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2020 Subaru Outback

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Outback years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Subaru Outback are substantially higher than the model-year median of 207.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

443 reports with mileage · 453 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 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 complaints

70 reports
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38,000 miles · Aug 7, 2023
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while in the driveway, the vehicle was started and while driving out of the driveway, the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,000.

NHTSA ODI #11536867

42,000 miles · Jul 17, 2023
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while seated in the parked vehicle in the garage with the vehicle turned off, the contact watched as the passenger’s side windshield cracked without impact. The contact stated that the crack extended approximately two feet. The cause of the failure was not yet deter…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while seated in the parked vehicle in the garage with the vehicle turned off, the contact watched as the passenger’s side windshield cracked without impact. The contact stated that the crack extended approximately two feet. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the front windshield had previously been replaced due to the same failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.

NHTSA ODI #11532763

35,500 miles · Jul 6, 2023
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that two months after purchasing the vehicle new, the windshield cracked upon sustaining a light impact. Additionally, the contact stated that the windshield had also cracked from cold air inside the vehicle and the hot air outside the vehicle. The contact also stated th…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that two months after purchasing the vehicle new, the windshield cracked upon sustaining a light impact. Additionally, the contact stated that the windshield had also cracked from cold air inside the vehicle and the hot air outside the vehicle. The contact also stated that a tiny crack on the windshield would significantly expand within hours. The contact stated that the windshield had been replaced three times by the dealer, and the repair was covered by the insurance; however, the failure kept recurring. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 35,500.

NHTSA ODI #11530627

47,900 miles · Jul 5, 2023
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact became aware of a crack on the center of the front windshield. The contact stated that there was no impact to the windshield to cause the crack. The vehicle was not inspected, and the windshield was not replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted.…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact became aware of a crack on the center of the front windshield. The contact stated that there was no impact to the windshield to cause the crack. The vehicle was not inspected, and the windshield was not replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 47,900.

NHTSA ODI #11530424

Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2023
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, a small pebble impacted the front windshield and caused two small cracks. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The f…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, a small pebble impacted the front windshield and caused two small cracks. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11503370

52,000 miles · Dec 7, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front windshield cracked several times without impact. While driving bird droppings struck the front windshield and the windshield cracked on impact. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the windshield g…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front windshield cracked several times without impact. While driving bird droppings struck the front windshield and the windshield cracked on impact. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the windshield glass. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer four times and the glass was replaced. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

NHTSA ODI #11496380

35,000 miles · Jun 29, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that as she approached the vehicle, she noticed that the passenger’s side windshield was cracked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact notified the dealer by phone. The dealer informed the contact to notify her insurance company of the issue. The contact…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that as she approached the vehicle, she noticed that the passenger’s side windshield was cracked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact notified the dealer by phone. The dealer informed the contact to notify her insurance company of the issue. The contact related the failure to a manufacturing defect. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.

NHTSA ODI #11471581

Mileage unknown · May 24, 2022
Visibility

Windshield cracked without being hit, and continues to spider out from original spot. It is available for inspection upon request. The glass continues to crack and spider, causing difficulty seeing for driver. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by dealer. The vehicle had not been inspected. There is no warning or…

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Windshield cracked without being hit, and continues to spider out from original spot. It is available for inspection upon request. The glass continues to crack and spider, causing difficulty seeing for driver. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by dealer. The vehicle had not been inspected. There is no warning or message of the problem prior to the failure. 5/21 is when the problem first appeared.

NHTSA ODI #11466011

40,000 miles · May 24, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and returning, she discovered a 4-inch crack on the passenger’s side front windshield. The contact indicated that no object struck the windshield to cause the windshield to crack. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local deale…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and returning, she discovered a 4-inch crack on the passenger’s side front windshield. The contact indicated that no object struck the windshield to cause the windshield to crack. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA ODI #11465880

339,055 miles · May 20, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the windshield had fractured on the passenger’s side bottom. The crack was approximately 16-inches from the passenger’s side A-pillar. The fracture migrated towards the driver’s side and extended into a starburst design, obstructing the driver’s visibility. The cont…

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The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the windshield had fractured on the passenger’s side bottom. The crack was approximately 16-inches from the passenger’s side A-pillar. The fracture migrated towards the driver’s side and extended into a starburst design, obstructing the driver’s visibility. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 339,055.

NHTSA ODI #11465420

Official recalls

6

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

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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