Your vehicle report
2020 Subaru Outback
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 902
- Received Oct 2019 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact429 complaints · 48% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Battery drains and dies when parked155 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own18 complaints · 2.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #24V227000Subaru 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.
- Recall #22V485000Subaru 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Glass shatters or cracks without impactFirst signal: Dec 2019
- Vehicle catches fire from wiringFirst signal: Jul 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 19 crashes, 7 fires, 4 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Tailgate or trunk latch fails
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
1 more problem
Driver assistance
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 244 |
| 2021 | 284 |
| 2022 | 176 |
| 2023 | 74 |
| 2024 | 59 |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 22 |
| Total | 902 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 429 | 48% | 3.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Dec 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.2% |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 155 | 17% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 18 | 2.0% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 17 | 1.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 10 | 1.1% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 9 | 1.0% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 9 | 1.0% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 8 | 0.9% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 8 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 8 | 0.9% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 0.9% | 3.1× | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 7 | 0.8% | 4× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.6% |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 6 | 0.7% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 6 | 0.7% | – | NHTSA recall #20V766000 |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 6 | 0.7% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 6 | 0.7% | – | NHTSA recall #21V955000, #22V485000 |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 5 | 0.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 0.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 0.5% | – | NHTSA recall #21V955000 |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 0.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #24V227000March 22, 2024118,723 vehicles affected
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #22V485000July 8, 2022182 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm); 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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V955000December 9, 2021198,255 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm); 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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V587000July 29, 2021175,968 vehicles affected
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #20V766000December 10, 20207,741 vehicles affected
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 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."
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.
NHTSA recall #19V664000September 18, 20193,467 vehicles affected
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2020 Subaru Outback.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN