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
899 reports, newest first.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 12, 2020
TWO OEM WINDSHIELDS CRACKED (INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL) WITHIN 1 WEEK OF EITHER BUYING THE CAR OR REPLACING THEM. BOTH WINDSHIELDS' CRACK STARTED FROM THE MIDDLE OF EITHER THE SUPPORTING LEFT OR RIGHT BARS, GO IN FOR ABOUT 6 INCHES, AND THEN CURVED DOWNWARD. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, NO CAR IN FRONT OF US TO KICK UP GRAVEL, NO IMPACT POINT ON GLASS.
Electrical system, Jul 12, 2020
BOUGHT MY CAR IN MARCH 2020, BRAND NEW 2020 OUTBACK XT ONYX EDITION 2.4 TURBO, IN TWO MONTH BATTERY START DYING AFTER 2-3 DAYS CAR PARKED, TODAY JULY 12 2020 ITS DEAD EVERY TIME I TRY TO START A CAR, USE BOOSTER STARTER TO START THE CAR.
Electrical system, Jul 11, 2020
AFTER BATTERY DIED 2 TIMES THIS WEEK AND I HAD TO JUMP START IT, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH CAR OR BATTERY. THEY CHARGED THE BATTERY AND TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT MORE. THE NEXT DAY (TODAY 7/11/2020) I MADE A SHORT TRIP WITH IT AND IT WAS FINE. SEVERAL HOURS LATER I WANTED TO USE THE CAR AGAIN AND IT WOULD NOT START UNTIL I JUMPED IT. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALER AGAIN ON MONDAY.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 10, 2020
A LARGE CRACK (10") APPEARED IN OUR WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH NO APPARENT IMPACT FROM ANY DEBRIS ON OUR NEW OUTBACK
Electrical system, Jul 9, 2020
5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THIS NEW VEHICLE, THE BATTERY HAS DIED THREE TIMES. ON TWO OCCASION IT WAS SITTING IN MY GARAGE HAVING BEEN DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE WITHIN THE PAST 72 HRS. ON ONE OCCASIONS IT WAS DEAD 48 HRS AFTER BEING JUMPED AND DRIVE. TODAY IT WAS JUMPED AGAIN AND DRIVEN TO MAITA SUBARU IN SACRAMENTO, CA. AFTER WAITING FOR 15 MINUTES IN THE SERVICE DRIVEWAY, WAITING TO BE SERVED, THE CAR BATTERY WAS FOUND TO BE DEAD BY SERVICE TECHS.
Electrical system, Jul 8, 2020
WITH SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 1300 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, AND AFTER THE CAR WAS SITTING FOR ABOUT A WEEK, THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED SO THAT NOTHING APPEARED ON THE SCREENS, THE REAR GATE WOULD NOT FUNCTION, AND NO GREEN LIGHT APPEARED TO SHOW THAT THE CAR WAS READY TO START. WHEN THE IGNITION BUTTON WAS PRESSED, NOTHING HAPPENED. USING A BRAND NEW 5 AMP BATTERY CHARGER, AFTER 20 HOURS IT SHOWS THE BATTERY TO BE ONLY 25% CHARGED.
Electrical system, Jul 6, 2020
FOR 2 WEEKS IN A ROW, OUR 2020 SUBARU (MILEAGE 2,845) FAILED TO START, AFTER NOT HAVING BEEN DRIVEN FOR 40+ HOURS, BECAUSE THE BATTERY HAD DRAINED. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY, MORE OR LESS ON LEVEL GROUND. EACH TIME WE HAD TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. LAST MONDAY (6/29/2020), WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE HAD PURCHASED THE CAR, AUTONATION HUNT VALLEY SUBARU (COCKEYSVILLE, MARYLAND). WHILE THERE, THE TECHNICIAN TOLD US, "NOT THAT WE LIKE TO BLAME THE VICTIM, BUT..." HE INDICATED THAT WE HAD PROBABLY LEFT A DOOR AJAR OR MADE SOME OTHER HUMAN ERROR. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE GARAGE TESTED THE BATTERY AND IT WAS HEALTHY (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED BATTERY AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ANALYSIS). WE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE CAR THERE FOR ITS 6-MONTH SERVICING, AND DROVE IT AWAY THAT EVENING, EXPECTING THAT THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED. THE INVOICE AND FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHECK UP SERVICE IS ATTACHED. TO OUR SURPRISE, THIS MORNING (07/06/2020) WE ENCOUNTERED THE VERY SAME ISSUE AGAIN, AND AGAIN WE HAD TO CALL UP A ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE SERVICE TO CHARGE THE BATTERY FOR US. AT THIS POINT, WE ARE UNSURE HOW TO PROCEED, AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY GUIDANCE FROM THE NHTSA.
Other or unspecified, Jul 4, 2020
WE PURCHASED A 2020 OUTBACK LIMITED 4/28/2020. THE SALESMAN, [XXX], DELIVERED THE CAR TO OUR HOME ON 5/1/2020. THE SECOND TIME WE DROVE THE VEHICLE, 5/6/2020, A CRACK SUDDENLY APPEARED ON THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AS WE WERE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. (MY HUSBAND IS AN ATK AMPUTEE AND WANTED TO PRACTICE DRIVING THE CAR WITH HIS PROSTHETIC LEG BEFORE DRIVING 30+ MILES TO A DOCTOR APPOINTMENT.) THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE CRACK AS THERE WERE NO AUTOMOBILES AROUND US. WE ALREADY HAD AN APPT TO RETURN THE CAR TO THE DEALER THAT WEEK TO INSTALL OPTIONS WE HAD PURCHASED AT SALE. AT THAT TIME WE LEARNED THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT PART OF THE WARRANTY AGREEMENT WE HAD SIGNED AND THE FINANCE AGENT IN NO WAY ENCOURAGED US TO SIGN THAT PORTION OF THE AGREEMENT. NOR DID HE INFORM US OF THE HIGH COST OF WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT AND ELECTRONICS RE-CALIBRATION. WE PAID $1143.34 TO REPLACE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND RE-CALIBRATE THE ELECTRONICS. OUR INSURANCE WAS A $1000 DEDUCTIBLE WOULD WOULD NOT ALLOW FILINGS FROM DEALERSHIPS AS THEY ARE NOT APPROVED REPAIR SITES. AT THAT TIME WE ALSO PAID AN ADDITIONAL $500 TO PURCHASE THE WINDSHIELD WARRANTY. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Visibility/wiper, Jul 4, 2020
A CRACK SPONTANEOUSLY APPEARED ON MY WINDSHIELD A FEW DAYS AGO..IT LOOKS LIKE AN EDGE CRACK THAT JUST FORMED WHILE IT WAS STATIONARY ON MY DRIVEWAY AND DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE FORMED BY CONTACT WITH ANY OBJECT. THIS CAR IS JUST 4 MONTHS OLD AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN MUCH. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE GLASS! *TR
Electrical system, Jul 3, 2020
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. LIGHTS WERE FLASHING AND GIVING SYSTEMS NOT WORKING. HEADLIGHTS FLASHED CONTINUOUSLY. IT WAS IN THE GARAGE BUT COULDN'T GET TAILGATE OPEN. TURNED OUT ISSUE WAS BATTERY FOR THE IGNITION. SUBARU EMERGENCY ARRANGED TOWING AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD BRING IT BACK TO ME. THEN WHEN I REQUESTED THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $168 TO BRING IT BACK. IT IS A WEEK OLD AND 335 MILES ON IT AND THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME TO RETURN IT TO ME.
Visibility, Jul 1, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT THAT THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK WAS FROM THE TOP PASSENGER SIDE GOING DOWN TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT CONTACTED GANLEY WESTSIDE SUBARU 25730 LORAIN RD, NORTH OLMSTED, OH 44070 AT (440) 734-2000, TO INFORM THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,200.
Electrical system, Jun 29, 2020
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY, 2020. AFTER DRIVING IT LESS THAN 1500 MILES, THE BATTERY DIED, REQUIRING A JUMP START. LESS THAN 2 WEEKS LATER, AND HAVING BEEN DRIVEN ALMOST DAILY, IT WENT DEAD AGAIN. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT SUBARU HAS TO ADDRESS. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT CARLSEN SUBARU, REDWOOD CITY, CA, THEY CLAIMED TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEY OFFERED TO INSPECT THE CAR, BUT WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE BATTERY WITH ANOTHER, EQUIVALENT BATTERY.
Electrical system, Jun 28, 2020
3 TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH, MY BATTERY HAS BEEN DEAD FOR NO REASON. MY CAR ONLY HAS 3800 MILES. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE.
Electrical system, Jun 27, 2020
NEW SUBARU OUTBACK ONLY HAS 3800 MILES ON IT. DROVE IT YESTERDAY. THIS MORNING, TRIED TO START THE STATIONARY CAR AND THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. NEEDED TO JUMP THE CAR. *TR
Electrical system, Jun 26, 2020
BATTERY DRAINED WHEN VEHICLE PARKED WITHOUT ANY LIGHTS OR OTHER ELECTRIC LOAD CAUSING DEAD BATTERY. THIS HAPPENED 2X, FIRST TIME WAS ON THE 3RD DAY OF BRAND NEW CAR OWNERSHIP. 2ND TIME 6 MONTHS LATER. NO-START CONDITION LEAVES WOMEN PRIMARY DRIVER IN A VULNERABLE POSITION OF BEING STRANDED WHILE AWAY FROM HOME. APPARENTLY THERE MAY BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING FOR SIMILAR FAILURES TO OTHER SUBARU OWNERS. *TR
Electrical system, Jun 26, 2020
OUR SEVEN MONTH OLD 2020 OUTBACK BATTERY HAS DIED THREE TIMES. OUR LATEST DEAD BATTERY REVEALED EXTREMELY CONCERNING STATISTICS ACCORDING TO OUR AAA SERVICE TECHNICIAN. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 26, 2020
I WAS SITTING IN MY CAR, WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO BRING OUT SOMETHING. THE CAR ONLY HAD JUST OVER 100 MILES ON IT, AND I'D ONLY DRIVEN IT 3 TIMES (INCLUDING THIS ONE) WHEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A CRACK SOUND AND A LARGE (1'-1.5') CURVED CRACK APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP (THE CAR WAS A WEEK IN MY POSSESSION THE DAY THIS HAPPENED) AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. IMMEDIATELY THEY BEGAN TELLING ME THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN HIT BY A ROCK. I TOLD THEM THAT I WASN'T MOVING AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN. WHEN I ARRIVED THE WOMAN WHO 'HANDLES ALL THEIR GLASS CLAIMS' TOLD ME THAT A ROCK HAD HIT MY WINDSHIELD. I TOLD HER AGAIN THAT IT HAD NOT, THAT I HAD NOT BEEN MOVING, AND THAT THE ONLY TIME THE CAR WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN BY ME, WAS WHEN THE DEALERSHIP HAD IT, AND THAT AT NO TIME THAT IT WAS IN MY POSSESSION DID A ROCK HIT IT. SHE INSISTED THAT THE CRACKS DON'T JUST HAPPEN ON THEIR OWN AND THAT A ROCK MUST HAVE HIT IT. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 25, 2020
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT WHILE AT WORK. NOTICED THE CRACK IMMEDIATELY UPON LEAVING WORK. THE CRACK STEMS NEAR PASSENGER SIDE BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD NEAR WIPER AND GOES TOWARD CENTER MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 25, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A LENGTHY CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE IT WAS PARKED AT THE AIRPORT FOR ABOUT A WEEK IN EARLY APRIL. *TR
Visibility, Jun 23, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE RADIO VOLUME WAS TURNED UP TO HIGH AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND AN ESTIMATE WAS PROVIDED FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,800.
Visibility, Jun 22, 2020
PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE FOR THE NIGHT AND WHEN I WOKE UP THE FOLLOWING DAY I SAW A CRACK ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD. CRACK LOOKED LIKE IT STARTED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND CONTINUED TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 22, 2020
I GOT INTO MY CAR ONE MORNING AND THE WIND SHIELD WAS CRACKED AT THE MID/LOWER BOTTOM. GLASS SHARDS WERE PRESENT IN 1 LOCATION AND OVER TIME THE CRACK SPREAD AND ANOTHER LOCATION W/ CHIPS/SHARDS WAS PRESENT. *TR
Electrical system, Jun 21, 2020
WITH ONLY 170 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, I WENT TO START MY OUTBACK AND IT WOULD NOT START. HAD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE COME AND JUMP THE CAR, WHICH RESULTED IN THE CAR STARTING. I THEN PARKED IT IN MY GARAGE OVERNIGHT. WHEN I WENT TO START IT IN THE MORNING, THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD AND I COULD NOT EVEN UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE REMOTE. I DRINK 10 MILES ROUND TRIP ON AN AVERAGE DAY TO/FROM WORK AND HAD THE CAR FOR A TOTAL OF 4 DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 21, 2020
WE WERE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE WINDOW HAD A SMALL CRACK WITHOUT HEARING A ROCK OR PEBBLE HIT THE WINDOW. OVER NEXT FEW DAYS THE CRACK WENT ACROSS THE WINDOW. IT SEEMS LIKE THE WINDOWS ARE TOO PRONE TO CRACKS AND CRACK MORE EASILY THAN THEY SHOULD. SUBARU REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD AT NO COST TO US WHICH WE WERE HAPPY ABOUT, BUT WANTED TO DOCUMENT THAT IT SEEMS THEY HAVE MORE FRAGILE WINDSHIELDS IN CASE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN.
Visibility, Jun 16, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE RADIO VOLUME WAS TURNED UP TO HIGH AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. EVANSTON SUBARU LOCATED AT 3340 OAKTON ST, SKOKIE, IL 60076, (847) 869-5700, AND WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.