2020 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability
143 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2020 Subaru Legacy, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 35/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Visibility & wipers leads the reports, typically around 5,700 miles.
Below average
Where 2020 sits among all Legacy years
What owners report
“We just had our windshield replaced due to a crack about a month ago. Woke up this morning and had another spontaneous crack in bottom middle of the windshield”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Legacy
“The windshield spontaneously cracked. The vehicle was not in operation. It was parked with no passenger.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Legacy
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 56 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 6,750 miles. Half of those reports fall between 3,383 and 14,628 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
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…
Fix: 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 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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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 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,…
Fix: 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 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.
Fix: 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…
Technical service bulletins
575 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2020 Subaru Legacy. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2020 Legacy TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2020 Subaru Legacy reliable?
The 2020 Subaru Legacy drew 143 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 35/100, scored against the model's worst year (1995).
What are the most common 2020 Subaru Legacy problems?
The top reported problems for the 2020 Subaru Legacy are visibility & wipers (66 complaints), other (26), and electrical (16).
At what mileage do 2020 Subaru Legacy problems show up?
Owners most often report 2020 Subaru Legacy problems around 6,750 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 3,383 and 14,628 miles.
Does the 2020 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2020 Subaru Legacy. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.