2020 Subaru Outback: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 893 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 6 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
893
Complaints
6
Recalls
19
Crash reports
7
Fire reports
4
Injuries
16.8
Severity index
Severity index 16.8 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 103 2020 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2020 Subaru Outback ranks 90 of 103 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 13% of its model-year peers. See the full 2020 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 313 | 35.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 257 | 28.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 150 | 16.8% |
| VISIBILITY | 70 | 7.8% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 49 | 5.5% |
| ENGINE | 47 | 5.3% |
| POWER TRAIN | 45 | 5.0% |
| STRUCTURE | 21 | 2.4% |
The single most-reported system is VISIBILITY/WIPER, cited in 313 of 893 complaints (35.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 244 |
| 2021 | 284 |
| 2022 | 176 |
| 2023 | 74 |
| 2024 | 59 |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 13 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20V766000 | 10/12/2020 | BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION | 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 |
| 21V955000 | 09/12/2021 | 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. |
| 21V587000 | 29/07/2021 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 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. |
| 19V664000 | 18/09/2019 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES | 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. |
| 22V485000 | 08/07/2022 | 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. |
| 24V227000 | 22/03/2024 | AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.