Visibility/wiper. Review the 313 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 258 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Visibility. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports7 fire reports4 injury reports

Visibility/wiper complaints

313 reports

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3,500 miles · May 30, 2020

Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11326639

2,300 miles · May 21, 2020

Visibility/wiper

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 GE…

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NHTSA ODI #11325503

4,500 miles · May 17, 2020

SuspensionVisibility/wiper

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11324916

3,200 miles · May 14, 2020

Visibility/wiper

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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

NHTSA ODI #11324480

3,600 miles · May 11, 2020

Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WAY TOO EASILY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11324173

430 miles · May 8, 2020

Visibility/wiper

NEW 2020 OUTBACK, TOURING WITH LESS THAN 400 MILES..WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING. NO OTHER VEHICLES IN AREA. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11323826

8,000 miles · May 7, 2020

Visibility/wiper

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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

NHTSA ODI #11323675

7,000 miles · May 6, 2020

Visibility/wiper

A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, AND THE NEXT MORNING A MASSIVE CRACK APPEARED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11323584

480 miles · May 5, 2020

Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CRACKS UNREASONABLY IN DEICER AREA. CRACKS CONTINUOUSLY GROWING, EVEN WITHOUT TRAVEL OR VIBRATION. CAR HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11323401

5,000 miles · May 2, 2020

Visibility/wiper

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 DEFE…

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NHTSA ODI #11323072

Official recalls

24V227000 · 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

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)

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

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

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)

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Outback problems

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