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, Mar 26, 2020
FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS MULTIPLE PITS ON IT AFTER ONLY A FEW HUNDRED MILES OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ROCKS HITTING IT. THE VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT AND BARELY DRIVEN. THE CONCERN IS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WILL EVENTUALLY CRACK.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 25, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH DURING A RAIN STORM, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A SMALL ROCK. THE CRACK EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET. THE LOCAL DEALER AUTO NATION SUBARU SCOTTSDALE LOCATED AT (15678 N. NORTHSIGHT BLVD, SCOTTSDALE AZ) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,800.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 22, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT LESS THAN 1800 MILES WHILE TRAVELLING DOWN HIGHWAY. AT LESS THAN 3,000 MILES, ANOTHER CRACK HAD DEVELOPED. BOTH CRACKS STARTED ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT (PASSENGER SIDE) OF THE WINDSHIELD AND ARE TRAVELLING UP AND TO THE LEFT OF THE WINDSHIELD IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER'S LINE OF SIGHT.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 20, 2020
NEW VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OVERNIGHT. FOUND LATE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD IN THE MORNING. NO KNOW CHIPS OR IMPACTS.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 16, 2020
CAR HAD AROUND 6,000 MILES WHEN MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE MY CAR WAS SITTING IN MY HEATED GARAGE. NO HITS OR IMPACTS, JUST CRACKED. TOOK SUBARU AROUND A MONTH TO HELP ME AND THEN THEY INSTALLED IT IMPROPERLY AND I NEEDED TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK TO HAVE IT COMPLETED PROPERLY.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 16, 2020
2020 OUTBACK WITH UNDER 6,000 MILES AND WINDSHIELD CRACK FROM THE UPPER RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE INTO THE MAIN VIEW ARE
Visibility/wiper, Mar 15, 2020
WINDSHIELD IN MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK SEEMS TO BE MADE OF FAKE GLASS, SOFT OR THIN GLASS THAT IS EXTREMELY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ROCK CHIPS AND GLASS BREAKAGE. HAVE HAD THE NEW SUBARU A LITTLE OVER A MONTH (2600 MILES) AND ALREADY HAVE HAD 3 ROCK CHIPS ON THE WINDSHIELD. IT SEEMS LIKE EVEN THE SMALLEST PIECE OF ROCK CAUSES THE GLASS TO CHIP. COMPARED TO MY OTHER 3 VEHICLES THESE ROCK CHIPS OCCUR MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY. IT HAPPENS WHEN FOLLOWING OR MEETING OTHER VEHICLES WHEN THE TIRES OF THOSE VEHICLES THROW UP SMALL ROCK PIECES. ALL 3 OCCURRENCES WERE WHILE DRIVING ON PAVED, 2 LANE HIGHWAYS. IT'S NOT JUST A CASE OF BAD LUCK AS MY 2016 SUBARU ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT'S FAKE GLASS. IT OBSTRUCTS VISION UNTIL YOU CAN GET THE ROCK CHIPS REPAIRED OR THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 15, 2020
MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK HAD SMALL WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO REASON JUST AFTER 2 MONTHS OF PURCHASING. IT WAS NOT USING FOR SOME DAYS AND WAS IN MY APARTMENT PARKING LOT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR NO COST BUT IT LOOKS LIKE LOW QUALITY WINDSHIELD FITS ON THE CAR FROM FACTORY.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
IN THE MORNING WE DISCOVERED A 10-INCH LONG CRACK IN OUR WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN OUR GARAGE OVER 10 HOURS. WE FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM PRESUMING A ROCK HAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD BUT NEITHER DRIVER RECALLED SUCH AN OCCURRENCE.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACK. HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN 3 WEEKS AND 250 MILES. STARTED THE CAR WITH REMOTE, AND AFTER ENTERING THE VEHICLE, NOTICED A CRACK AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 12" IN LENGTH. UPON INSPECTION, SAW AN AREA OF SMALL REFLECTIONS JUST BENEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER WHERE THE IN-GLASS DEFROSTING ELEMENTS ARE LOCATED, THE CRACK EXTENDS FROM THIS POINT IN TWO DIRECTIONS; ONE DOWN TO THE BASE OF THE GLASS, THE OTHER DIAGONALLY UPWARD. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALS NO CHIPPING OR ROUGHNESS ON THE EXTERIOR, THOUGH THE OUTER LAMINATION IS THE LAYER THAT IS CRACKED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A FLAW INTERNALLY FROM WHICH THE BREAK EMANATES. AS STATED EARLIER, THIS SIMPLY APPEARED UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW FREEZING AND THE CAR HAD BEEN STARTED WITH THE HEATER/DEFROSTER ON TO PRE-WARM THE INTERIOR. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD FROM A ROCK OR OTHER DEBRIS; IN FACT THE POINT WHERE THERE IS THE VISIBLE FLAW IS EXACTLY BENEATH THE WIPER IN THE RESTING POSITION; NO OBJECT COULD HAVE STRUCK THE GLASS THERE AS IT IS COVERED BY THE WIPER BLADE. PHOTOS SHOW THE OVERALL WINDSHIELD WITH THE WIPER RETRACTED AND A CLOSEUP THAT SHOWS THE POINT OF ORIGIN AND HORIZONTAL DEFROSTER ELEMENTS. WHEN REPORTED TO THE SELLING DEALER, THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THERE IS NO COVERAGE FOR GLASS, IN SPITE OF THE STATED 36 MONTH/30K MILE 'BUMPER-TO-BUMPER' WARRANTY. WE EXPLAINED AND SHOWED DEALER REPRESENTATIVES THAT THIS INSTANCE WAS CLEARLY NOT CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD BUT A SPONTANEOUS BREAK. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO LENGTHEN WHILE WE WAIT FOR APPEALS TO REGIONAL SUBARU REPRESENTATIVES.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASING MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK A CRACK APPEARED ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT STRETCHES FROM ONE SIDE HALF WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, RIGHT IN THE FIELD OF VIEW. IT APPEARED OVERNIGHT, WHILE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY GARAGE. NO ROCK PECKS.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 13, 2020
I BOUGHT CAR HOME ON JAN 2. ON JAN 4TH I WOKE UP AND DISCOVERED THE WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED OVER NIGHT FOR NO REASON THAT WE COULD FIND. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED ALL NIGHT IN A DRIVE WAY AND NO OTHER DAMAGE OR ANYTHING WAS APPARENT. IT JUST GOT ABOUT 10 DEGREE COLDER DURING THE NIGHT THEN NORMAL.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 11, 2020
PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. NO ROCK HITS OR CHIPS.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 10, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED WHEN IT WAS PARKED IN AN OPEN PARKING LOT.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 9, 2020
I WOKE UP ON FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH TO SEE MY CAR'S WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED OVERNIGHT WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN THE GARAGE. THIS CRACK WAS NOT THERE WHEN I PARKED IT THE NIGHT BEFORE. MY DEALERSHIP DOES NOT BELIEVE ME AND SAYS A STONE HIT IT BUT NO STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE CAR LOT ON MONDAY, MARCH 2ND. I HAD THE DEFROSTERS ON FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH. THIS IS A BRAND NEW LEASE WITH ONLY 200 MILES ON IT AS OF FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH WHEN THE CRACK WAS NOTICED.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 9, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SUBARU DEALER WILL NOT COVER IT AND BECAME VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. THE CRACK BECAME MUCH LARGER OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THE CRACK GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER SIDE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Feb 25, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK. THE CRACK STARTED FROM THE LOWER SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A GLASS REPAIR FACILITY. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 24, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED JUST A FEW HOURS AFTER APPLYING CRYSTAL FUSION TO PROTECT THE WINDSHIELD. IT STARTED RAINING AFTER IT WAS APPLIED. WE WENT TO DINNER, AND WHEN WE CAME BACK TO THE PARKED VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN APPROXIMATE 6" CRACK, ON THE LEFT, DRIVER'S SIDE, FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 24, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK SITTING IN THE GARAGE AFTER RETURNING FROM A 10 MILE DRIVE. TWO HOURS AFTER HAVING PARKED THE CAR WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE DAMAGE, A 10 INCH CRACK WAS VISIBLE ORIGINATING FROM THE UPPER LEFT CORNER. THE CRACK HAS GROWN TO ABOUT 24 INCHES OVER THE NEXT DAY.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
FOUR WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE NEW VEHICLE, I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK APPEARED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT CONTINUED TO CRACK FOR ABOUT 6 MORE INCHES. I HAVE NOW ORDERED A NEW WINDSHIELD TO REPLACE THE BROKEN ONE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN I NOTICED THE CRACK INITIALLY.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
WINDSHIELD CHIPPED VERY EASILY
Visibility/wiper, Feb 22, 2020
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD DOWN PAST THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. I WAS HIT BY NO ROCKS OR ANY DEBRIS.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 6, 2020
I PURCHASED A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK ONE WEEK AGO (JAN 30, 2020) TODAY I HAVE 700 MILES AND AFTER HEARING OF CHARGES AGAINST SUBARU FOR PRODUCING DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS I INSPECTED MINE AND I NOTICED A 2' LONG WINDSHIELD CRACK ON LOWER DRIVERS SIDE. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT MAY SPREAD LATER TO IMPEDE MY VISION, BUT WANTED TO GO ON RECORD THAT THIS DEFECT EXISTS.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 28, 2020
CRACKED WINDSHIELD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE WITH NO CRACK IN THE WINDOW CAME OUT IN THE MORNING AND WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT COVERUNDER WARRANTY.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 26, 2020
CAR HAS ~1000 MILES. THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO CHIPS OR IMPACT. CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION. JUST WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND NOTICED IT WAS CRACKED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU CARS. MULTIPLE REPORTS AND CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS.