED. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 21, 2020
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS, SMALL PEBBLE (MOST LIKELY) STRUCK WINDSHIELD, COULD NOT SEE THE PEBBLE, WAS NOT VERY LOUD. SEEMED INSIGNIFICANT BUT WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION 10 MINUTES LATER CRACKS HAD STARTED EMANATING FROM THE SPOT WHERE THE PEBBLE STRUCK. I'VE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD BREAK SO EASILY, STUFF GETS KICKED UP ALL THE TIME ON THIS INTERSTATE. *TR
Visibility, May 20, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TURNING ON THE VEHICLE INSIDE THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF A FRACTURE ON THE LOWER PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER BLADE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CASTLE SUBARU (6100 US HWY 6, PORTAGE, IN 46368, (219) 764-5020) WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WINDSHIELD WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
Suspension, Visibility/wiper, May 17, 2020
VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT IN NOV. 2019. IT HAS SINCE HAD IT'S WINDSHIELD REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE FREEWAY EACH TIME AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS HIT BY A ROCK. NOW I KNOW ROCKS BREAK GLASS, BUT I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE WITH SUCH A FRAGILE WINDSHIELD. I'VE OWNED MANY MANY CARS AND NONE HAVE EVER NEEDED THEIR WINDSHIELD REPLACED EVEN AFTER BEING HIT BY A ROCK. CHIPPED YES, BUT NEVER CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS LIKE THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS A POPPING NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE LEFT FRONT, WHEN TURNING LEFT. THE DEALER CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NOISE IS.
Visibility/wiper, May 14, 2020
TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY ON A SLOW RAINY DAY (~45MPH), A PEBBLE? HIT MY WINDSHIELD WHICH CRACKED AN AREA AS LARGE AS A PENNY NEAR THE WIPERS. RIGHT AWAY, THE CRACK STARTED TO PROPAGATE TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD, MAKING LARGE CRACKLING NOISES. LATER I FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS ALSO EXTENDED TO THE AREA BELOW THE WINDSHIELD SEAL (BY THE HOOD). I HAVE HAD A FEW CARS BEFORE AND ALL HAVE HAD ROCKS HIT THEIR WINDSHIELD. NEVER HAD I SEEN SUCH EASY YIELD IN WINDSHIELD GLASS TO SUCH LIGHT IMPACT. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 11, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WAY TOO EASILY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 8, 2020
NEW 2020 OUTBACK, TOURING WITH LESS THAN 400 MILES..WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING. NO OTHER VEHICLES IN AREA. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 7, 2020
I HAVE A 2020 OUTBACK LIMITED AND THE FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE ON IT WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 IN TN. BOTH TIMES A SMALL STONE KICKED UP BY A PASSING CAR HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND BEFORE I COULD GET IT CHECKED OUT BY SAFELITE; IT CRACKED HORIZONTALLY. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND PAID $1035 TO HAVE IT REPLACED BY A SUBARU DEALER AND LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, ANOTHER SMALL STONE KICKED UP BY A CRV PASSING ME HIT THE NEW SUBARU WINDSHIELD. AGAIN, IT IMMEDIATELY CRACKED HORIZONTALLY AND NOW I WILL HAVE IT REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THERE IS APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE QUALITY OF THE GLASS: TOO THIN? DUE TO THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM NEEDING A VERY OPTICALLY PURE GLASS; PERHAPS THE GLASS IS TOO THIN. BUT THE QUALITY OF THE SUBARU FRONT WINDSHIELD GLASS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. (I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH IN VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC. NO TRUCKS IN AREA. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 6, 2020
A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, AND THE NEXT MORNING A MASSIVE CRACK APPEARED. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 5, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKS UNREASONABLY IN DEICER AREA. CRACKS CONTINUOUSLY GROWING, EVEN WITHOUT TRAVEL OR VIBRATION. CAR HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 2, 2020
I LEASED MY 2020 OUTBACK 5 MONTHS AGO AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE WINDSHIELD EASILY CRACKS AFTER A SMALL OBJECT HIT THE GLASS AND MADE A LOW SUBTLE NOISE. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED SCENARIOS AS SUCH PREVIOUSLY WITH OTHER NON-SUBARU BRAND CARS AND NONE OF THE WINDSHIELDS CRACKED. CLEARLY THE QUALITY OF THE GLASS IS TERRIBLE AND DEFECTIVE. THERE EVEN SEEMS TO BE A BIG CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING SUBARU WINDSHIELDS.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 30, 2020
THERE IS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT BASICALLY APPEARED OVER NIGHT. IT WASN'T THERE WHEN WE PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE IN THE EVENING AND THEN I NOTICED IT THE NEXT DAY WHEN I GOT OUT. IT STARTS FROM THE EDGE OF THE GLASS AND THERE ARE EVEN SHARDS OF GLASS COMING OUT IN ONE SPOT. WE WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED A ROCK HITTING US AS OUR CAR IS ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD...MY FIRST BRAND NEW PURCHASE. THE CRACK NOW GOES COMPLETELY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 28, 2020
THE MORNING OF APRIL 28 I NOTICED A CRACK DEVELOPING ON THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. IT STARTED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BELOW THE WIPER AND IS HEADING UPWARD. THE PREVIOUS EVENING, I HEARD A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO CRACK EVIDENT AT THE TIME. THE NEXT DAY THE CRACK APPEARED AND THERE IS A VERY SMALL PIT AT THE ROCK IMPACT SITE. THE SIZE OF THE ROCK STRIKE DOES NOT SEEM LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. THIS IS THE SECOND CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON THIS 3-MONTH OLD CAR.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 28, 2020
THE MORNING OF MARCH 26 I NOTICED AN APPROXIMATELY 8-INCH-LONG CRACK ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. BY THE END OF THE DAY THE CRACK HAD SPREAD TO ALMOST THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY THE PREVIOUS DAY AND THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE ROCK IMPACT. AT THE TIME THE CAR HAD 3600 MILES ON IT AND HAD BEEN OWNED FOR 2.5 MONTHS. LOCAL DEALER (HERB GORDON SUBARU IN SILVER SPRING, MD) GRACIOUSLY COVERED THE REPLACEMENT AND RECALIBRATION OF EYE-SIGHT CAMERAS.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 24, 2020
WIDSHIELD APPEARS TO HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED FROM LOWER LEFT HAND EDGE TO A LENGTH OF NEARLY 12' IN FRONT OF DRIVER. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR HOME GARAGE WITH NO CRACK EVIDENT WHEN PARKED AND CRACK WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE BEING DRIVEN THE FOLLOWING DAY. CRACK APPEARED JUST A DAY AFTER VEHICLE WAS IN DEALER SERVICE FOR AN ECU REPROGRAMMING RECALL.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 18, 2020
CAR HASN'T BEEN DRIVEN IN WEEKS AND HAS BEEN SAFELY STORED ON MY PROPERTY. GOT THE CAR OUT TO WASH IT AND I NOTICED A CHIP DEVELOPED IN THE WINDSHIELD. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT AN INCREDIBLY UNUSUAL SWIRL DEVELOPED IN THE GLASS THAT CANNOT BE CLEANED FROM INSIDE OR OUT. PHOTO ATTACHED. LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING BETWEEN THE LAYERS OF GLASS. FILED A CLAIM AND MY INSURANCE SENT OUT SAFELITE TO FILL THE CHIP. SWIRL IS STILL THERE. SEEMS UNSAFE. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Apr 17, 2020
WE HAVE A 2020 OUTBACK AND A CRACK APPEARED STARTING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE LOWER CORNER AND BEGAN MOVING UP AND OUT INTO LINE OF SIGHT. I FOUND THE CRACK WHEN I PULLED OUT OF THE GARAGE.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 11, 2020
VEHICLE HAS UNDER 12K MILES AND THIS IS THE 3RD WINDSHIELD THAT HAS SPONTANEOUSLY HAS CRACKED
Visibility/wiper, Apr 6, 2020
I GOT IN MY CAR ONE MORNING AND NOTICED A CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK WAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND ORIGINATED FROM THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE GLASS. IT HAS BEEN A WEEK OR SO, AND THE CRACK CONTINUES TO GROW EVERYDAY.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 3, 2020
A LARGE CRACK FORMED ON THE DRIVER SIDE AT EYE LEVEL. I'VE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD BREAK SO SUDDENLY AND ABRUPTLY WHILE DRIVING. IT DISTRACTED ME FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS AS I WAS WATCHING THE CRACK GET LARGER. I WAS DRIVING AT 50 MILES PER HOUR ON THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL. THE CRUISE CONTROL LOST VISIBILITY AND TURNED OFF IMMEDIATELY. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THE WINDSHIELDS ARE MADE TO MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO SAVE COSTS. SUBARU DOES NOT COVER WINDSHIELDS AND THE EYE SIGHT CALIBRATION IS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO TAKE ON PERSONALLY. A COMPANY WHOSE REPUTATION IS BUILT ON SAFETY SHOULD NOT BE CUTTING CORNERS ON THE WINDSHIELDS.
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Visibility/wiper, Apr 2, 2020
FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED HALFWAY ACROSS THE GLASS AFTER A PEBBLE KICKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CRACK SPIDERED OUT ON ITS OWN ACROSS THE ENTIRE FRONT WINDSHIELD WITHIN FIVE HOURS. CAMERA ON WINDSHIELD NOW HAS TO BE RECALIBRATED OTHERWISE WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.