A very small chip in the windshield has now turned into a large crack. The chip is 1-2mm in depth. I have never seen such a small chip turn into a crack like this.
2020 Subaru Legacy
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2020 Subaru Legacy do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Legacy years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
52 reports with mileage · 69 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
121 reportsThis vehicle is equipped with the Subaru "Eyesight" system which is a number of safety features like automatic cruise control, lane keep assist, and others. About once a week on average while driving the entire system will shut down and the screen will go dark. You lose the radio, bluetooth, navigation, and all the Eyesight syst…
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This vehicle is equipped with the Subaru "Eyesight" system which is a number of safety features like automatic cruise control, lane keep assist, and others. About once a week on average while driving the entire system will shut down and the screen will go dark. You lose the radio, bluetooth, navigation, and all the Eyesight systems. After about 30 seconds it will reboot and things will come back online but this is a major safety issue because you loose systems that help with safety. The dealership said it's a known software issue and there's nothing they can do until an update is available. I called Subaru USA customer support in September and they said an update would be available by the end of October and nothing was released. I called in early November and they said they were still working on it but had no release date.
This is in regard to the thin and fragile windshield subaru has decided to put into their vehicles of which there are already several civilian class action lawsuits which should have already warranted an investigation into the glass. In my particular case, the windshield is so soft whenever the slightest rock hits it, big chips…
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This is in regard to the thin and fragile windshield subaru has decided to put into their vehicles of which there are already several civilian class action lawsuits which should have already warranted an investigation into the glass. In my particular case, the windshield is so soft whenever the slightest rock hits it, big chips come out of it. The vehicle has 5,100 miles on it and has a windshield that is worse than my 2007 subaru with 95,000 miles. Yesterday a small pebble struck the lower right corner of my windshield initially putting a chip that then cracked sitting in the garage overnight. In all my years I have had other strikes happen such as a huge rock falling off of a gravel truck (I have this on dash cam video) striking my windshield with minimal damage. Anything that touches this new 2020 subaru windshield results in a chip and or a crack compromising the rigidity of the structure, impairing visibility, and thus jeopardizing the safety of the driver. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle as I feel if a large enough rock would ever strike the windshield that it would result in catastrophic failure.
I purchased a 2020 Subaru Legacy Sport in March of 2020. On August 25th 2020, while on the freeway a small rock chipped the upper passenger side of the windshield. By the next morning it turned into a crack which spanned almost half of the windshield directly in front of the Eyesight cameras. Once the glass was replaced with an …
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I purchased a 2020 Subaru Legacy Sport in March of 2020. On August 25th 2020, while on the freeway a small rock chipped the upper passenger side of the windshield. By the next morning it turned into a crack which spanned almost half of the windshield directly in front of the Eyesight cameras. Once the glass was replaced with an OEM windshield, I noticed the new glass appeared to have defects. During peak glare times, the windshield appeared "pitted" as if it had been sand-blasted and was nearly impossible to see out of. I had a professional technician inspect the windshield and a new one was ordered and installed. This took months to be resolved. Next was on July 15th 2021, a small rock caused a bullseye chip in my windshield too large to be fixed. Another OEM windshield was installed. On October 21st 2021 another small rock hit the windshield on the freeway and caused a chip immediately. Within a minute the glass made a loud cracking sound and a crack over a foot long instantly appeared. In 1 year 8 months, I've had the windshield replaced 4 times. The glass is brittle and/or defective. It's dangerous and costly and needs to be addressed.
Had a small rock hit my window near the driver's side on the bottom. The window cracked instantly. It was a large crack!
BATTERY ISSUES. maybe stemming from internal components (unsure, but likely). car completely died, when lights and all settings were turned off. bought a jump starter thinking maybe i just left something on, drove around for like an hour to juice it up and power the battery. went to car today and dead again. cannot access trunk…
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BATTERY ISSUES. maybe stemming from internal components (unsure, but likely). car completely died, when lights and all settings were turned off. bought a jump starter thinking maybe i just left something on, drove around for like an hour to juice it up and power the battery. went to car today and dead again. cannot access trunk (where i put my emergency stuff) because it's completely dead. called and had to wait 3 hours for a jumpstart after subaru automated roadside assistance hung up 4 times before i even got to speak to a representative. scheduled an appt for new car battery. so no invoice or anything yet, but i spent $150 to be able to drive it (thinking it could have potentially my fault), for it to be confirmed that it was infact subarus fault.
We were gone for 10 days. Our Legacy was left under carport (North end of garage/shop). Upon our return, we found the battery was drained. We have only 7362 miles on it. I bought it new in June 2020. We tried to charge the battery, but the charger stopped charging and the red "trouble" light came on. We had to have the car …
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We were gone for 10 days. Our Legacy was left under carport (North end of garage/shop). Upon our return, we found the battery was drained. We have only 7362 miles on it. I bought it new in June 2020. We tried to charge the battery, but the charger stopped charging and the red "trouble" light came on. We had to have the car towed to the dealer in another city. They mentioned that we need to drive car often and not leave it sit or this will happen. Luckily, there was no "trouble" only a drained battery, but it was an inconvenience. We bought the car based on Subaru's reputation for durability. We are 78 & 83 years of age respectively and my husband and I have medical issues. We need a car we can rely on at all times in case of an emergency. If this is a known problem, why was I not informed of this upon purchase? Why was there no mention in the owner's manual or new owners handout. Since the incident, I see many complaints on Web.
I parked my car in the garage on the afternoon of September 27, 2021. The next morning when I got in the car I noticed a big crack in the windshield. No dings or chips, just a large crack. I will bring the car to dealership tomorrow on their request. But they are saying my model year is not covered.
The battery for the Subaru Legacy Limited will not keep a charge. As a result the battery dies and the car will not start. On four occasions the car had to be jump started. After each jump start the car was left running for up to an hour. The next day, the battery was completely discharged and starting the engine was not possibl…
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The battery for the Subaru Legacy Limited will not keep a charge. As a result the battery dies and the car will not start. On four occasions the car had to be jump started. After each jump start the car was left running for up to an hour. The next day, the battery was completely discharged and starting the engine was not possible.
There is an ongoing problem with the center display in this vehicle. While normally just an inconvenience, it will randomly stop working / lock up / restart while driving. When this becomes a problem is when using the built in navigation or Apple Car Play for navigation. Multiple times now, it has locked up and reset while us…
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There is an ongoing problem with the center display in this vehicle. While normally just an inconvenience, it will randomly stop working / lock up / restart while driving. When this becomes a problem is when using the built in navigation or Apple Car Play for navigation. Multiple times now, it has locked up and reset while using Google Maps via Apple Car Play. Additionally, on the one trip where I attempted to use the built in navigation while on a trip, it simply stopped navigating without warning. The issue is that when you don't know where you are going, it becomes hazardous to interface with the system to restart navigation. The dealer admits there is a known issue with the system, yet there is not yet a repair being offered. At this point, my system is in some dealer diagnostic mode. I've been instructed to hit the defrost button four times when it does something abnormal so the system can be reviewed.
Official recalls
624V227000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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