2020 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,133 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2020 Subaru Outback, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 85/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Visibility & wipers leads the reports, typically around 6,325 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2020 Subaru Outback sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1996–1999, 2001–2004, 2007, 2009.
Avoid
Where 2020 sits among all Outback years
What owners report
“Front windshield cracked on drivers side for no apparent reason. Vehicle was in motion. No objects hit vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Outback
“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.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Outback
“Windshield has cracked on 3 separate occasions while parked. Happened in 2 parking lots and my driveway.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Outback
“Cracked windshield which we had repaired on 10/1/2020 for $821.71. Crack appeared seemingly from nowhere on the morning of 9/22/20.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Outback
“Check engine light came on with error code p26a5 which seems to be known issue with the Thermo Control Valve.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Outback
“The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Outback
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 483 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 6,300 miles. Half of those reports fall between 3,000 and 12,000 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…
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 Outback reliable?
The 2020 Subaru Outback drew 1,133 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 85/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2020 Subaru Outback problems?
The top reported problems for the 2020 Subaru Outback are visibility & wipers (384 complaints), electrical (275), and other (154).
At what mileage do 2020 Subaru Outback problems show up?
Owners most often report 2020 Subaru Outback problems around 6,300 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 3,000 and 12,000 miles.
Does the 2020 Subaru Outback have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2020 Subaru Outback. 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.